Ceramic intermittently sealable refractory tile and controlled air continuous gasifiers

1 . A ceramic, intermittently sealable refractory tile comprising a refractory tile, said refractory tile having a top and a bottom, and contained within said refractory tile, an air shaft, having an external end and an internal end, said external end being surmounted by a check valve, said internal end opening into a manifold formed in the top of the refractory tile, said manifold having a bottom, there being a plurality of channels from the bottom of the manifold and opening through the bottom of the refractory tile.

2 . A ceramic, intermittently sealable refractory tile comprising a refractory tile, said refractory tile being formed of air permeable ceramic, said refractory tile having a top and a bottom, and contained within said refractory tile, an air shaft, having an external end and an internal end, said external end being surmounted by a first manifold, said first manifold having an external end and an internal end, said manifold external end being surmounted by a check valve, said manifold internal end surmounting and joined to the external end of the air shaft, said internal end of the air shaft opening into a manifold formed in the top of the refractory tile.

3 . A ceramic intermittently sealable refractory tile comprising a refractory tile, said refractory tile having a top and a bottom and contained within said refractory tile, an air shaft, having an external end and a bifurcated internal end, the external end of the air shaft having surmounted thereon a check valve, the internal ends of the air shaft exiting through the bottom of the tile.

4 . A controlled air continuous gasifier containing a plurality of refractory tile of claim 1 .

5 . A controlled air continuous gasifier containing a plurality of refractory tile of claim 2 .

6 . A controlled air continuous gasifier containing a plurality of refractory tile of claim 3 .

7 . A waste to energy system employing a controlled air continuous gasifier as claimed in claim 4 .

8 . A waste to energy system employing a controlled air continuous gasifier as claimed in claim 5 .

9 . A waste to energy system employing a controlled air continuous gasifier as claimed in claim 6 .

10 . A controlled air, continuous gasifier, said gasifier comprising:

(i) a cylinder having a feed end and a product end and comprising three zones consisting of zone A, a waste heating zone; zone B, a starved air combustion zone; and zone C, an ash cooling zone;

(ii) a feed end cap on the feed end of the cylinder;

(iii) a product end cap on the product end of the cylinder:

(iv) a product exit port in the product end cap;

(v) a flue gas exit port in the feed end cap;

(vi) a waste feed port in the feed end cap:

(vii) at least one air injection port near the product end cap, said air injection port joining with an air manifold, said air manifold located outside any ceramic refractory tile of zones B and C and terminating at an upper end of Zone B;

(viii) a means for allowing rotation of the gasifier,

wherein the cylinder comprises:

a. a refractory lined open center core running essentially the full length of the cylinder, said refractory lining having an inside surface and an outside surface;

b. a first metal shell covering the entire outside surface of the refractory lining, said first metal shell having an outside surface;

c. an insulated second metal shell formed adjacent to, and conforming to, the outside surface configuration of the first metal shell such that there is a hollow core provided between the first metal shell and the second metal shell, wherein,

the refractory lining of zone B is a ceramic sealable refractory tile as claimed in claim 1 .

11 . A controlled air, continuous gasifier, said gasifier comprising:

(i) a cylinder having a feed end and a product end and comprising three zones consisting of zone A, a waste heating zone; zone B, a starved air combustion zone; and zone C, an ash cooling zone;

(ii) a feed end cap on the feed end of the cylinder;

(iii) a product end cap on the product end of the cylinder:

(iv) a product exit port in the product end cap;

(v) a flue gas exit port in the feed end cap;

(vi) a waste feed port in the feed end cap:

(vii) at least one air injection port near the product end cap, said air injection port joining with an air manifold, said air manifold located outside any ceramic refractory tile of zones B and C and terminating at an upper end of Zone B;

(viii) a means for allowing rotation of the gasifier,

wherein the cylinder comprises:

a. a refractory lined open center core running essentially the full length of the cylinder, said refractory lining having an inside surface and an outside surface;

b. a first metal shell covering the entire outside surface of the refractory lining, said first metal shell having an outside surface;

c. an insulated second metal shell formed adjacent to, and conforming to, the outside surface configuration of the first metal shell such that there is a hollow core provided between the first metal shell and the second metal shell, wherein,

the refractory lining of zone B is a ceramic sealable refractory tile as claimed in claim 2 .

12 . A controlled air, continuous gasifier, said gasifier comprising:

(i) a cylinder having a feed end and a product end and comprising three zones consisting of zone A, a waste heating zone; zone B, a starved air combustion zone; and zone C, an ash cooling zone;

(ii) a feed end cap on the feed end of the cylinder;

(iii) a product end cap on the product end of the cylinder:

(iv) a product exit port in the product end cap;

(v) a flue gas exit port in the feed end cap;

(vi) a waste feed port in the feed end cap:

(vii) at least one air injection port near the product end cap, said air injection port joining with an air manifold, said air manifold located outside any ceramic refractory tile of zones B and C and terminating at an upper end of Zone B;

(viii) a means for allowing rotation of the gasifier,

wherein the cylinder comprises:

a. a refractory lined open center core running essentially the full length of the cylinder, said refractory lining having an inside surface and an outside surface;

b. a first metal shell covering the entire outside surface of the refractory lining, said first metal shell having an outside surface;

c. an insulated second metal shell formed adjacent to, and conforming to, the outside surface configuration of the first metal shell such that there is a hollow core provided between the first metal shell and the second metal shell, wherein,

the refractory lining of zone B is a ceramic sealable refractory tile as claimed in claim 3 .

13 . A waste to energy system comprising in combination at least:

a. a gasifier of claim 10 ;

b. an oxidizer;

c. an air to air, all-ceramic heat exchanger;

d. a gas turbine;

e. a generator operated from the gas turbine;

f. a filter and compressor driven by the gas turbine.

14 . A waste to energy system comprising in combination at least:

a. a gasifier of claim 11 ;

b. an oxidizer;

c. an air to air, all-ceramic heat exchanger;

d. a gas turbine;

e. a generator operated from the gas turbine;

f. a filter and compressor driven by the gas turbine.

15 . A waste to energy system comprising in combination at least:

a. a gasifier of claim 12 ;

b. an oxidizer;

c. an air to air, all-ceramic heat exchanger;

d. a gas turbine;

e. a generator operated from the gas turbine;

f. a filter and compressor driven by the gas turbine.

16 . A waste to energy system comprising in combination at least:

a. a gasifier of claim 10 ;

b. an oxidizer;

c. an air to air, all-ceramic heat exchanger;

d. a high pressure, medium temperature, alloy metal air-to air heat exchanger;

e. a gas turbine;

f. a generator operated from the gas turbine;

g. a filter and compressor driven by the gas turbine.

17 . A waste to energy system comprising in combination at least:

a. a gasifier of claim 11 ;

b. an oxidizer;

c. an air to air, all-ceramic heat exchanger;

d. a high pressure, medium temperature, alloy metal air-to air heat exchanger;

e. a gas turbine;

f. a generator operated from the gas turbine;

g. a filter and compressor driven by the gas turbine.

18 . A waste to energy system comprising in combination at least:

a. a gasifier of claim 12 ;

b. an oxidizer;

c. an air to air, all-ceramic heat exchanger;

d. a high pressure, medium temperature, alloy metal air-to air heat exchanger;

e. a gas turbine;

f. a generator operated from the gas turbine;

g. a filter and compressor driven by the gas turbine.