Apparatus and method for increasing density of finely divided particulate matter

• US 20030062389A1
• Filed: 02/20/2002
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dow Silicones Corporation (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dow, Inc.
• Inventors: Jensen, Jary David, Gelderbloom, Susan Jane, Dopp, Steven Fred
• Granted Patent: US 6,779,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/413
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 15/08 of reinforcements or fillers chemical aspects C08J, C08K
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2013/005 Degassing undesirable residual components, e.g. gases, unreacted monomers, from material to be moulded
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/04 Particle-shaped making granules B29B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/277 of materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/2886 of fibrous, filamentary or filling materials, e.g. thin fibrous reinforcements or fillers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/06 containing reinforcements, fillers or inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/16 Fillers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/251 Particles, powder or granules expandable particles B29K2105/046
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 33/22 with means for retarding material flow at the delivery end of the housing
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 65/46 using screw conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/10 Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working

Abstract

An apparatus for removing air from finely divided particulate material comprises a housing including a vent; an inlet to the housing; an outlet from the housing; a helix, rotatably mounted in the housing, the helix being adapted upon rotation to feed a particulate material from the inlet to the outlet; a motor mounted to the helix for the purpose of rotating the helix; and a compression assembly mounted to the outlet for compressing the particulate material passing through the outlet.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a. a housing including a vent;

b. an inlet to the housing;

c. an outlet from the housing;

d. a helix, rotatably mounted in the housing, the helix being adapted upon rotation to feed a particulate material from the inlet to the outlet;

e. a motor mounted to the helix for the purpose of rotating the helix; and

f. a compression assembly mounted to the outlet for compressing the particulate material passing through the outlet.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the compression assembly comprises:

a. an end plate mounted to the outlet at a distance from the outlet to permit discharge of the particulate material while applying a restriction to the outlet such that pressure increases in the housing to a level above the pressure outside the housing, and

b. a compression means mounted to the endplate for pushing the end plate towards the outlet.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the compression means comprises a compression screw.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the compression means comprises a piston.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the compression means comprises a bolt spring.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the compression assembly further comprises a restrictor plate between the outlet and the end plate, wherein the restrictor plate has an opening, and wherein the restrictor plate is mounted to the outlet normal to the discharge flow of the particulate material from the outlet.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the opening has a non-uniform cross-sectional area, wherein the cross-sectional area is larger at the outlet than at the end plate.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the opening defines a cross section of a cone, having surfaces that taper from al least about 5 degrees from the outlet to the end plate

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the opening defines a cross-section of a cone, having surfaces that taper from up to about 85 degrees from the outlet to the end plate.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the helix comprises a threaded screw.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein threads of the treaded screw are concave with respect to flow direction of the particulate material.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a second threaded screw, mounted in the housing, wherein the threaded screw has threads offset from and intermeshed with the threads of the second threaded screw.

13. The apparatus of claim 5 where two screws are adapted to co-rotate in the same direction.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 where the vent comprises a plurality of openings in the housing, wherein the openings having sizes smaller than the size of the particulate material.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the vent comprises sintered metal.

16. A method comprising:

a. mechanically advancing a particulate material having interstitial air between the particles from a inlet of a housing to an outlet of the housing, wherein the housing includes a vent, and wherein the housing has an internal pressure,

b. applying pressure to the outlet, wherein the pressure is sufficient to raise the internal pressure above pressure external to the housing, and

c. allowing the interstitial air to escape through the vent.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein step (b) is carried out by restricting the flow of the particulate material at the outlet.