Particulate material treatment system and conveyor belt mixing system

A material treatment system for significantly reducing dust formation during transfer of particulate material having a tendency of dusting, the system comprising:

• (a) an endless conveyor belt for conveying the particulate material;
• (b) material spraying means located above the endless conveyor belt across the width of the belt, the spraying means being adapted to spray water or organic surface active agents onto the surface of the particulate material conveyed on the belt in order to wet the surface of the particulate material being conveyed;
• and,
• (c) a plurality of inverting means, spaced along the endless conveyor, each inverting means including material mixing means located above the surface of the belt and positioned past the spraying means in relation to the direction of travel of the belt, the mixing means including;
• (i) a pair of skirts, positioned above the belt surface on each side of the belt to direct the conveyed particulate material away from the sides and towards the center of the belt so as to create a converging zone of the particulate material between the skirts;
• (ii) at least one plow, having a pointed end and a flared end, located above the surface of the belt between the skirts within the converging zone, the at least one plow being positioned in a manner so that the pointed end of the at least one plow points in a direction opposite the direction of travel of the belt to allow the at least one plow to lift and divert the wetted material being conveyed on the belt towards side edges of the belt to expose additional unwetted particulate material surfaces, and
• (iii) two or more baffle means located above the belt surface on each side of the belt between the skirts within the converging zone, past the plow in relation to the direction of travel of the belt, the baffle means being positioned at such an angle as to redirect the conveyed particulate material away from the sides and towards the center of the belt while exposing additional unwetted surfaces of the particulate material.

A material treatment system for significantly reducing dust formation during transfer of particulate material having a tendency of dusting, the system comprising:

• (a) an endless conveyer belt for conveying the particulate material;
• (b) material spraying means located above the endless conveyer belt across the width of the belt, the spraying means being adapted to spray water or organic surface active agents onto the surface of the particulate material conveyed on the belt in order to wet the surface of the particulate material being conveyed;
• and
• (c) material mixing means located above the surface of the belt and positioned past the spraying means in relation to the direction of travel of the belt, the mixing means including
• (i) a pair of skirts, positioned above the belt surface on each side of the belt to direct the conveyed particulate material away from the sides and towards the center of the belt so as to create a converging zone of the particulate material between the skirts;
• ii) at least one plow, having a pointed end and a flared end, located above the surface of the belt between the skirts within the converging zone, the at least one plow being positioned in a manner so that the pointed end of the at least one plow points in a direction opposite the direction of travel of the belt to allow the at least one plow to lift and divert the wetted particulate material being conveyed on the belt towards side edges of the belt to expose additional unwetted particulate material surfaces, and
• (iii) two or more baffle means located above the belt surface on each side of the belt between the skirts within the converging zone, past the at least one plow in relation to the direction of travel of the belt, the baffle means being positioned on each side of the belt at such an angle as to redirect the conveyed particulate material away from the sides and towards the center of the belt while exposing additional unwetted surfaces of the particulate material.