High efficiency feeder apparatus for pneumatic conveying lines

• US 5,033,914 A
• Filed: 09/29/1989
• Issued: 07/23/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cyclonaire Corporation (Cyclonaire Holding Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Cyclonaire Corporation (Cyclonaire Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Zitek, Joseph J., Wuertele, Frederick S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jr., Joseph F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Application Number:
  US07/414,849
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 406/109, 406/153, 406/171, 406/146, 406/172, 406/173, 406/151, 406/168, 222/61 X, 222/394
• US Class Current: 406/109
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/28 Systems utilising a combination of gas pressure and suction inducing feed of the materials by suction in gas pressure systems B65G53/14

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed for pneumatically conveying dry particulate material from a source to a destination by cyclically loading and unloading a transfer vessel. The loading stage is accomplishing by creating a vacuum pressure within the transfer vessel to pull material into it, and after it is filled to its optimum capacity, switch a number of valves to convert the apparatus to the unloading stage wherein positive pressure is applied to the interior of the vessel to push the material down the output conveying line to its destination. The motive force in the operation of both stages is positive air pressure. The vacuum is generating by a high velocity venturi structure in combination with valving and piping which uses the positive air pressure. The unloading stage of operation utilizes the dense phase conveying, which is high pressure, low volume conveying.

Claims

1. A feeder apparatus for cyclically loading and unloading particulate material during loading and unloading stages and for injecting the same into an outlet conveying line under positive air pressure during the unloading stage, said apparatus being adapted to be connected to a source of positive air pressure, said apparatus comprising:

a substantially closed transfer vessel means having a material inlet, a material inlet valve, a material outlet and material outlet valve, said material outlet valve being adapted to be connected to an outlet conveying line, said material inlet valve being operable to admit material into the upper portion of said vessel means in response to the material being forced through said material inlet, said transfer vessel means being generally cylindrical with a generally conical lower portion;

venturi means having an inlet, an outlet and a throat chamber, said venturi means being adapted to receive positive air pressure at the inlet thereof and to generate a negative or vacuum pressure in said throat chamber in response to positive air pressure being applied to said inlet, the outlet being vented to atmosphere;

conduit means being adapted to provide fluid communication between said vessel means and the source, being adapted to provide fluid communication between the source and said venturi means, and being adapted to provide fluid communication between said venturi means and said vessel means;

remotely actuable valve means located in said conduit means and said vessel means for controlling fluid communication between said vessel means and the source, for controlling fluid communication between the source and said inlet of said venturi means, and for controlling fluid communication between said throat chamber of said venturi means and said vessel means; and

,

control means for controlling the operation of said valve means for providing fluid communication between said venturi throat chamber of said venturi means and said vessel means, between the source and the inlet of said venturi means, and for closing said vessel means outlet valve to provide a vacuum pressure in the vessel means to draw material into said vessel means during the loading stage;

said control means providing fluid communication between the source and said vessel means, and blocking fluid communication between the source and said inlet of said venturi means and blocking fluid communication between said venturi throat and said vessel means, said control means opening said vessel means outlet valve to inject material into the outlet conveying line during the unloading stage.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said vessel means further includes filter means in communication with said conduit means, said filter means being provided for cleansing the air that is removed from the interior cf said vessel means during the loading stage.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said conduit means is connected to said vessel means such that when vacuum pressure is applied thereto, the air that is removed passes through said filter means, said conduit means also applying the positive air pressure to said vessel means so that the air also passes through said filter means, the combination of passing air in both directions through the filter means being effective to clean the filter means during cycling between the loading and unloading stages of operation.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including a silencing means attached to the outlet of said venturi means.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said conduit means comprises a first rigid conduit extending between said vessel means and said source, a second rigid conduit extending between said source and said venturi inlet a third rigid conduit extending between said first conduit and said venturi means throat chamber, said valve means comprising a first valve located in said first conduit, a second valve located in said second conduit and a third valve located in said third conduit.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein each of said valves comprises a pneumatically actuable butterfly valve.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including a level switch positioned in the upper portion of said vessel means adapted to provide a signal to said control means in response to the material reaching a predetermined level during said loading stage.

8. A feeder apparatus for cyclically loading and unloading particulate material during loading and unloading stages and for injecting the same into an outlet conveying line under positive air pressure during the unloading stage, said apparatus being adapted to be connected to a source of positive air pressure, said apparatus comprising:

a substantially closed transfer vessel means having a material inlet, a material inlet valve, a material outlet and material outlet valve, said material outlet valve being adapted to be connected to ann outlet conveying line, said material inlet valve being operable to admit material into the upper portion of said vessel means in response to the material being forced through said material inlet, said transfer vessel means being generally cylindrical with a generally conical lower portion;

venturi means having an inlet, an outlet and a throat chamber, said venturi means being adapted to receive positive air pressure at the inlet thereof and to generate a negative or vacuum pressure in said throat chamber in response to positive air pressure being applied to said inlet, said outlet venting said positive air pressure after having induced a vacuum in said vessel means, said outlet being in communication to atmosphere;

conduit means being adapted to provide fluid communication between said vessel means and the source, being adapted to provide fluid communication between the source and said venturi means, and being adapted to provide fluid communication between aid venturi means and said vessel means;

valve means located in said conduit means and said vessel means for controlling fluid communication between said vessel means and the source, for controlling fluid communication between the source and said inlet of said venturi means, and for controlling fluid communication between said throat chamber of said venturi means and said vessel means; and

