A method operates a furnace unit with a feed chute and a camera for capturing an image of the surface of the chute. The chute includes a slide on which material flows to a grate, and the coverage of the chute and in particular of the slide with material, the burning bed thickness and the burnout zone are determined by an image evaluation.

A combustion/carbonizing system which comprises a base frame and a combustion chamber frame which is pivotably attached to the base frame. The combustion chamber frame defines an open top combustion chamber having a bottom perforated plate. A plenum is formed below the perforated plate for collecting biochar which passes therethrough. A first source of combustion air is supplied across the top of the combustion chamber while a second source of combustion air passes through the perforated plate into the combustion chamber. The combustion/carbonizing system is capable of operating in a continuous manner for combustion wood or waste material to the desired degree required by the end user for the purpose of reducing the volume of the material as well as the associated emissions while generating valuable char and boichar as an end product. For some applications, the combustion/carbonizing system may be operated to combust completely the wood or waste material.

A combustion/carbonizing system which comprises a base frame and a combustion chamber frame which is pivotably attached to the base frame. The combustion chamber frame defines an open top combustion chamber having a bottom perforated plate. A plenum is formed below the perforated plate for collecting biochar which passes therethrough. A first source of combustion air is supplied across the top of the combustion chamber while a second source of combustion air passes through the perforated plate into the combustion chamber. The combustion/carbonizing system is capable of operating in a continuous manner for combustion wood or waste material to the desired degree required by the end user for the purpose of reducing the volume of the material as well as the associated emissions while generating valuable char and boichar as an end product. For some applications, the combustion/carbonizing system may be operated to combust completely the wood or waste material.

A ground supported single drum power boiler is described combining a refractory lined and insulated V-Cell floor; refractory lined and insulated combustion chamber; integrated fuel chutes configured to pre-dry wet solid fuel; top mounted fuel bin; internal chamber walls; configurable combustion air systems; and a back pass with after-burner ports and cross flow superheaters. The boiler can be configured in pre-assembled modules to minimize the field construction time and cost. An alternative embodiment is adaptable as a gasifier.

An apparatus comprises a vessel having an interior chamber formed by a vessel wall. The vessel wall comprises a double-walled structure having an inner wall and an outer wall. A moveable lid is configured to form an airtight seal with the interior chamber in a closed position. A basket is positioned within the chamber. One or more vibration devices, such as transducers, are attached to the basket. A heating coil is positioned within the chamber and surrounding the basket. The heating coil is configured to heat the basket using induction heating. An airtight space is formed between the inner wall and the outer wall and is filled with a gas. The temperature within the chamber may be lowered by cooling the gas.

A combustion/carbonizing system which comprises a base frame and a combustion chamber frame which is pivotably attached to the base frame. The combustion chamber frame defines an open top combustion chamber having a bottom perforated plate. A plenum is formed below the perforated plate for collecting biochar which passes therethrough. A first source of combustion air is supplied across the top of the combustion chamber while a second source of combustion air passes through the perforated plate into the combustion chamber. The combustion/carbonizing system is capable of operating in a continuous manner for combustion wood or waste material to the desired degree required by the end user for the purpose of reducing the volume of the material as well as the associated emissions while generating valuable char and boichar as an end product. For some applications, the combustion/carbonizing system may be operated to combust completely the wood or waste material.

A method operates a furnace unit with a feed chute and a camera for capturing an image of the surface of the chute. The chute includes a slide on which material flows to a grate, and the coverage of the chute and in particular of the slide with material, the burning bed thickness and the burnout zone are determined by an image evaluation.

A cooling system for a grate bar of an incinerator of solid materials is provided includes a feed grate having a plurality of grate bars, at least one of the grate bars including a body having a top surface, a bottom surface, a first end and a second end, a first aperture in the body and a second aperture in the body, and an internal passageway defined within the body and fluidly connecting the first aperture to the second aperture, the first aperture arranged to receive a gas therethrough into the body, and the second aperture arranged to provide an egress for the gas out of the body. The cooling system further includes a manifold duct fluidly coupled to the second aperture for receiving the gas from the second aperture. The gas is independent of the primary combustion air of the incinerator.

A biochar apparatus and a related biochar module may have a horizontal table-shaking mechanism and a tapered channel for causing biochar pieces generated in a firebox to fall through openings in the table to a conveyor system below. The table may be configured with replaceable grate panels. A quenching reservoir pan for holding quenching liquid receives a drainage basket at a discharge end of the conveyor system for quenching hot pieces of biochar and allowing easy retrieval of the quenched pieces.

A method processes slag occurring in a combustion chamber. An incineration grate is formed at least in its end region that is facing the slag-removing device as a separating grate, which has openings, via which the chamber is connected to a fine-slag discharge chamber, and at least one fine fraction of the slag is ejected through the openings into the discharge chamber and discharged in a substantially dry state, and the remaining coarse fraction is fed to the slag-removing device and discharged. In this case, the average particle size of the at least one fine fraction is smaller than the average particle size of the coarse fraction. The separating grate has at least in certain regions air feeds that are distributed over its entire width and via which air is fed in a controlled manner to the slag, and the air feeds are isolated from the openings and formed separately.