Method and apparatus for handling fluidized solids

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS INVOLVING THE CONTACTING OF SEPARATE GASEOUS STREAM WITH FINELY DIVIDED SOLID IN TWO SEPARATE CONTACTING VESSELS CONTAINING FLUIDIZED BEDS OF SAID FINELY DIVIDED SOLID AND WHEREIN SAID FINELY DIVIDED SOLID FLOWS FROM ONE OF SAID VESSELS TO THE OTHER THROUGH A U-SHAPED CONDUIT INTERCONNECTING SAID VESSELS AND HAVING THE BOTTOM LOOP OF SAID CONDUIT EXTENDING A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE BELOW THE BOTTOM OF SAID VESSELS; THE METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE RATE OF FLOW OF SOLIDS BETWEEN SAID VESSELS WITHOUT THE USE OF MECHANICALLY CONTROLLED VALVES WHILE MAINTAINING AN EFFECTIVE GAS SEAL THEREBETWEEN WHICH COMPRISES FLOWING SAID FINELY DIVIDED SOLID FROM ONE OF SAID VESSELS DOWNWARDLY THROUGH ONE LEG OF SAID U-SHAPED CONDUIT WHILE IN ADMIXTURE WITH AN AERATING GAS IN AN AMOUNT LIMITED TO MAINTAIN A DENSE FLUIDIZED BODY OF SOLIDS IN SAID DOWNFLOWING LEG, CONTINUING THE PASSAGE OF SAID SOLID AROUND THE BASE OF SAID CONDUIT AND UPWARDLY THROUGH A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE OPPOSITE LEG WITHOUT SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGING THE DENSITY OF SAID FLUID BODY, THEREAFTER INTERMIXING ADDITIONAL GAS WITH THE SOLID PASSING THROUGH THE REMAINING AND SUBSTANTIAL SECTION OF SAID OPPOSITE LEG IN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO MATERIALLY REDUCE THE DENSITY OF SAID FLUID BODY IN SAID REMAINING SECTION, FLOWING THE RESULTING INTERMIXTURE INTO THE OTHER OF SAID VESSELS AND REGULATING THE AMOUNT OF GAS SO INTERMIXED TO CONTROL THE RATE OF FLOW OF THE SOLID BETWEEN SAID VESSELS.