Blenders

A blending apparatus for controlled delivery of blend additives to a material processing device, including:

• a primary additive feed hopper,
• at least one secondary additive feed hopper,
• an additive discharge chute having an outlet for connection to the material processing device,
• the primary additive feed hopper being mounted above the additive discharge chute for continuous gravity feed of additive material thereto,
• a secondary feeding means being connected between each secondary feed hopper and the additives discharge chute for delivery of feed additives from the secondary feed hopper to the additives discharge chute,
• means for sensing the throughput of material in the material processing device,
• means for sensing the discharge of additives from the feed hoppers,
• a controller adapted to be connected to the means for sensing the throughput of the material processing device and to the means for sensing the discharge of additives from the feed hoppers,
• the controller including means for regulating the throughput of material through the material processing device in response to the sensed discharge of material from the feed hoppers,
• the secondary feeding means comprising a material transfer device including a pipe defining a material delivery path, the pipe having a
• material inlet and a material discharge outlet, means for delivery of a gas stream along the material delivery path directed towards the outlet to deliver material between the inlet and the outlet, the inlet being connected to the secondary feed hopper and the outlet discharging into the additives discharge chute.

A blender, including:

• a supply hopper,
• a weigh hopper for weighing a batch of material,
• a mixer for reception of material from the weigh hopper and being operable to mix said material prior to delivery of said material into a process line,
• a material transfer device mounted between the supply hopper and the weigh hopper,
• said material transfer device having a pipe defining a material delivery path,
• said pipe having a material inlet connected to the supply hopper and a material discharge outlet connected to an inlet of the weigh hopper,
• means for delivering a gas stream along the material delivery path directed towards the outlet,
• control means for controlling the gas stream for controlling delivery of material through the pipe,
• said control means being operable for pulsing the gas stream for controlling delivery of material through the pipe in discrete amounts,
• said control means being operable to deliver a target quantity of material through the pipe in a pulse,
• means for measuring the actual quantity of material delivered through the pipe by said pulse, said measuring means being connected to the control means,
• the control means being operable to compare the actual quantity of material delivered by said pulse with the target quantity of material and adjust the next pulse in response to the difference between the measured actual quantity and the target quantity of material to achieve deliver of the target quantity material in the next pulse.