| 摘要 |
<p>THE PRESENT INVENTION IS DIRECTED TO AN APPARATUS (10) AND METHOD FOR ACCURATELY METERING AND CONVEYING A DRY POWDER (1) OR GRANULAR MATERIAL TO A BLENDER (30) IN A SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED SYSTEM. THE APPARATUS INCLUDES A STORAGE TANK (12) ADAPTED TO HOLD THE DRY POWDER OR GRANULAR MATERIAL, A HOPPER (24) DISPOSED INSIDE OF THE STORAGE TANK; AND A CONVEYOR (14) AT LEAST PARTIALLY DISPOSED INSIDE OF THE STORAGE TANK, WHICH DELIVERS THE DRY POWDER OR GRANULAR MATERIAL TO THE HOPPER. THE APPARATUS ALSO INCLUDES A METERING FEEDER ADAPTED (26) TO DELIVER THE DRY POWDER OR GRANULAR MATERIAL AT A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM DENSITY FROM THE HOPPER TO A BLENDER (30) LOCATED OUTSIDE OF THE STORAGE TANK. THE APPARATUS IS A SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED SYSTEM, THUS MINIMIZING THE RISK THAT THE DRY POWDER OR GRANULAR MATERIAL WILL BECOME AIRBORNE.</p> |
