MXPA06005242A - System and method of pulverizing and extracting moisture - Google Patents

Abstract

A venturi (18) receives incoming material through an inlet tube (12) and subjects the material to pulverization. The material, as it undergoes pulverization, is further subject to moisture extraction and drying. An airflow generator (32), coupled to the venturi (18), generates a high speed airflow to pull the material through the venturi and into an inlet aperture in the airflow generator. The airflow generator directs the received pulverized material to an outlet where the material may be subsequently separated from the air.

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PULVERIZATION AND REMOVAL OF HUMIDITY TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to techniques for processing materials for spraying and extracting moisture.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many industries require a labor-intensive task of reducing materials to smaller particles and even to a fine powder. For example, the electricity generation industry requires that coal be reduced from pieces to dust before being burned in energy-generating furnaces. Limestone, clay and many other minerals also, for most uses, must be reduced to powder form. The breaking up of solids and their grinding into a powder is a mechanically demanding process. Ball mills, hammer mills and other mechanical structures collide and crush the pieces of material. Although these systems are functional, they are not efficient and present relatively slow processing. Many industries also require moisture extraction from a wide range of materials. Food processing, wastewater treatment, harvesting, mining, and many other industries require moisture extraction. In some industries the materials are discarded because moisture extraction can not be carried out effectively. These same materials, if they could be effectively dried, would otherwise provide a commercial benefit. In other industries, such as in the treatment and processing of waste, the extraction of water is a growing concern and there is a very large demand for improved methods. Although there are several techniques for dehydrating materials, there is an increasing need for improved moisture extraction efficiency. Therefore, it would be a breakthrough in the art to provide more efficient methods for spraying materials and extracting moisture from the materials. Such techniques are described and claimed herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side view illustrating a material spray; Figure 2 is a plan view illustrating the sprayer of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side view illustrating a venturi of the sprayer as the venturi receives the material; Figure 4 is a side view illustrating one embodiment of a spray system of the present invention; Figure 5 is a plan view of the spray system of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating an air generating housing and outlet limiters; Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the air generating housing; Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a venturi and a size change throat; Figure 9 is a diagrammatic image view illustrating the components of an alternative embodiment of a spray system; Figure 10 is a diagrammatic image view illustrating another embodiment of the spray system of the present invention; Figure 11 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an air flow generator suitable for use with a system of the present invention; Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the air flow generator of the figure eleven; Fig. 13 is a plan view of an inner portion of the air flow generator of Fig. 11; Figure 14A is a plan view of a trailing edge of a blade of the air flow generator of Figure 11; Fig. 14B is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the trailing edge of a blade of the air flow generator of Fig. 11; Figure 15A is a perspective view of a portion of the air flow generator of Figure 11; Figure 15B is a perspective view of a portion of an alternative embodiment of an air flow generator of Figure 11; Figure 16 is a side view of a blade of the air flow generator of Figure 11; Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of the vane of Figure 16 on line 17-17 of Figure 16; Figure 18 is a perspective view of a portion of the air flow generator of Figure 11; and Figure 19 is a side view of a further embodiment of the spray system of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED MODALITIES With reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown a sprayer 10 for spraying and extracting moisture, which includes an inlet tube 12. The inlet tube 12 includes a first end 14 communicating with free space and a second opposite end 16 which is coupled to a venturi 18. The inlet tube 12 provides some distance to the venturi 18 in which the material can accelerate to the speed required. A filter (not shown) can be placed to cover the first end 14 to prevent the introduction of foreign particles into the sprayer 10. The inlet tube 12 further includes an elongated opening 20 on an upper portion thereof to allow communication with the end bottom open of a hopper 22. Hopper 22 is open at its upper end 24 to receive materials. In an alternative embodiment, the sprayer 10 does not include a hopper 10 and the material simply inserts into the elongated opening 20 through various known conventional methods. The venturi 18 includes a converging portion 26 coupled to the inlet tube 12. The converging portion 26 progressively reduces its diameter from the inlet tube 12 to a smaller diameter than the inlet tube 12. The venturi 18 further includes a throat 28 which maintains a consistent diameter equal to the smaller diameter of the inlet tube 12. The venturi 18 further includes a diverging portion 30 which engages the throat 28 and progressively increases the diameter and direction of the air flow. The divergent portion 30 can be coupled to the throat 28 by casting, screwing screws or by other known methods. As illustrated, the converging portion 26 may be larger in its longitudinal length compared to the divergent portion 30. The venturi 18 is in communication with an airflow generator 32 which generates an air flow flowing from the first end 14 through the inlet pipe 12, through the venturi 18 and the airflow generator 32. The speed of the generated air flow can vary from 560 km / h (350 miles per hour) to