System for aerating and fluidizing particulate material

A particulate material aeration and fluidization system comprising:

• an upper aeration and fluidization chamber including a substantially horizontally disposed plate having a central inner region and an outer region surrounding the inner region with a plurality of apertures formed therethrough in the outer region of said plate;
• a first thin, elongate agitation member mounted for rotation around a path extending substantially across the outer region of apertures and some predetermined distance above the plate of the first aeration and fluidization chamber to aerate and agitate particulate material in the chamber and to cause particulate material to flow from the chamber through the apertures in the plate;
• a lower aeration and fluidization chamber including a lower conical member surrounding the peripheral regions of apertures formed through said plate and tapering downwardly and inwardly to a particulate material outlet, whereby the volume of particulate material flowing through the apertures of said plate is directed downwardly and inwardly to said outlet;
• a second thin, elongate agitation member supported for rotation around a path extending adjacent and spaced from said lower conical member of said lower aeration and fluidization chamber to aerate and agitate particulate material by loosening said material adjacent to the inner wall of the second chamber and to feed particulate material through the outlet;
• and
• a top pressure plate mounted above and spaced from a central portion of the horizontally disposed plate but not extending to cover the outer region of apertures formed in said plate to support a portion of the weight of particulate material above the horizontal plate and to form a void area beneath said top pressure plate.