Method and apparatus for filling, blending and withdrawing solid particulate material from a vessel
AssigneeFuller Company
InventorKermit D. Paul
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method are provided for blending solid particulate material. The invention employs equipment for enabling simultaneous drain and recycle, for selective top filling or bottom filling of the vessel, and for providing a bypass line for removing plugs which may form in the lift pipe. The apparatus includes a continuous blending unit which includes a sensor to measure the amount of material in the vessel by measuring its height or weight, and a controller, responsive to the sensor, for controlling the fresh particulate material feed rate and/or the material withdrawal rate so that the fresh material supply rate and the blended material withdrawal rate are proportioned to control the material level within the vessel to a desired level.
Claims23
An apparatus for blending and withdrawing solid particulate material, comprising:
- a vertically oriented vessel having an upper part, a lower part and a tubular extension on said lower part;
- a vertical lift column (i) centrally mounted in said vessel, (ii) having a lower part extending into said tubular extension, (iii) having an inlet within said tubular extension, and (iv) having an outlet in the upper part of said vessel;
- fluid supply/material drain means for (i) supplying gaseous fluid under pressure to said tubular extension below said lift column for entraining material in said tubular extension into said inlet of said lift column and upwardly of said lift column, whereby material is discharged from said outlet of said lift column in a geyser-like manner into said upper part of said vessel and (ii) withdrawing blended particulate material from said vessel, said fluid supply/material drain means comprising nozzle means disposed within said tubular extension below said inlet of said lift column for receiving said gaseous fluid and directing said gaseous fluid toward said lift column and a first valve means in fluid communication with said tubular extension below said nozzle means for opening and closing to control withdrawal of blended particulate material from said tubular extension below said nozzle means, said first valve means when open enabling simultaneous supply of gaseous fluid and withdrawal of blended particulate material.
An apparatus for blending solid particulate material, comprising:
- a vertically oriented vessel having an upper part, a lower part and a tubular extension on said lower part;
- a vertical lift column (i) centrally mounted in said vessel, (ii) having a lower part extending into said tubular extension, (iii) having an inlet within said tubular extension and (iv) having an outlet in the upper part of said vessel;
- fluid supply/material drain means for (i) supplying gaseous fluid under pressure to said tubular extension below said lift column for entraining material in said tubular extension into said inlet of said lift column and upwardly of said lift column whereby material is discharged from said outlet of said lift column in a geyser-like manner into said upper part of said vessel and (ii) withdrawing blended particulate material from said vessel, said fluid supply/material drain means comprising a nozzle means connected to a lower end of said tubular extension below said inlet of said lift column for receiving said gaseous fluid and directing said gaseous fluid toward said lift column, a conduit means connected to said lower part of said vessel for conveying blended particulate material from said lower part of said vessel, and a first valve means, connected to said conduit means, for opening and closing to control withdrawal of said blended particulate material through said conduit means, said first valve means when open enabling simultaneous supply of said gaseous fluid and withdrawal of said blended particulate material.
A method for blending and withdrawing solid particulate material from an apparatus which includes a vertically oriented vessel having an upper part, a lower part and a tubular extension on said lower part, and a vertical lift column centrally mounted in said vessel, having a lower part extending into said tubular extension, having an inlet for said solid particulate material within said tubular extension, and having an outlet in the upper part of said vessel, said method comprising:
- supplying gaseous fluid under pressure to said tubular extension below said lift column to entrain material in said tubular extension into said inlet of said lift column and upwardly of said lift column, whereby material is discharged from said outlet of said lift column in a geyser-like manner into said upper part of said vessel;
- and
- withdrawing blended particulate material from said tubular extension below said inlet of said lift column.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.