Abstract: Apparatus for blending free-flowing particulate material. The blender includes a hopper having a central blending tube disposed therein. The blending tube has axially and circumferentially spaced apart openings sized to pass the particulate material into the interior of the blending tube. Disposed within the blending tube are a plurality of baffles which create imperforate, annular areas above the openings. Also disposed within the hopper are a series of circumferentially cascading weir plates which divide the hopper into a plurality of compartments. Each of the compartments communicates with at least one of the openings in the blending tube. In a preferred embodiment the baffles are spaced apart unevenly along the axis of the blending tube so that the openings to the interior of the tube at a particular level service substantially equal volumes of the particulate material in the hopper. In this embodiment the topmost baffle has a lower open area substantially equal to the imperforate annular areas.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for separating a pellet-like product from fines mixed therewith. The apparatus includes a housing having a fines outlet and a product outlet disposed at a lower portion of the housing. An inlet conduit extends into the housing and terminates in a nozzle. The inlet conduit receives quantities of the product and fines entrained in a propellant fluid such as pressurized air. An imperforate baffle having an impact surface is disposed within the housing so that the impact surface faces the nozzle to intercept the product issuing from the nozzle. Apparatus is provided for generating an electric charge neutralizing magnetic field to envelop the entrained product and fines before the product impinges upon the impact surface of the baffle.