Hopper Patents (Class 110/105)
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Patent number: 10781388Abstract: A process of making a fuel product from a non-combustible high protein organic material such as a waste material. The high protein organic material is pulverized to a particle size whose particle size less than 2 mm. The moisture content of the high protein organic material is mechanically reduced and dried to reduce the moisture content to less than ten percent (10%). The high protein organic waste material is fed into a combustion chamber and separated during combustion such as by spraying of the high protein organic waste material within the combustion chamber. Temperature and combustion reactions within the combustion chamber may be controlled by injection of steam within the combustion chamber.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2017Date of Patent: September 22, 2020Assignee: AKBEV GROUP, LLCInventors: Geoffrey L. Larson, Curtis Holmes, Brandon Michael Smith, David D. Wilson
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Patent number: 10364400Abstract: A process of making a fuel product from spent grain from a beer brewing process. In the brewing process, the grain is pulverized to a particle size whose mean particle size is approximately 0.25 mm to 0.6 mm with less than 1% greater than 2 mm. After the brewing sugars are extracted from the grain, the spent grain is pressed against a filter to reduce moisture below sixty-five percent (65%), and then the grain is dried to further reduce its moisture to less than ten percent (10%). The dried spent grain, after the aforementioned processing, is fed into a combustion chamber for a steam boiler that is used for beer brewing, and the spent grain is separated during combustion by agitation such as spraying of the grain in the combustion chamber.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2015Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: AKBEV GROUP, LLCInventors: Geoffrey L. Larson, Curtis Holmes, Brandon Michael Smith, David D. Wilson
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Patent number: 10131495Abstract: A bulk material storage container assembly for storing and unloading particulate material includes a storage vessel adapted to hold particulate material. A discharge port is in fluid communication with the storage vessel and with a discharge port outlet. The discharge port is also sized and shaped to facilitate bridging of particulate material. A shaft is mounted within the storage vessel adjacent to the discharge port and adapted for reciprocal movement with respect to the discharge port. A rake is mounted on said shaft and adapted to disaggregate particulate material that has bridged proximate the discharge port as the shaft is reciprocated with respect to the discharge port.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2017Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: Astec Industries, Inc.Inventor: Malcolm L. Swanson
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Patent number: 9845206Abstract: A powder feed assembly comprises a powder hopper, a motor, an auger housing, an auger, a porous gas-permeable powder filter, a carrier gas inlet, an auger sleeve, and a powder hose. The auger housing receives a powder from the opening in the hopper floor into a powder chamber defined in the auger housing. The auger is selectively rotatable to propel the powder from the powder chamber past the distal end of the auger and into the auger sleeve. The carrier gas inlet introduces carrier gas into an inner chamber of the auger housing. The wall of the auger sleeve allows at least some of the carrier gas to flow or permeate into the internal bore of the auger sleeve to pick up and carry the propelled powder out of the auger housing. The powder hose directs the carrier gas and carried powder from the auger housing to a powder dispenser.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2017Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Inventors: Viacheslav E. Baranovski, Andrew V. Baranovski
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Patent number: 9233499Abstract: A feed device for feeding fibers during the production of fiber-reinforced plastics materials has a multi-shaft screw machine for the lateral guidance of the fibers into a preparation system for producing fiber-reinforced plastics materials. The multi-shaft screw machine comprises a housing, a plurality of housing bores penetrating one another as well as screw shafts, which are rotatably drivable and are arranged therein, and a feed opening. A suction mechanism, which produces an airstream sucking in the fibers, is provided to suck the fibers through the feed opening into the housing bores. The fibers are filtered by means of a filter mechanism out of the airstream. In order to ensure a long service life, the filter mechanism has a plurality of flow channels, which have a widening cross section in a flow direction.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2013Date of Patent: January 12, 2016Assignee: SKZ-KFE gGmbH Kunstsoff-Forschung und-EntwicklungInventors: Peter Heidemeyer, Christian Deubel
