U.S. patent application number 13/395144 was filed with the patent office on 2012-08-16 for device for densely loading a divided solid into a chamber.
This patent application is currently assigned to TOTAL RAFFINAGE MARKETING. Invention is credited to Olivier Girard, Romain Vial.
Application Number | 20120205007 13/395144 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42112008 |
Filed Date | 2012-08-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120205007 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Girard; Olivier ; et
al. |
August 16, 2012 |
DEVICE FOR DENSELY LOADING A DIVIDED SOLID INTO A CHAMBER
Abstract
A device for densely loading a divided solid into a chamber,
intended to interact with a divided-solid supply device arranged to
release the divided solid above an access to the chamber. The
loading device contains a shaft rotated about an axis X1 at an
adjustable rotational speed, a plurality of deflecting elements
rigidly connected in rotation with the shaft, the deflecting
elements having an angle, relative to the shaft, which is
separately adjustable from the rotational speed of the latter.
According to a preferred embodiment, the shaft is hollow in order
to define a passage for the divided solid, at least some of the
deflecting element having an end arranged at a distance from the
axis X1 that is smaller than the distance separating the axis X1
from the hollow shaft.
Inventors: |
Girard; Olivier; (Fourmetot,
FR) ; Vial; Romain; (Ecully, FR) |
Assignee: |
TOTAL RAFFINAGE MARKETING
Puteaux
FR
|
Family ID: |
42112008 |
Appl. No.: |
13/395144 |
Filed: |
September 7, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
September 7, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2010/063100 |
371 Date: |
May 2, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/387 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G 69/0458 20130101;
B01J 8/002 20130101; B01J 8/003 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/387 |
International
Class: |
B65B 1/04 20060101
B65B001/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 9, 2009 |
FR |
0956129 |
Claims
1. A device (1) for densely loading a divided solid (2) into a
chamber (7), intended to interact with a divided-solid supply
device (3) designed so as to release said divided solid into said
chamber in the form of a homogeneous rain distributed over the
whole surface of said chamber, the loading device comprising a
shaft (4) driven in rotation about an axis Xl at an adjustable
rotational speed, a plurality of deflecting elements (5) that are
integral in rotation with said shaft, characterized in that said
deflecting elements have an angle, with reference to said shaft,
that can be adjusted independently of said rotational speed.
2. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said
shaft (4) is hollow so as to define a passage for said divided
solid (2), and in that at least some of said deflecting elements
(5) have an end (16) arranged at a distance from said axis X1 that
is less than the distance separating said axis X1 from said hollow
shaft.
3. The device (1) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said
hollow shaft (4) has a cylindrical general shape that is adapted to
interact with a supply chute (3) of the supply device with a
cylindrical general shape, and has a radius that is substantially
equal to or less than that of the supply chute so as to be able to
interact with the latter so that said passage is an exclusive
passage for said divided solid.
4. The device (1) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said
hollow shaft (4) has an opening (14) at its end that is intended to
be situated in the vicinity of said chamber (7), and in that at
least some of said deflecting elements (5) have an inner end (16)
arranged in the extension of said shaft, opposite said opening.
5. The device (1) as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that it
comprises an adjusting member (32) for said opening (14).
6. The device (1) as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that said
adjusting member (32) is a diaphragm.
7. The device (1) as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that said
hollow shaft (4) also has a plurality of lateral openings (34)
arranged in alignment with said deflecting elements (5) in the
direction of said axis X1.
8. The device (1) as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that it
comprises a plurality of fastening elements (17) for the deflecting
elements (5), each of which is connected to the periphery of said
hollow shaft (4), on the one hand, and to a portion of one of said
deflecting elements which is not said inner end (16).
9. The device (1) as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that each
of said fastening elements (17) has an adjustable length.
10. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that
each of said deflecting elements (5) has two substantially plane
portions (28, 29) connected to each other so as to have the shape
of a V in cross-section.
11. The device (1) as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that
said plane portions (28, 29) are disconnected in the region of the
inner end (16) of each of said deflecting elements (5) so as to
define an additional passage (30) for said divided solid (2).
12. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it
comprises at least one first member (22) for adjusting the
inclination of said deflecting elements (5) about a first axis of
rotation A1 orthogonal to said axis X1.
13. The device (1) as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that it
comprises at least one second member (24) for adjusting the
inclination of said deflecting elements (5) about a second axis of
rotation A2 orthogonal to said first axis of rotation A1.
14. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that
said deflecting elements (5) are arranged in series of deflecting
elements superposed one above the other, said series being evenly
distributed around said hollow shaft (4).
15. The device (1) as claimed in claim 14, comprising at least one
first member (22) for adjusting the inclination of said deflecting
elements about a first axis of rotation A1 orthogonal to said axis
X1, characterized in that said first member (22) acts in a similar
and simultaneous manner at least on all of the deflecting elements
(5) forming part of the same series.
16. The device (1) as claimed in claim 15, comprising at least one
second member (24) for adjusting the inclination of said deflecting
elements (5) about a second axis of rotation A2 orthogonal to said
first axis A1, characterized in that said second member (24) acts
in a similar and simultaneous manner at least on all of the
deflecting elements (5) forming part of the same series.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a device for densely
loading a divided solid into a chamber, intended to interact with a
divided-solid supply device designed so as to release the divided
solid above an access point to the chamber.
[0002] Within the scope of the present disclosure, a divided solid
is understood to be a solid in the form of grains or particles,
such as, for example, cereal grains in the cereals transportation
or storage sector, catalyst pellets in the chemical industry, or
fertilizer or wood pellets.
[0003] More precisely, the loading device according to the
invention is preferably of the type comprising a shaft, driven in
rotation about an axis X1 at an adjustable rotational speed, and a
plurality of deflecting elements that are integral in rotation with
the shaft. Thus, when it falls onto the deflecting elements, the
divided solid is deflected so as to be distributed more or less
uniformly over the whole surface of the chamber into which it is
loaded.
PRIOR ART
[0004] Many devices of this type have been disclosed, generally by
companies active in the chemical industry, in relation to the
loading of chemical reactors with catalyst.
[0005] The patent FR 2 431 449 describes an example of a device
intended to load chemical reactors with catalyst, comprising a
shaft arranged inside a catalyst supply chute, coaxial with the
latter. Series of superposed deflecting strip-shaped elements are
distributed evenly around the shaft, fixed to the latter by means
of couplings that allow the angle defined between the deflecting
elements and the shaft to be modified.
[0006] The deflecting elements thus move away from the shaft when
the latter is driven in rotation, under the effect of centrifugal
force, which makes it easier to insert the device into chemical
reactors which generally have restricted access. The rotational
speed of the shaft can be adjusted in order to control the angle
between the deflecting elements and the shaft to take into account
the surface area of the reactor to be covered with catalyst.
[0007] It should, however, be noted that a change in the rotational
speed of the shaft for a given device also entails a change in the
permeability of the latter. Consequently, it is not possible to
independently adjust the parameters that allow the mode of
operation to be adjusted according to the geometry of the chamber
to be filled with divided solid.
[0008] These devices are thus particularly suited to loading
chemical reactors which are generally cylindrical in shape and have
a radius of the order of a few meters.
[0009] However, these devices are less suited to loading the holds
of ships such as bulk carriers. These latter have loading
capacities of a different order of magnitude to that of chemical
reactors. Indeed, the most common bulk carriers today are Handymax
bulk carriers with a capacity of between 35 and 50,000 tonnes, and
Panamax bulk carriers with a capacity of between 50 and 80,000
tonnes, whilst Capesize bulk carriers have an even greater
capacity.
[0010] It should be noted that there are particularly strict
regulations on the transportation of cereals by sea. The
traditional bulk loading of ships transporting cereals can endanger
the stability of the ships when at sea. Even if the hold is
completely filled with cargo, the pitching and yawing of the ship
when it is sailing cause the grains to settle and create a gap
between the bed of grains and the top of the hold. This phenomenon
is exacerbated when the hold is not completely filled with
cargo.
[0011] Even if dockers mechanically level the cargo, this settling
when at sea cannot be avoided and can endanger the integrity of the
ship, the crew and the cargo. This is because it is a feature of
cereal cargoes that they shift easily, like a liquid, as soon as
there is a gap between the surface of the grains and the top of the
hold.
[0012] These movements of the grains resulting from the listing can
cause large shifts in the center of gravity of the ship and
endanger its stability. Many studies of shipwrecks have shown that
a large number of them are the result of this settling
phenomenon.
