1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a system for shredding and densifying specification raw materials. More particularly, the invention relates to a system for shredding specification raw materials and densifying the resulting shredded specification raw materials into a compact transportable form for use as a fuel source, wherein the system comprises a unique combination of elements.
2. Background of the Invention
Many power plants in the United States use pulverized coal fired boilers. These types of boilers combust coal in suspension after the coal is pulverized into a fine powder consistency. Although the method of suspending the coal is an efficient way of burning the fuel source, the problem with this method of fuel generation, however, is that, because it utilizes coal, it is financially expensive, it depletes the environment of natural resources, and it results in polluting residues. There are other methods of combusting solid fuel in process boilers, combustion chambers and power plants that have other similar issues, problems, and inefficiencies.
Alternatively, paper derived fuel is currently used in many parts of the world. This is generally accomplished by combusting fuel in the bottom on a grate of a Stoker boiler. The problem with this practice, however, is that burning fuels, including paper derived fuel, on the bottom of the Stoker boiler may result in poor quality emissions to the environment and the stoker fired units are less efficient than other means of generating energy. Accordingly, such practices have become disfavored in the United States, and, therefore, there are few stoker units available for use as pile burning of alternative fuels, such as paper derived fuel.
Accordingly, because suspension is an efficient way of generating fuel, what is needed is a system that can suspend a fuel source, and which can maintain the fuel source in suspension upon combustion, wherein the fuel source is environmentally friendly.
A key step in suspending a fuel source lies in first generating a fuel source having a size sufficient to keep it in suspension. Where the fuel source comprises paper as a base fuel, for example, the paper may be shredded into pieces to obtain a size capable of suspension. However, power plant facilities do not have the means to shred the paper based fuel and to store the shredded paper on site. Additionally, it is difficult to transport the shredded paper to the power plant facilities due to the inherent characteristics of the shredded paper and its density in shredded form. Accordingly, what is needed is a system that can densify shredded pieces of fuel source into a compact form such that the densified fuel source can be readily transported and/or stored on-site at the power plant facility.