Apparatus for thermochemical treatment of crushed straw and or dry fodder mixtures

• US 4,401,019 A
• Filed: 10/29/1980
• Issued: 08/30/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alexandr Y. Leonov, Georgy G. Matveev, Leonid V. Morozov, Vladimir A. Bobovsky
• Original Assignee: Alexandr Y. Leonov, Georgy G. Matveev, Leonid V. Morozov, Vladimir A. Bobovsky
• Inventors: Leonov, Alexandr Y., Morozov, Leonid V., Matveev, Georgy G., Bobovsky, Vladimir A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coe, Philip R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Simone, Timothy F.
• Application Number:
  US06/201,596
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 99/471, 99/473-475, 99/483, 99/516, 99/646 S, 99/534, 99/536, 366/106, 366/107, 366/189, 366/192, 426/507, 426/511, 426/630, 426/623
• US Class Current: 99/471
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 10/32 from hydrolysates of wood or straw
• CPC Class Codes: A23N 17/001 by treating with chemicals, e.g. ammoniac, sodium hydroxide processes A23K10/32

Abstract

An apparatus for thermochemical treatment of crushed straw and/or dry fodder mixtures comprises a vessel which is vertically mounted and is formed by a series of vertically communicating chambers. A chamber arranged at the top of the vessel is a cyclone-type chamber, is designed for moistening and pre-heating of crushed straw and dry fodder mixture and has a loading opening. A second chamber is arranged under the cyclone-type chamber, is designed for thermochemical treatment of straw and dry fodder mixtures and has a heat distributor communicating by means of a pipeline with a heat carrier source. A third chamber is arranged under the chamber for thermochemical treatment and is an accumulating chamber having an unloading opening. This construction of the apparatus enables the elimination of the step of stirring of straw, considerably simplifies the operation, improves the output and reduces the time for processing of straw and dry fodder mixtures.

Claims

1. An apparatus for thermochemical treatment of crushed straw or dry fodder mixtures comprising:

in combination;

a vertical vessel formed of three vertically communicating chambers including;

a first cyclone-type chamber for moistening and preheating of said mixtures and having a loading opening in the upper part thereof;

first means for feeding crushed straw and dry fodder mixtures under pressure through said loading opening, said first feeding means contributing to the creation of a swirling flow in said cyclone-type chamber;

second means for feeding steam to the upper part of said cyclone-type chamber, said second means being provided with atomizing nozzles extending into said cyclone-type chamber and oriented so that steam is supplied in the direction of flow of said crushed straw and dry fodder mixtures;

third means for feeding chemical solutions to the upper part of said cyclone-type chamber, said means for supplying chemical solutions having atomizing nozzles extending into said cyclone-type chamber and oriented so that a chemical solution is supplied both in co- and counter-current with the flow of the crushed straw and dry fodder mixtures;

a second chamber for thermochemical treatment of crushed straw and dry fodder mixtures and arranged under said cyclone-type chamber;

a heat distributor in said second chamber for thermochemical treatment and comprising a plurality of plates shaped as truncated cones each having a larger base and smaller base;

an opening made in the smaller base;

said plates being superposed on one another axially along said second chamber with spaces therebetween;

said openings in the smaller bases of the plates defining a passage for the descent of said mixtures;

means for conveying heat from a heat source to said distributor; and

a third, accumulating, chamber below said second chamber and having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of said chamber for thermochemical treatment and, a rotatable bottom wall to provide an unloading opening in said accumulating chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said heat distributor comprises;

a set of plates shaped as truncated cones superposed on one another axially along said second chamber with spaces therebetween, the edges of said smaller base of said plates facing said cyclone-type chamber and defining a vertical passage;

said means for feeding steam extending into the lower extremity of said passage; and

a cover over the upper extremity of said passage to prevent straw or fodder from entering said passage, the edges of said larger base of said plates being spaced from the sides of said second chamber so to provide an unobstructed vertical passage for descent of the preheated and chemically treated straw of fodder from said cyclone-type chamber to said accumulating chamber while being further heated by means of heat issuing from spaces between said plates; and

said spaces being formed by projections on said plates, said plates bearing against one another through said projections.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further including

a drain pipe in said rotatable bottom wall for removal of excessive moisture from the crushed straw and dry fodder mixtures accumulated in said accumulating chamber;

and

a counter-weight for holding said bottom wall in the position in which it closes the unloading opening during accumulation of straw and dry fodder mixtures in said accumulating chamber until the weight of the straw and fodder corresponds to the weight of the counterweight and causes said wall to rotate to discharge said mixtures.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further including pipe means communicating with said cyclone-type chamber to remove excess air therefrom.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further including exhaust means communicating with said accumulating chamber to exhaust noxious gases and excess air therefrom.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a drain pipe in said rotatable bottom wall for removal of excessive moisture from the crushed straw and dry fodder mixtures accumulated in said accumulating chamber;

and

a counter-weight for holding said bottom wall in the position in which it closes the unloading opening during accumulation of straw and dry fodder mixtures in said accumulating chamber until the weight of the straw and fodder corresponds to the weight of the counterweight and causes said wall to rotate to discharge said mixtures.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further including pipe means communicating with said cyclone-type chamber to remove excess air therefrom.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further including exhaust means communicating with said accumulating chamber to exhaust noxious gases and excess air therefrom.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further including pipe means communicating with said cyclone-type chamber to remove excess air therefrom.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further including exhaust means communicating with said accumulating chamber to exhaust noxious gases and excess air therefrom.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further including exhaust means communicating with said accumulating chamber to exhaust noxious gases and excess air therefrom.