[0013] In order to limit this phenomenon, responsible for the
capsizing of many ships, the loading of cereals has been subject to
special regulations with a view to reducing the risks of the cargo
being displaced but which cannot remove these risks altogether.
These rules were drawn up by the International Maritime
Organization in the 1970s and are collected in the international
treaty SOLAS (Safety Of Life At Sea). Chapter VI of this treaty
stipulates that grain must be distributed uniformly in holds so
that the exposed surfaces are level. The treaty also states that
the angle by which the ship lists when the grain is displaced must
be no greater than twelve degrees.
[0014] Moreover, the devices for loading ships must preferably be
able to achieve loading rates of between 600 and 2000 tonnes per
hour. The devices mentioned above in connection with the loading of
chemical reactors generally do not allow such rates to be
achieved.
[0015] The devices used today are consequently more basic as they
are based simply on the principle of gravity filling, as in the
case of loading tubes, conveyor belts, or buckets and require human
intervention during and at the end of the loading process to
improve the uniformity of the distribution of the grains.
Shiploader-type loading devices are also used which allow the flow
of grains to be deflected during loading in order to distribute the
load throughout the chamber which needs to be filled. However,
these shiploaders are not appropriate for the geometries of all the
holds of bulk carriers. Furthermore, none of the abovementioned
devices allow the density of the loading of the grains to be
optimized and hence completely obviate the problem of the stability
of the ships.
[0016] When catalyst is loaded into a chamber such as a reactor,
constraints connected with the anisotropy of the particles of
catalyst can result in deviations in the loading profile
(appearance of the exposed surface of the catalyst bed, for example
the observation of the presence of bumps and craters) from a
theoretical flat loading profile.
[0017] If the positioning of the particles of catalyst on the
surface of the catalyst bed is not homogeneous during loading, this
can cause the appearance of the phenomenon of channeling during
operation, in other words favored passages which impair the
effectiveness of the desired conversion. There may be many
consequences, including an increase in the rate of piercing of the
catalyst bed, a reduction in the conversion efficiency, a change in
the pressure drop, irregularities in the temperature profile during
operation, and premature ageing of the catalyst.
[0018] As a consequence, a more frequently replacement of the
catalyst bed may be observed, as well as an increase of the
catalyst costs, of the maintenance costs, of the rate of use of the
industrial equipment, and there may be a further economic loss
connected with the poor quality of the products resulting from the
conversion, the value of said products consequently being reduced.
This phenomenon is associated with a more rapid ageing of the
equipment, connected with a greater proportion of catalyst fines
that will erode the walls of the equipment, cause clogging, and
increase the pace of corrosion.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] A main object of the present invention is to overcome the
disadvantages of the loading devices known from the prior art by
providing a dense loading device that offers greater flexibility in
the adjustment of the different parameters that affect the quality
and uniformity of the distribution of the particles of a divided
solid, whilst allowing high loading rates to be achieved.
[0020] Another object of the present invention is to optimize the
density of the loading, the increased mass transported within a
predefined volume having obvious advantages from an economic and
environmental point of view.
[0021] To this end, the present invention relates more particularly
to a device for densely loading a divided solid into a chamber,
which has the features mentioned above and also characterized in
that its deflecting elements have an angle, with reference to the
shaft, that can be adjusted independently of the rotational
speed.
[0022] By virtue of these features, the device according to the
invention has operating conditions which can be adjusted precisely
depending on the geometry of the chamber to be loaded, which
incidentally makes it possible to meet the required filling
conditions for loading bulk carriers and at a sufficient rate.
[0023] The device preferably has a shaft which is hollow so as to
define a passage for the divided solid, at least some of the
deflecting elements having one end arranged at a distance from the
axis X1 which is less than the distance separating the axis X1 from
the hollow shaft.
[0024] The hollow shaft furthermore preferably has a cylindrical
general shape that is adapted to interact with a supply chute of
the supply device with a cylindrical general shape, and has a
radius that is substantially equal to or less than that of the
supply chute so as to be able to interact with the latter so that
the passage in the shaft is an exclusive passage for the divided
solid.
[0025] According to a preferred embodiment, the hollow shaft has an
opening at its end that is intended to be situated in the vicinity
of the chamber, at least some of the deflecting elements having an
inner end arranged in the extension of the shaft, opposite its
opening.
[0026] By virtue of these features, the divided solid can be
distributed uniformly over the whole surface of the chamber to be
filled, including in the extension of the drive shaft for the
deflecting elements.