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Patent number: 8858123Abstract: An injection system for solid particles comprises a conveying hopper (11) located at an upstream location (1), a fluidizing device (21) for fluidizing the solid particles at the outlet of the conveying hopper (11) and forming a solid-gas flow, a pneumatic conveying line (15) for conveying the solid-gas flow from the fluidizing device (21) to a downstream location (2) and a static distribution device (17) with a plurality of injection lines (19), connected thereto. An upstream flow control system controls the mass flow rate in the pneumatic conveying line (15) at the upstream location (1) by controlling the opening of an upstream flow control valve (35) responsive to the solid material mass flow measured in the pneumatic conveying line (15) at the upstream location (1).Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2008Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.Inventors: Jean Schmit, Bernard Cauwenberghs, Christian Lunkes, Claude Junk, Benoît Junk
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Publication number: 20140182491Abstract: Improved combustion of biomass is achieved by injected first and second streams of biomass from a burner where the first stream of biomass has a median particle size larger than the biomass of the second stream and oxygen is injected with the first stream to provide an oxygen-enriched environment around the larger median sized particles. The oxygen-enriched environment is achieved either by injecting the oxygen directly into the first stream or by premixing the oxygen with the conveying air of the first stream.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2012Publication date: July 3, 2014Applicant: Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour Etude et Exploitation des Procedes Gorges ClaudeInventor: Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour Etude et Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
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Publication number: 20130255551Abstract: A splitter divides a flow of low heating value biomass into a central stream and an annular stream. A stable flame may be achieved by combusting the central stream with oxygen. This avoids the use of costly fossil fuels or biomass (that have higher heating values than the biomass fuel) as an auxiliary fuel for achieving a stable flame.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2012Publication date: October 3, 2013Applicants: American Air Liquide, Inc., L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventors: Yuan XUE, Remi Pierre Tsiava, Chendhil Periasamy, Jiefu Ma
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Patent number: 8393281Abstract: A particle feeder is provided for feeding small particles at a uniform low feed rate. In some embodiments, the particle feeder includes a primary reservoir, a secondary reservoir, and a valve. The primary reservoir encloses an internal volume for holding particles and defining a hole through a bottom surface thereof. The valve includes a rod enclosed within and extending through the volume defined by the primary reservoir. The rod is movable between an open position, wherein particles can flow through the hole, and a closed position, wherein the rod blocks the hole. The actuator controls the movement of the rod between the open position and the closed position. The secondary reservoir has an internal volume, and a conduit for connecting the internal volume of the secondary reservoir with the internal volume of primary reservoir, such that particles can flow from the secondary reservoir into the primary reservoir.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2009Date of Patent: March 12, 2013Assignee: University of MississippiInventors: Wei-Yin Chen, George Gowan
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Patent number: 8348556Abstract: A solids distributor for injection plants includes a collecting chamber having a plurality of lance lines leading away from the chamber. The chamber has a supply connection for a solid to be distributed and is surrounded by a common wall in which a plurality of ports is formed. The lance lines are connected to the ports, and an annular gap is formed in front of the ports and along the common wall. A pressure vessel is arranged geodetically above the collecting chamber, the lower part of the pressure vessel being designed as a bunker, having an outlet providing a direct and continuous junction to the supply connection and an upper part designed as a gas space. The collecting chamber may include a central displacement body which forms the annular gap with the common wall and which may be an upwardly tapering cone which projects out of the collecting chamber.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2007Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Claudius Peters Projects GmbHInventors: Peter Hilgraf, Dietrich Schumpe, Hans-Dieter Nolde, Volker Goecke
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Publication number: 20120122042Abstract: The invention relates to a method for improving the dynamic behavior of a coal-fired power plant for primary and/or secondary requirements of the power grid operator with respect to the current output into the grid, wherein the power plant has a nominal output (RC) and is operated by way of firing, wherein upon an increase in the primary and/or secondary requirements of the power grid operator with respect to the current output into the grid the coal dust volume that is supplied is raised with respect to the present actual output, and wherein upon a decrease in the primary and/or secondary requirements of the power grid operator with respect to the current output into the grid the coal dust volume that is supplied is lowered with respect to the present actual output and is stored, and to an assembly for carrying out the method.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2010Publication date: May 17, 2012Inventors: Hellmuth Brueggemann, Olivier Drenik, Michael Heim, Haider Mirza
