Abstract: In order to prevent material from passing into a plenum chamber, an assembly for fluidizing the material includes a deck supported above the plenum chamber. The plenum chamber has an intake in communication with a source of pressurized air, and the deck includes an inverted channel for distributing the pressurized air to the material in a preselected air distribution pattern and an inverted channel for supporting the material in a position generally above and in spaced relation to the air distributing channel. With this arrangement, the material supporting channel is disposed in spaced relation to the air distributing channel to permit the pressurized air from the plenum chamber to fluidize the material.

Abstract: Improved spray drying apparati, and methods of use thereof, have been developed. The spray drying equipment includes a primary drying chamber and a secondary drying apparatus which includes tubing having a length sufficient to increase the contact time between the drying gas and the droplets/particles to dry the particles to the extent desired, at a drying rate and temperature which would be too low to provide adequate drying without the secondary drying apparatus. The secondary drying apparatus increases the drying efficiency of the spray dryer system without increasing the drying rate, while minimizing loss in yield The ratio of the length of tubing to the length of the primary drying chamber is at least 2:1. The tubing diameter is substantially smaller than the diameter of the primary drying chamber, such that the particles move at higher velocity through the tubing to minimize product losses.

Abstract: A particle movement controller, being disposed between a first fluidized bed, to where particles are supplied, and a second fluidized bed, from where particles are discharged, which controls the moving amount of the particles from the first fluidized bed to the second fluidized bed, is improved to have a substantially proportional characteristic without a hysteresis. Flow rate control nozzle pipes 30a, 30b, . . . , 30j made of horizontal pipes are disposed vertically at intervals and nozzle holes 31 are formed in a lower surface of each of the nozzles. An amount of air emitted from each nozzle hole 31 is controlled using opening and closing valves 33a, 33b, . . . , 33j or flow rate adjustment valves 35a, 35b, . . . , 35j (FIG. 2).

Abstract: A method for injecting a liquid directly into a fluidised bed and a configuration of at least one twin nozzle in which a gas is used to atomise the liquid and each nozzle permits a dispersion of liquid into a vessel containing the fluidised bed.

Abstract: A method for cleaning molding compound tablets while the molding compound tablets are transferred from a tablet container to a molding equipment for encapsulating a microelectronic device. The method includes the steps of loading the molding compound tablets from the tablet container to a tablet parts feeder; transferring the molding compound tablets from the tablet parts feeder to the molding equipment along the transfer line; blowing hot air downwardly on the molded compound tablets as they move along the transfer line; commencing melting of the molded compound tablet, and any contaminants on the molded compound, with the hot air, such that the contaminants are incorporated into a resulting soft tablet dough; and injecting the soft tablet dough into the molding equipment.

Abstract: A fluidized bed apparatus having a gas distribution plate containing a plurality of tuyeres, which tuyeres provide a uniform gas flow from the gas chamber of the apparatus to the reactor chamber of the apparatus and prevents particulate matter of the fluidized bed from backsifting from the fluid bed chamber through the gas distribution plate to the gas chamber. The tuyeres are secured in openings in the gas distribution plate and comprise a porous plate and preferably a perforated plate superposed within a flanged two-component structure which two components are screwed together or otherwise secured together to form the tuyere.

Abstract: An improved fluidized bed reactor having a reactor shell and at least one reactor subsystem within the shell, the reactor subsystem having a reaction chamber and a wall, the improvement comprising at least one fluidizing gas distributor associated with the reactor subsystem and positioned below the reaction chamber and supported by the wall, the distributor comprising a top portion, a bottom portion, and a sidewall contiguous with the top and bottom portions to define an interior, a plurality of tuyeres attached to the top portion of the distributor to provide gaseous communication between the reaction chamber and the interior, and an inlet in the bottom portion for introducing a fluidizing gas to the interior.

Abstract: A filter centrifuge includes a centrifuge drum having a solids removal opening for solids collected in the centrifuge drum. A solids drying housing into which the solids removal opening opens is provided. The solids drying housing has a sieve bottom, a gas inlet for introducing a drying gas, and a gas outlet for removing the drying gas.