[0027] The density of the loading can thus be optimized.
Consequently, the same ship can transport a larger quantity of
divided solid on each journey compared with the loading methods
from the prior art, affording certain advantages from an economical
and environmental point of view.
[0028] Moreover, each of the deflecting elements can comprise two
substantially plane portions connected to each other such that they
have a V shape in cross-section, the plane portions preferably
being disconnected in the region of the inner end of each of the
deflecting elements so as to define an additional passage for the
divided solid. Adjusting means can also be provided to adjust the
inclinations of the deflecting elements about a first axis A1 and a
second axis A2 which are perpendicular to each other.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become more apparent on reading the following detailed description
of a preferred embodiment, made with reference to the attached
drawings, given by way of non-limiting example, in which:
[0030] FIG. 1 shows a schematic general view illustrating the
principle for loading the hold of a ship with the aid of a loading
device according to the present invention;
[0031] FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a loading
device according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, and
[0032] FIG. 3 shows a simplified schematic view from above of the
loading device in FIG. 2.
EMBODIMENT(S) OF THE INVENTION
[0033] FIG. 1 illustrates, by way of non-limiting example and
schematically, the principle of the operation of the dense loading
device according to the present invention.
[0034] The dense loading device 1 is supplied with cereal grains 2
from a primary storage site, through a pipe, generally at a fixed
rate, opening out into a chute 3. The use of a conventional buffer
hopper between the pipe and the chute can be provided without going
beyond the scope of the invention.
[0035] The loading device 1, arranged in alignment with the chute
3, comprises a rotating member 4, crammed full of grains from the
pipe, having a plurality of openings (described in more detail in
relation to FIG. 2) intended to homogeneously distribute the grains
over a set of deflecting elements 5.
[0036] The stream of grains must preferably be broken up as much as
possible in order to optimize the distribution of the grains before
they are acted on by the deflecting elements. The grains then fall
onto the deflecting elements which, because of their elaborate
geometry, separate the grains from one another and distribute them
over the whole surface of the chamber which is to be filled, in
this case the hold 7 of a ship. The grains are preferably
distributed in the hold in the form of a homogeneous "rain" so as
to allow the bed of cereal grains to rise evenly over the whole
surface of the hold, ensuring that the loading is performed as
densely as possible.
[0037] When a dense loading is performed, the stable position of
each grain is directly linked to the ratio between the flow rate
and surface area. The recommended maximum ratio of flow rate to
surface area is around 5 tonnes per hour per m.sup.2. In other
words, in order to obtain an optimum loading of the grains, for one
hour of loading no more than five tonnes of grains can fall over a
1 m.sup.2 surface area.
[0038] Furthermore, the following additional criteria should also
be taken into account in order to optimize the loading.
[0039] If slopes appear on the bed of grains during the loading,
they should be no greater than 15 degrees. It may be noted that, in
the case of a slope of around 37 degrees, the increase in density
when comparing bulk loading and loading using a device according to
the invention is zero.
[0040] It is preferable that the loading can be performed without
there being any need for external intervention to level the bed of
cereal grains. Indeed, as soon as there is external intervention to
level the bed of cereal grains, the bed is dedensified, in other
words the density of the loading obtained beforehand is
reduced.
[0041] It should be possible to optimize the loading rates
depending on the surface areas of the holds. It should be possible
for them to reach an instantaneous value of the order of 800 tonnes
per hour.
[0042] To achieve these objectives, the Applicant has developed the
dense loading device shown schematically in FIG. 2.
[0043] This device comprises a rotating member 4 connected to the
chute 3 of the grain-supply device via a cylindrical support 9. The
rotating member 4 has the form of a hollow shaft of axis X1 and
with a radius that is substantially equal to or less than the
radius of the chute 3.
[0044] Drive means 10 are provided for driving the hollow shaft 4
in rotation at an adjustable rotational speed. These drive means
can take any suitable form known from the prior art. By way of
non-limiting example, a motor 12 has been shown in FIG. 2, engaging
with a drive belt 13, which may be toothed, that acts on the
periphery of the hollow shaft 4 in order to drive it in
rotation.
