Process apparatus with output valve and operation thereof
First Claim
1. An apparatus for processing fibrous organic feedstock, said apparatus comprising:
- a compressor operable to raise the fibrous organic feedstock to a processing pressure;
a reactor vessel through which to process the fibrous organic feedstock under pressure;
a discharge assembly mounted to receive the fibrous organic feedstock of the reactor vessel;
said discharge assembly including a collector and a drive member operable to pack the fibrous organic feedstock into the collector;
an outflow governor mounted to the collector, the outflow governor being movable between a closed position for retaining feedstock in the collector and an open position for permitting egress of the feedstock from the collector;
said outflow governor having an outflow governor drive;
said outflow governor drive having a continuously variable speed control; and
said variable speed control is operable to alter both the duration of the outflow governor in the open position and the ratio of time spent in the open and closed positions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus is provided for treating a loose fibrous solid organic feedstock. The apparatus includes a reactor vessel and a compressor operable to introduce feedstock at elevated pressure into the reactor chamber. The apparatus includes means for controlling and modulating moisture level within the reactor. The apparatus includes an outflow or discharge assembly that has its own feeder or drive for packing feedstock into a discharge accumulator. The discharge accumulator feeds an outflow valve, in this case a uni-directional rotation ball valve operated by a servo motor. Discharge from the valve may be carried through a diffuser into a settling cyclone. In operation the ball valve is rotated to open and close the outflow passageway, the rate of rotation being variable in real time. The rate of rotation may be a function of the pressure or other parameters sensed in the reaction vessel, and, particularly, in the accumulator immediately upstream of the ball valve, and of proxy sensed values such as discharge feeder motor current.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. An apparatus for processing fibrous organic feedstock, said apparatus comprising:
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a compressor operable to raise the fibrous organic feedstock to a processing pressure; a reactor vessel through which to process the fibrous organic feedstock under pressure; a discharge assembly mounted to receive the fibrous organic feedstock of the reactor vessel; said discharge assembly including a collector and a drive member operable to pack the fibrous organic feedstock into the collector; an outflow governor mounted to the collector, the outflow governor being movable between a closed position for retaining feedstock in the collector and an open position for permitting egress of the feedstock from the collector; said outflow governor having an outflow governor drive; said outflow governor drive having a continuously variable speed control; and said variable speed control is operable to alter both the duration of the outflow governor in the open position and the ratio of time spent in the open and closed positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification