System for aerating and fluidizing particulate material

• US 3,981,417 A
• Filed: 02/11/1974
• Issued: 09/21/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ESM International Inc. (Satake Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fassauer Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Fassauer, Arthur L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tollberg, Stanley H.
• Application Number:
  US05/441,427
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 222/196, 222/227, 222/228, 222/236, 222/239-242, 222/410, 222/193, 222/244
• US Class Current: 406/135
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/002 with a moving instrument
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 65/4836 and moving material over a stationary surface, e.g. sweep arms or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 69/20 Auxiliary treatments, e.g. aerating, heating, humidifying, deaerating, cooling, de-watering or drying, during loading or unloading; Loading or unloading in a fluid medium other than air
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/00 Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow measuring a proportion of the volume flow G01F5/00

Abstract

A mass of particulate material stored in a hopper is bottom unloaded and passed through several stages of aeration and fluidization to condition the material and place it in a relatively uncompacted state. The material is conditioned with a minimum of vibration of the material mass so that the mass remains a homogeneous mixture of densities and does not stratify into powdery and coarse materials. The conditioned material is fed to a distributor ring wherein it is further aerated and fluidized into an uncompacted state and moved in a uniform volumetric flow through an annular array of holes into a pneumatic conveyor. Because the material is placed in an uncompacted state while being maintained as a homogeneous mixture of densities, a very precise mass of material may be metered out as a linear function of the time of delivery. With the present system, preselected masses of material can be delivered with extremely high accuracy.

Claims

1. A particulate material aeration and fluidization system comprising:

an upper aeration and fluidization chamber including a substantially horizontally disposed circular plate having inner and outer concentric circular regions with a plurality of apertures formed through the plates in the outer region;

a first thin, elongate agitation member mounted for rotation around a path extending substantially across the outer region of apertures and some predetermined distance above the plate of the first aeration and fluidization chamber to aerate and agitate particulate material in the chamber and to cause particulate material to flow from the chamber through the apertures in the plate;

a stationary upper conical member tapering downwardly and outwardly under a number of the apertures in the outer region whereby particulate material flowing through the apertures of said plate is diverted by said outer conical member;

a lower aeration and fluidization chamber including a lower conical member surrounding the outer region of apertures formed through said plate with its upper end adjacent the lower end of the upper conical member to define an annular passageway therebetween and tapering downwardly and inwardly to a particulate material outlet, whereby the volume of particulate material flowing through the apertures of said plate is directed downwardly and inwardly to said outlet; and

a second thin, elongate agitation member supported for rotation around a path extending adjacent to and spaced from said lower conical member of said lower aeration and fluidization chamber to aerate and agitate particulate material by loosening said material adjacent to the inner wall of the second chamber and to feed particulate material through the outlet.

2. A particulate aeration and fluidization system as set forth in claim 3 wherein:

the apertures through said horizontally disposed plate are conical with downwardly and outwardly extending surfaces.

3. A particulate material aeration and fluidization system as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the apertures formed through said horizontally disposed plate are formed in concentric circular arrays through the outer region of said circular plate, the center of each of the apertures lying on different radially extending lines of the plate which lines define equal segments of the circular plate.

4. A particulate material aeration and fluidization system comprising:

an upper aeration and fluidization chamber including a substantially horizontally disposed plate having a central inner region and an outer region surrounding the inner region with a plurality of apertures formed therethrough in the outer region of said plate;

a first thin, elongate agitation member mounted for rotation around a path extending substantially across the outer region of apertures and some predetermined distance above the plate of the first aeration and fluidization chamber to aerate and agitate particulate material in the chamber and to cause particulate material to flow from the chamber through the apertures in the plate;

a lower aeration and fluidization chamber including a lower conical member surrounding the peripheral regions of apertures formed through said plate and tapering downwardly and inwardly to a particulate material outlet, whereby the volume of particulate material flowing through the apertures of said plate is directed downwardly and inwardly to said outlet;

a second thin, elongate agitation member supported for rotation around a path extending adjacent and spaced from said lower conical member of said lower aeration and fluidization chamber to aerate and agitate particulate material by loosening said material adjacent to the inner wall of the second chamber and to feed particulate material through the outlet; and

a top pressure plate mounted above and spaced from a central portion of the horizontally disposed plate but not extending to cover the outer region of apertures formed in said plate to support a portion of the weight of particulate material above the horizontal plate and to form a void area beneath said top pressure plate.