Abstract: An improved grain drying apparatus of the type having a bin with a perforated floor through which hot air is blown upward for grain drying purposes, and a rotary sweep assembly employing a wet grain distributing auger on its lag side and a dried grain retrieving auger on its lead side. One improvement includes an inclined elongate plate forming an overflow dam which extends along the floor on the lead side of the retrieving auger and which is connected to the sweep assembly for rotation therewith so as to build up the thickness of dried grain on the floor ahead of the retrieving auger to increase the resistance of the dried grain to the upward flow of hot air on the lead side such that a greater proportion of hot air will flow upwardly through the floor on the lag side through the wet grain being deposited thereon.

Abstract: A dustproof chute for a particulate material loader including an airtight elastic tubular member located below a particulate material feeding device and defining by its wall a space below the particulate material feeding device, a discharge end tubular member of small length connected to a lower end of the airtight elastic tubular member, a particulate material stream diameter controlling tubular member located in a space within an upper end portion of the airtight elastic tubular member and permitting a particulate material fed by the particulate material feeding device to flow downwardly therethrough in a stream, and a ventilating space surrounding the particulate material stream diameter controlling tubular member and communicating with the particulate material feeding device.

Abstract: An apparatus for unloading loose particulate solid material having a discharge pipe and a positive discharge device at the outlet end of the discharge pipe. A pressure sensor is arranged to sense the pressure of the material at the outlet end of the positive discharge device and to produce an output signal in response thereto. A positioning device for varying the position of the outlet of positive discharge device is provided and is driven in response to the output signal of the pressure sensor.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring pulverulent or granular material from an opening at the lower end of a silo into a vessel which is moved to a position below such opening has a vertical duct with a rigid upper section which is affixed to the silo, a rigid lower section which is surrounded by and is rigidly connected to a downwardly tapering funnel and serves to discharge flowable material into the vessel by way of an opening in the top wall of the vessel, and a bellows which is disposed between and is separably connected with the two rigid sections. The lower section and the funnel are movable up and down by means of a winch and several cables or chains whose lower end portions are attached to the funnel and/or to the lower section. A cover which normally overlies the open upper side of the funnel is movable to a raised position in which it surrounds the upper section of the duct.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a system for feeding coal into a gasifier operating at high pressures. A coal-water slurry is pumped to the desired pressure and then the coal is "dried" prior to feeding the coal into the gasifier by contacting the slurry with superheated steam in an entrained bed dryer for vaporizing the water in the slurry.