Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
The invention relate~ to the pneumatic conveyance of
partlculate material and expre~61y de~cribe~ a method for the
transportation of grain through a pipeline over long di~tances.
Currently, grain products are tran~por~ed long di~tances to
shipping ports by the UBe of rolling ~tock, vehlcles and other
equipment. The most commo~ method of ~hipplng grain i8
transporting it by rolling stock to a shipping port where it i~
transferred to ~hips after lengthy storage period~ ~n large
~truc~ured ~ilo~. Prior to the pick up of the graln and during
the tranEportation period, grain part;iculate~ ab~orb moi~ture
which must be removed by a heating proce6s at the ~ilo locationD
Such a proce~ may re~uire ~any days, e~en weeks, before being
loaded into the ships. The ~echanical ~andling and Storing of
Material~ by G~Fo Zimmer, 1922J Third Edition, D. ,Yan No~t,rand
Company, New York, de~cribes various hydraulic pneumatic sy~tems
for handling grain. Other prior art ln thl~ f~eld 1B ~ni'ced
State~ Patenta 2 ,7 95 ,46 4, 2 ,806 ,6 36, 2 ,B27 ,333, 4,108,710,
4~412~203~ Canadian Patent~ 980,529, 1~032,991, l,1539043 and the
Fuller System lGeneral American Tran~it~ wherein dry cemen~ i~
moved through a conduit with dr~ air flowi~g through the floor of
the conduit.
The current method of tran~portation involYe8 the use of
large ~ums of capital which are inve~ted in rolling stock,
expen6~ve trackage and huge 6torage facilities. ~he e~ti~ated
.
O , "'~
~Z0~2~`0
expenditures for the next ten year~ ln Canada alon~ i~ expected
to be S16, 000, oon, 090 .
The present invention i~ directed to ~ method and
system for tran~portln~ p~rticulate material and particularly
grain~ via pneumatic means, using a dual pipeline ~ystem. More
par~icularly the grain iB ~ran~ported through a larger transport
pipeline entrained in a tran~port air ~tream. A ~maller
energizing pipeline introduce~ air into the transport plpeline
whereby a pulsating-air encasement i8 ~nterpoRed between the
conduit wal 1 and the tran~port air stream to inhibit
precipitation of the grain from the tranBport air stream.
In the flow o~ a ga~eou~ ~tream through a uniform non-
baffled conduit, the flow of the ga~ as it approach~ the conduit
wall become6 lamina and at the conduit wall the flow for
practical purpo~es i~ near zero. When a ga~eou8 Btream carrie~
entrained particulates, they will migrate outwardly from the
centre of the ~tream and ultimately precipitate from the stream.
For 6hort di~tance~ with an extremely high flow r~te it may be
possible to keep mo~t of the particulates entrained but d~pending
upon particle size there will still be some precipitation.
In the present invention, an encasement of pulsating gas, or
air at a higher velocity than the tran~port air ~tream and at a
variety of pres~ures and volumes, i~ introduced between the wall
of the transport pipeline and the tran~port air ~tream carrying
the particulates to form a pul~ating air encasement.
Generally, a pipeline conduiti~g ~ystem is provided wherein
the grain ~or other particulates) are moved pneumatically at
0
2V8260
v~rying ~peeds using hlgh ~olume~ o~ air supplled by compres~or~
and dri~ers lnstalled ~ regular intervals throughout the
pipel1ne 6y8temO In the pre~erred embodiment, the gases wlthin
the conduit are temperature controlled allowing the grain or
particulates to retain their original physical characteristics
and nutrltional v~lues until reaching their de~tination. A
tran~port air ~tream carries the grain particulates at mode~t
pre6~ures and average velocitie~ to prevent damage to the grain.
A den~e pack ratio, by volume of grain to air, ranges generally
up to 50%. Preferably, about a 30~ ratio i8 employed to prevent
plugging of the pipeline. At a plur~lity o locations along the
transport pipeline alr is injected lnto the tran~port pipeline
from a ~eparate~ energizing auxiliary pipeline ~ytemo
Preferably this air is lntroduced via air Yolume variance
diffuser plate~ containing di~tlnctive orifices of pre-determined
æize~, angles and locations. The air di~charge ~rom these plates
forms the pul6ating air encasement. The~e plates are preferrably
po~itioned in the lower quadrant of the transport pipeline. The
injected energized air may vary ~ubstantially in volume and c~m
den~e weigh~, at each location, by the use of rotary pulsating
valves controlled by appropriate signals from a~ociated
counters, lazer beams and computer~. The~e pulsating air
encasements will reduce the wall bumping of the grain and can be
temperature and humidity controlled for at lea~t two purposes; to
enhance the drying o~ the grain as it move~ along the pipeline
and to insure a controlled temperature range as the pipeline will
be subject to varying climatic conditions. The introduction of
this energlzed air which forms the pulsating air enca~ement is
.
