APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING AND HANDLING BULK MATERIAL

摘要

Apparatus for transporting and handling bulk material such as a settled mass of particulate matter characterized by being dispersible with a liquid into a pumpable mixture or slurry. The apparatus includes railroad tank cars carrying vessels adapted to contain the settled mass for movement as a train along a railroad right of way. At an unloading zone an unloading and slurrifying unit is provided which includes a nozzle and slurry receiving sump adapted for movement along the right of way for accurate positioning with respect to an overlying vehicle. Elevating means is provided to move the nozzle upwardly through an opened discharge outlet provided in a flat bottom of the vessel. The sump is carried upwardly with the nozzle for yieldable contact with a flat sealing plate around the discharge outlet. A hollow, fluid containing annulus carried at the upper end of the sump both forms a seal with the vessel sealing plate and senses contact therewith for actuating means to direct a high pressure stream of liquid to the nozzle. The nozzle is moved upwardly into the vessel with the liquid stream impinging upon and slurrifying the particulate matter as the nozzle is rotated about a vertical axis to progressively remove the particulate matter from within the vessel. The slurrified material flows by gravity into the sump and into a collection tank from which it is pumped into a discharge line for subsequent handling and processing.