a supersonic speed. The air flow rate will be higher in the venturi 18 than in the inlet tube 12. The air flow generator 32 is driven by a driving motor 34. The driving motor 34 drives a driving arrow 33. The energy of the driving motor 34 that is selected may vary and depends on the material to be treated, the flow rate of the material and. the dimensions of the air flow generator. A larger spray can be used in a municipal waste processing facility while a smaller sprayer 10 can be used to process the wastewater waste on board a vessel at sea. The air flow generator 32 includes a plurality of radially extending vanes that are rotated by the arrow 33 to generate a high velocity air flow. The air flow generator 32 is positioned within a housing 35 that includes an outlet 36 of air and materials. The housing 35 engages the venturi 18 and has an inlet opening in the housing (not shown) that allows communication between the venturi 18 and the interior of the housing 35. The vanes define radially extending flow passages through which the air passes to the outlet 36 on its periphery to allow the pulverized material and air to flow out. One embodiment of an air flow generator 32 suitable for use with the present invention is described in greater detail in the following with reference to Figures 11 to 18. Referring now to Figure 3, this illustrates the operation of venturi 18 during the spraying event. In operation, the material 38 is introduced into the inlet tube 12. The material 38 can be a solid or a semi-solid. The air flow generator 32 generates an air current, which varies from 560 km / h (350 miles per hour) to supersonic speed, which flows through the inlet tube 12 and through the venturi 18. In the venturi 18, the air flow velocity substantially accelerates. The material 38 is driven by the high velocity air flow to the venturi 18. The material 38 is smaller in diameter than the inner diameter of the inlet tube 12 and there is a gap between the inner surface of the inlet tube 12 and the material 38. As the material 38 enters the converging portion 26, the separation becomes narrower and eventually the material 38 causes a substantial reduction in the area of the converging portion 26 through which the air can flow. A recompression shock wave 40 pulls back from the material and a blow shock wave 42 accumulates ahead of the material 38. When the converging portion 26 joins the throat 28 there is a static shock wave 44. The action of these shock waves 40, 42 and 44 disintegrates the material 38 and results in pulverization and removal of moisture from the material. The pulverized material 45 continues through the venturi 18 and exits the airflow generator 32. The reduction in the size of the material depends on the material being sprayed and the dimensions of the sprayer 10. By increasing the speed of the air flow, the spraying and reduction of particle size increases with certain materials. Therefore, the sprayer 10 allows the user to change the desired particle dimensions by altering the velocity of the air flow. The system 10 has particular application in the pulverization of solid materials to a fine powder. The system 10 has additional application for extracting moisture from semi-solid materials such as municipal waste, paper sludge, waste from animal by-products, fruit pulp, etc. With reference to Figures 4 and 5, one embodiment of a system 100 of the present invention for spraying material and extracting moisture from the material is shown. The system 100 illustrated includes a mixer 102 for mixing materials in a preprocessing step. The raw material may include polymers that tend to form lumps of the material in granules. The granules can have a very large size and, due to the polymers, resist rupture to a desired powder form. The presence of polymers is typical in municipal waste since polymers are introduced during wastewater treatment to keep the waste particles together. The waste is processed in a band press that results in a material that is primarily semi-solid. In some processes, the material may be about 15 to 20 solid percent and the rest may be moisture. In the preprocessing step, a drying improving agent is mixed with the raw material to decompose the polymers and the granulation of the material. Unpolymerized products can be processed without mixing. The raw material is introduced into the mixer 102 which mixes the material with a certain amount of a drying-improving agent. The drying-improving agent can be selected from a wide range of improvers such as attapulgite, activated carbon, lime and the like. The drying improving agent may also be in a pulverized and dry form of the raw material. The mixer 102 mixes the material with the drying improving agent to produce an appropriate moisture content and granular size. The raw material is transferred to the mixer 102 into the hopper 22 by any of numerous methods including the use of a conveyor device 104 such as a conveyor belt, a conveyor screw, an extruder or other motorized devices. In the illustrated embodiment, the conveyor device 104 is an inclined track that relies on gravity to supply raw material to the hopper 22. The conveyor device 104 is positioned below a flow control valve 106 that is located in the lower portion. of the mixer 102. In an alternative mode, the hopper 22 can be eliminated and the material is supplied directly to an elongated opening 20 of the inlet tube 12. One or more sensors 108 monitor the flow rate of the material passing from the mixer 102 to the inlet pipe 12. The sensor 108 is in communication with a central processor 110 to regulate the flow rate. The sensor 108 can be placed close to the conveyor device 104, close to the hopper 22, inside the hopper 22 or even between the hopper 22 and an elongated opening 20 for monitoring the flow of material. The central processor 110 is in communication with the flow control valve 106 to increase or decrease the flow rate, as needed. Alternative methods for monitoring and controlling flow can also be used which include visual inspection and manual adjustment of the flow control valve 106. The hopper 22 receives the material and supplies the material to the elongated opening 20 of the inlet tube 12. The air flow pulls the material from the inlet tube 12 through the venturi 18. In the embodiment illustrated, the first end 14 is configured as a flange to converge from a larger diameter than the inlet tube 12 to a diameter of the inlet tube.