Abstract: Drying of a solid polymer is disclosed in which a solid polymer obtained by polymerization (or a product of modification of the solid polymer) is contacted with a drying gas so that any solvent and/or unreacted polymerization feed materials remaining in the solid polymer are removed to thereby dry the solid polymer, and in which a gaseous polymerization feed material is used as the drying gas and contacted with the solid polymer to thereby dry the solid polymer (step i), and the resultant solid polymer is contacted with a drying gas which contains an inert gas (step ii). The drying gas can be recovered from the step (i) and part thereof can be recycled through a polymerization step as it is or be recycled, after cooling the drying gas to thereby remove any condensed components, to the step (i). Not only can the solid polymer be efficiently dried but also the solvent and unreacted polymerization feed materials recovered from the solid polymer can efficiently be recycled by the disclosed method.

Abstract: A compost curing and odor control system in which biofilters are disposed in overlying relation to the compost curing area the floors of both the biofilters and curing area consist of a series of elongated planks of generally trapezoidal cross sectional configuration placed in abutting relation with the longer parallel sides of the trapezoid lying in the plane of the floor and forming between them a narrow slit through which air is passed by means of an underlying air plenum in pneumatic communication.

Abstract: An apparatus for the production and/or treatment of particles has a gas circulation possessing a process chamber and a gas circulation device and at least one spray nozzle. The latter has a nozzle body with a liquid outlet and a gas passage surrounding the nozzle body at the liquid outlet and entering the process chamber. For the production and/or treatment of particles, the pressure in the gas circulation is reduced to a value below the ambient air pressure by a suction device and gas is circulated by the gas circulation device so that gas flows upward through the process chamber. In addition, a liquid is sprayed in the process chamber from time to time through the spray nozzle and at the same time gas is passed from a branch of the gas circulation to the gas passage of the spray nozzle and through the latter into the process chamber. This gas protects the spray nozzle from the adhesion of sprayed liquid without additional gas entering the gas circulation from outside.

Abstract: A powder hopper with an internal air assist is provided with at least one vertically extending tube having a plurality of air outlet ports which are utilized in agitating the powder within a powder chamber. According to a first embodiment, the vertically extending tubes are rotated about a central axis. According to a second embodiment, the vertically extending tube is divided up into a plurality of zones which are sequentially provided with pulses of compressed air, thereby providing an equivalent air agitation rotating action without the requirement of rotating the vertically extending tube.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing sodium perborate monohydrate by dehydrating sodium perborate tetrahydrate in a fluid bed with heated air. Contact surfaces are arranged inside the fluid bed whose total area is the same as up to 500 times the area of the approach-flow bottom of the fluid bed. The contact surfaces are advantageously designed as heat exchangers whose surface temperature is adjusted to maintain 90.degree. to 110.degree. C. at the contact surfaces. The method results in a sodium perborate monohydrate with especially high abrasion resistance. In addition, the energy requirement is lower than that provided in the previously known method commonly used in the industry.

Abstract: A bed plate for a fluidized bed defines a plurality of substantially uniformly distributed openings therein for allowing fluidizing gas to flow upwardly through the plate. The openings are divided into pairs and directed and shaped so that the gas flows through the openings of each pair are directed in converging relationship, thereby to create a resultant flow component which is directed towards a discharging position of the fluidized bed. The desired resultant flow component may be obtained by properly selecting the direction and shape of the openings in each pair of openings. The gas flows through the openings in each pair may, for example, define an angle of 60.degree. to 120.degree. therebetween.

Abstract: A compost curing and odor control system in which biofilters are disposed in overlying relation to the compost curing area the floors of both the biofilters and curing area consist of a series of elongated planks of generally trapezoidal cross sectional configuration placed in abutting relation with the longer parallel sides of the trapezoid lying in the plane of the floor and forming between them a narrow slit through which air is passed by means of an underlying air plenum in pneumatic communication.

Abstract: An apparatus supplies steam into a silo via holes provided in the bottom (3) of the silo and via channels (8) provided below the silo. The steam supply channel (8) is provided with a feed connection through which the steam to be fed into the silo is passed into the steam supply channel (8). Furthermore, the channel (8) is provided with steam feed nozzles (17) placed under the holes in the bottom (3) of the silo. The nozzle (17) is preferably provided with a mounting flange (21) which is fastened to the lower part of the channel (8), making it easy to remove the nozzle (17).