11 ~z~ o
al80 to 1nBure no dr~g or unneseGsary pre~sure drop on the
¦ tran~port ~ tream. In a particularly pre~ereed embodiment
¦ booster alr iB lntroduced ~rom the central portion of the plate
¦ to prevent a 'duning e~ect' and enh~nce control of the flow o~
¦the pa~ticulate.
¦ The pulsating air encasement a6sume~ a flow pattern fiimilar
¦to a heart-shaped helix ~8 illustrated in ~igure 10. The
¦encaEement prevents or inhibit~ the precipitation of the
particulate~ by maintaining, at the inter-mingled interface
between the tran~port air ~tream and the enca~ement, a positlve
inwardly directed pres~ure.
In an alternate embod~ment, a pul~ating air enca~ement ifi
formed by introducing at a plurality of axially fipaced locations
energizing air. T~e net effect i8 0 form a high pressure
pulsating air encasement and to create a pressure dif~erential
between the transport air and the pulsating air encasement a~
~hown in Figure 13.
In the preferred embodiment, grain 6uch as wheat, maize or
oat~ i~ drawn through the primary pipeline by compres~or/driver
station~ wbich create a pu~h-pull driving force~ ~he grain ~n
the transport alr~tream bypasse~ the compressor/driver ~tation.
In an alternative embodiment, the compres~or/driver station
create~ a pull only, pneumatic driving force. In this
alternative embodiment, the grain again bypa~se~ the
compre~sor/driver ~tation. In a still further embodiment of the
invention, the compre~sor/driver stations creates a push
pneumatic dr iving force.
lZ08'~
The ~ethod o my lnvention lncludes moving ~ transport air
stream through a pipellne, sald alrstream havlng entrained
particulates ther~ln, encaslng the transport air ~tream is a
pulsating air ~tream, the pulsat~ng air enca6ement maintained at
a greater prefi6ure ~han the tran~port air ~tream and moving at a
greater volocity than the tran~port air 6tream to prevent
precipitation of the particulates from the tran6port air stream.
~:~
Figure 1 i6 a ~chematic of an embodiment o~ the lnvention~
Figure 2 i8 a 6chematic of an alternate of Figure 1~
Figure 3 i8 a schemat~c o~ an airJgas volume variance
di~fu6er plate installed in a transpsrt cargo pipeline;
Figure 4A i~ a plan view of a section of the tranBport line -
energizer pipe~
Figure 4B is an end view of the transport line-energ~zer
pipe;
Figure S iB a side ~ectional view o~ the tran6port line~
Figure 6 i8 a plan view of a diffuser plate ~howing variou~
~ize6 of orifice~ aligned longitudinally in sy~tematic row~S
Figure 7 i~ an edge view of Figure 6 taken through ~ectionR
A~A, B-~, C-C, and D~D;
Figure 8 i~ an end view of ~igure 6;
Figure 9 is a plan view of a diffu~er pla~e showing variou~
hold sizes - randomly located in longitudinal rows;
Figure ld i6 an end view of ~igure 8 the energizing air
enca~ement in~ide the transport cargo pipeline~
Figure 11 i6 an side view of the encasement 6hown in Figure
1OJ
0
Figur~ 12 18 a ~chematic vlew of a pulsating valve~
F~gure 13 i8 ~In ~lternate embodi~ent of the enca~ement
f eature I
Figure 14 i~ an 11 lus~ratioll of a mechanlcal by-pa~
separator-compressor/driver stationS
Figure 15 i8 an il lu~tration of ~ pneumatic by-pass of the
compres~or/driver station)
Figure 16 i8 a side view of a make~up air injector 8POO1J
Figure 17 i8 a cross-~ectional ~iew of Figure 16 taken along
line B-B of Figure 16 ~
Figure 18 iB a per~pective illu~tration of an alternative
embodiment of the invent~on7
Figure 19 i8 a 6ectional view of Figure 18 taken along llnes
18-18J
Figure 20 i8 a side view of a ~till further embodiment of
the invention7
Figure 21 i8 a ~ide view of a still further embodiment of
the invention;
~ igures 22 are front ~ectional v~ew~ of vario~ pipeline
cro6~ section~t
Figure 23 i~ a ~chematic illustration of the configuration~
of Figure 22 joined together ln a multi-pipe sy~tem;
Figure 24 taken along line~ 23 23 of Figure 23 is a ¦
~ectional plan view of ~ primary air-solid~ pipeline with ¦
attached Eecondary line~; and
Figure 25 i~ a front partially sectional view of a typical
field installation o~ a multi-pipeline ~ystem.
