Pneumatic conveying and material blending apparatus and method

Abstract

A pneumatic conveying and material blending system and method which includes a bin having an open-ended vertical column mounted therein with the bottom of the column being spaced from the bottom of the bin. The material inlet is located in the bottom of the bin and a pneumatic conveying system supplies material to be blended from a source of the material inlet and conveys the material upwardly through the column so that material is discharged from the top of the column in the manner of a geyser whereby it is spread over the top surface of material already in the bin. The material already in the bin is drawn into the bottom of the column so that material already in the bin is blended with material being conveyed to the bin. A deflector is positioned over the top of the column to aid in spreading the incoming material. Booster gas can be supplied through a section of the bin adjacent the bottom of the column. This gas may be supplied by using a vacuum applied to the bin through a vent in the bin or by a blower supplying air or gas directly to a manifold surrounding the gas permeable surface. The outlet of the bin is coextensive with the inlet of the bin so that material is drawn out of the central opening in the bottomm of the bin. Internal recirculation is also contemplated by this invention.