In the illustrated embodiment, the diverging section 30 engages the housing 35 and communicates directly with the housing 35. The larger diameter of the diverging section 30 is not necessarily the same as that of the inlet tube 12. In an alternative embodiment, the diverging section 30 may be coupled to an intermediate component, such as a cylinder, pipe or pipe prior to its engagement with the housing 35. One or more air flow valves 111 are placed on the diverging portion 30 and provides an additional volume of air to the interior of the housing 35 and the air flow generator 32. In one embodiment, two flow valves 111 are positioned on the diverging portion 30. The system 100 can be operated with the flow valves 111 partially or completely open. If the material begins to clog the air flow generator 32, the flow valves close to provide additional force and propel the material through the air flow generator 18. The flow valves 111 are adjustable and shown in electrical communication with the central processor 110 for control. Although manual operation of the flow valves 111 is within the scope of the invention, computer automation greatly facilitates the procedure. The venturi 18 provides a point of impact between the higher velocity shock waves and the lower velocity shock waves. The shock waves provide an event of spraying and removal of moisture within the venturi 18. In operation, there are no visible signs of moisture inside the venturi 18 or outlet 36 of the housing. The amount of moisture extracted is substantial although a residual amount may remain. The spraying event further reduces the size of the materials. Experimental work has shown that certain materials that have a diameter of 50 mm (2") that enter the venturi 18 are reduced to a fine powder with a diameter of 20 μm in a spraying event.The reduction in size depends on the material that is Processing and the number of spraying events The separation of water from the material has numerous applications such as dewatering of material and greatly reducing the number of pathogens.The present invention has particular application in the processing of municipal waste.The preprocessing stage of mixing a drying improving agent provides a waste material that is easily processed by the system 100. It is considered that the method of spraying and removing moisture greatly reduces the amount of diseases caused by pathogens in the waste material to the breaking down your cell wall A second source of pathogen reduction is the extracc moisture ion which reduces pathogens. Analytical data of treating municipal waste show that the present invention eliminates most of the total coliforms, fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli and other pathogens. The present invention has specific application in the extraction of moisture from fruits and vegetable products. In one application, the system 100 can be used to dehydrate fruit and plant products such as apples, oranges, carrots, nectarines, peaches, melons, tomatoes and etc. The extracted moisture, which is relatively sanitary, can be condensed and recaptured to provide a pure juice product. In another application, the invention can be used to spray and extract water from certain agricultural products such as banana bark, palm trees, sugar cane, rhubarb, etc. By spraying the banana bark fibers, the fibers are separated and moisture is extracted. The material, moisture and airflow are advanced through the air flow generator 32 and exit through the outlet 36 of the housing. The outlet 36 of the housing is coupled to an exhaust pipe 112 which supplies the material to a cyclone 114 for separation of material and air. The diameter size of the exhaust tube 112 influences the amount of drying that occurs in the tube 112. A high volume of air is required for further drying of materials. In the exhaust pipe 112, the air that moves faster in the exhaust pipe 112 passes the materials and extracts the remaining moisture in the material. Air and steam are moved to a cyclone 114 where air and vapor are separated from the solid material. A spray event generates heat that helps dry the material. In addition to spraying, the air flow generator 32 generates heat. The dimensions between the housing 35 and the air flow generator 32 are such that during rotation the section generates heat. The heat exits through the outlet 36 of the housing and the exhaust pipe 112 and further dehydrates the material as the material travels to the cyclone 114. The heat generated may also be partial enough to sterilize the material in certain applications. The diameter of the outlet 36 of the housing can be increased or decreased to adjust the resistance and the amount of heat traveling through the outlet 36 of the housing and the exhaust pipe 112. The diameter of the exhaust pipe 112 and of the housing outlet 36 alters the removal of moisture in the pulverized material. The adjustment of the outlet diameter is subsequently discussed further. Heavier materials with less water, such as rocky materials, require less moisture extraction. With such materials, the diameters of the housing outlet 36 and the exhaust pipe 112 can be increased since less drying is required. Consequently, with more humid materials, the diameters of the housing outlet 36 and the exhaust pipe 112 can decrease or increase the amount of air and heat to obtain adequate dehydration of the material. The angle of inclination of the exhaust pipe 112 relative to the longitudinal axis of the venturi 18 and the air flow generator 32 also alter the dehydration performance. The angle of the exhaust pipe relative to the horizontal can be from about 25 degrees to about 90 degrees in order to improve the extraction of moisture. The material that moves upwards is kept back by gravity while the air is less limited by gravity. This allows the air to move faster than the material and increases the extraction of moisture. The angle can be adjusted to increase or decrease the moisture extraction effect. Cyclone 114 is a well-known apparatus for separating particles from an air stream. The cyclone 114 typically includes a settling chamber in the form of a vertical cylinder 116. The cyclones can be made with a tangential inlet, an axial inlet, a peripheral discharge tube or an axial discharge tube. The air flow and the particles enter the cylinder 116 through an inlet 118 and rotate in a swirl as the air flow advances down the cylinder 116. A cone section 120 causes the diameter of the swirl to decrease until the gas it reverts on itself and turns upwards in the center to an exit 122. The particles are centrifuged towards the inner wall and are collected by inertial shocks. The collected particles flow down into the gas boundary layer at a vertex 124 of the cone where they are discharged through an area without air flow 126 and into a collection hopper 128. In some applications, the system 100 may additionally include a condenser 130 to receive the air flow from the cyclone 114. The condenser 130 condenses the vapor in the air flow into a liquid which is then deposited in a tank 132. An outlet 134 engages condenser 130 and provides an outlet for air. The condenser 130 has particular application in food processing. In an alternative embodiment, the condenser 130 is replaced by an alternative treatment device such as an activated carbon filter or the like. The condensation of the filtrate will depend on the material and the application. The outlet 134 may include or be coupled to a filter (not shown) to filter out the waste, particles, vapor, etc. The fact that the material passes through the system 100 will multiple times dehydrate the material additionally and further reduce the particle size. In municipal waste applications, multiple cycles through the system 100 may require obtaining the desired dehydration results. The present invention contemplates the use of multiple systems 100 in series to provide multiple venturis 18 and multiple spray events. Therefore, a single cycle through the multiple series systems 100 generates the desired results. Alternatively, the material can be processed and reprocessed by the same system 100 until the desired particle size and dryness are obtained. In one implementation, the resulting product obtained from a system 100 is analyzed to determine the size of the powder granules and / or the moisture content. If the product does not satisfy a threshold value regarding size or percentage of water, the product is sent through one or more cycles until the product reaches the desired parameters. The system 100 allows the homogenization of different materials. In operation, different materials enter the inlet tube 12 together, are processed through the venturi 18 and undergo spray. The resulting product is combined and homogenized to the extent that it is also dehydrated and its size is reduced. A particular application of the present invention involves the homogenization of sewer waste with charcoal. After spraying and extraction with water, the combined and homogenized waste as well as the activated carbon product are used in an activated carbon burner to obtain optimal burn rates to create steam in an electric power plant. The waste is used for energy production instead of being discarded as usual. If desired, the material can be mixed in the mixer 102 prior to spraying or at an intermediate stage between the spraying events. The mixed materials can improve the homogenization with certain materials. If desired, the material can be mixed in the mixer 102 before spraying or in an intermediate stage between the spraying events.

