Method and apparatus for handling material

Abstract

Abstract A method of handling solid-containing fluid comprising introducing solid-containing fluid into a chamber, also introducing into the chamber liquid which admixes with and becomes part of the solid-containing fluid, pumping out the solid-containing fluid at substantially constant rate through an outlet at the lower portion of the chamber and controlling the quantity of said liquid introduced into the chamber so that the level of fluid in the chamber is maintained above the outlet despite fluctuation in the rate of introduction of solidcontaining fluid into the chamber. Preferably the quantity of said liquid introduced into the chamber is controlled so that the level of fluid in the chamber is maintained substantially constant despite fluctuation in the rate of introduction of solid-containing fluid into the chamber. Also a method of handling material comprising delivering solid material such as material mined from the earth into a container and there admixing it with liquid, by hydraulic injection introducing the admixture of solid material and liquid into a chamber as solid-containing fluid and handling the solid-containing fluid as just described. Further, apparatus for handling solid-containing fluid comprising a chamber having an outlet at its lower portion, means for introducing solid-containing fluid into the chamber, means for also introducing into the chamber liquid which admixes with and becomes part of the solid-containing fluid, pump means for pumping out the solid-containing fluid at substantially constant rate through the outlet at the lower portion of the chamber and means for controlling the quantity of said liquid introduced into the chamber so that the level of fluid in the chamber is maintained above the outlet despite fluctuation in the rate of introduction of solid-containing fluid into the chamber. Preferably the last-mentioned means are constructed and arranged to control the quantity of said liquid introduced into the chamber so that the level of fluid in the chamber is maintained substantially constant despite fluctuation in the rate of introduction of solid-containing fluid into the chamber. The last-mentioned means may comprise float-controlled valve means, preferably two float-controlled valves with the floats at different elevations. Also, apparatus for handling material comprising a container, means for delivering solid material such as material mined from the earth into the container for admixture with the solid material, a chamber having an outlet at its lower portion, hydraulic injection means introducing the admixture of solid material and liquid into the chamber as solid-containing fluid, means for also introducing into the chamber liquid which admixes with and becomes part of the solid-containing fluid, pump means for pumping out the solid-containing fluid at substantially constant rate through the outlet at the lower portion of the chamber and means for controlling the quantity of said liquid introduced into the chamber so that the level of fluid in the chamber is maintained above the outlet despite fluctuation in the rate of introduction of solid-containing fluid into the chamber.

Inventors

• 👤 Harold O Kester

Bibliographic Details