Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Particle pump methods and devices
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Application No.: US13062522Application Date: 2010-08-27
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Publication No.: US09211515B2Publication Date: 2015-12-15
- Inventor: Jens Fink , Niels Nielsen Poulsen
- Applicant: Jens Fink , Niels Nielsen Poulsen
- Applicant Address: DK Fredericia
- Assignee: INBICON A/S
- Current Assignee: INBICON A/S
- Current Assignee Address: DK Fredericia
- Agency: Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice LLP
- International Application: PCT/IB2010/053864 WO 20100827
- International Announcement: WO2011/024145 WO 20110303
- Main IPC: B01J8/00
- IPC: B01J8/00 ; B01J3/02 ; B65G53/48

Abstract:
Methods and devices are provided for transfer of particulate material, such as biomass feedstocks, into and out of pressurized reactors. Improved sluice devices have an L-shaped sluice chamber having an upper, vertical component in communication with a horizontal loading chamber and a lower component in communication with a vertical reactor inlet or outlet. Piston valves seal the sluice inlet and outlet by axial displacement across the vertical component of the sluice chamber and across the vertical reactor inlet or outlet. Relative to other methods for reactor unloading, these devices consume less steam and significantly reduce furfural content of unloaded, pretreated biomass. An optional hybrid plug/sluice method of biomass feeding using the devices permits biomass loading at sluice pressures intermediate between atmospheric and reactor pressure, thereby reducing “pump cycle” time and increasing biomass throughput capacity.
Public/Granted literature
- US20110197992A1 Particle pump methods and devices. Public/Granted day:2011-08-18
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