The materials combined in a preprocessing step can be cycled through multiple spraying steps to provide the desired homogenization. A first material can be processed through multiple spray stages and then can be homogenized with a second material. Between the spraying steps the second material can be combined with the material processed in a preprocessing step. The first and second materials are then passed through one or more spraying steps to produce the final homogenized product. As a further example, a first material can go through the cycles through three stages of spraying. After the third spraying step, a second material can be combined together, in a mixer 102. Prior to mixing, the second material may have passed through a venturi 18 for pulverization and reduction to a desired particle size. The first and second materials then pass together through one or more additional spray steps to provide the moisture content, size and homogenization desired for industrial use. With reference to Figure 6, a perspective view of a housing 200 including a housing outlet 202 is shown. The housing 200 encompasses the operational components of the airflow generator 32. The housing 200 is shown in an exploded section to illustrate the generator 32 of air flow therein. In order to provide variation in the output flow, a limiter 204 can be introduced into the outlet 202 of the housing. The limiter 204 increases the resistance of the air flow and also increases the heat. The variation in the amount of resistance and air flow depends on the material to be processed. The limiter 204 includes a neck 206 for housing within the outlet 202 of the housing and a limiting opening 208. The boundary opening 208 has a smaller cross section than that of the housing outlet 202. The limiting opening 208 may be rectangular, circular or may have another suitable shape. The neck 206 provides a converging flow path from a cross section approximating that of the outlet 202 to the final cross section of the boundary opening 208. Numerous limiters 204 with varying aperture sizes may be available to manipulate the outflow and thus adjust the system 100 to suit the material being sprayed.