Abstract: An apparatus for supplying steam into a silo (1) having a bottom (3), a wall and a discharger with a discharger arm (6) placed in the lower part of the silo. The discharger is mounted in the bottom of the silo by a bearing. The silo is provided with a steam supplying element, such as a steam feed pipe (14), extending from the central part of the bottom (3) into the interior of the silo. The feed pipe (14) is preferably passed through the bearing of the discharger and the end of the pipe (14) is provided with a cap (16) protecting the nozzles (15).

Abstract: A cone-shaped bubbler for use with solid metal organic source material used in metal organic chemical vapor phase deposition systems, and a method of producing carrying gas saturated with source material that is injected into such systems. The bubbler comprises a sealed container having a slanted wall with an inverted cone-shaped cross section. Solid metal organic source material is disposed in the container. A heat bath surrounds the sealed container. A carrying gas inlet is disposed adjacent the top of the container. Carrying gas is injected in a tangential direction relative to the source material, and a whirlpool effect is generated by the tangential gas flow that imparts a centrifugal force to gas molecules, pushing the source material against the wall to promote heat flow from the heat bath to sustain high rate sublimation. A gas outlet is disposed adjacent the bottom of the container.

Abstract: A process and device for operating a drier for at least one of powdered, granulated and pourable materials. During operation of the drier, a drying air current is introduced into a drier and rises through the material to be dried, thus removing moisture therefrom. To reduce the costs of generating a drying air current, the drying air current is drawn from the outlet of a blow molding, stretch-blow forming or other plastic molding process.

Abstract: Process for the continuous fluidized bed agglomeration wherein the granulating liquid together with propellant air is supplied centrally through a three-phase nozzle on the distributor of the fluidized bed, and at the same time, the solid in powder form is fed into the fluidized bed through the annular space or the three-phase nozzle with the air of a current of propellant air, supplied separately and concentrically.

Abstract: A damperless, controlled speed, coverless, isometric air conveyor and method for controlling articles en masse or individually at a controlled speed is provided. A first set of louvers extend through the conveyor surface to a common plenum at an incline to the conveying surface so that the air passing through the louvers has downstream force vector of a first magnitude. A second set of louvers extend through the conveyor surface to a common plenum at an incline to the conveyor surface so that the air passing through the louvers has an upstream force vector of a second magnitude which is less than the first magnitude thereby creating a vector force differential in the downstream direction to cause movement of the articles in the downstream direction.

Abstract: A biased air distribution grid is used to promote solids entrainment and dense bed internal mixing for the bed material of a fluidized bed reactor. The air distribution grid distributes air at a high velocity zone having a velocity ranging from 11 to 50 feet per second and a low velocity zone having a velocity ranging from 3 to 10 feet per second. The high velocity zone and the low velocity zone provide an improved lateral mixing for the reactor.

Abstract: A fluidized bed reactor comprising a housing, and a nozzle grate disposed in the lower portion of the housing and serving to introduce a fluidizing fluid into the reactor. The nozzle grate consists of a plurality of approximately horizontally extending tubes and nozzles provided on such tubes. The tubes are detachably connected to the housing of the reactor and the housing of the reactor has at least one support for each tube, which support supports the tube as it is rotated about its longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A bed plate (13) for a fluidized bed apparatus is made from a plate (23) from sheet metal and comprises openings (22) for fluidizing air or gas of the so-called "gill-type". In order to reduce or prevent fall-through of product, at least one of the edge portions (24,34) defining the opening (22) has been deformed so as to increase the extension thereof along the plane of the bed plate, and so as to thereby reduce or eliminate the orthographic projection on said plane of the opening (22). Such deformation may comprise compression and/or stretching. The edge portion or portions (24,34) are preferably deformed to such an extent that a partial overlap is obtained.

