David A Pitts

US Patent:

42792061, Jul 21, 1981

Filed:

Jul 10, 1979

Appl. No.:

6/056411

Inventors:

Charles D. Pitts - Winston-Salem NC
David A. Pitts - Winston-Salem NC

International Classification:

F23D 100

US Classification:

110263

Abstract:

Coal is ground or pulverized to an extremely small particle size (6 microns or less) and introduced into a mixing chamber where the coal powder is atomized or mixed with air to form a cloud of coal particles entrained in air. Prescribed, controlled amounts of the coal powder/air mixture are withdrawn from the mixing chamber and fed to the burner nozzle of a furnace, from which nozzle the mixture is directed to a combustion zone. The igniter for the system is positioned at the combustion zone and is preferably a strong electric arc, although other igniters could be used. After combustion exhaust gases from the furnace are withdrawn and cleaned up through a water filter in which a plurality of screens are kept flushed with water passing in one direction as the combustion gases pass in the opposite direction to the atmosphere. The filter water which includes a surfactant therein is then filtered and cleaned up by passing it across marbelized chips where further combustible gases are formed and removed therefrom, which gases may be shunted back into the furnace for reburning.