Hopper Patents (Class 110/105)
  • Patent number: 10781388
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: AKBEV GROUP, LLC
    Inventors: Geoffrey L. Larson, Curtis Holmes, Brandon Michael Smith, David D. Wilson
  • Patent number: 10364400
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: AKBEV GROUP, LLC
    Inventors: Geoffrey L. Larson, Curtis Holmes, Brandon Michael Smith, David D. Wilson
  • Patent number: 10131495
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Astec Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Malcolm L. Swanson
  • Patent number: 9845206
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Inventors: Viacheslav E. Baranovski, Andrew V. Baranovski
  • Patent number: 9233499
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: SKZ-KFE gGmbH Kunstsoff-Forschung und-Entwicklung
    Inventors: Peter Heidemeyer, Christian Deubel
  • Patent number: 8858123
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: Jean Schmit, Bernard Cauwenberghs, Christian Lunkes, Claude Junk, Benoît Junk
  • Publication number: 20140182491
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour Etude et Exploitation des Procedes Gorges Claude
    Inventor: Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour Etude et Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
  • Publication number: 20130255551
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicants: American Air Liquide, Inc., L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Yuan XUE, Remi Pierre Tsiava, Chendhil Periasamy, Jiefu Ma
  • Patent number: 8393281
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: University of Mississippi
    Inventors: Wei-Yin Chen, George Gowan
  • Patent number: 8348556
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Claudius Peters Projects GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Hilgraf, Dietrich Schumpe, Hans-Dieter Nolde, Volker Goecke
  • Publication number: 20120122042
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Hellmuth Brueggemann, Olivier Drenik, Michael Heim, Haider Mirza
  • Patent number: 7976593
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Heat Transfer International, LLC
    Inventor: Robert G. Graham
  • Patent number: 7426891
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Inventor: Ronald E. Loving
  • Patent number: 7318431
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: BixBy Energy Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark N. Holtan, Ross C. Embertson
  • Patent number: 6722294
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Vitro Global, S.A.
    Inventors: Roberto Marcos Cabrera-Llanos, Iván Jorge Solis-Martinez, Rafael Valadez-Castillo
  • Patent number: 6085672
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: NKK Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromi Nakamura, Mitsuhiro Fujii, Tsuneo Nagaoka, Tetsuo Akashi, Kenichi Tezuka, Yukihiko Asakawa
  • Patent number: 5979340
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: The Board of Regents of the University of Texas System
    Inventors: Carl Thomas Michael Haas, Sidigata Venkataraman Sreenivasan, Alfred Ellis Traver, Kamel Shawki Saidi, Jongwon Seo, Richard Lael Greer
  • Patent number: 5967062
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Atlantic Pacific Energy Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Jack B. Larson, James C. Branscome
  • Patent number: 5829368
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: Combustion Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary A. Cote, Paul J. Panos
  • Patent number: 5775237
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignees: Florida Power Corporation, United Conveyor Corporation
    Inventors: William P. Reilly, John S. Tomaszek
  • Patent number: 5630368
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: The University of Tennessee Research Corporation
    Inventors: Charles L. Wagoner, John P. Foote
  • Patent number: 5406747
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: Kiefl KB
    Inventor: Rudolf Kiefl
  • Patent number: 5030054
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1991
    Assignee: Detroit Stoker Company
    Inventors: David C. Reschly, Timothy R. Loviska
  • Patent number: 4905613
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 6, 1990
    Assignee: Detroit Stoker Company
    Inventors: David C. Reschly, Timothy R. Loviska
  • Patent number: 4867078
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Assignees: Donald David Henry, Adrienne Leigh Henry
    Inventor: Donald D. Henry
  • Patent number: 4693189
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1987
    Inventor: Richard M. Powers
  • Patent number: 4348968
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1982
    Inventor: Viking V. Demar
  • Patent number: 4311102
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1979
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1982
    Inventors: Melvin W. Kolze, Bruce A. Kolze
  • Patent number: 4283170
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1979
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1981
    Inventor: Manfred Leisenberg
  • Patent number: 4242972
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1981
    Inventor: Guy Sicard
  • Patent number: 4102278
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1977
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1978
    Assignee: Wyatt Engineers, Inc.
    Inventor: Gerald P. McManama
  • Patent number: 3994701
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1975
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1976
    Assignee: Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V.
    Inventor: Hans-Reiner Schweimanns