With reference to Figure 7, a cross-sectional view of the air flow generator 32 within the housing 200 is shown. The air flow generator 32 is not necessarily coaxially aligned within the housing 200. In one implementation, the generator 32 of air flow includes a deviator plate 250 having a cutting edge 252 near the air flow generator 32. The cutting edge 252 of the deviator plate 250 directs the pulverized material into the outlet 202 of the housing. The deviator plate 250 engages the interior of the housing 200 and can be coupled to the interior of the outlet 202 of the housing. The diverter plate 250 prevents the pulverized material from rotating further inside the housing 200. As such, the diverter plate 250 serves as the first separation of the pulverized material from the air that continues to rotate within the housing 200. The subsequent separation of the pulverized material from the air it is performed by the cyclone 114. If the pulverized materials continue to rotate within the housing 200, the pulverized materials may accumulate and eventually clog the air flow generator 32. The cutting edge 252 varies the volume of air flow advancing through the housing 200. The position of the diverter plate 250 can be adjustable to increase or decrease the spacing between it and the air flow generator 32. An adjustment may be required depending on the materials that are processed or to manipulate the volume of air flow. The adjustment can be controlled by the central processor 110 which communicates with an electromechanical or pneumatic device to move the deviator plate 250. The cutting edge 252 has a bevel that conforms to the shape of the air flow generator 32. With reference to figure 8, a cross-sectional view of a venturi 18 with an accompanying size change throat 300 is shown. The size-changing throat 300 is a removable component which, when inserted, is lodged within the throat 28. The size-changing throat 300 reduces the effective diameter of the throat 28 and increases the velocity of the air. The variation of the diameter of the throat is required depending on the material and the desired dehydration and particle reduction. Thus, although the air flow generator 32 can vary the air flow, it is further desirable to manipulate the throat diameter of the venturi i8. The throat 28 can be configured with a flange 302 on which a collar 304 of the size change throat 300 is housed. A crown member 306 is attached to the collar 304 and adapted to the interior surface of the converging portion 26. The size change throat 300 includes a sleeve 308 that fits the inner surface of the throat 28 and extends within a major portion of the length of the venturi throat to change the size of the venturi 18. With reference to the Figure 9, a system 400 incorporating two spraying steps 402, 404 is shown. Each time the material passes through a venturi 18, pulverization occurs, moisture is extracted and particle reduction occurs. As discussed previously, this procedure can be performed repeatedly with a single venturi 18 or with multiple venturis 18 in series until the desired amount of extracted water and desired product size is obtained. This procedure can continue until almost 100 percent water extraction is obtained. Although two stages of spraying with the system 400 are shown, it will be appreciated that a system may include three, four, five or more stages. The first spraying step 402 is similar to that previously described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. The first spraying step 402 includes the hopper 22, the mixer 102, the conveyor device 104, the flow control valve 106, the venturi 18, housing 35 (with a generator 32 for air flow therein) and an exhaust pipe 112. The system 400 may additionally include a flow control valve 405 in the exhaust pipe 112 to regulate the flow of air. As in the previous embodiments, the exhaust pipe 112 is coupled to a cyclone 114 to separate the processed product from the air. The system 400 further includes a second cyclone 406 for receiving air from the outlet 122 of the first cyclone 114. The second cyclone 406 further separates air from the waste particles and supplies the purified air to a condenser 130. A first tank 132 is in communication with the second cyclone 406 for receiving condensed liquid from the condenser 130. An outlet 134 provides a way out for the air passing through the condenser 130 and the second cyclone 406. A residual hopper 408 is placed to receive residual particles from the second cyclone 406 The particles separated by the first cyclone 114 are supplied to a hopper 410 using any number of conventional techniques including gravity. Although not shown, particles of the first and second cyclones 114, 406 can be supplied to the hopper 410. The hopper 410 receives the particles which then undergo the second spraying step 404. The hopper 410 supplies the particles to a second inlet tube 412 which is coupled to a second venturi 414 as in the first spraying step 402. One or more flow control valves 416 are located on the second venturi 414 and are in electrical communication with the central processor 110. The flow valves 416 operate in a manner similar to those previously described and have as a reference number 111. The second venturi 414 communicates with a second air flow generator (not shown) in a housing 418. The second airflow generator generates a high velocity air flow through the venturi 414. The second housing 418 is coupled to a second exhaust pipe 420 that supplies air and processed material to a third cyclone 422. second exhaust pipe 420 is inclined at an angle of about 25 degrees to about 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the second venturi 414. A second flow control valve 424 is inside the second exhaust pipe 420 to regulate the air flow inside. As with the first 404 flow control valve, the second flow control valve 424 is in electrical communication with the central processor 110 for regulation. The third cyclone 422 separates the particles from the air and supplies a product which is supplied to another conveyor device 425. A fourth cyclone 426 receives air from the third cyclone 422 and further purifies the air and separates the residual particles. The residual particles of the fourth cyclone 426 are deposited in a residual hopper 428. The fourth cyclone 426 supplies air to a second condenser 430 where the vapor condenses in a liquid and is received by a second tank 432. An outlet 434 is coupled to the second condenser 430 to allow air to escape. The system 400 further includes a heat generator 436 for providing heat through the inlet pipes 12, 412 and the venturis 18, 414 and assist in the drying of materials. The addition of heat is not required for water extraction and is simply used to further increase the drying rate. The heat generator 436 can communicate with the hoppers 22 and 438 or with the inlet pipes 12 and 412. The heat generator 436 can also be used in a similar manner in the structures illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5. In Figure 9, the heat generator 436 is in communication with a first heat control valve 440 to supply heat to the first hopper 22. The first heat control valve 440 is in electrical communication with the central processor 110 to regulate the heat supply. Alternatively, the heat control valve 440 can be operated manually. The heat generator 436 is further in communication with a second heat control valve 442 that regulates the heat flow to the hopper 438. The heating material during the second spray stage 404 may be desirable, depending on the material or the application. If heating is required, the hopper 438 receives particles from the first cyclone 114. Otherwise, the material may be passed to the hopper 410, as illustrated in Figure 9. The system 400 may include one or more spray stages for dehydration and reduction. of additional particles. The conveyor device 425 can be fed back to the mixer 102 of the hopper 22 for additional product cycles through the spraying steps 402 and 404. The second and fourth cyclones 406, 426 provide additional air purification. In some applications, capacitors 130, 430 can be separated or another type of treatment apparatus, such as a filter, can be used. With reference to Figure 10 an alternative embodiment of a system 450 for spraying and extracting moisture is shown. The system 450 is similar to that of Figures 4 and 5 and further includes a second cyclone 406 in communication with the first cyclone 114, a residual hopper 408 for collecting particles from the second cyclone 406, a condenser 130 in communication with the second cyclone 406, a tank 132 in communication with the condenser 130 and an outlet 134 coupled to the condenser 130. The system 450 further includes a diverter valve 452 coupled to the first cyclone 114. The diverter valve 452 directs particles received from the first cyclone 114 to a first outlet 454 or to a second outlet 456. The first outlet 454 is coupled to a manifold 458 such as a bag, hopper, tank or the like. The second outlet 456 is coupled to a recycling tube 460 to introduce the pulverized material through the system 450 again. The recycling tube 460 is coupled at its opposite end to the first end 14. Alternatively, the recycling tube 460 can direct the sprayed material into the hopper 22 or directly into the elongated opening 20. In operation, the material is sprayed as it passes through the system 450 and is redirected, by control of the diverter valve 452, to pass through the system 450 again for another spraying event. This can be repeated as desired until a final product is obtained which is then directed by a diverter valve 452 in the harvester 458.