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Patent number: 7976593Abstract: A gasifier and gasifier system based on the gasifier, which contains as a major component, a novel feed system for feeding organic materials into the burn pile of the gasifier. The gasifier feed system is a horizontal auger driven feed system that feeds directly through a ceramic elbow into the furnace without having to auger the feed through significant vertical elevations.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2008Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: Heat Transfer International, LLCInventor: Robert G. Graham
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Patent number: 7426891Abstract: A simplified energy producing system that utilizes natural animal waste and/or by-products and converts such waste into a usable clean energy source. The system incorporates a grinder/dehydration system, waste transport, a holding container, fuel air regulator, and a novel combustion heat regulator in combination. Thus, after the waste has been treated, combusted and incinerated, intense heat is produced that is usable via heat exchange for production of electrical energy and also a fine fly ash is produced usable for environmentally friendly purposes.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2005Date of Patent: September 23, 2008Inventor: Ronald E. Loving
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Patent number: 7318431Abstract: A biomass pellet burning stove has a hopper storing biomass pellets which are transported from the hopper to a feeder tube with a rotating disc having slots for holding biomass pellets and allowing the biomass pellets to move from the slots into a feeder tube which directs the biomass pellets to a burn pot. The burn pot has first and second biomass burning chambers that separately burn biomass pellets by an efficient, environmental and economic compatible process.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2005Date of Patent: January 15, 2008Assignee: BixBy Energy Systems, Inc.Inventors: Mark N. Holtan, Ross C. Embertson
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Patent number: 6722294Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for feeding a pulverized material which includes a first storage container for receiving and for discharging a flow of the pulverized material. The apparatus includes a separation chamber attached to the first storage container, which is alternately filled up or emptied out with the pulverized material. A second storage container is connected with an outlet of the separation chamber, for alternately filling the second storage container in accordance with a predetermined storage amount of pulverized material.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2002Date of Patent: April 20, 2004Assignee: Vitro Global, S.A.Inventors: Roberto Marcos Cabrera-Llanos, Iván Jorge Solis-Martinez, Rafael Valadez-Castillo
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Patent number: 6085672Abstract: An apparatus for blowing synthetic resin into a furnace including a first processing line for processing film-shaped synthetic resins into a granular synthetic resin material; a second processing line for processing non-film-shaped synthetic resins into a granular synthetic resin material; a primary storage silo; and a blowing station for supplying the granular synthetic resin material into a furnace.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 1999Date of Patent: July 11, 2000Assignee: NKK CorporationInventors: Hiromi Nakamura, Mitsuhiro Fujii, Tsuneo Nagaoka, Tetsuo Akashi, Kenichi Tezuka, Yukihiko Asakawa
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Patent number: 5979340Abstract: A robotic mechanism which can be attached to a furnace hopper and includes a frame which supports a pole insertion mechanism for inserting a pole into a furnace hopper. The pole insertion mechanism is supported from the Fame by a gimbal and moves the pole axially. Hydraulic actuators rotate the pole insertion mechanism about the gimbal. A control system is associated with the mechanism and enables an operator to position the end of the pole within the hopper to remove clinkers.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 1998Date of Patent: November 9, 1999Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Texas SystemInventors: Carl Thomas Michael Haas, Sidigata Venkataraman Sreenivasan, Alfred Ellis Traver, Kamel Shawki Saidi, Jongwon Seo, Richard Lael Greer
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Patent number: 5967062Abstract: An apparatus burns tires in a horizontally rotating combuster. The tires are loaded into a rotating combustion chamber through a traveling air lock and burned until they are reduced to ash. Combustion is enhanced by tumbling the burning tires in the rotating chamber while adding preheated draft air. The intake draft air is controlled using thermal expansion of the rotary combustion chamber to activate the draft control valve. The inner surface of the chamber is tapered in order to prevent unburned debris from advancing prematurely; however, angled flights, positioned along the inner surface, cause the residual ash to advance with each successive revolution of the combustion chamber. The resulting combination of gases and ash are then forwarded to an afterburner for completion of the combustion and disposal of the ash.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 1997Date of Patent: October 19, 1999Assignee: Atlantic Pacific Energy Systems, Inc.Inventors: Jack B. Larson, James C. Branscome
