Abstract: An integrated process blending apparatus which blends particulate material and also automatically controls the flow of material into the blender and out to the associated processing equipment. Load cells attached to the blender vessel are used to control the entry of material into the blender, while the pressure drop in the blender output pipe is used to control an output deflector to either remove or recycle material within the blender. The blender is also made more effective by dividing it into vertical compartments with separators which have angled portions preferably in their lower regions to cause different downward flow velocities in each compartment, and by creating a multistage blender by stacking sets of offset compartments one on top of another.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and a method for the comminution of brittle material in a roll crusher. The method comprises the steps of introducing fresh material feed into a roll crusher which is divided into two distinct feed inlet zones which are at least one initial feed inlet zone for said fresh feed material and at least one secondary feed inlet zone for feed which has been stressed at least once by said roll crusher. Each initial feed inlet zone and each secondary feed inlet zone directs feed into, respectively, a corresponding initial feed crushing zone and secondary feed crushing zone. In the invention, fresh feed material is introduced into the roll crusher only in the initial feed inlet zone(s) whereby it is stressed at pressures sufficient high to cause the formation of at least some agglomerates.