Referring to Figure 11, one embodiment of an air flow generator 500 is shown. Several metals are suitable for the air flow generator, depending on the material to be processed. A harder alloy steel can be used for an abrasive material. As can be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, the selected material is in a balance between strength and anticipated wear. The melting of the air flow generator 500 is advantageous since the fabrication generates welds inconsistently due to the areas affected by the heat. The air flow generator 500 is received within a housing such as that illustrated in Figure 6. The housing 200 at least partially surrounds the air flow generator 500 and preferably completely surrounds the flow generator 500. air so that it only comes out of outlet 36 of the housing. The air flow generator 500 can have a free space close to the housing 200 to generate additional friction and heat. The heat is desired to assist in further drying of the materials passing through the air flow generator 500 and into the exhaust pipe 112. The air flow generator 500 includes a front plate 502 with an inlet opening 504 concentrically positioned to receive incoming materials. The diameter of the inlet opening 504 is variable depending on the size of the processed material and the anticipated air volume. A rear plate 506 is parallel to the front plate 502 and includes a concentric positioned arrow aperture 508. The opening 508 receives and places the driving shaft of the generator 500. Alternative flow generators 500 can be used with the present invention and include generators with a single rear plate coupled to vanes or generators with radially extending vanes, alone. The rear plate 506 may further include bolt openings 509 that are positioned concentrically around the opening 508. Each of the bolt openings 509 receives a corresponding bolt (not shown) so that each is fixed to the driving shaft. The bolts are secured to the rear 506 plate by nuts to other conventional devices. A plurality of vanes 510 are placed between the front and rear plates 502 and 506. The number of blades 510 may vary and depends, in part, on the material to be processed. The thickness of the blades 510 can also vary, depending on the material to be processed. In one embodiment, the blades 510 extend through the front and rear plates 502 and 506 to form the fins 511 of the blades on the outer face of the front and rear plates 502 and 506. The blade fins 511 can extend approximately 12 mm either from the front or rear 502, 506 plates. The blade fins 511 generate an air cushion between the air flow generator 500 and the interior of the housing 200. The blade fins 511 additionally act to remove by cleaning materials that may have entered between the housing 500 and the generator 200 of. air flow. Referring to Figure 12, a cross-sectional view of the opening 508 is shown. The opening 508 receives the driving shaft which rotates the air flow generator 500. The bolt openings 509 each receive a bolt for securing the rear plate 506. In this embodiment, the driving shaft transitions from a first diameter, with the bolts extending, to a second diameter suitable for insertion into the opening 508. Each of the bolt openings 509 provides a well 515 for receiving a coupling nut. to the bolt. Referring to Figure 13 there is shown a plan view of the interior of the air flow generator 500 with a single blade 510. The unique 510 blade is shown to illustrate the unique features of the built-in 510 blades inside the generator 500 of air flow. The remaining 510 blades are configured in a similar way. The blade 510 extends from the rear edge 512 at the perimeter 513 of the rear and front plates 502 and 506 to the leading edge 514 adjacent the opening 508. The blade 510 includes a wedge portion 516 adjacent the edge 512. The portion 516 wedge has a thicker cross-section to increase the pressure and volume of air flow. Wedge portion 516 provides increased resistance to wear, which is advantageous with some materials. With reference to Figure 14A, a plan view illustrating wedge portion 516 is shown in greater detail. The shape of the wedge portion 516 affects the volume of air flow, the air flow rate and the flow rate of the material through the air flow generator 500. The wedge portion 516 can be altered in the circumferential and longitudinal direction to alter the volume of air flow, the air flow rate and the material flow rate. The melting techniques advantageously allow variation in three dimensions and allow any number of circumferential and longitudinal profiles in the wedge portion 516. The increased thickness of the wedge portion 516 increases the life of the air flow generator 500 since it is located where the blade 510 typically experiences the greatest wear. The material used and the hardness of the wedge portion 516 may also differ from the rest of the blade 510. With reference to Figure 14B, an alternative embodiment of the wedge portion 518 is shown which includes a replaceable wear tip 520. With the air flow generator 500 rotating clockwise, the replaceable wear tip 520 is subjected to most of the material contact. Although thickened to increase wear resistance, the wedge portion 518 is subjected to more wear compared to other components of the air flow generator 500 and can wear out more rapidly. By replacing the replaceable wear tip 520, the replacement of the entire air flow generator 500 is delayed. The replaceable wear tip 520 is fixed to the remainder of the wedge portion 518 through any known fastening device that includes a lock nut and a bolt 522. The replaceable wear tip 520 can be made of a harder material than the Blade rest 510. Replaceable wear tip 520 can also be replaced with a replaceable wear tip 520 having a different circumferential and longitudinal profile. In another additional embodiment, the entire wedge portion 518 is replaceable.

