Importance

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Abstract

A cement kiln having a tire injection system. The tire injection system comprises an entrance chute having an outer end portion protruding outwardly of a wall of the kiln and an inner end portion which protrudes into the kiln. The entrance chute further is disposed such that it is positioned tangentially to the kiln wall. The entrance chute includes a gate assembly having a cam follower assembly and a pivotally mounted gate member. The cam follower assembly causes the gate member to be urged pivotally between open and closed positions in response to movement of the cam follower assembly over a cylindrical camming wall positioned at a predetermined location relative to the kiln. When the cam follower assembly has caused the gate member to open, a plurality of tires or other items forming a source of supplemental fuel are injected into the entrance chute by one or more external tire injecting apparatuses synchronized in operation to rotation of the kiln. The tires or other fuel items are positively propelled at the time the entrance chute is aligned with the injecting apparatus. A dam formed at the inner end portion of the entrance chute prevents highly fluidized material within the kiln from flowing up into the entrance chute and further forms a channel relatively free of the fluidized material into which the tires may be injected during a predetermined portion, or portions, of rotational travel of the kiln. The apparatus thus allows whole tires or other fuel items or packets to be injected without the use of gravity feed and without the turbulence and splashing otherwise associated with previously developed injection systems.

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First Claim