Moving grate device, method, and system for combustion

Abstract

A solid fuel conveying system is presented. The system includes a low power agitating grate. The grate has a surface for burning solid fuel in a burner, such as a downdraft burner. The grate includes a rotating camshaft and a plurality of movable grate elements. Each movable grate element has a cam end and a slide end. A cam bore passes through the grate element cam end, and a slide bore passes through the grate element slide end. A slide pin passes through each movable grate slide bore. A plurality of cams are disposed along the rotating camshaft, with each cam disposed within a cam bore in one of the plurality of movable grates elements. A camshaft drive rotates the camshaft, thereby moving each grate element in accordance with the orientation of the cam passing through the corresponding cam bore of that grate element.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An agitating grate, comprising:
 a movable grate element comprising:
 a solid fuel supporting surface; 
 a bottom surface disposed substantially opposite said solid fuel supporting surface; 
 a first side; 
 a second side disposed substantially opposite said first side; 
 a cam end; 
 a slide end disposed substantially opposite said cam end; and 
 a cam bore disposed substantially at said cam end, said cam bore passing through said movable grate element between said first side and said second side; 
   a first rotating camshaft disposed through said cam bore; and   a first cam lobe disposed upon said first rotating camshaft, said first cam lobe disposed within said cam bore.   
     
     
         2 . The agitating grate of  claim 1 , wherein said movable grate element further comprises an air passage. 
     
     
         3 . The agitating grate of  claim 2 , wherein said air vent further comprises:
 a first aperture in said movable grate element solid fuel supporting surface;   a second aperture in said movable element; and   an air channel passing through said movable grate element between said first aperture and said second aperture.   
     
     
         4 . The agitating grate of  claim 1 , further comprising a stationary grate element adjacent to said movable grate element, wherein said stationary grate element further comprises a solid fuel supporting surface. 
     
     
         5 . The agitating grate of  claim 4 , wherein said stationary grate element further comprises an air vent. 
     
     
         6 . The agitating grate of  claim 5 , wherein said air vent further comprises:
 a first aperture in said stationary grate element solid fuel supporting surface;   a second aperture in said stationary element; and   an air channel passing through said movable grate element between said first aperture and said second aperture.   
     
     
         7 . The agitating grate of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a movable grate element slide bore disposed substantially at said slide end, said slide bore passing through said movable grate element between said first side and said second side; and   a stationary slide pin disposed through said movable grate element slide bore.   
     
     
         8 . The agitating grate of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a second rotating camshaft disposed through said slide bore; and   a second cam disposed upon said second rotating camshaft, said second cam disposed within said slide bore.   
     
     
         9 . The agitating grate of  claim 1 , wherein said solid fuel supporting surface is disposed at an incline angle with respect to a horizontal reference, said incline angle in relation between said cam end and said slide end. 
     
     
         10 . A method for agitating a burner grate, comprising the steps  of:    providing a camshaft;   providing a movable grate element comprising a cam end, a slide end, a cam bore disposed substantially at the cam end, and a slide bore disposed substantially at the slide end;   providing a cam disposed along the rotating camshaft, said cam disposed within said cam bore in said movable grate element; and   rotating said camshaft with a camshaft drive.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein rotating is controlled with a motor. 
     
     
         12 . A solid fuel transport system comprising:
 a solid fuel feeder comprising a chute configured to accommodate a solid fuel pile; and   a conveyer configured to receive solid fuel from said solid fuel feeder and convey said solid fuel away from said solid fuel feeder and convey said solid fuel to a destination, wherein said conveyer further comprises:
 a movable grate element comprising a cam bore; 
 a rotating camshaft disposed through said cam bore; 
 a first cam disposed upon said rotating camshaft, said first cam disposed within said cam bore; and 
 a camshaft drive configured to rotate said rotating camshaft.