Flow control device for solid particulate material

A system for controlling the flow of particulate solid material from a first vessel to a second vessel, comprising:

• a flow control device having a generally horizontal feeder conduit having an outlet end in communication with said second vessel and a receiving end remote from said outlet end;
• said device including an upwardly extending standpipe having a lower end in communication with said receiving end of said feeder conduit and adapted to contain a volume of said granular solid material having an upper level spaced above said feeder conduit to provide a sealing head of material between said lower end of said standpipe and an upper end in communication with said first vessel to receive material therefrom;
• and
• gas operated, flow initiating control means for moving said solid material through said device from said first vessel to said second vessel, said flow initiating means including a gas conduit extending into said feeder conduit having outlet means spaced between said outlet end of said feeder conduit and said receiving end thereof that is supplied with solid material from said standpipe, said outlet means including one or more gas outlets in said feeder conduit for directing pressurized gas into said solid material downstream of said standpipe to fluidize said material to flow in said feeder conduit toward said second vessel.

Flow control apparatus for feeding recycled particulate solid material into a fluidized bed combustion vessel, said apparatus comprising:

• a generally horizontal material feeder conduit having an outlet end in communication with said fluidized bed combustion vessel and a receiving end remote from said vessel;
• an upstanding material collector conduit having a lower end in communication with said receiving end of said feeder conduit and an upper end for receiving a flow of said granular solid material to be recycled back into said combustion vessel, said upstanding collector conduit forming a standpipe adapted to retain a quantity of said granular solid material to establish a pressure sealing head of solid material extending in a column upwardly of said receiving end of said feed conduit;
• gas assisted, flow initiating control means extending into said feeder conduit for directing of a flow of pressurized gas into said solid material to fluidize the solid material for travel into said combustion vessel through said outlet end of said feeder conduit;
• and wherein
• said flow initiating control means also includes a separate inlet for directing pressurized gas into said solid material in said standpipe spaced at a level above said horizontal feeder conduit.