Referring to Figure 15A, a perspective view of the air flow generator 500 illustrating the wedge portion 516 and the front and rear plates 502 and 506 is shown. The blade fins 511 are further shown extending from the outer surface of the front and rear plates 502 and 506. As shown, the wedge portion 516 is substantially thicker than the corresponding blade fins 511. The blade fins 511 are not subjected to the same wear as the wedge portion 516 and are not as thick. Referring to Figure 15B there is shown a perspective view of the air flow generator 500 with an alternative embodiment of the wedge portion 516. The wedge portion 516 increases the thickness and in the circumferential profile as it extends in the longitudinal direction from the front plate 502 to the back plate 506. The wedge portion 516 also increases in thickness as it extends radially towards the perimeter. The pulverized material that enters the generator 500 of air flow has the tendency to accumulate close to the rear plate 506. The longitudinally increasing thickness encourages the pulverized material to remain centered between the front and rear plates 502 and 506 instead of accumulating along the rear plate 506. Casting techniques are possible which allow the production of such wedge portion 516 as a three dimensional variation. The replaceable wear tip 520 can include and define the longitudinally increasing thickness. If another form 516 of the wedge portion is desired, another replaceable wear tip 520 can be used without a longitudinally increasing thickness or a longitudinally steeper thickness. In this way, the direction of flow of pulverized material can be manipulated longitudinally by using wedge portions 516 at different circumferential and longitudinal configurations. Referring again to Figure 13, the blade 510 transitions from a position perpendicular to the rear plate 506, to an angled position. The blade 510 performs the transitions as it advances from the wedge portion 516 to a location before the leading edge 514. The angled position causes the blade 510 to make a passage in the direction of air flow. In the illustrated embodiment, a rear portion 524 of the blade 510, which includes the wedge portion 516, extends perpendicular from the rear plate 506. The rear portion 524 may be from about one quarter to one half of the blade 510 as the blade 510 extends from the trailing edge 512 to the leading edge 514. A front portion 526 is the remainder around the blade 510 from the rear portion 524 to the leading edge 514. The illustrated front portion 526 has an angled transition from a perpendicular position relative to the rear plate 506 to an angled position. The angle position has an angle which is referred to herein as the angle of attack as it allows the leading edge 514 to cut off the incoming air flow. In Figure 13, the final angle of attack of the blade 510 at the leading edge 514 is about 25 degrees. The transition from a position perpendicular to an angled position may extend over the entire blade 510 or any portion thereof. The angle of attack can be selected from a wide range of angles based on the anticipated air flow velocity, flow velocity of the material and material. The angle position can have a range of approximately 20 to 60 degrees. Alternatively, the blade 510 can remain perpendicular along its entire length. The blade 510 can also have an angle of attack throughout - of its entire length. Even though it extends along its entire length, the angle of attack may still vary as the blade 510 extends from the trailing edge 512 to the leading edge 514. With reference to Figure 16 a view of the leading edge 514 is shown. Conventionally, an edge may be relatively straight and advance at an angle relative to the rear plate 506. In the manner illustrated, the leading edge 514 advances from the rear plate 506 with a portion 528 curved outward and then with transitions to a curve 530 inwardly. The outwardly curved portion 528 helps retain air moving within the inlet opening 504 to the air flow generator 500. The leading edge 514 has a profile such that it is capable of cutting off the air. Referring to Figure 17, a cross section of the leading edge 514 taken along the section 17-17 is shown. The leading edge 514 has an oval-shaped cross section that helps slip into the incoming air flow. Referring to Figure 18 there is shown a perspective view of the air flow generator 500 without the front plate 512 to illustrate the blades 510. The illustrated embodiment includes nine blades 510, although the number is variable. Each blade 510 includes a wedge portion 516 for added resistance to wear and to increase the pressure of the air flow. Each blade 510 makes an additional transition from a position perpendicular to an angle of attack. In operation, the rotating blades 510 generate a high velocity airflow varying from 560 km / k (350 miles per hour) or greater in the venturi and air drawn and pulverized material in the inlet opening 504. The front edges 514 of the blades 510 cut the air and the pulverized material and direct both the air and the pulverized material in flow paths 532 defined by the blades 510 and extending from the entrance opening 504 to the perimeter 513 of the plates 502 and 506 front and rear. The wedge portions 516 push the air and pulverized material to the housing outlet 202 so that they are located within the housing 200. The systems 10, 100, 400 and 450 described herein may be fixed structures. Alternatively, a system can be mounted inside or on a vehicle such as truck, trailer, rail car, boat, barge, etc. Any vehicle that provides a sufficient flat support surface can be used. Having a mobile system is advantageous in certain applications such as agricultural harvesting, treatments at remote sites, demonstrations, etc. With reference to Figure 19, a mobile system 600 is shown diagrammatically. System 600 includes previously presented components such as inlet pipe 12, venturi 18, air flow generator 32, housing 35, engine 34, exhaust pipe 112 and first and second cyclones 116, 406. System 600 may include additional elements such as mixer 102, central processor 110, capacitor 130, etc. Systems with a plurality of spraying steps can be mounted on a vehicle in a similar manner. The system 600 includes a vehicle generally designated as 602 and to which a sufficient support surface is provided to support the assembled components. The system 600 further includes a plurality of carriers 604. The system 600 may additionally include a housing 606 that spans the components of the system. The housing 606 protects the components and dampens noise during operation. One or more components of the 600 system may be removable for ease of transportation. For example, the first and second cyclones 116 and 406 may extend out of the housing 606 and need to move during transport. Cyclones 116 and 406 can be completely separated, or partially disassembled prior to transport. Similarly, a mixer 102 can be removable for transport. The need to separate components is based on the size of system 600, vehicle 602 and other design limitations. The housing 606 may house a control room for a user to operate the system 600. The housing 606 may include windows to observe the components and have access to observe, operate, repair and insert material that will be processed.

