Sedimentation apparatus and method for determining particle size distribution

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF A POWDERY MATERIAL COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: (A) ADDING SAID POWDERY MATERIAL TO THE FLUID OF A CLOSED CIRCULATORY FLUID SYSTEM HAVING A VERTICALLY TUBULAR PORTION; (B) DISPERSING SAID POWDERY MATERIAL EVENLY THROUGH THE FLUID BY CIRCULATING THE FLUID THROUGH SAID FLUID SYSTEM; (C) BRINGING THE CIRCULATING FLUID TO A COMPLETE REST AFTER SAID POWDERY MATERIAL IS EVENLY DISTRIBUTED BY SHUTTING OFF CIRCULATION AND LETTING A FIRST TIME PERIOD ELAPSE AFTER SHUTTING OFF CIRCULATION, SAID FIRST TIME PERIOD BEING SUFFICIENTLY LONG FOR ALL VORTICES AND BUBBLES TO DIE OUT; (D) ISOLATING A SECTION OF SAID VERTICAL TUBULAR PORTION AT THE END OF SAID FIRST TIME PERIOD TO DEFINE A SEDIMENTATION TUBE; (E) PERMITTING AXIAL SEDIMENTATION OF THE DISPERSED POWDERY MATERIAL IN THE SEDIMENTATION TUBE FOR A SECOND TIME PERIOD WHICH COMMENCES WITH THE ISOLATION, SAID SECOND TIME PERIOD BEING SELECTED TO PROVIDE A DESIRED DISTRIBUTION OF PARTICLES IN THE SEDIMENTATION TUBE; AND (F) ARRESTING SAID AXIAL SEDIMENTATION IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE END OF SAID SECOND TIME PERIOD BY TURNING SAID SEDIMENTATION TUBE TO A HORIZONTAL POSITION SO THAT THE POWDERY MATERIAL SETTLES TO FORM A RIBBON ALONG THE LOWER LENGTH OF THE SEDIMENTATION TUBE WHICH RIBBON PROVIDES DATA USEFUL FOR DETERMINING THE PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF SAID POWDERY MATERIAL.

Claim 2

A METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF A POWDERY MATERIAL COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: (A) ADDING SAID POWDERY MATERIAL TO THE FLUID OF A CLOSED CIRCULATORY FLUID SYSTEM HAVING A VERTICALLY TUBULAR PORTION; (B) DISPERSING SAID POWDERY MATERIAL EVENLY THROUGH THE FLUID BY CIRCULATING THE FLUID THROUGH SAID FLUID SYSTEM; (C) BRINGING THE CIRCULATING FLUID TO A COMPLETE REST AFTER SAID POWDERY MATERIAL IS EVENLY DISTRIBUTED BY SHUTTING OFF CIRCULATION AND LETTING A FIRST TIME PERIOD ELAPSE AFTER SHUTTING OFF CIRCULATION, SAID FIRST TIME PERIOD BEING SUFFICIENTLY LONG FOR ALL VORTICES AND BUBBLES TO DIE OUT; (D) ISOLATING A SECTION OF SAID VERTICAL TUBULAR PORTION AT THE END OF SAID FIRST TIME PERIOD TO DEFINE A SEDIMENTATION TUBE; (E) PERMITTING AXIAL SEDIMENTATION OF THE DISPERSED POWDERY MATERIAL IN THE SEDIMENTATION TUBE FOR A SECOND TIME PERIOD WHICH COMMENCES WITH THE ISOLATION, SAID SECOND TIME PERIOD BEING SELECTED TO PROVIDE A DESIRED DISTRIBUTION OF PARTICLES IN THE SEDIMENTATION TUBE; AND (F) ARRESTING SAID AXIAL SEDIMENTATION IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE END OF SAID SECOND TIME PERIOD BY TURNING SAID SEDIMENTATION TUBE TO A HORIZONTAL POSITION SO THAT THE POWDERY MATERIAL SETTLES TO FORM A RIBBON ALONG THE LOWER LENGTH OF THE SEDIMENTATION TUBE WHICH RIBBON PROVIDES DATA USEFUL FOR DETERMINING THE PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF SAID POWDERY MATERIAL.