DENSE PHASE PUMP WITH EASILY REPLACEABLE COMPONENTS

摘要

A dense phase pump has two housings that are attached together using a single releasable fastener. The fastener can be released to allow the two housings to be separated thereby providing access to replaceable components. The replaceable components may include one or more pinch valves or one or more barrier elements. A pinch valve for a dense phase pump has a shape or profile for aligning the pinch valve when the pinch valve is installed in a pinch valve body. The pinch valve optionally has two end flanges, with each end flange having a shaped periphery. The two end flanges may have the same size and shape so that the pinch valve can be installed in either of two orientations that are inverse. A dense phase pump has a pump chamber that can be purged by purge gas that enters the pump off-axis from a purge path axis.

主权项

1. A pinch valve, comprising:
an annular body having a central flow passage therethrough; and a first end flange on a first end of said annular body and a second end flange on an opposite end of said annular body, wherein each said first end flange and second end flange have a larger outside diameter than said annular body, at least one end flange of said first end flange and said second end flange having a shaped periphery for aligning the pinch valve when the pinch valve is installed in a pinch valve body.