High-efficiency material inlet with particulate diffuser plate for use in entraining particulate solids in a prime mover fluid

• US 20100040422A1
• Filed: 08/14/2008
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Conveyor Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Conveyor Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, Robert T., Rastogi, Saurabh, Charhut, Daniel E., Tryba, Stanley R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,798,749 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 406/108
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/10 with pneumatic injection of the materials by the propelling gas
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/14 the gas flow inducing feed of the materials by suction effect

Abstract

An improved pneumatic particulate conveyance system including a particulate diffuser plate is disclosed. The assembly includes a pipeline with one or more particulate inlets for introducing solid particulates to a prime mover, wherein the pipeline has at least one particulate diffuser plate located within the pipeline. The particulate diffuser plate has a length which runs parallel to the prime mover and occludes at least a portion of a particulate inlet so as to increase the surface area exposed to the conveying air, thus resulting in a more efficient momentum transfer to the particulate.

The plate used in the assembly further includes an arcuate trailing edge so as to encourage more particulate falling into the middle (i.e., the higher velocity portion of the profile) of the prime mover. In addition, depending upon the diameter and length of the pipeline, the assembly of the present invention may include a plurality of particulate diffuser plates so as to further increase the amount of exposed surface for momentum transfer to the particulate being conveyed.

Claims

1. A high efficiency material inlet assembly for entraining particulate solids in a prime mover fluid flow path using a pneumatic system, said assembly comprising:

a) a pipeline;

b) at least one particulate inlet defined in a top surface of said pipeline for providing a gravitational flow of particulate into said pipeline; and

c) at least one particulate diffuser plate disposed within said pipeline and occluding at least a portion of said particulate inlet such that at least a portion of the gravitational flow of said particulate will impinge upon said particulate diffuser plate;

whereby said particulate diffuser plate increases the particulate residence time in the higher velocity portion of the prime mover flow, thus facilitating a greater momentum transfer to said particulate.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said particulate diffuser plate has a trailing edge in operative communication with said particulate inlet, said trailing edge defining an arcuate profile.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said diffuser plate extends in a direction substantially parallel to said prime mover fluid flow path.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the angle of said diffuser plate relative to said prime mover fluid flow path may be adjusted to as to alter the efficiency of the momentum transfer of said particulate.

5. A high efficiency material inlet assembly for entraining particulate solids in a prime mover fluid flow path using a pneumatic system, said assembly comprising:

a) a pipeline;

b) at least one particulate inlet defined in a top surface of said pipeline for providing a gravitational flow of particulate into said pipeline; and

c) a plurality of particulate diffuser plates disposed within said pipeline, each of said plates located in a plurality of planes parallel to said prime mover flow path, each of said particulate diffuser plates occluding at least a portion of said particulate inlet such that at least a portion of the gravitational flow of said particulate will impinge upon each of said particulate diffuser plate;

whereby said particulate diffuser plate increases the particulate residence time in the higher velocity portion of the prime mover flow, thus facilitating a greater momentum transfer to said particulate.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein each of said particulate diffuser plates has a trailing edge in operative communication with said particulate inlet, each of said trailing edges defining an arcuate profile.

7. The assembly of claim 5, wherein each trailing edge of said plurality of particulate diffuser plates is located at a different point along the length of said pipeline.

8. A high efficiency material inlet assembly for entraining coarse, heavy particulate solids in a prime mover fluid flow path using a pneumatic system, said assembly comprising:

a) a pipeline;

b) at least one particulate inlet defined in a top surface of said pipeline for providing a gravitational flow of particulate into said pipeline; and

c) a plurality of particulate diffuser plates disposed within said pipeline, each of said plates located in a plurality of planes parallel to said prime mover flow path, each of said particulate diffuser plates occluding at least a portion of said particulate inlet such that at least a portion of the gravitational flow of said particulate will impinge upon each of said particulate diffuser plate, each of said particulate diffuser plates having a trailing edge in operative communication with said particulate inlet, each of said trailing edges defining an arcuate profile;

whereby said particulate diffuser plate increases the particulate residence time in the higher velocity portion of the prime mover flow, thus facilitating a greater momentum transfer to said particulate.