~ , ,
8;~t;i(~
Figure 1 illustrate~ ~ ~y~te~ 10 embodylng the ~nvention. A
loading silo 12~~111ed wlth graln has ~ecured at it~ lower end a
rotatable dispen~er 14 ~hlch depo~its the grain on ~ synchronous
conveyor belt 16. The rot~ble dispsnser 14 and conveyer belt
16 function in comblnatlon to control the ~ize and amount of
grain deposited on the moving conveyor belt. ThiG i~ to in~ure a
controllable feed rate of the grain. The conveyor belt 16 pas~es
through an electric weight mea~uring and scanning d~vice 18~ A
transport pipeline 20 has in communication therewith a pipe llne
separater-compre6~0r/drlver 8tation3 80. The~e ~tation~ ~eparate
the grain from the tran~port air stream.
The conveyor belt 16 extend~ into the mouth of a fixed or
variable vortex valve opening 24 where the grain i8 ~wept~ off
the end of the conveyor belt and into the primary pipeline 20.
Figure~ 10 and 11 illustrate the air flow of the ~y~tem 10.
Figure 2 illu~trates an alternate sy~tem 30 where the
partisulate material iB received in a hopper~ilo 32 ~rom railway
hopper car~, trucks, etc., and i8 di~pensed by valve 34 onto a
~echanized weighing conveyor 36 and i8 dl~charged into a receiver
bin 38 which can be a pre3suri2ed ~ilo or at atmospheric
pre~sure. If a pressuri~ed ilo i6 desired, then a rotary
airlock ~y~tem 40 can be used and the particulate will discharge
out o~ the bottom ~here the ~eed rate i~ controll~d by the ap~ed
of rotation of a segmented compartment valving arrangement 420
The discharged, mea6ured particulate enter~ ~n entrainment
mechanism 120 shown in greater detail in Figure 15.
The variou~ compre~ors/driver~, air conditloning units,
o
2U ~ ~ 0
tc., prev1ously deucribed are lndlvldu~l ~tate-o~-the-art
devlces and need not be descrlbed ~n detail~ The
compressors/drlver~ are readlly available such ~8 from Ingersoll-
Rand.
In the pre~erred embodiment of the invention re~erring to
Figure 3, pulsating rotary valves sa introduce air and/or gas
taken from an energizer pipe 52 through connecting pipe~ 54 ~nto
energizer chamber~ 56 up through an air and/or ga~ volume
variance di~fuQer plate 58~ The varlance diP~user plate 58
contain~ many orifices o predetermined ~ize, anyle forward, and
angle tilted towards the wall and ~paced longitudinally along the
plate itself,~hich plate 1~ fa~tened tn the pipeline at 6`0. ~he
plate 58 define~ with the inner wall of the pipellne 20 and
support plate~ 60, the energizer chamber~ 5~ and a booster
chamber 62. The chamber 62 between the ~upport plates i~
energized. The plate 58 also includes apertures 63 or 810t8 all
leaning forward~ The chamber 62 act~ as a boo6ter to a~ t the
forward ~ovement of the paxticulate and to ensure partlculate
enca~emen~ to prevent the dunlng effect. For example, if the
particulate begin~ to ~ag in its flow path towards the diffuser
plate the pre~6ure ln chamber 62 can be altered to preYent
~eparation or duning. If the particulate ri~e~ in the cargo pipe
toward the upper wall the pre~ure level in the chambers 56 can
be decrea~ed to nulllfy thi~ effect. ~he pressure differential
in the booster chamber 62 and the energizing cha~bers can be
altered independently or in concert with each other ~o correct
any adver~e effec~s including duning, cargo movement, particula~e
1~ ~20~ 0
speed, pressure bulldup and temperature control. The booster
chamber also assists the stop/start capability of the cargo in
the transport p~peline. The booster chamber 62 is e~ergized
mainly by the power units (compressors and turbines, of the
transport cargo line but may be further inter-connected to
the energizing pipe 54, through a connection as shown figure
4B .
Figures 4A, 4B and 5 are further views of the embodiment
represented in Figure 3.
A detailed explanation of the volume variance diffuser
plate follows in reference to figures 6 to 11.
Referring to Figure 6, the plan view shows sets of orifices
A,B,C, and D which vary in diameter, the leaning forward angle
(generally ~5 degreesJ and the angle of tilt outward toward the
wall of the pipeline 20. The orifices of each row are equidis-
tant one to the other and each row is parallel to the longitude
xis of the transport pipe 2u.
