# US 8,464,860 B2 · System for thermally controlling a solid feed pump > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,464,860 B2 - Document ID: US8464860B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/887,335 - Filed: 2010-09-21 - Published: 2012-03-22 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2010-09-21 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: George Frederick Frey; Steven Craig Russell - Inventors: George Frederick Frey; Steven Craig Russell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464860B2 ## CPC - B65G 53/4633: {the element having pockets, rotated from charging position to discharging position, i.e. discrete flow} - A01C 7/123: {Housings for feed rollers or wheels} - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - A01C: PLANTING; SOWING; FERTILISING (parts, details or accessories of agricultural machines or implements, in general A01B51/00 - A01B75/00) ## Abstract According to various embodiments, a system includes a solid feed pump. The solid feed pump includes a housing, a rotor disposed in the housing, a curved passage disposed between the rotor and the housing, an inlet coupled to the curved passage, an outlet coupled to the curved passage, a solid feed guide extending across the curved passage, and a thermal control path through a portion of the solid feed pump. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: a solid feed pump, comprising: a housing; a rotor disposed in the housing; a curved passage disposed between the rotor and the housing, wherein the curved passage is configured for transport of a solid feed through the curved passage; a solid feed inlet coupled to the curved passage; a solid feed outlet coupled to the curved passage; a solid feed guide extending into and across the curved passage and/or against the rotor, wherein the solid feed guide is disposed adjacent the solid feed outlet, and the solid feed guide comprises a guide wall that substantially blocks the curved passage adjacent the solid feed outlet; and a thermal control path through a portion of the solid feed pump, wherein the thermal control path extends through, along, or around at least one of the solid feed guide, the solid feed outlet, or the rotor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the thermal control path comprises a guide path in contact with the solid feed guide. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the guide path comprises an internal path through the solid feed guide. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the guide path comprises an external path along an exterior of the solid feed guide. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the external path comprises a plurality of coolant grooves along the exterior of the solid feed guide. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the thermal control path extends around the solid feed outlet. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the thermal control path comprises a first coil disposed at least partially around the solid feed outlet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the thermal control path comprises a second coil disposed at least partially around the solid feed outlet, and the first and second coils are disposed on opposite sides of the solid feed outlet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the thermal control path comprises a rotor path inside the rotor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the rotor comprises a hollow interior having a plurality of mixing fins, a plurality of coils, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the thermal control path comprises a housing path extending through the housing circumferentially about the rotor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the thermal control path is coupled to a plant component. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the thermal control path is coupled to a gas supply system and a gas recirculation system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the gas recirculation system is coupled to a solid feed path upstream from the solid feed pump, a solid transport path downstream from the solid feed pump, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 15 A system, comprising: a solid feed pump, comprising: an internal feed passage; an solid feed inlet coupled to the internal feed passage; an solid feed outlet coupled to the internal feed passage; an inert fluid path through the solid feed pump; and a gas recirculation system coupled to the inert fluid path, wherein the gas recirculation system is configured to couple with a solid feed path upstream from the solid feed pump, a solid transport path downstream from the solid feed pump, or a combination thereof, wherein the gas recirculation system is coupled to a solid feed bin or a solid feed hopper in the solid feed path, a buffer chamber in the solid transport path, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the gas recirculation system is coupled to the solid feed bin or the solid feed hopper in the solid feed path. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the gas recirculation sysem is coupled to the buffer chamber in the solid transport path. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the gas recirculation sysem is coupled to the solid feed bin or the solid feed hopper in the solid feed path and coupled to the buffer chamber in the solid transport path. ### Claim 19 A system, comprising: a solid feed pump, comprising: a housing; a rotor disposed in the housing; a curved passage disposed between the rotor and the housing, wherein the curved passage is configured for transport of a solid feed through the curved passage; a solid feed inlet coupled to the curved passage; a solid feed outlet coupled to the curved passage; a solid feed guide extending into and across the curved passage and/or against the rotor, wherein the solid feed guide is disposed adjacent the solid feed outlet, and the solid feed guide comprises a plurality of coolant groves along the exterior of the solid feed guide; and a thermal control path through a portion of the solid feed pump, wherein the thermal control path extends through, along, or around at least one of the solid feed guide, the solid feed outlet, or the rotor. ### Claim 20 A system, comprising: a solid feed pump, comprising: a housing; a rotor disposed in the housing; a curved passage disposed between the rotor and the housing, wherein the curved passage is configured for transport of a solid feed through the curved passage; a solid feed inlet coupled to the curved passage; a solid feed outlet coupled to the curved passage; a solid feed guide extending into and across the curved passage and/or against the rotor, wherein the solid feed guide is disposed adjacent the solid feed outlet; and a thermal control path through a portion of the solid feed pump, wherein the thermal control path extends at least around the solid feed outlet.