Back to results
US 4,764,221 AGranted
Silo cleaning process
AssigneeShell Mining Company
InventorsWesley D. Hartwigsen, Alan D. Johnson, Jeffrey C. Beckham, Kenneth L. White
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A silo which is impeded by a mass of cohering particles is cleaned by extending at least one flexible tube connected to a mace into the silo to near the coherent mass and flowing gas through the tube and mace at a rate and pressure causing swinging and writhing movements by the mace and tube.
Claims6
A process for removing cohesive masses of particles from the interior walls of a silo, comprising:
- selecting a mace which has a density exceeding that of the cohesive masses of particles in the silo;
- connecting at least one flexible hose between the mace and a source of relatively highly pressurized gas, which gas is inert to the cohesive masses of particles in the silo and can be supplied at a relatively high rate;
- extending the flexible hose downward from an upper portion of the silo so that the flexible hose supports the mace at a depth at least near the cohesive masses of particles in the silo;
- injecting the gas through the hose and out of the mace at a pressure and rate such that the mace is driven into a random swinging and writhing motion and into and out of contact with the cohesive masses of particles encountered within the interior of the silo;
- and
- operating the mace such that substantially all of the cohesive masses of particles are disintegrated and converted to free flowing particles.
3 more elements
A process for removing cohesive masses of particles from the interior walls of a silo, comprising:
- suspending a mace within striking range of the cohesive masses;
- supplying pressuirzed gas to the mace, which gas is inert to the cohesive masses of particles in the silo;
- and
- propelling the mace with the pressurized gas to randomly strike and break up the cohesive masses.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.