Z(~8~Z60
I Figure 6
I . ~
ORIFIC~ANGLE OF ANGLE OF
BQ~ l~ FQE~RD 1~ O~TW,~
A 1 nun 45 0-10
B 2 mm 45 30
3 mJo 45 ~,5
D , ~ mm 45 6û~
Tran~ver~ing acros~ the centre line to the oppo~ite wall of
pipeline 20 'che alignment of oririce ~ize~ in the air/gas
dlffuser plate i~ in the reverse order - a~ shown in Figure 6
namelyt
D 4 ~un 45 li0
C 3 ~nm 45 45~
5 30
A 1 llun 45 0-10
The volumetric air di~charge through each oriflce at 50 p~ig
ic calculated a~ s
ROW NO . A B c ~
~ize ~un 1 2 3 4
cfm p g 1.0 4.01 9.03 16 .1
6~)
~ lgure 7 1~ ~ ~urther cect1onal lllu~tr~tlon of the forw~rd
angle~ and fi9ure 8 ll~tlOWB the outward lean angle~ ~espectively of
the orlfice~ o~ row~ A-D of ~igure 6 re~pectively.
Figure 9 show3 the dif~user or~flce~ s~onallgrled by size and
dimension wh$ch are randomly mixed as 111UBtrated- The orifice
location i8 randomly placed, ~nd the forward tilt 18 generally¦
45, however, it need r~ot be. The outward tilt of each row may ¦
be the ~ame ~ Figure 8 regardle6~ of the hole ~ize or diameters ~
approximately, i.e. (A~ 0~-10~, (B) - 30, (C) - ~5, and (D) - I
60. The orifice8 in a diffu~er plate may assume any geometric I
configuration or ~hape, unlform or non-uniform concerning both i
~ze and location of the orifices one to the othert, Further the
orif ice~ laay as~;ume any angular forward andl/or ~ideward
orientation aæ long a~ ~he net e~fect ~8 to crea~e a pulsating
air encasement. Similarly; the aperture~ 63 although shown as I
~lots may a6~ume other configurations and may lean forward at any¦
angle. It is believed the aperture~ m~y in 80me in~tances be al
few millimeter~ in diameter. These apertures may be formed ¦
directly in the plate or formed in com~osites or insert~ which
are then received in the plate.
The flow pattern, a6 ~hown in Figure 10, from the orifices
in the plate of Figures 6-9 i8 a helical forward movement of the
emi~ion from each orifice. The flow pattern from the apertures;
i~ a forward and upward movement. Figure 11 illuætrate~ the
emi~ions from each orifice. The resultant flow pattern i~ a
forward mo~lng helix plu~ the outward lean, wh~ch re~ults in a
heart fihaped pattern as shown in figure 10 at the top of the
~D '
082~(~
plpeline 20. tAir flow from ~pertures n~t ~hown ln Flgure 11.)
The pulsating mode resul~ from the size of th~ ori~lce~
ltB location and it~ pro~lmi~y to the alr volume (cfm) emltted
from each a~sociated oriflce. The effect on the carqo movement
will produce a ~breaking upa of the cargo ma~6 by introducing a
tumbling effect due to the ever changing cfm emis~ion from
variou~ or~fice diameter~s). The resultant e~fect i8 pUl ation,
which pulsating i~ further augmented by the pulsating/energlzi~g
~alve 50 described herein.
Figure 12 i8 an outline ~ketch of the pulGating rotary
energizer valve 50~ Thi~ valve ~8 analagous to a ~otating ball
valve where the ~tem o~ the ~haft i6 extended and coupled to a
6ervo motor (not shown) which i8 controlled by a computer wh~ch
receives it~ monitorlng lnformation fro~ ~ lazer ~canner (not
~hown) which ~onitors the speed, quantity~ humidity and density
of the cargo particulate being carried by the tran~port alr in
pipeline 20. As the cargo and measured operating condition~ vary
and change from point to point, the control lers vary the
operatlons of the energ1zing va?ve 50 which in turn alters the
enca~ement air characteri~ticffO
When the ~haft hole 51 i~ aligned longitudinally with the
connecting pipe 54 there is full flow through the pipe into the
energizing chamber~ 56 6hown in Figure 3. When the valve is
rotated 90 it i~ considered clo~ed and there i~ no flow.
The position~ of the ~haft hole can be infinite and when
the valve ~haft i8 rota~ing 810wly it allows the flow passage
through on a cycled count ba~i~ thus setting up and emitting an
air~tream whlch in turn ~et~ up the pul~ating ai~ wave~. The~
Il
~Z(~
slower the rotation the more pronounced i8 the pulsating effec~.
