초록 ▼

A fluidizing method transports particulates by gravity flow but passes the particulates through a fluidizer which is partitioned by a porous distributor plate to form first and second chambers and wherein the particulate materials pass through said first chamber which is in gaseous communication wit

A fluidizing method transports particulates by gravity flow but passes the particulates through a fluidizer which is partitioned by a porous distributor plate to form first and second chambers and wherein the particulate materials pass through said first chamber which is in gaseous communication with said second chamber via the porous distributor plate. Gas is delivered to the second chamber at a pressure sufficient to generate a gas bearing between the porous distributor plate and the particulate material. The gas is permitted to migrate through the particulate material, but it is then vented to the surrounding atomosphere without causing substantial turbulence in the particulate material and to reduce tendencies for dusting and separation of the particulates into sizes.

대표청구항 ▼

1. Fuidizing apparatus for filling a cavity with a homogeneous dispersion of a particulate material comprising:a hopper, a transport section and a deliver chute;said hopper being located above a horizontal plane and adapted for containing particulate material, said hopper having an upper portion, a

1. Fuidizing apparatus for filling a cavity with a homogeneous dispersion of a particulate material comprising:a hopper, a transport section and a deliver chute;said hopper being located above a horizontal plane and adapted for containing particulate material, said hopper having an upper portion, a lower portion, and a plurality of sides;said transport section being operative to transport said particulate material from said hopper to said delivery chute and having an upper end and a lower end and connected at said upper end to a side of said hopper and descending at an angle to said horizontal plane to said lower end connected to said delivery chute;said delivery chute having an upper portion and a lower portion and connected at said upper portion to said lower end of said transport section to deliver said particplate material from said transport section to said cavity;a porous distributor plate located in said lower portion of said hopper to partition said hopper into a first chamber in which said particulate material is stored and a second chamber in gaseous communication with said first chamber via said porous distributor plate;a vent located in said upper portion of said hopper;a compressed gas source connected to said porous distributor plate for delivering said gas to said second chamber, the pressure of said gas being such that said gas provides a gas bearing between said porous distributor plate and said particulate material and then migrates through said particulate material and out of said vent to fluidize said particulate material without causing turbulence in the majority of said particulate material. 2. The fluidizing apparatus of claim 1, for use with a die-casting machine having a die cavity therein and an entry to the die cavity located on an upper surface of said die, said opening having a given cross-sectional shape;said lower end of said delivery chute being adapted to engage said opening at said upper surface of said die and having a cross-section at said lower end having a shape corresponding to said shape of said opening of said die. 3. The fluidized apparatus of claim 2 wherein said die cavity has at least one shallow-depth portion and at least one deeper-depth portion, said fluidized system including a fillshoe having a filling position and a nonfilling position;at least one distributor plate having a central portion and an outer portion from which, when sand fillshoe is in said filling position, said particulate material is dropped by gravity into said die cavity located therebelow;said central portion being located, when said fillshoe is in said filling position, above said shallow-depth portion of said die cavity; and,said outer portion, when said fillshoe is in said filling position, being located above said deeper-depth portion so that said particulate material drops into said deeper-depth portion. 4. The fluidizing apparatus of claim 3 wherein said die cavity has a plurality of said shallow-depth portions and a plurality of said deeper-depth portions and wherein said fillshoe further includes a plurality of said distributor plates each having a said central portion and a said outer portion; and,wherein said central portions of said distributor plates, when said fillshoe is in said filling position, are located above said shallow-depth portions of said die cavity; and,said outer portions of said distributor plates, when said fillshoe is in said filling position, are located above the deeper-depth portions so that said particulate material drops into said deeper-depth portions. 5. The fluidizing apparatus of claim 3 wherein said porous distributor plate has a second side and a first side for receiving particulate material thereon; and,a source of gas delivered to said second side of said porous distributor plate with said gas having a pressure such that a gas bearing is formed between said first side of said porous distributor plate and the particulates located thereon, so that said gas migrates th rough said particulate material, but permits said particulate material to move off of said first side of said porous distributor plate and then drops by gravity into said deeper-depth portion. 