[0045] Similarly, the means for connecting the cylindrical support
9 to the chute 3, on the one hand, and the hollow shaft 4 to the
cylindrical support 9, on the other hand, can be of any suitable
form known from the prior art. It may advantageously be provided
that the hollow shaft 4 is mounted rotatably on the cylindrical
support 9 by means of a ball or roller bearing (not shown).
[0046] The hollow shaft 4 is open at its upper end so that it can
receive the grains from the chute 3 and also has an opening 14 at
its lower end for pouring the grains into the chamber to be
filled.
[0047] In the embodiment shown by way of non-limiting example, the
hollow shaft 4 carries six series of three superposed deflecting
elements 5 (one series being obscured in FIG. 2 for greater
clarity), in the form of blades. It appears that the use of eight
series can be particularly advantageous in some circumstances, but
the variant with six series has been shown for greater clarity in
the figures. These series of blades are evenly distributed around
the hollow shaft, arranged downstream from the latter. Each blade
thus has an inner end 16 arranged at a distance from the axis X1
that is less than the radius of the hollow shaft so that it is
placed in the passage for the grains which is defined by the inside
of the hollow shaft.
[0048] Each series of deflecting elements is advantageously
connected mechanically to the hollow shaft from the outside of the
latter, so as not to obstruct the passage of the grains.
[0049] More precisely, each series of deflecting elements is
connected to the hollow shaft by means of a fastening element in
the form of an arm 17 which has two portions 19, 20 oriented
substantially in the direction of the axis X1 (just one arm 17 has
been shown in FIG. 2 for the sake of clarity). One of these
portions 19 comprises an adjusting device 22 designed for adjusting
its length and so modifying the longitudinal inclination of the
corresponding deflecting elements, relative to the axis X1, by
rotation about a first axis A1 orthogonal to the latter, the length
of the other portion 20 being fixed. The adjusting device 22 can
take the form of an actuator or any other suitable form known from
the prior art, such as, for example, a worm interacting with an
internal screwthread integral with the deflecting elements.
[0050] The longitudinal inclination is preferably the same for all
the deflecting elements of a same series, or even for all the
deflecting elements of all the series.
[0051] The second portion 20 can moreover advantageously comprise a
knurled part 24 interacting with notched spindles 25 integral with
the deflecting elements of a given series and making it possible to
modify the transverse inclination of the deflecting elements by the
rotation of each of these spindles about an axis A2 orthogonal to
the first axis A1.
[0052] In the same way as for the longitudinal inclination, the
transverse inclination of the deflecting elements is preferably the
same for all the deflecting elements of a same series, or even for
all the deflecting elements of all the series.
[0053] By way of non-limiting example, a motor 26 can be arranged
for remote-controlling the rotation of the knurled part 24.
[0054] A person skilled in the art will be readily capable of
adapting the present teaching for their own purposes by using known
alternative means for assembling the deflecting elements on the
hollow shaft, without going beyond the scope of the invention.
[0055] It is clear from the above that both the longitudinal and
transverse orientations of the deflecting elements are independent
of the rotational speed of the hollow shaft, which affords great
flexibility in adjusting the operation of the dense loading device
according to the present invention, depending on the geometrical
features of the chamber to be filled and the type of divided solid
in question.
[0056] It will be noted that the deflecting elements shown in FIG.
2 have a particular preferred form but this is not limiting.
[0057] Indeed, each of the deflecting elements has two portions 28
and 29 which are substantially plane and inclined relative to each
other so as to have a V shape in cross-section. The portions 28, 29
are furthermore disconnected in the region of the inner end of the
corresponding deflecting element so as to define an additional
passage 30 so that the divided solid can be poured over each of the
deflecting elements of a same series from the element closest to
the hollow shaft. By way of example, each portion 28 or 29 can have
a trapezoidal shape and be integral with the other portion by way
of one of its long sides in the region situated in proximity to the
long base, in other words its base furthest from the axis X1.
[0058] A person skilled in the art will be readily capable of
adapting the form and type of the deflecting elements for their own
requirements. They could be made with a rectangular or curved
section, from a rigid, semi-rigid, or flexible material without
going beyond the scope of the present invention such as, for
example and with no limitation being implied, from metal, plastic,
rubber, reinforced rubber, or a composite material. It should also
be noted that the two portions 28, 29 can be made from different
materials depending on the type of divided solid and the geometry
of the chamber to be loaded. When the device is used in a maritime
context, the selected materials will preferably have appropriate
properties to withstand the demanding conditions such as the
presence of a large amount of salt.
