CA1208260A - Air encasement system for transportation of particulates - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The transportation of solids and particulates in an air-filled pipeline is usually over short distances and is normally uncontrolled due to the fluctuations of the pipe-line air pressure, volume and velocity and the cargo speed itself. The application of this mode of transportation has had limited commercial use because of the self-destruction of the cargo itself unless it is considered to be of hard material like sand, gravel, etc. In this invention the air/solid encasement system provides full control over all aspects of the process itself. The cargo particulates are moved swiftly in a large diameter main transport cargo pipeline where it receives its air masses from a parallel pipeline which is intermittently connected to the transport cargo line to produce energized air. The high pressure, high velocity air is introduced in such a manner so as to form an encasement of air around the cargo, thus confining the cargo distribution to the core or centre portion of the transport line. The energized air is com-pletely controlled at will and its operating characteristics may be widely varied to provide an air cushion or encase-ment of delicate particulate which can be transported over long distances without damage to itself. Such a system will have a wide application for cargo transportation like grain, coal and other similar particulates. The system providing flexibility for the changing of cargo, loading and unloading at terminals is accomplished with ease.

Description

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 .
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~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 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.

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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.
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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 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 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.

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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~

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~

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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~

Claims

1. A method for transporting particulates which includes:
moving a transport air stream through a pipeline;
entraining in said transport air stream the particulates;
introducing energizing air into the pipeline at a rate and in an amount to form a pulsating-air encasement between the inner wall of the pipeline and the transport air stream;
maintaining the velocity of the energizing air stream at a greater rater than the velocity of the transport air stream whereby the precipitation of the particulates from the transport air stream is inhibited; and removing the particulates from the air stream.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the dense pack ratio of volume of particulate of volume of air is less than 50 percent.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the dense pack ratio is not more than 30 percent.
4. The method of claim 1 which includes:
flowing the energizing air into the pipeline through a plurality of orifices such that the energizing air assumes a heart-shaped configuration for at least a portion of its linear travel through the pipeline.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the pulsating-air encasement is created by:
varying the flow rate of the energizing air introduced into the pipeline.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the pulsating effect is created by:
flowing the energizing air into a chamber defined within the pipeline; and discharging the air from the chamber through a plurality of orifices at various rates, pressures and angles with reference to the longitudinal axis of the pipeline.
7. The method of claim 6 which includes:
varying the flow rate of the energizing air entering into the chamber.
8. The method of claim 1 which includes:
introducing the energizing air at a plurality of spaced locations into the pipeline.
9. The method of claim 1 which includes:
introducing the energizing air at acute angles to the flow of the primary air stream with reference to the longitudinal axis of the pipeline.
10. The method of claim 1 which includes:
introducing energizing air into the pipeline such that the flow of the pulsating air encasement is helical with reference to the longitudinal axis of the pipeline.

11. The method of claim 1 which includes:

introducing air in the lower portion of the pulsating air encasement in a direction forward and upward with reference to the longitudinal axis of the pipeline to enhance control of the particulates flowing through said pipeline.
12. The method of claim 1 which includes:
conditioning the energizing air to control the temperature and humidity of the transport air stream.
13. The method of claim 1 which includes:
separating the transport air stream into tow air streams, an air stream - less particulates and, an air stream carrying particulates, conditioning the air stream - less particulates and combining the air stream-carrying particulates with the conditioned air stream to form a transport air stream.
14. The method of claim 13 which includes:
adding makeup air to said air stream-less particulates.
15. The method of claim 13 which includes:
compressing the air stream-less particulates.
16. The method of claim 1 which includes:
drawing the transport air stream through the pipeline.
17. The method of claim 1 which includes:
pushing the transport air stream through the pipeline.

18. The method of claim 1 which includes:
moving the transport air stream through the pipeline by pushing the transport air through a first distance; and drawing the transport air stream through a second succeeding distance.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the flow of the transport air at the location with the movement of the transport air changes from a pushing force to a drawing force approaches a null condition and which further includes:
introducing makeup air to inhibit the precipitation of the particulates in said and null condition.
20. The method of claim 1 wherein maintaining the velocity of the energizing air stream at a fixed ratio with reference to velocity of the transport air stream includes:
discharging periodically from the pipeline the energizing air 21. The method of claim 1 wherein the particulates are grains.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the grains are wheat.
23. The method of claims 22 wherein the particulates are grains and the transport air stream carries less than 30% by volume grains.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the particulates are coal.
25. A system for the pneumatic transportation of particulate matter which comprises:
a) a pipeline;
b) means to flow a transport air stream through said pipeline;
c) means to introduce into said transport air stream particulate material;
d) means to introduce energizing air into said pipeline at a rate in a direction and in an amount to form a pulsating air encasement between the inner wall of the pipeline and the transport air stream and to maintain the velocity of the pulsating air encasement at a greater velocity than the transport air stream to prevent precipitation of the particulates from the transport air stream; and e) means to remove the particulates from the transport air stream.
26. the system of claim 25 which includes:
means to introduce booster air into the lower portion of the pipeline.
a plate disposed in the pipeline, said plate characterized by orifices therein and defining with the inner wall of the pipeline a chamber and the energizing air is introduced whereby the air flows into the chamber through the orifices of the plate and circumferentially about the inner wall of the transport pipeline.
28. The system of claim 27 wherein the chamber comprises two energizing chambers and a booster chamber disposed between said energizing chambers the means to introduce the booster air to the lower portion of the pipeline is in communication with said booster chamber and wherein the plate is characterized by a plurality of apertures therein through which the booster air flows from the booster chamber into the pipeline in a forward and upward direction to enhance control of the flow of particulates through the pipeline.
29. The system of claim 27 wherein the means to introduce the energizing air into the chamber comprises a pulsating valve.
30. The system of claim 25 wherein the means to form the pulsating-air encasement includes:
means to introduce into the pipeline a plurality of jet streams, said jet streams form a helical, forwardly moving, pulsating-air encasement.
31. The system of claim 25 which comprises:
means to discharge excess air from the transport pipeline.

32. The system of claim 25 which includes:
means to separate the transport air stream into an air stream less particulates and an air stream carrying particulates;
means to condition the air stream less particulates; and means to combine the conditioned air stream and the air stream less particulates to prior a transport air stream.