Spouted bed blender apparatus
First Claim
1. In a blender apparatus for homogenizing at least two nuclear fuel powder material, the combination ofcontainer means for holding a bed of said nuclear fuel powder materials,first shear producing means including a draft tube positioned vertically within said container means and including a gas stream for transporting powder material through said tube from the bottom of said bed in a first direction toward the top of said bed,diverter means positioned within said container means and located in relation to the top of said draft tube for diverting the resultant powder and gas stream produced by said first shear producing means onto the top of said bed, andsecond shear producing means positioned within the container means and operated relative to said first shear producing means for increasing the velocity of some portion of the powder material within said draft tube in a second direction different than said first direction for the purpose of breaking up agglomerates of powder material within said draft tube thereby improving both the rate and extent of powder material homogeneity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A spouted bed blender apparatus is disclosed that is suitable for mixing and homogenizing two or more types of nuclear powders in preparation for the subsequent manufacture of nuclear fuel pellets.
19 Citations
5 Claims
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1. In a blender apparatus for homogenizing at least two nuclear fuel powder material, the combination of
container means for holding a bed of said nuclear fuel powder materials, first shear producing means including a draft tube positioned vertically within said container means and including a gas stream for transporting powder material through said tube from the bottom of said bed in a first direction toward the top of said bed, diverter means positioned within said container means and located in relation to the top of said draft tube for diverting the resultant powder and gas stream produced by said first shear producing means onto the top of said bed, and second shear producing means positioned within the container means and operated relative to said first shear producing means for increasing the velocity of some portion of the powder material within said draft tube in a second direction different than said first direction for the purpose of breaking up agglomerates of powder material within said draft tube thereby improving both the rate and extent of powder material homogeneity.
Specification