Animal feed additive application utilizing foam

• US 6,250,793 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2000
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michael Gian
• Original Assignee: Michael Gian
• Inventors: Gian, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): SOOHOO, TONY GLEN
• Application Number:
  US09/576,664
• Time in Patent Office: 399 Days
• Field of Search: 366/177.1, 366/179.1, 366/181.1, 366/181.2, 366/181.3, 366/181.8, 366/182.1, 366/182.3, 366/189, 366/190, 366/167.1, 366/114, 366/158.4, 366/191, 366/132, 366/150.1, 366/131, 366/134, 119/51.01
• US Class Current: 366/131
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/59 Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/711 for feeding a mixture of components, i.e. solids in liquid, solids in a gas stream

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are provided for applying accurately metered, minute quantities of concentrated additives from bulk sources of supply to successive masses of material presented for treatment. The methods of the invention comprise mixing an additive with a small amount of a liquid carrier to form a suspension, causing the suspension to foam, and applying the resulting foamed suspension to a material such as animal feed. The apparatuses of the invention provide for a pass-through chamber within which separate streams of a liquid carrier, an additive substance, and preferably a foaming agent are merged together. Each of the streams are directed into the chamber in a metered flow to incrementally combine the streams. A suction pump at the downstream end of the chamber draws the prepared product out of the chamber and advances it toward an ultimate delivery site. By utilizing foam, the methods and apparatuses of the invention require very little carrier liquid and result in a product which can be evenly and thoroughly distributed over the animal feed.

Claims

1. A dosifying system for making a batch of foamed products including a liquid carrier and an additive, said system comprising:

a chamber having an inlet and an outlet;

a liquid supply line for delivering the liquid carrier to the inlet of the chamber in a stream;

an incremental delivery device for delivering a measured quantity of the additive to the inlet of said chamber in a metered flow for combining said additive and said liquid carrier within said chamber to form a suspension;

apparatus operable to foam said suspension to form the foamed product;

a pump coupled with the outlet of said chamber for drawing the product out of the chamber as the suspension is foamed within the chamber; and

a delivery conduit coupled with said pump in downstream relation to the chamber for receiving the product from the pump and directing the product to a point of delivery.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said foaming apparatus comprises an incremental delivery device for delivering a measured quantity of a foaming agent to the inlet of the chamber in a metered flow for combining said foaming agent with said additive and said liquid carrier within said chamber.

3. The system of claim 2, further including an agitator coupled with said chamber to agitate the chamber.

4. The system of claim 2, further including an agitator comprising an air delivery conduit operable to introduce air under an air pressure of from about 5-50 psi into said chamber.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said foaming agent is starch-based.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said foaming apparatus comprises an air delivery conduit for introducing air under an air pressure of from about 5-50 psi into said chamber.

7. The system of claim 1, said chamber being disposed with said outlet below said inlet.

8. The system of claim 7, said chamber having a conical portion, with sides that converge as said outlet is approached.

9. The system of claim 1, said mechanism including structure to deliver dry additive material to said chamber.

10. The system of claim 1, said additive being selected from the group consisting of vitamins and pharmaceutical agents.

11. The system of claim 1, said delivery conduit containing a plurality of baffles disposed to cause the product to experience turbulence as it encounters the baffles.

12. The system of claim 1, further including a blower coupled with said delivery conduit for introducing air under positive pressure to said conduit.

13. A dosifying system for supplying successive batches of foamed products including a liquid carrier and predetermined amounts of an additive to a point of delivery comprising:

a chamber having an inlet and an outlet;

a bulk source of supply of said liquid carrier;

a liquid supply line operable to deliver a volume of the liquid carrier from the source of supply to the inlet of the chamber for each batch of product;

a bulk source of supply of said additive;

an incremental delivery device for delivering a measured quantity of the additive from the bulk source of supply of the additive to the inlet of the chamber for each batch of product, said device being operable to deliver each quantity of the additive to the chamber in a metered flow for combining said additive and said liquid carrier within said chamber to form a suspension;

apparatus operable to foam each batch of said suspension to form the foamed product;

a pump coupled with the outlet of said chamber for drawing the product out of the chamber as the suspension is foamed within the chamber; and

a delivery conduit coupled with said pump in downstream relation to the chamber for receiving the product from the pump and directing the product to a point of delivery until the entire batch has been delivered.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said foaming apparatus comprises an incremental delivery device for delivering a measured quantity of a foaming agent to the inlet of the chamber in a metered flow for combining said foaming agent with said additive and said liquid carrier within said chamber.

15. The system of claim 14, further including an agitator coupled with said chamber to agitate the chamber.

16. The system of claim 14, further including an agitator comprising an air delivery conduit for introducing air under an air pressure of from about 5-50 psi into said chamber.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said foaming agent is starch-based.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein said foaming apparatus comprises an air delivery conduit for introducing air under an air pressure of from about 5-50 psi into said chamber.

19. The system of claim 13, said chamber being disposed with said outlet below said inlet.

20. The system of claim 19, said chamber having a conical portion, with sides that converge as said outlet is approached.

21. The system of claim 13, said mechanism including structure to deliver dry additive material to said chamber.

22. The system of claim 13, said additive being selected from the group consisting of vitamins and pharmaceutical agents.

23. The system of claim 13, said delivery conduit containing a plurality of baffles disposed to cause the product to experience turbulence as it encounters the baffles.

24. The system of claim 13, further including a blower coupled with said delivery conduit for introducing air under positive pressure to said conduit.

25. A method of applying additives to animal feed comprising:

creating a suspension comprising an additive and a liquid carrier, said suspension having a first volume;

causing said suspension to foam, said foamed suspension having a second volume which is at least about 1½

times greater than said first volume; and

applying said foamed suspension to said animal feed.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said additive is selected from the group consisting of pharmaceutical agents, vitamins, and nutritional supplements.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said suspension further includes a foaming agent.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said causing step comprises agitating said suspension.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said agitating is carried out by the introduction of air into said suspension.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said air is introduced at an air pressure of from about 5-50 psi.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein said foaming agent is starch-based.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein said causing step comprises introducing air into said suspension.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said air is introduced at an air pressure of from about 5-50 psi.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein said liquid carrier is water.

35. The method of claim 25, wherein said second volume is at least about 15 to 30 times greater than said first volume.

36. The method of claim 25, wherein said second volume is about 20 times greater than said first volume.

37. In a process for dosifying a bulk material by delivering a measured quantity of a liquid carrier and a measured quantity of an additive to the inlet of a chamber to form a suspension, delivering said suspension to a point of delivery, and applying said suspension to said bulk material, the improvement comprising making a foam from at least a portion of said suspension prior to said application.

38. The process of claim 37, wherein said bulk material is an animal feed.

39. The process of claim 37, wherein said foam-making step comprises adding a foaming agent to said suspension.