Abstract: The specification discloses a flow distributor for distributing a flow of fluid to a bed of particles in a fluidized bed reactor. The flow distributor comprises a plurality of spaced apart discharge conduits containing exit openings for distributing the flow of fluid into the bed of particles generally across the width of the reactor from a plurality of spaced apart locations. Flow diffusers are located in the conduits upstream of the exit openings to provide multiple, spaced apart, generally parallel, flow streams within the conduits which expand and merge together as they approach the exit openings to produce a merged flow stream extending substantially across the width of each conduit prior to discharge of the flow into the reactor.

Abstract: A fluidization cloth for an ash silo is resistant to high temperatures and mechanical stress, and is formed of a double-sided knit made from aramid or spun glass-fibers, wherein aramid or spun glass-fibers are also used as in-lay threads and the cloth is mounted on a conically-shaped perforated surface that defines it part a foot section of the silo through which compressed air is communicated whereby the cloth permits air to pass through it and mix with the granular, powder-like substance referred to as ash in order to fluidize the ash during discharge of the ash from the silo.

Abstract: A fluid bed reactor is provided with a loosely mounted, flexible multiperforate gas distributor plate so that in use the interaction of the flow of fluidizing gas, the plate and fluidized solids causes the plate to be flexed thereby cleaning the plate.

Abstract: A bin aeration device includes a skirt mounted to a bin wall by a stem including an exterior surface with a first portion having straight American National Standard pipe threads. A second portion on the exterior surface includes American National Standard Taper Pipe Threads. The American taper pipe threads permit attachment of either an internally American taper threaded fitting or an internally British taper threaded fitting if provided with 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch--14 threads per inch threads. An interior surface through the stem defines a passageway for pressurized gas to exit through an air port adjacent the skirt. A portion of the interior surface of the stem includes British Standard Taper Pipe threads. The British taper pipe threads permit attachment of either an externally American taper threaded fitting or an externally British taper threaded fitting if provided with 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch--14 threads per inch threads.

Abstract: A bulk material reactor which has a travelling bed (3) made up of the bulk material held inside a reactor housing (1), with an input assembly (14, 15) on the top and an outlet assembly (4) on the bottom of the travelling bed, a gas supply line (10) and a gas discharge line (18) at different ends of the travelling bed (3), wherein the travelling bed (3) is disposed around a central column (2), the floor (6) of which adjoins the discharge assembly (4), holding the bulk material at an angle of repose; it possesses an advantageous gas supply and can thereby be combined into major reactor assemblies without difficulty, because the interior of the central column (2) constitutes the gas line (10) and the central column (2) has an outlet opening (11) in its floor (6).

Abstract: A gas distribution system employing an array of parallel gas inlet pipes and a pair of transverse gas inlet pipes located below the first group of pipes to fluidize a particulate bed in a reaction vessel and to remove non-fluidizable particles that may be introduced into or form in the bed.

Abstract: A fluid bed dryer comprises a bed plate (12) defining openings or perforations (22) therein, means (16) for feeding a pulverulent or particulate product (P) to the bed plate (13), means (12, 14) for directing fluidizing gas flows upwardly through said openings or perforations (22) so as to fluidize the product fed thereto, and means (17, 19) for discharging product (p) from the bed plate (13). The bed plate (13) comprises at least one bed plate section, each of which is divided into elongated zones (32, 34-36) extending substantially between first and second positions of the plate section. First and/or second pluralities (22b22a) of the openings or perforations (22) are substantially uniformly distributed over the area of each of at least some (34-36) of said zones and are directed and shaped so as to impart to the fluidizing gas flows a flow component which is directed generally towards said first and second positions, respectively.

Abstract: In a vertical cylindrical casing (1) of the apparatus along the axis thereof a gas-supplying pipe (8) is disposed, the end face (11) of which is disposed above a gas-distributing grating (3) at the level of the height of a fluidized bed formed thereon and in which a tube (12) is arranged with a swirler (13) inserted thereinto, said tube forming an annular gap (14) with the pipe (8). On the gas-supplying pipe (8) and on the gas-distributing grating (3) truncated cones (15, 16) are arranged coaxially, the upper end face (17) of the external cone (16) being disposed below the end face (11) of the gas-supplying pipe (8). In the upper part of the casing (1) in front of the inlet to an axial gas-discharging pipe (7) a baffle cone (19) is mounted.