Dual cylinder rotating solids feeder and method

摘要

A solids feeder for transporting particulated solids from a solids feed supply into the bottom of a solids upflow vessel. The feeder includes a solids feed chute terminating in a bottom outlet spaced apart from and in essentially the same horizontal plane as the bottom solids inlet of the solids upflow vessel. A pair of solids feed cylinders provided with free-floating pistons are vertically mounted on a rotatable carriage positioned below the solids upflow vessel. The carriage is rotated between two stationary positions in which the cylinders are alternately aligned with the bottom solids inlet of the solids upflow vessel and the bottom outlet of the solids feed chute. Stationary hydraulic rams are positioned below both of these stationary positions to effect displacement of the pistons within the cylinders.