Claims (30)

1. Method for pulverizing material and extracting moisture from material, comprising: providing an air flow generator in communication with a venturi; the air flow generator generates a flow of air through the venturi and into the air flow generator; introduce the material in the air flow; and pass through the material through the venturi to extract moisture and pulverize the material.

2. Method as described in the claim 1, which comprises passing the pulverized material through an exhaust pipe inclined at an angle varying from 25 ° to 90 ° in relation to the longitudinal axis of the venturi.

3. Method as described in the claim 2, which further comprises controlling the flow rate in the exhaust pipe.

4. Method as described in the claim 2, further comprising - passing the pulverized material from the exhaust pipe to a cyclone to separate the pulverized material from the air.

A method as described in claim 4, further comprising passing the air from the first cyclone to a second cyclone to remove residual particles from the air.

6. Method as described in claim 5, • further comprising passing the air to a condenser to condense vaporized moisture.

7. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising heating the air in a part posterior to the venturi.

8. Method as described in claim 1, further comprising controlling the flow rate of the material subsequent to the venturi.

9. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the venturi includes a divergent portion and the method comprises causing a controlled air flow to enter the diverging portion from the divergent portion externally.

10. Method for homogenizing materials, comprising: providing an air flow generator in communication with a venturi; the air flow generator generates a flow of air through the venturi and into the air flow generator; introduce first and second materials in the air flow; and passing the first and second materials through the venturi to pulverize and homogenize the materials.

11. Method as described in claim 10, further comprising heating the air flow.

12. Method as recited in claim 10 or 11, further comprising spraying the first material by passing the first material through a venturi before introducing the first and second materials into the air flow.

13. Apparatus for spraying material and extracting moisture from the material, comprising: an inlet tube; a venturi after the inlet tube; and an air flow generator to generate an air flow, the air flow generator is in communication with the outlet end of the venturi to suck a flow of air through the inlet pipe and through the venturi, so that The material introduced into the air flow passes through the venturi and is subjected to pulverization and extraction of moisture.

Apparatus as described in claim 13, further comprising a heat generator in communication with the inlet tube to heat the air flowing to the venturi.

15. Apparatus as described in claim 13 or 14 and including an exhaust pipe connected to the outlet of the air flow generator, the tube is inclined at an angle varying from 25 degrees to 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the venturi.

16. Apparatus as described in claim 15, further comprising a cyclone coupled to the exhaust pipe to separate air from the pulverized material.

17. Apparatus as described in claim 16, further comprising a second cyclone in communication with the first cyclone to receive air and separate residual particles.

18. Apparatus as described in any of claims 13 to 17 further comprising an airflow control valve positioned on the diverging portion of the venturi to allow air to flow from externally to the venturi to the diverging portion.

19. Apparatus for spraying material and extracting moisture from the material, comprising: an inlet pipe; a venturi coupled to the inlet tube; and an air flow generator for generating an air flow and including a front plate, an inlet opening positioned within the front plate, a back plate and a plurality of vanes positioned between and coupled to the rear and front plates; and a housing that at least partially comprises the air flow generator, the housing includes an outlet in communication with the inlet opening of the air flow generator, wherein the air flow generator is in communication with the venturi for direct the flow of air through the venturi, and into the inlet opening, where the material introduced into the air flow passes through the venturi and is subjected to spraying and moisture removal.

Apparatus as described in claim 19, wherein each blade includes a wedge portion positioned close to a perimeter of the front and rear plates - the wedge portion has a thickness greater than the rest of the corresponding blade.

Apparatus as described in claim 20, wherein each wedge portion increases in thickness as it extends longitudinally from the faceplate to the backplate to control the direction of longitudinal material flow in the air flow.

22. Apparatus as described in claim 20, wherein each wedge portion includes a removable wear tip.

23. Apparatus as described in claim 20, wherein each wedge portion is removable to allow replacement.

24. Apparatus as described in claim 20, wherein each blade makes a transition from a position perpendicular to the back plate, to an inclined position as the blade advances to the entry opening.

25. Apparatus as described in claim 24, wherein the angle of the inclined position of the blade is approximately 20 to 60 degrees from a position perpendicular to the back plate.

26. Apparatus as described in claim 19, wherein each blade includes a leading edge proximate the entrance opening and a trailing edge near a perimeter of the front and rear plates, the leading edge having a curved portion outwardly. next to the back plate and an inward curve portion next to the physical plate.

27. Apparatus as described in claim 26, wherein the leading edge includes an oval-shaped cross section.

28. Apparatus as described in claim 19, further comprising a plurality of fins placed on the outer surface of the front plate and the back plate.

29. Apparatus as described in claim 19, wherein the housing further includes a baffle plate coupled to the interior of the housing near the outlet and having a cutting edge close to the air flow generator.

30. Apparatus as described in claim 29, wherein the diverter plate adjustably engages the interior of the housing to vary the distance from the end of the cutting edge to the air flow generator.