The maln ~haft o~ val~e 50 ~y be axlally ~ligned, to ~180,
control pulsating ~ir waYes.
A~ previously described, the pulsat~ng flo~ entering the
energizer chamber~ 56 i~ fur~her and purposely pulsated by the
efect o~ the ~ir/ga~ volume varlance diffu~er plate sa. See
Figure 3~
The chamber 62 may be pre ~urlzed by any suitable mean6 and
preferably by the e~i ~ting compressor/driver~ of the ~y~tem.
Valve~ 50 may be u~ed to control the flow of air into the chamber
620 The plate 58 extends along the length of pipeline 20. The
plate terminates where the pipeline 20 begin~ or end~ at station~
80 or B2, etc., or the plpeline i8 intercepted by 6pools 88,
valve6 2~ or the like. Where the plate 58 end~ ~ithin the
pipeline 29 a plate segment i~joined to ~he pipe~lne 20 with the
chord of the segment joined t3 the edge of the plate 58 and the
arc of the ~egment joined to the lower portion of the pipellne
wall which defines the chamber~ 56 ~nd 62~
In an al~ernate embodiment, referring to Fi~ure~ 1 and 13,
a ~et nozzle 70~ introduce the alr into the transport pipellne 20
a~ the ~x o'clock position and at a 45 angle~ At the location
where the air from the nozzle 70A ha~ completed a helical turn,
additional air from a nozzle 70B i6 introducedt and at the
location where the energlzing air ~tream from nozzle 70B has
completed a helical turn at 70Cl; air from nozzle 70C i
introduced, etc. Thi6 formfi a moving pul~ating air encafiemen
which inhibit~ the grain from precipitating from the tran~port
O
alr stream. In ~$gure~ d 2 the ~yete~ may u~e ~ither the
preferred embodiment or the alternate embodi~ent, th~ di~ferenc~
being prlmarily- th~t in ~he preferred embodiment the plate 58
with or without the Yalve 50 controla the fluld flo~
characteri~tics of the pul~ating air encasement and in the
alternat~ Ye embodiment the nozzl e~ 70 with or without the valve
50 do the ~ame. The hori20ntal axial rotor in the valves 70
rotate in a ~imilar action a~ the vertical sha~t in valv~ 50.
Where the particulat~ must b~ tran~ported long d~tances,
considerabl~ amount~ of air must be handled ln order to introduce
air into and withdraw aie from the sy~te~ without affecting the
movement of the particulate~. A1BO the air i8 laden with du~t
particles and particulate Pines~
Referring to Figure 14, a mechanical type by-pa~s separato~-
CompreB~or/driVer Btation 80 iA ~hown in greater detail. These
~tations condition the tran~port a~r ~tream to control flow rate
of the tranaport air stream throughout the e~tire pipelineO
Tran~port plpeline 20A di~charge~ into a depreæ~urlz~ng tank 82.
Thi~ tank serves two func ion~s it control~ the pre~sure of the
air flow intoa compres~or 84 and precipitates thegrain from the
air streamO Two ~treams are ~ormed~ A fir~t air ~tream less the
grain or particulate ~lows through a filter 86, an air-makeup
injector 88 and into the compressor B4. The air-make up injector
88 tidentical to injector 88..o~ Figu~e.1 and 16) compri~es a
flanged sleeve 90 and a plurality of hydraulically or air
actuated trap doors 92~ see Figu~,e 16. The air-makeup injector
control~ the air flow to the compre~or to ensure~ ba~ed on the
specific compre~or, t}lat the transport air ~tream introduced
l lZ~8;~60
into the prlmary plpeline 20, meets operatlng requlrement~ l.e.,
pressur e and v ol ume.
A second air strea~ carrylng grain short-falls the
compre~sor 84 and 10ws lnto di~charge ducts 94A-C~ Air lock
valve~ 96A-C control the flow of grain directly onto a mechanical
conveyor 98~ or redirects the grain into the inlet side of a
tangential cyclone ~eparator lûO; oc both. The grain ln the
cyclone i~ redirected through its ~s60ciated air locks and
rotatable dispen6er 102 and de~posited on the mechanical conYeyor
98. The mechanical conv~yor 98 iE received within the upstream
end of the next ~ucceeding ~ection of the transport pipeline 20E ~.
The mschanical conveyor i8 adapted to move the grain at a rate
¦ COn~iBten~ with the flow rate of the grain moving throuqh the
¦entire pipeline. The air d~charyed from the compre~or 84 flow~
¦ into the pipeline 20B via a manifold assembly such as ~ho~n in
¦~igure~ 18 and 19. Depending upon the particulate~ being
¦transported a depressurizing tank per se ~ay be fiufi~ent~ or a
¦single or multicyclone~ without or with the tank may be
¦ sufficient. Other means to carry the particulate~ ~nto pipeline
¦ 20B may be used pneumatic, flostation, etc.
