Method and apparatus for fluidizing activation of particulate, granular, viscous and similar materials

Claim 2

Apparatus for fluidizing particulate, granular, viscous and similar materials comprising a container for holding said material, including an outlet, a bottom in said container sloping toward said outlet, supplying means for introducing gas into said material, means for modulating the flow velocity of at least a portion of said gas prior to entrance into said material, said modulating means being disposed within said container, a lower gas permeable member in said container spaced from said bottom and defining together with said bottom a passage for said material from the interior of the container to said outlet, and an upper gas permeable member in said container, forming together with said lower gas permeable member a chamber and supporting material contained in the interior of said container above said chamber, said supplying means directing said modulated gas into said chamber, said gas being discharged from the chamber through said upper and lower gas permeable members to penetrate into said material thereby loosening and fluidizing the material.

Claim 3

Apparatus for fluidizing particulate, granular, viscous and similar materials comprising a container for holding said material, including an outlet, a bottom in said container sloping toward said outlet, supplying means for introducing gas into said material, means for modulating the flow velocity of at least a portion of said gas prior to entrance into said material, said modulating means being disposed within said container, a lower gas permeable member in said container spaced from said bottom and defining together with said bottom a passage for said material from the interior of the container to said outlet, and an upper gas permeable member in said container, forming together with said lower gas permeable member a chamber and supporting material contained in the interior of said container above said chamber, said supplying means directing said modulated gas into said chamber, said gas being discharged from the chamber through said upper and lower gas permeable members to penetrate into said material thereby loosening and fluidizing the material, said modulating means including a sound generator for producing pressure oscillations and an acoustic resonator horn associated therewith for modifying the pressure oscillations thus produced, said resonator horn opening into said chamber.

Claim 4

Apparatus for fluidizing particulate, granular, viscous and similar materials comprising a container for holding said material, including an outlet, a bottom in said container sloping toward said outlet, supplying means for introducing gas into said material, means for modulating the flow velocity of at least a portion of said gas prior to entrance into said material, said modulating means being disposed within said container, a lower gas permeable member in said container spaced from said bottom and defining together with said bottom a passage for said material from the interior of the container to said outlet, and an upper gas permeable member in said container, forming together with said lower gas permeable member a chamber and supporting material contained in the interior of said container above said chamber, said supplying means directing said modulated gas into said chamber, said gas being discharged from the chamber through said upper and lower gas permeable members to penetrate into said material thereby loosening and fluidizing the material, said modulating means including a sound generator for producing pressure oscillations and an acoustic resonator horn associated therewith for modifying the pressure oscillations thus produced, said resonator horn opening into said chamber.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said souNd generator is disposed outside said chamber, and said acoustic resonator horn extends into said chamber through said upper gas permeable member, the opening of said horn facing said lower gas permeable member.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said upper gas permeable member comprises substantially rigid supporting means having openings therein for the passage of gas therethrough, and a gas permeable material overlying said openings.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said lower gas permeable member comprises a perforate metal sheet member.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said lower gas permeable member comprises an inverted conical perforate metal sheet member arranged co-axially with said resonator horn and said outlet and having the apex thereof directed toward the outlet, and wherein said upper gas permeable member forms a cover over the inverted conical member.

Claim 9

Apparatus for fluidizing particulate, granular, viscous and similar materials comprising a container for holding said material, including an outlet, a bottom in said container sloping toward said outlet, supplying means for introducing gas into said material, means for modulating the flow velocity of at least a portion of said gas prior to entrance into said material, said modulating means being disposed within said container, a lower gas permeable member in said container spaced from said bottom and defining together with said bottom a passage for said material from the interior of the container to said outlet, an upper gas permeable member in said container, forming together with said lower gas permeable member a chamber and supporting material contained in the interior of said container above said chamber, said supplying means directing said modulated gas into said chamber, said gas being discharged from the chamber through said upper and lower gas permeable members to penetrate into said material thereby loosening and fluidizing the material, and a sound responsive detector associated with said container and operable to detect said modulating frequency produced within the container, and indicating means operatively connected to said detector.

Claim 10

Apparatus for fluidizing particulate, granular, viscous and similar materials comprising a container for holding said material, including an outlet, a bottom in said container sloping toward said outlet, supplying means for introducing gas into said material, means for modulating the flow velocity of at least a portion of said gas prior to entrance into said material, said modulating means being disposed within said container, a lower gas permeable member in said container spaced from said bottom and defining together with said bottom a passage for said material from the interior of the container to said outlet, an upper gas permeable member in said container, forming together with said lower gas permeable member a chamber and supporting material contained in the interior of said container above said chamber, said supplying means directing said modulated gas into said chamber, said gas being discharged from the chamber through said upper and lower gas permeable members to penetrate into said material thereby loosening and fluidizing the material, and a sound responsive detector associated with said container and operable to detect said modulating frequency produced within the container, and indicating means operatively connected to said detector.

Claim 11

Apparatus for fluidizing particulate, granular, viscous and similar materials comprising a container for holding said material, including an outlet, the bottom of said container sloping toward said outlet, means disposed within said container for introducing gas into said material and for modulating the flow velocity of at least a portion of said gas prior to entrance into said material, said means including a sound generator for producing pressure oscillations and an acoustic resonator horn associated therewith for modifying the pressure oscillations thus produced, a lower gas permeable member in said container forming a cup and defining together with said bottom a passage for said material from the interior of the container to said outlet, and an upper gas permeable member in said container forming a cover on said lower gas permeable member and defining together therewith a chamber, said upper gas permeable member supporting material contained in the interior of said container above said chamber, said resonator horn opening into said chamber to supply said modulated gas to the interior thereof, such gas being discharged from the chamber through said upper and lower gas permeable members to penetrate into said material thereby loosening and fluidizing the material.

Claim 12

Apparatus for fluidizing particulate, granular, viscous and similar materials comprising a container for holding said material, including an outlet, the bottom of said container sloping toward said outlet, means disposed within said container for introducing gas into said material and for modulating the flow velocity of at least a portion of said gas prior to entrance into said material, said means including a sound generator for producing pressure oscillations and an acoustic resonator horn associated therewith for modifying the pressure oscillations thus produced, a lower gas permeable member in said container forming a cup and defining together with said bottom a passage for said material from the interior of the container to said outlet, and an upper gas permeable member in said container forming a cover on said lower gas permeable member and defining together therewith a chamber, said upper gas permeable member supporting material contained in the interior of said container above said chamber, said resonator horn opening into said chamber to supply said modulated gas to the interior thereof, such gas being discharged from the chamber through said upper and lower gas permeable members to penetrate into said material thereby loosening and fluidizing the material.