Baler Boiler Apparatus and Method

Abstract

A bale boiler incinerates bales of material, and particularly bales made from waste, garbage and other refuse, in order to provide heat for a steam turbine generator, and includes a conveyor for transporting bales of waste material through a three-stage boiler. The boiler is preferably divided into three stages: 1) the warming stage, 2) the main incineration stage, and 3) the supplemental incineration stage. In the warming stage, the bale is warmed and dried. In the main incineration stage, the bale is burned to create heat that is then used to power a steam turbine electrical generator or the like. In the third, supplemental incineration stage, the remnants of the bale burn down to ash, and the remaining ash and non-combustible waste are then transported out of the boiler by the conveyor and dumped into a receptacle or container for transport and disposal.

Claims

1. A bale boiler apparatus comprising: a multi-stage boiler including a housing that is divided into three separate chambers for various stages of an incineration process; a first chamber is used for a warming stage, a second chamber used for a main incineration stage, and third chamber used for a supplemental incineration stage; a conveyor extending longitudinally through each chamber of said multi-stage boiler; a heat powered electric generator operatively connected to said multi-stage boiler; wherein said conveyor transports bales of material through each chamber of said multi-stage boiler such that said bales are burned to generate heat; and wherein said heat is used to power said heat powered electric generator in order to produce electricity.

2. The bale boiler apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said multi-stage boiler further includes a separating mechanism for separating each said chamber from the next.

3. The bale boiler apparatus set forth in claim 1, further including temperature sensors in said second chamber.

4. The bale boiler apparatus set forth in claim 1, further including laser sensors to detect the size of a bale.

5. The bale boiler apparatus set forth in claim 1, further including a container operatively connected to said multi-stage boiler to collect ash or leftover waste generated by said incineration process.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a top view of one embodiment of a bale boiler apparatus in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, wherein the bale boiler apparatus includes a conveyor for transporting bales of material through a multi-stage boiler;

[0019] FIG. 2 is an elevated perspective view of one embodiment of a bale boiler apparatus in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, showing the conveyor system carrying a plurality of bales through a three-stage boiler apparatus;

[0020] FIG. 3 is a front cutaway view of one embodiment of a bale boiler apparatus in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, wherein the bale boiler apparatus includes a conveyor for transporting bales of material through a multi-stage boiler; and

[0021] FIG. 4 is a side view of one embodiment of a bale boiler apparatus in accordance with one aspect of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The present invention, in a preferred embodiment, is a bale boiler 10 that incinerates bales 12 of material, and particularly bales 12 made from waste, garbage and other refuse, in order to provide heat for a steam turbine generator 14 (or for any type of electricity generator that is powered by heat). As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the bale boiler 10 includes a conveyor 16 for transporting bales 12 of waste material through a three-stage boiler 10, and then removing the ash and non-combustible waste from the boiler 10 and depositing it in a receptacle or container 20 for transport and disposal.

[0023] The boiler 10 is preferably divided into three chambers 22 for three separate stages of the incineration process: 1) a first chamber 24 used for the warming stage, 2) a second chamber 28 used for the main incineration stage, and 3) a third chamber 32 used for the supplemental incineration stage. In the warming stage, the heat from the main incineration stage is used to warm the bale 12 and remove any moisture that may be present. When the bale 12 is moved into the main incineration chamber 28, it is burned to create heat that is then used to power a steam turbine electrical generator 14 or the like. At the end of the incineration stage, some of the bale 12 may remain burning and smoldering, and the remnants of the bale 12 are then moved by the conveyor 16 into the third chamber 32, which is the supplemental incineration stage. In this third stage, the remnants of the bale 12 burn down to ash, and the remaining ash and non-combustible waste are then transported out of the boiler 10 by the conveyor 16 and dumped into a receptacle or container 20 for transport and disposal.

[0024] The bales 12 are preferably placed on the conveyor 16 in evenly spaced increments so that each bale 12 progresses through the successive stages in an orderly, cyclical fashion. In other words, if a first bale 12 is in the first chamber 24 of the boiler 10 and the time comes to move it into the second chamber, the conveyor 16 transports the first bale 12 into the second chamber 28, and a second bale 12 (placed behind the first bale on the conveyor) moves into the first chamber 24 of the boiler 10. The process is cyclical, so that the conveyor 16 moves the successive bales 12 into each stage and then stops while the incineration operation is underway. Then, when the bale 12 that is in the incineration chamber 28 has been mostly (but not necessarily completely) burned, then the conveyor 16 transports that bale 12 to the supplemental stage in the third chamber 32, so that all bales 12 simultaneously proceed to the next successive chamber or stage.

[0025] It is contemplated that each chamber of the boiler 10 may be separated by doors or separators 36 that separate the different stages from one another during the incineration operation for each bale 12. When it is time for the conveyor 16 to move the bales 12 to the next chamber and stage of the boiler 10, the doors or separators 36 are opened to allow the bales 12 to pass therethrough, and then close again before the incineration operation begins on the next successive bale 12 in the queue. It is contemplated that this process may be operated manually, or automatically, based on temperature sensors 38 within the main incineration chamber 28 (or other types of sensors, such as laser sensors that detect the size of the bale, for example). Alternatively, the automated process may simply be a timed process, so that the bales 12 remain in each stage for a predetermined period of time.

[0026] The boiler 10 is preferably operatively connected to a heat powered electric generator 14, such as a steam turbine or the like, and the heat from the boiler 10 comes primarily from the main incineration chamber 28, while a portion of the heat is provided by the third, supplemental incineration stage in chamber 32.

[0027] The present arrangement allows for a series of bales 12 to be placed on the conveyor 16 for incineration, and the conveyor 16 and boiler 10 may run continuously, without interruption, so long as there are bales 12 being loaded onto the conveyor 16. It is also contemplated that the boiler/generator apparatus may be formed into mobile unit and be transportable by truck to any desired location for generating electricity.

[0028] In general terms, heat powered generators typically require a great deal of time and effort to prepare the materials before the incineration process begins. Advantageously, the present invention reduces or eliminates the step of preparing the materials for burning, as the bales themselves may be burned without any preparation beforehand. The bale boiler apparatus and process allows the trash to be collected and baled, then stored (if necessary), and then to be burned in due course.

[0029] Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. All features disclosed in this specification may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.