Abstract: Method and apparatus for use in a system which conducts a mixture of granular solids, such as preheated coal particles, and carrier gas, such as steam, to a plurality of enclosures, such as individual coke ovens of a coke oven battery. The mixture passes through a primary conduit and at least a portion of the mixture is diverted from the primary conduit by diverter means to a plurality of branch conduits. Each of the branch conduits leads to one of the enclosures. The method includes: removing a portion of the carrier gas from the mixture in the branch conduit prior to introducing the granular solids into the enclosure; and returning the removed portion of the carrier gas to the primary conduit downstream of the diverter means. The apparatus of the present invention includes a bleed-off conduit arranged between each of the branch conduits and a portion of the primary conduit downstream of the diverter means.

Abstract: The invention is an apparatus and method for separating solid particles from a liquid, including both light particles which tend to flow on or close to the surface of the liquid and heavy particles which tend to sink to the bottom of the liquid. The apparatus includes: a separation tank, an inlet means, a weir, a heavy particle outlet means, and a substantially clear liquid outlet means.

Abstract: The gas jet plug assembly is adapted for introducing gas into a pipe and includes: a gas jet plug; a sleeve; and a holding cap. The sleeve is mounted on an outside surface of a wall of the pipe around the periphery of a hole in which the plug is disposed. The plug is supported by the sleeve and held in place within the sleeve by the holding cap. The plug has an interior bore which is substantially straight and disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the plug. The plug has one or more gas jet nozzles which communicate between the bore and the interior of the pipe. The plug has an exterior member, such as a shoulder, disposed around at least a portion of the outer periphery of the plug. The sleeve has an interior bore through which at least a portion of the plug extends. The interior bore of the sleeve has an interior member, such as a shoulder.

Abstract: Method for maintaining preheating equipment used for heating coal at a temperature within a temperature range normally used for heating said coal in said equipment which comprises introducing into said equipment a heat-absorbing liquid at a rate sufficient to maintain said equipment within said temperature range. Typically, the heat-absorbing liquid is an aqueous solution, preferably water, and said temperature range for preheating said coal is from 250.degree. to 700.degree. F.