Infeed system for hydrolyzer

A hydrolyzer infeed system, comprising:

• a hydrolyzer having a hydrolyzer inlet;
• an infeed chamber having a chamber inlet for receiving material and having a chamber outlet communicated with the hydrolyzer inlet;
• an inlet gate disposed in the infeed chamber and movable between a closed position and an open position, the infeed chamber being blocked between the chamber inlet and the chamber outlet when the inlet gate is in the closed position, and the infeed chamber being open between the chamber inlet and the chamber outlet when the inlet gate is in the open position;
• a ram disposed to reciprocate in the infeed chamber for compressing the material against the gate on a side of the gate opposite from the chamber outlet when the gate is in the closed position, and for moving the compressed material past the gate when the gate is in the open position;
• and
• an actuator operably connected to the ram and configured to move the ram between a retracted ram position and a fully extended ram position, the chamber inlet being open for receiving the material when the ram is in the retracted ram position, and the ram extending past the gate toward the chamber outlet when the ram is in the fully extended ram position;
• wherein the infeed chamber between the inlet gate and the chamber outlet includes an inner bore zone adjacent the inlet gate and adapted to receive a portion of the ram in the fully extended position, and a transition zone disposed between the inner bore zone and the chamber outlet;
• and
• wherein the transition zone includes at least one frictional protuberance configured to resist return movement of the compressed material toward the chamber inlet.