Venturi powder pump having rotating diffuser

A powder pump for pumping solid particulate powder from a source of powder, which pump comprises,

• a pneumatic conveyor line having an inlet end and a discharge end, said line also having a low pressure venturi pumping chamber contained therein,
• a powder flow passage intersecting said venturi pumping chamber, said powder flow passage having an inlet adapted to be placed in fluid communication with a source of solid particulate material,
• a rotatable diffuser contained within said powder flow passage, said diffuser having an axial passageway through which powder flows in the course of flow through said powder flow passage,
• means for effecting rotation of said diffuser, and,
• means for metering the flow of powder through said powder flow passage, said metering means comprising a metering air flow port intersecting said powder flow passage at a location spaced from said venturi pumping chamber and means for supplying high pressure air to said metering air flow port.

Powder pumping apparatus for pumping solid particulate powder from a source of powder, which apparatus comprises,

• a pneumatic conveyor line having an inlet end and a discharge end, said line having a low pressure venturi pumping chamber contained therein,
• a powder flow passage intersecting said venturi pumping chamber,
• means for supplying high pressure air to said inlet end of said pneumatic conveyor line,
• means for supplying powder to said powder flow passage,
• means for drawing said powder through said powder flow passage into said venturi pumping chamber of said pump,
• a metering air flow port intersecting said powder flow passage at a location upstream from said venturi pumping chamber,
• means for supplying high pressure air to said metering air flow port,
• a diffuser located within said powder flow passage, said diffuser having an interior wall, and
• means for rotating said interior wall of said powder flow diffuser so as to better and more evenly distribute powder in an air stream of powder dispensed from said discharge end of said conveyor line.

The method of pumping solid particulate powder from a source of powder, which method comprises,

• supplying high pressure air to a pneumatic conveyor line having an inlet end and a discharge end, said line having a low pressure venturi pumping chamber contained therein,
• providing powder to a powder flow passage which intersects said venturi pumping chamber,
• drawing said powder through said powder flow passage into said venturi pumping chamber of said pump,
• supplying high pressure air to a metering air flow passage which intersects said powder flow passage at a location upstream from said venturi pumping chamber, and
• rotating an interior wall of a diffuser located within said powder flow passage immediately adjacent the intersection of said metering air flow passage and said powder flow passage so as to better and more evenly distribute powder in an air stream of powder dispensed from said discharge end of said conveyor.