Abstract: Conditioning apparatus for handling particulate material comprises a central frame and a plurality of spaced, annular troughs mounted to the central frame to support the particulate material. The troughs are arranged in a stacked configuration having successive pairs of upper and lower troughs with an uppermost trough for receiving the particulate material and a lowermost trough for discharging particulate material. Hydraulic cylinders or other suitable means are used to impart vibratory movement to the plurality of troughs to fluidize and advance the particulate material in a first direction on each of the plurality of troughs. A passage is formed through each trough for particulate material to fall from the upper trough of a pair to the lower trough.

Abstract: A vibratory conveyor capable of fluidizing particulate material is capable of separate control of direction, velocity and fluidization of material. The material is placed on a conveyor and vibrated by separate vertical and horizontal components of vibration. The frequency of both components is synchronized over an operating range. Various independent changes in amplitudes can affect the degree of fluidization and flow direction for any particular frequency. For any combination of amplitudes, changes in frequency affect fluidization and velocity. The present invention is adaptable for a range of applications that include drying wood wafers, hog fuel or other organic particulate, warming wood chips, scrubbing flue gas, filtering acting as a reactor and as a gas processor.

Abstract: Jet ventilated trays for a fluidizer conveyor for processing particulate material permit gas to pass up through slots between the slats, and sufficient gas passes through the slots to prevent fine particles falling through the trays. The ventilated tray has a plurality of slats arranged transversely to the direction of travel of the particulate material on the conveyor, adjacent slats overlap in the direction of travel leaving longitudinal slots at leading edges of top slats for gas flow therethrough. The use of a wet particulate material on the tray allows scrubbing and filtering applications.

Abstract: A vibratory conveyor capable of fluidizing particulate material permits control of direction, speed and fluidization of the material. The material is placed on a conveyor and vibrated by a linear vibrator which provides horizontal and vertical components of vibrational forces in a direction of movement. The amplitude and frequency of vibration are controlled to maintain a predetermined degree of fluidization. The vector angle of the linear vibrator is positioned to define a predetermined speed and direction of movement of the material on the conveyor.