6. The fluidizing apparatus of claim 1 including a gas-control unit for regulating the pressure of said gas to insure the existence of said gas bearing and the absence of turbulence in said majority of said particulate material. 7. The fluidizing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said transport section has a first portion and a second portion and includes a second porous distributor plate located in said first portion of said transport section to partition said transport section into a first transport-section chamber through which said particulate material travels and a second transport-section chamber in gaseous communication with said first transport-section chamber via said second porous distributor plate; and,a transport section vent located in said first portion of said transport section; and,a gas inlet for delivering gas to said second transport-section chamber to provide a gas bearing between said second porous distributor plate and said particulate material located in said transport section, said gas migrating through said particulate material and out of said transport-section vent without causing turbulence in the majority of said particulate material in said transport section. 8. The fluidizing apparatus of claim 7, wherein said delivery chute includes a delivery-chute vent located in said upper portion of said delivery chute,a third porous distributor plate for partitioning said delivery chute into a first delivery-chute chamber through which particulate material is passed and a second delivery-chute chamber in gaseous communication with said first delivery chute chamber via said third porous distributor plate; and,a compressed gas source connected to said third porous distributor plate for delivering compressed gas to said second delivery-chute chamber the pressure of said gas being such that said gas provides a gas bearing between said third distributor plate and said particulate material and then migrates through said particulate material in said delivery chute and out of said delivery-chute vent without causing turbulence in the majority of said particulate material located in said delivery chute. 9. The fluidizing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said delivery chute includes a delivery-chute vent located in said upper portion of said delivery chute,a second porous distributor plate for partitioning said delivery chute into a first delivery-chute chamber through which particulate material is passed and a second delivery-chute chamber in gaseous communication with said first delivery chute chamber via said second porous distributor plate; anda compressed gas source connected to said second porous distributor plate for delivering compressed gas to said second delivery-chute chamber, the pressure of said gas delivered to said second delivery-chute chamber being such as to provide a bearing between said second distributor plate and said particulate material and then migrates through said particulate material an said delivery chute and out of said delivery-chute vent without causing turbulence in the majority of said particulate material located in said delivery chute. 10. Fluidizing apparatus for containing particulate material to be delivered therefrom by gravity flow, said fluidizing system comprising:an upper portion and a lower portion of said fluidizing system from which said particulate material exits by gravity flow;a porous distributor plate for partitioning said fluidizing system into a first chamber in which said particulate material is stored and a second chamber in communication with said first chamber via said porous distributor plate;a vent located in said upper portion of said fluidizing system;a source of compressed gas connected to said second chamber wherein the pressure of said gas is such as to provide a gas bear ing between said porous distributor plate and said particulate material in said first chamber and wherein said gas migrates through said particulate material and out of said vent without causing turbulence in the majority of said particulate material. 11. Fuidizing apparatus including a fluidized connector having an inlet end and an outlet end for connection between an inlet portion and an outlet portion of a transport for transporting particulate materials;a porous distributor plate located within said fluidized connector to partition said fluidized connector into a first chamber through which said particulate material is passed and a second chamber in communication with said first chamber via said porous distributor plate;a source of gas connected to said second chamber for delivering said gas to and through said porous distributor plate; and,a vent for venting said gas from said first chamber;the pressure of said gas in said second chamber being such as to be provide a gas bearing between said porous distributor plate and said particulate material in said first chamber, said gas then migrating through said particulate material and out of said vent without causing turbulence within the majority of said particulate material. 12. The fluidizing apparatus of claim 11, wherein said vent essentially covers the upper portion of said fluidized connector to maximize the venting of said gas which migrates through said particulate material to further reduce tendencies for turbulence within said particulate material.