¦ Figuee 15 ~llustrate~ a du~t remov`al system and a pneumatic
¦bypass around the compressor/driver ~tation wherein a cyclone(s)
¦is used for a ~wo step-cleaning process. Through pipeline 20A ¦
travels particulate, dust and air wherein the particulate is ¦
removed by cyclone~ 110. The air/dust combination in a pipe 112
travels to a cyclone 114 where the dust i8 removed and the
cleaned air i~ further cleaned in filter 116 be~ore going to the
Il lZV~26~
alr lntake ln~ector 88 which i~ connect~d to the comp~easor 84.
The cyclone 110 (co~nercially avallable) separates the tranaport
air/~olld strea~ into i'c~ ba~lc elemen~s of gr~in ~nd dust laden
air. The graln leaveE th~ cyclone 110 through a ~olu~etric wheel
118 where the feed rate i~ controlled by ~peed of rotatlon of the
segmented compartment valve arrangement mult~ple system (6ee U.S.
Patent 2,827,333, Haroh 13, 1958, or Canadian Paten~ 566,995,
December 2, 1958) and enters an entraining mechani~m 120 through
an air conveying conduit line 122. T}~e mechanism 120 consists of
a vacuum venturi air lnjector nozzle 124 (~u¢h as de~crlbed in
CE~ P 230 ~igure 335) and r~ceives the transport alr from a
compressor air di~charge pipe 126.
The mechanism 120 is connected to the pipeline 20B with a
~langed annulus 128 containlng the angle air in~ectors 130 and
could al~o be u~ed as an in-line booster to compen~ate for any
pre~sure drop.
The transport air stream ~ould then increafie irl pres~ure and
at the ~ame time create a ~uction to as~i~t in the movement of
the particulate material. ~he air ~n~ector annulus ~ould then be
attached to the end o~ the entraining mechani6m ~or cr~ating the
cushioning ~lr stream by in~ecting energizing a~r through
definite and defined pa~ages 130.
f an intermediate loading point ~tation was needed instead
of a by-pa~s ~tation, then the receiver bin 38 of Figure 2 would
be added ~o the cyclone~ 110 in Figure 15. By clo~ing the air
locking valve ~ystem and the volumetric compartment arrangement,
the entraining mechanism can be u~ed to purge the primary
pipeline 20 from foreign matter including dangerou~ ga~e~, and
~mall particles and/or to ~et up lon~ inter~als of alr ~pace~
wlthin the transpo~t plpellne: to separate various grades of graln
or dlf~erent grains or particul~te~.
~ etween t~o adjacent compressor/driYer ~tation~, the flow of
the primary ~ir 1~ a pu~h/pull co~bination. Immed$ately
downstream of a ~tation the drlving fsrce i~ pu~h. I~mediately
Up8~ ream of the next ~ucceeding ~ompre~sor/driver station ~he
driving force i8 pull. The ratio of push to pull will of course
depend upon pipe de~lgn, comprel;~or driver ratlngs, and cargo
weight, density and ~ize of particulate. Preferably between
adjacent 8tation6 the ratio of pull ~co push i~ high, ~uch as
80/203 i.e.l for 80~ of the trans~ort pipeline the grain i8 drawn
thrQugh as in a vacuu~like atmosphere. Where the drive o~ the
transport stream changes from push to pull a sondition approching
null will occur. At thi~ location, additional air l~ introduced
in sufficient quant.ity to form and maintain an ~noa8ement to
in~ure the grain ~emains entrained until such time and it is
carried and drawn by the primary air stream.
I de6ired~ the design and compressor ~ating~ may be
adju~ted BO that the system i~ entirely pull or ent~rely push.