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Patent number: 5829368Abstract: The fuel is fed into a circulating fluidized bed steam generator using a feed system involving an air swept chute using secondary combustion air to suspend and carry the fuel into the fluidized bed combustor. The fuel is fed to the air swept chute through a gravity feed chute at a steep angle. The air swept chute is lined with an abrasion resistant material.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 1996Date of Patent: November 3, 1998Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.Inventors: Gary A. Cote, Paul J. Panos
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Patent number: 5775237Abstract: A dry bottom ash handling system contemplates a plurality of hoppers disposed beneath a solid fuel-fired steam boiler. Each hopper includes angled walls converging at a generally rectangular opening controlled by a grate door. Air inlets are provided at intersections between adjacent angled walls to (1) facilitate combustion of unburned fuel in the storage hopper, and (2) facilitate flow of ash through the hopper opening. Ash flowing through the hopper opening enters a crusher and is then conveyed via a vacuum line to a point of disposal including a mobile tank truck that receives heavier ash particles and allows bypassing of lighter particles to a silo.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1996Date of Patent: July 7, 1998Assignees: Florida Power Corporation, United Conveyor CorporationInventors: William P. Reilly, John S. Tomaszek
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Patent number: 5630368Abstract: This invention relates to an improved coal injection and coal feed system for use with a coal-fired firetube boiler. More specifically, the coal injection system of the present invention comprises an educator and a coal delivery tube. The coal feed system of the present invention comprises a coal hopper, gyratable bin, gyration device, discharge plenum and feed conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 1995Date of Patent: May 20, 1997Assignee: The University of Tennessee Research CorporationInventors: Charles L. Wagoner, John P. Foote
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Patent number: 5406747Abstract: A device for regeneration and sterilization of earth, in particular compost earth, sand, especially playground sand or the like with steam in which a screw conveyor is located in an elongated treatment chamber for continuously moving the material to be treated in the treatment chamber from a feed side to a delivery side of the treatment chamber while mixing it. Further, at least one steam device is provided to introduce steam under pressure into treatment chamber by steam feed orifices along the lengthwise dimension of treatment chamber. Steam feed orifices can be provided in the wall of the treatment chamber. Alternatively or additionally, steam feed orifices can be provided in hollow shaft of the screw conveyor. To make it possible to continuously and automatically feed material into the treatment chamber a filling funnel is provided and steam feed orifices are arranged at a distance from the feed opening of the treatment chamber.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 1993Date of Patent: April 18, 1995Assignee: Kiefl KBInventor: Rudolf Kiefl
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Patent number: 5030054Abstract: A combination mechanical/pneumatic fuel feeder for feeding particulate fuel into a furnace and having a closely coupled hopper, fuel metering device, rotor and air swept delivery plate.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 1989Date of Patent: July 9, 1991Assignee: Detroit Stoker CompanyInventors: David C. Reschly, Timothy R. Loviska
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Patent number: 4905613Abstract: An air swept fuel feeder for feeding particulate fuel into a furnace and having a closely coupled hopper, fuel metering device and air swept delivery plate. An alternate embodiment is disclosed in which a second fuel is delivered to the furnace by an air swept plate.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 1988Date of Patent: March 6, 1990Assignee: Detroit Stoker CompanyInventors: David C. Reschly, Timothy R. Loviska
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Patent number: 4867078Abstract: A burner including a cyclone shaped housing divided by a baffle plate into an upper cyclone chamber and lower chamber, the walls of the chambers are formed to resist heat and corrosion, the baffle plate extends across a major portion of the width of the chamber and is positioned above an inlet to the lower chamber, the upper cyclone chamber having a tangential air inlet near to a cover plate which extends across the upper chamber and which has an outlet from the chamber centrally situated therein, the arrangement being such that in operation a particulate fuel is blown into the upper chamber via the tangential inlet to then fall and burn around the outer edge of the baffle plate in the chamber into which additional air is blown from below to assist burning in the chambers, the heat produced and exhaust gases exiting from the outlet, for use, as required.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 1987Date of Patent: September 19, 1989Assignees: Donald David Henry, Adrienne Leigh HenryInventor: Donald D. Henry