[0059] In order to further improve the quality of the loading,
additional adjusting means are preferably provided for adjusting
the way in which the particles of divided solid are poured from the
hollow shaft 4 in the direction of the deflecting elements 5.
[0060] The opening 14 of the hollow shaft can thus advantageously
be equipped with means for adjusting its size such as, for example,
a diaphragm 32, as can be seen particularly clearly in FIG. 3 which
shows the device in FIG. 2 in a schematic view from above.
[0061] A person skilled in the art will be readily capable of
producing this diaphragm or any other suitable equivalent means. By
way of example, the patent application EP 0 482 991 A1 discloses
several embodiments of diaphragms.
[0062] Returning to FIG. 2, it is clear that the hollow shaft 4 is
also equipped with a plurality of lateral openings 34 arranged in
alignment with the series of deflecting elements in the direction
of the axis X1. The size of the opening of each of these lateral
openings 34 can be adjusted by means of a flap 35 with an
inclination that can be adjusted independently of that of the other
flaps.
[0063] By virtue of all of the adjustment features which have just
been explained, combined with the special form and distribution of
the deflecting elements, the dense loading device according to the
present invention affords a very high degree of flexibility so that
its operating properties can be adapted according to the
geometrical features of the chamber to be filled, and depending on
the type of divided solid to be loaded.
[0064] Furthermore, the adjustment features make it possible to
adjust the operating parameters of the device during loading so as
to take into consideration in particular the rising bed of grains.
Indeed the higher the bed of grains rises, the shorter the distance
that the grains fall becomes, which can require the longitudinal
inclination of the deflecting elements to be modified so that they
can be raised. In this case, unlike the devices from the prior art,
the device according to the invention advantageously allows the
longitudinal inclination of the deflecting elements to be modified
without modifying their rotational speed.
[0065] Experiments undertaken by the Applicant using a device
similar to that which has just been described but on a smaller
scale found an increase of around 11% in the density of a load of
grains of wheat, compared with the density obtained by bulk
loading. These results clearly show the advantage of the device
according to the invention in terms of safety in the field of
cereals transportation and in economic terms given the increase in
the load that can be transported in a given volume. As well as the
economic advantage that the invention provides, it is also apparent
that it is clearly advantageous for the environment that a given
ship can transport a larger mass of cereals.
[0066] With respect to the use of the dense loading device by the
end user, it is possible to provide adjustment data tables that are
made available to users to show them how to adjust the different
parameters of the device (longitudinal and transverse inclinations
of the deflecting elements, sizes of the central 14 and lateral 34
openings) according to the geometry of the chamber to be filled and
the exact type of the divided solid to be loaded (taking into
consideration in particular the density of a given cereal, for
example, as this value also influences the manner in which the
loading takes place).
[0067] The description above corresponds to a preferred embodiment
of the invention, described with no limitation being implied. In
particular, the forms shown and described for the different
components of the dense loading device are not limiting.
[0068] It is, for example, possible to use a solid shaft with a
small radius instead of the hollow shaft, whilst ensuring that the
longitudinal inclination of the deflecting elements can still be
adjusted independently of the rotational speed of the shaft.
However, it is preferred to use a hollow shaft as it makes it
possible to remove any stress on the passage of the divided solid
to be loaded until the latter comes into contact with the
deflecting elements. It should also be noted that, because the
divided solid flows inside the hollow shaft, a component of
rotation can be imparted to the speed of its particles before they
fall onto the deflecting elements, so reducing the likelihood of
these particles being attritted.
[0069] Moreover, a person skilled in the art will be readily
capable of adapting the present teaching for their own purposes, in
particular by choosing an appropriate number of series of
deflecting elements around the shaft (preferably 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or
8), and an appropriate number of deflecting elements per series
(preferably between 1, 2, or 3 or even more than 3).
[0070] It is furthermore possible to provide for the adjustments
described to be automated without going beyond the scope of the
present invention, and to provide video means for monitoring the
progress of the loading and means for collecting dust produced
during loading, such as for example a device for spraying a fine
mist of water droplets in proximity to the openings of loading
device.
[0071] As mentioned above, it will be noted that the invention can
also be applied in the oil, chemical and pharmaceutical industries,
for loading grains of, for example, catalyst into a chamber such as
a reactor.
* * * * *