Referring to Figure 1, the air make up injector spool~ 88
~hown more clearly in Figure 16 are placed in the tran~port
pipeline. The injector compri~e~ a ~leeve 90 having a`plurality
of air or hydraulically actuated vent~ 92~ At 8 art-up,
auxiliary air is required while the ~rain is being ~ufficiently
agitated until the ~y~tem ~eaches equilibrium. The in~ector will
allow the introduction of additional air ~n the primary pipeline
~ID '
ll 12~)826(~
~nd compres~or by openlng the v~nt~ 92. A~ the 8y8tem approache8
equillbrlum the vent~ 92 w~ll move to the va iou~ positlon~,
lncluding clo~ed. When the entire ln~ector 88 1 rever~ed in
itB inBltallatiOn in the transport pipellne 20 it become~ an
air/ga~ ejector and when the alr or hydraulically actuated vent~
are opened, exces~ air/gas ~rlll escape. The buildup of exce~
air/gas will occur by the lntroduction o~ the energ~ng alr from
the energizing pipe 52~ Here too the vents will a~s~me varyi.ng
po~itions from open to clo~ed. The sa~e ~pool may be 80
constructed to act a~ both an lnjector and ejector with a double
row of vents 92 in8talled back to back of each other. The
forwsrd row would be injector~, the last row ejector~
In addition to air control the injector-ejector "spool" i8 a
control center ~or the mea6uring of operating data like~
pressure, velocity, cfm, ~peed of cargo, distribution o~ cargo
temperature, humidlty, pre~ure encasement and fiO on. The
in~trument package will contain the normal electro~mechanical
device~ ~lso the hi tech packa~e~ involv~ng la~er counters,
pul~ator mea~urement, digital readouts, compoters, calculators
all working in concert with a central controller. The centr~l
controller will contrcl compresfiol speeds, motors, the pressure
build up, pulsating cycle~, the rotary air valve~ and other
internal devices not mentioned.
The following will exemplify a working embodiment of ~Y
invention with reference to Figures 1 to 12.
Variou~ pipeline diameters have been ~tudied from 10~ to 60a
and it iB neceRsary to estabIi~h ~wo ba~ic criteriaS the cargo
movement should approximate 5,000 ton~ o~ particulate per hour
Il ~Lz(J~
d the enc~ement ~lr ~hould t~vel ~uch f~ter (twlce) th~n tbe
~peed of the cargo lt~elf. Also, the cargo ~lze 1~ gene~ally
prOpOBed ~8 les~ than 1/~ cubed and the ~peciflc gravity 1~
preferably le~s than 1.75 or 2.00. The lower the operati~g
pre6sure the better ar~ the re~ult~, Pres~ure of 50 psig were
used to calculate the di~charge cf~ ~rom the oriflce~ of the
plate of Figure 6.
In large pipeline applications it appears the transport
cargo plpeline 20 may require diameters up to 50a while the
parallel connected energizing pul~ation pipellne (52) could be o~
smaller diameter~ ~ay 10 - 16~.
~ he main operating principle of the air ~wirler enca~ement
sy~tem i~ the tran~port air and car~o travel at a filower ~peed
(1200 fpm) whlle the enca6ement enerqixing pul~ating air travels
at a much higher ~peed of two or three time~ the tran~port air
and car~o. The transport air decrease~ in pre~ure due to
frictional 106~e~ which are com~en~ated by the period~c
injection, at regular int~rvals (say 500') o~ energizing
encasement air at higher pressures. Eventually, the whole rsa6s
of tran port air, cargo and energi~ing air i8 in a ~peeded up"
mode ~hich mu~t be slowed o~ braked by the emi~ion of air
through the ejectors 88. As an example - if the encasement air
remained uncontrolled, with the air entering at a given pressure
at a velocity of 2400 fpm, it will flow at 2b75 fp~ within a mile
and flow at 5144 fpm within 10 mile~. Thu~;, requ~ring a
controlling mechanism ~uch a~ the ~jectors are required.
Therefore, becau6e of the volume of additional air
iZ~J~ 61~
lntroduced via the diffu~er pl~te, ~he ~eotor 8pool~ are u~ed,
where the e8caping exce~ air wlll dlminlsh the volume and
ther~fore the mass ~el~cl~y. In ~he preferred embo~iment the
veloc~ty of the encasem~nt ~lr i~ allowed to in~rea~e two or
three time~ the optimum velocity of the tran~port air stream at
which time alr i8 e~eoted from the system to en~ure that the
pul~ating air encasement i~ al~ay~ withln a given range.
Although de~cribed ~n reference to a circular cross-
~ectional pipeline, ~ariou~ cro~ ectlonal ~hapes or pipeline~
may be u~ed alone or in combination and the air may be lntroduced
at any angle les~ than 90 rather than ~pecifically 45 as fihown.
Additionally, if de~ired, dependins upon the partlculate material
be$ng tran~ferred and the ga~es beiny u~ed, it may ~e
advantageous to coat the inside of the plpeline to enhance the
flow characteristic~ of the ~econdary ga~ stream to ~aintain the
sleeve-like cu~hion effect. The inside of the primary pipeline
may ~e baffled by the use of fin~ or ribs extending inwardly from
the inner ~urface of the pipeline in a hellcal con~iguration,
elther continuou~ or di~continuous1 or alternatively, the in~ide
of the pipeline may be ri~led (grooved) in a helical
configuration, either continuous or dl~continuous. Add~t~onally,
the inner ~urface may be corrugated with the root~ and the crests
of the corrugation~ axially aligned with the longitudinal axi~ of
the pipellne or ~ffset at an~ngle ~her~to inc~uding ~ eor~ugated
effect at right angle~ to the longitudinal axi~ of the pipeline.
