Abstract: A system for the control and conveyance of particulate material from a standpipe to the furnace of a circulating fluidized bed boiler. Aeration means positioned in a first area of a conduit transports particulate material deposited by a standpipe to a second area of the conduit. Upon such relocation, additional material from the standpipe enters the first area of the conduit as a replacement for the previously removed material. Fluidizing means in the second area of the conduit fluidizes this removed material causing it to achieve a generally uniform level within this second area. As the height of this level exceeds that of the lower edge of a discharge opening, the fluidized material passes through this opening and into the furnace of a circulating fluidized bed boiler.

Abstract: In the heat treatment of aluminium alloy strip, in which hardening of the material is effected by heat treatment to dissolve pre-existing precipitates in the metal matrix followed by quenching and ageing, the electrical conductance of the strip after quenching is measured using a conductivity probe scanned across the width of the strip, the heating being controlled in accordance with the measured conductance so as to obtain uniform electrical conductance across the width of the strip. This measured electrical conductance has a close correlation with the required mechanical properties. A transmitter producing an electromagnetic field is moved across the strip and a receiver, picking up signals due to the eddy currents in the strip, provides an output automatically controlling the movement of flux modifiers of a transverse flux induction heater to control the strip heating.