,

control means for controlling the operation of said valve means for providing fluid communication between said venturi throat chamber of said venturi means and said vessel means, between the source and the inlet of said venturi means, and for closing said vessel means outlet valve to provide a vacuum pressure in the vessel means to draw material into said vessel means during the loading stage;

said control means providing fluid communication between the source and said vessel means, and blocking fluid communication between the source and said inlet of said venturi means and blocking fluid communication between said venturi throat and said vessel means, said control means opening said vessel means outlet valve to inject material into the outlet conveying line during the unloading stage;

said control means switching between the loading and unloading stages during operation, the control means switching from the loading stage to the unloading stage in response to said vessel means being filled with material to a predetermined level, and switching from the unloading stage to the loading stage in response to said vessel means being substantially emptied of material, but before the conveying line is emptied of material.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said outlet of said venturi means is vented to the atmosphere.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 further including a silencing means attached to the outlet of said venturi means.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said conduit means comprises a first rigid conduit extending between said vessel means and said source, a second rigid conduit extending between said source and said venturi inlet, a third rigid conduit extending between said first conduit and said venturi means throat chamber, said valve means comprising a first valve located in said first conduit, a second valve located in said second conduit and a third valve located in said third conduit.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein each of said valves comprises a pneumatically actuable butterfly valve.

13. A feeder apparatus for cyclically loading and unloading particulate material during loading and unloading stages and for injecting the same into an outlet conveying line under positive air pressure during the unloading stage, said apparatus being adapted to be connected to a source of positive air pressure, said apparatus comprising:

a closed transfer vessel means having a material inlet, a material inlet valve, a material outlet and material outlet valve, said material outlet valve being adapted to be connected to an outlet conveying line, said material inlet valve being operable to admit material into the upper portion of said vessel means in response to the material being forced through said material inlet, said transfer vessel means being generally cylindrical with a generally conical lower portion;

venturi means having an inlet, an outlet and a throat chamber, said venturi means being adapted to receive positive air pressure at the inlet thereof and to generate a negative or vacuum pressure in said throat chamber in response to positive air pressure being applied to said inlet, said venturi outlet being vented to the atmosphere;

conduit means being adapted to provide fluid communication between said vessel means and the source, being adapted to provide fluid communication between the source and said venturi means, and being adapted to provide fluid communication between said venturi means and said vessel means;

filter means operable associated with said vessel means and said conduit means to filter air that is removed from the interior of said vessel means and being adapted to be cleaned when positive air pressure is applied to the interior of said vessel means;

valve means located in said conduit means and said vessel means for controlling fluid communication between said vessel means and the source, for controlling fluid communication between the source and said inlet of said venturi means, and for controlling fluid communication between said throat chamber of said venturi means and said vessel means; and

,

control means for controlling the operation of said valve means for providing fluid communication between said venturi throat chamber of said venturi means and said vessel means, between the source and the inlet of said venturi means, and for closing said vessel means outlet valve to provide a vacuum pressure in the vessel means to draw material into said vessel means during the loading stage;

said control means providing fluid communication between the source and said vessel means, and blocking fluid communication between the source and said inlet of said venturi means and blocking fluid communication between said venturi throat and said vessel means, said control means opening said vessel means outlet valve to inject material into the outlet conveying line during the unloading stage;

said control means switching between the loading and unloading stages during operation, the control means switching from the loading stage to the unloading stage in response to said vessel means being filled with material to a predetermined level, and switching from the unloading stage to the loading stage in response to said vessel means being substantially emptied of material, but before the conveying line is emptied of material.

14. Feeder apparatus for conveying dry particulate material from a material inlet line to a material outlet line by passing material therethrough, said apparatus comprising:

a transfer vessel means having a material inlet, a material inlet valve, a material outlet and material outlet valve, said material outlet valve being adapted to be connected to an outlet conveying line, said material inlet valve being operable to admit material into the upper portion of said vessel means in response to the material being forced through said material inlet;

venturi means for inducing a vacuum in said vessel means in response to positive air pressure being applied thereto, said venturi means having an outlet through which said positive air pressure is vented after having induced a vacuum in said vessel means, said outlet being in communication to atmosphere;

means for applying positive air pressure to the interior of said vessel means;

control means for applying vacuum or positive pressure to the interior of said vessel means, said control means applying vacuum pressure to said vessel means said control means opening said vessel means outlet valve to inject material into the outlet conveying line during the unloading stage;

said control means switching between the loading and unloading stages during operation, the control means switching from the loading stage to the unloading stage in response to said vessel means being filled with material to a predetermined level, and switching from the unloading stage to the loading stage after the unloading stage is completed.