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Patent number: 4693189Abstract: A method and apparatus for fluidizing combustible material and feeding it to the burner of a furnace is disclosed. The apparatus includes a conventional hopper with a tubular element coupled to the lower most portion of a conical portion thereof. A fluidizing gas delivery apparatus is provided so as to deliver fluidizing gas to the bottom tube. Fluidizing nozzles are also preferably provided at symmetrically spaced circumferential portions of the conical portion of the hopper. With this apparatus, powdered material that is fed to the hopper is fluidized by the fluidizing gas and may be delivered to the burner of a furnace from the bottom tube of the fluidized bed feeder like a liquid and may be readily ignited in the burner and burned completely within the furnace.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 1986Date of Patent: September 15, 1987Inventor: Richard M. Powers
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Patent number: 4348968Abstract: Solid fuel such as coal is fed into an inlet shaft of the furnace through a rotary feeder constructed to prevent the admission of air. Primary air channels supply the major part of the air required for combustion of the fuel in a region in which the fuel bed is sufficiently thick to avoid disturbance and the formation of "holes" by this air. Further, narrower air channels supply sufficient, diffused and low velocity air to complete the combustion of the fuel without substantial entrainment of grit and ash. Air is prevented from flowing in contact with the fuel up stream of the primary channels and the metering edge.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 1980Date of Patent: September 14, 1982Inventor: Viking V. Demar
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Patent number: 4311102Abstract: An improved burning system for automatically controllably charging a wood-waste burning steam boiler utilizes a fuel bin unloader having a gravity fed screw metering device for feeding fuel into the system in response to steam demand and pollution output feedback signals. The metering device deposits fuel through a rotary air lock into an air stream of a fuel injection fan having a vortex controller on the inlet side to modulate and maintain a proper fuel-air ratio for wood firing. The fan injects the fuel and air into the boiler through a controlled proportioning valve. All controls and recording devices are contained in one control unit for operating each component of the system to achieve and maintain a proper fuel-air ratio according to received steam demand and pollution output feedback signals.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 1979Date of Patent: January 19, 1982Inventors: Melvin W. Kolze, Bruce A. Kolze
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Patent number: 4283170Abstract: PCT No. PCT/DE78/00042 Sec. 371 Date Sept. 10, 1979 Sec. 102(e) Date Sept. 10, 1979 PCT Filed Dec. 22, 1978 PCT Pub. No. WO79/00492 PCT Pub. Date July 26, 1979To fire a tunnel kiln with coal, the coal is stored in a preferably airtight bunker, and transported, by means of airtightly enclosed conveyor belts or chains connected to the bunker, to coal injectors operating as burners, which are provided in and distributed over the width of the firing zone of the kiln and connected to an air supply line, wherefrom compressed air is fed intermittently into the injectors, to blow in the coal which is there placed in a metered amount.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 1979Date of Patent: August 11, 1981Inventor: Manfred Leisenberg
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Patent number: 4242972Abstract: A combustion system for particulate wood waste, coal, peat and other combustible materials is disclosed. The system comprises means for feeding combustion material into the combustion chamber of a furnace and means for recirculating a portion of the exhaust gases from the furnace back into the combustion chamber for increasing the temperature of the combustion chamber and so improve the thermal efficiency of the furnace.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1978Date of Patent: January 6, 1981Inventor: Guy Sicard
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Patent number: 4102278Abstract: Combustion air under pressure directed horizontally in a fan shaped jet against hogged fuel dropping in a free fall trajectory from a feed chute toward the furnace grate spreads the fuel across the length and width of the grate more effectively than in prior art air jet dispersers. Increased combustion efficiency and heating capacity are achieved from use of tandem oscillating flow restrictor gates in the jet nozzle duct, one such gate being oscillated at twice the frequency of the other and with additive effects on resultant variations in jet air discharge velocity.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 1977Date of Patent: July 25, 1978Assignee: Wyatt Engineers, Inc.Inventor: Gerald P. McManama
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Patent number: 3994701Abstract: Charges of finely comminuted solid fuel particles are admitted into an oxygen-containing gasification chamber through a system of locks having an uppermost bunker which is maintained at atmospheric pressure, an intermediate bunker wherein the pressure alternately rises and drops, a lowermost bunker wherein the pressure is always above atmospheric, a metering device which connects the lowermost bunker with the gasification chamber, a pipe which can supply compressed inert gas into the intermediate bunker after the latter has received a charge of fuel particles from the uppermost bunker but before the intermediate bunker is respectively sealed from the uppermost bunker and connected with the lowermost bunker, and a pipe which evacuates compressed gas from the intermediate bunker subsequent to transfer of a charge into the lowermost bunker.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 1975Date of Patent: November 30, 1976Assignee: Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V.Inventor: Hans-Reiner Schweimanns