Any combination of coating~ and~or baffles ~ay be used as will be
apparent to tho~e skilled in the art.
For ~tartup of a pipeline which ifi partially filled with
~2~826~
raln, the 1n1tl~1 ~eloclty ~nd pre~ure of tbe energiz1ng alr
stream lntroduced into t~e pipellne to form the enca~ement may be
much greater th~n ~fter equlllbrium ba~ been achieved in order to
create enough turbulence to raise the grain from the air/ga~
volume variance dif~user plate of the p~peline 6uch that it i~
carried by the tran6port air stream. A~ preYiou~ly di~cu~ed the
chamber 62 i6 energized. Thi8 enhance~ the movement of
particulate6 from the ~loor at start up. After equllibrium
conditions have been reached, then the flow through the pul~ating
rota~y valves 50 may be dimlni~hed.
One or more pipe-nozzle combination6 ~or the ~leeve of air
may be placed about the primary pipeline. Referrillg to Figure
llB, a mani~old 14û i6 disposed about a prilqary pipelin~ and a
plurality of nozzle~ 142 d~scharge air streams along the lnner
all to ~orm the sleeve of air in a direction par~llel to the
flow o~ the tran~port air stream. The di~charge of the
irfit~eam~ may, a~ ju~t described be parallel for all nozzle~ or
ne or more of the nozzles may be adap ed to direct the air
~tream in different direçtions B8 desired. Additionally, the
anifold 140 may be placed lnteriorally of the primary pipeline
nd although thi~ would increase pres~ure drop~ ~which would be
ompen~ated for), it would lessen costs and facili~at2 ease of
onstruction. Another embodiment i~ shown in Figure 20 wherein
the air ~tream conduits are d~po~ed axially in different
quadrants along the primary pipeline.
In Figure 21, the energizer pipes 144 are affixed to a
tran~por'c pipellne 20. Nozzle2 148 di~charge air
~D '
20~6~)
circumferent~ally lnto ~he tr~nsport pipellne through coYer
plate~ 150 whlch may be ad~ted for air requirement3.
Pr~mary pipeline~ ~ay be u6ed in combln~tlon to transport
the sa~e or di~ferent particulate material~. In Fi~ures 22A-D
pipelines of varlous cross sect$onR are illustrated7 Figure 22A
i6 Bguare~ Figure 22B ls a rounded ~quare; Figure 22C $B an
ofset rounded ~quare~ and Figure 22D i6 ~ circle a~ in the
pre~erred embodiment.
Figure 23 illustrates a multi-pipe sy~te~ where one or more
of the primary pipeline~ 150, 152, 154, and 156 i~ supported
individually by an ener~izing, pul~ating pipeline 158, 160, 162,
and 164 respectiv~ly.
In ~igure 24, taken along line 23-23 o~ Figure 23, the
energi~ng pul~atlng pipel$ne 162 i6 connected by nozzle 170 to
pipeline 154 and the energizing pul~ating plpeline 164 i~
connected by nozzle 168 to pipel~ne 156. The ~econdary ~tream o
alr through nozzle valves 168 and 170 are introduced at about the
6 o ' clock po~it~on and at a 45 angle .
In Figure 13, the introduction of the secondary Btream 18
mo~e clearly illu~trated.
In Figure 25, the multi-pipeline ~hown in Figure 23 1
illustrated mounted on a crossbeam ~upport 180 ~upported ~n turn
by columns 1~2 and 184. Al~o ~llu~trated i~ provision for future
pipeline 186 and ~econdary pipeline 188,.
The $nvention ~as been de~cribed in re~erence to the
mcvement of grain and particularly wheat. Other particulate~
which are within the ~cope of the invention by way of
illustration are beam~, coffee, ~oy, etc.~ pota~h, Ftraw, coal
Il ~2(~~26~)
du~t, saw du~t, etc.
The size and denslty of the partlcula~es wil 1 vary. Grain
81ze8 and den~ities are generally well defined. Coal or other
par~iculates wlll vary in ~lze and density. ~o~ever, a den~e
pack ratio may be calculated for any particulates, such as coal,
and proce~ odificatiosl~ 6uch as flow rates, pressures, etc.
would be within the ~kill of the art and are within the scope of
this invention.
~v e de~ cr ' bed l-V -L I O~ w c I a I~
