BULK MATERIAL CONVEYING SYSTEM AND EJECTOR THEREFOR

• US 20010041103A1
• Filed: 01/25/1999
• Published: 11/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John W. Pfeiffer
• Original Assignee: John W. Pfeiffer
• Inventors: PFEIFFER, JOHN W.
• Granted Patent: US 6,345,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 406/144
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 53/14 the gas flow inducing feed of the materials by suction effect

Abstract

An ejector for providing motive gas for conveying particulate solids from a solids supply vessel through a conveying pipeline includes a gas introduction stage and a solids introduction stage. The gas introduction stage includes a fluids mixing chamber having a principal inlet port for connecting to a source of high-pressure compressed gas, an outlet port connected to the solids introduction stage, and a secondary inlet port that is open to the atmosphere or other low-pressure gas source. The solids introduction stage includes a fluids/solids mixing chamber having an inlet port connected to the gas introduction stage, an outlet port for connecting to a pipeline, and a material receiving port for connecting to a vessel outlet. As the compressed gas enters the gas introduction stage, the high velocity gas induces atmospheric air or other low-pressure gas from the secondary inlet port, thus increasing the mass flow into the solids introduction stage.

Claims

1. An apparatus for conveying particulate solids comprising:

a solids supply vessel for receiving particulate solids to be conveyed and including an outlet for discharging said solids;

a pipeline for conveying said particulate solids;

a source of high-pressure compressed gas;

an ejector connected to said source of high-pressure compressed gas, to said outlet of said vessel and to said pipeline for entraining materials from said vessel outlet in a gas and for moving a mix of said solids and gas through said pipeline;

said ejector including a gas introduction stage and a solids introduction stage, said gas introduction stage including a fluids mixing chamber having a primary inlet port connected to said source of high-pressure compressed gas, an outlet port connected to said solids introduction stage, and a secondary inlet port that is open to the atmosphere or other low-pressure gas supply;

said solids introduction stage including a fluids/solids mixing chamber having an inlet port connected to said gas introduction stage, an outlet port connected to said pipeline, and a material receiving port connected to said vessel outlet.

2. An apparatus according to

claim 1

wherein said ejector gas introduction stage primary inlet port is generally collinear with said gas introduction stage outlet port.

3. An apparatus according to

claim 2

wherein said ejector gas introduction stage secondary inlet port is transverse to said gas introduction stage primary inlet and outlet ports.

4. An apparatus according to

claim 1

wherein said ejector solids introduction stage inlet port is generally collinear with said solids introduction stage outlet port.

5. An apparatus according to

claim 4

wherein said ejector solids introduction stage material receiving port is transverse to said solids introduction stage inlet and outlet ports.

6. An apparatus according to

claim 1

including a nozzle for connecting said gas introduction stage outlet port to said solids introduction stage inlet port.

7. An apparatus according to

claim 1

including a high-pressure connector for connecting said source of high-pressure gas to said gas introduction stage primary inlet port.

8. An apparatus according to

claim 7

wherein said connector includes an orifice on one end which is located within said fluids mixing chamber.

9. An apparatus according to

claim 8

including a nozzle for connecting said gas introduction stage outlet port to said solids introduction stage inlet port.

10. An apparatus according to

claim 9

wherein said nozzle includes an opening having a convergent cone section located proximately to said orifice.

11. An ejector for providing motive gas for conveying particulate solids from a solids supply vessel through a conveying pipeline comprising:

a gas introduction stage and a solids introduction stage, said gas introduction stage including a fluids mixing chamber having a primary inlet port for connecting to a source of high-pressure compressed gas, an outlet port connected to said solids introduction stage, and a secondary inlet port that is open to the atmosphere or other low-pressure gas supply;

said solids introduction stage including a fluids/solids mixing chamber having an inlet port connected to said gas introduction stage, an outlet port for connecting to a pipeline, and a material receiving port for connecting to a vessel outlet.

12. An apparatus according to

claim 11

wherein said ejector gas introduction stage primary inlet port is generally collinear with said gas introduction stage outlet port.

13. An apparatus according to

claim 12

wherein said ejector gas introduction stage secondary inlet port is transverse to said gas introduction stage primary inlet and outlet ports.

14. An apparatus according to

claim 11

wherein said ejector solids introduction stage inlet port is generally collinear with said solids introduction stage outlet port.

15. An apparatus according to

claim 14

wherein said ejector solids introduction stage material receiving port is transverse to said solids introduction stage inlet and outlet ports.

16. An apparatus according to

claim 11

including a nozzle for connecting said gas introduction stage outlet port to said solids introduction stage inlet port.

17. An apparatus according to

claim 11

including a high-pressure connector for connecting a source of high-pressure gas to said gas introduction stage primary inlet port.

18. An apparatus according to

claim 17

wherein said connector includes an orifice on one end which is located within said fluids mixing chamber.

19. An apparatus according to

claim 18

including a nozzle for connecting said gas introduction stage outlet port to said solids introduction stage inlet port.

20. An apparatus according to

claim 19

wherein said nozzle includes an opening having a convergent cone section located proximately to said orifice.

21. A method for conveying particulate solids comprising:

supplying high-pressure compressed gas into a gas introduction stage of an ejector;

inducing atmospheric air or other low-pressure gas into said ejector gas introduction stage and mixing said high-pressure compressed gas with said induced atmospheric air or other low-pressure gas;

discharging said mixture of compressed gas and atmospheric air or other low-pressure gas into a solids introduction stage of said ejector;

discharging particulate solids from an outlet of a solids supply vessel into said ejector solids introduction stage;

entraining said solids in said mixture of compressed gas and air or other low-pressure gas and conveying said mixture of