Provided are a silver powder having powder physical properties enabling reduction of volume resistivity after firing and a method of producing this silver powder. The silver powder has a tap density of 4.8 g/mL or more, a TAP/D50 value (value determined by dividing the tap density (g/mL) by the volume-based median diameter (?m)) of not less than 7 and not more than 15, and a specific surface area of not less than 0.75 m.sup.2/g and not more than 1.3 m.sup.2/g.

A conveyor system and methods for conveying and unstacking flat and non-flat packages. The conveyor system includes an inclined conveyor belt delivering packages to a tilted conveyor belt that conveys flat packages along its length while non-flat packages tumble off its lower side edge to initially cull flat packages from a bulk flow of packages. Retention means, such as a high-friction outer conveying surface or a raised barrier along the length of the outer conveying surface of the tilted conveyor belt, holds flat packages on the tilted conveyor belt. The inclined conveyor belt has stop elements spaced apart along the belt's length and is advanced in stop-and-go fashion to help unstack piggy-backed packages as they are conveyed up the incline. The initially separated packages are more fully culled in a conveyor comprising a roller conveyor belt with package-supporting belt rollers rotated in a direction to push packages sidewise toward a culling element that extends along the length of the roller conveyor belt.

A method and device are used for separating particles of plastic foil from organic material. The device includes a chamber with a perforated wall. A mixture of particles of plastic foil and organic material is fed into the chamber through a feed opening. The mixture is set into a rotating movement inside the chamber by a rotor. In the vicinity of the perforations, the centrifugal force to which a particle is subjected is at least fifty times greater than the gravitational force to which the particle is subjected. An airflow is generated in the chamber parallel to the rotational axis of the rotor. Particles of organic material leave the chamber through the perforations. Particles of plastic foil are carried along by the first airflow and then discharge through an opening in the chamber.

A method and application of accelerating material cleaning with strong magnet particles are provided. The wind airflow enter from the material inlet to accelerate the material, so that the material particles move at a certain speed, and the position and speed of the material can be controlled when it reaches the highest speed; There are internal strong magnetic field units where the material passes, especially when the material reaches the highest speed; Internal strong magnetic field units are used to generate the internal strong magnetic field. According to the method and application, the internal strong magnetic field is used to eliminate the attractive forces such as electromagnetic force, van der Waals force and liquid bridge between the material and the impurities attached to the surface of the material.

An agricultural grain cleaner includes an inlet chute having an inlet end and an outlet end positioned below the inlet end. A crop distribution member is positioned adjacent the outlet end of the inlet chute. The crop distribution member includes a distribution disc rotatable relative to the inlet chute about a vertical central axis to impart a horizontal trajectory, away from the central axis, to crop material supplied to the distribution disc from the inlet chute. A fan is operable to generate an air stream from below the crop distribution member, across the horizontal trajectory, to an air-chaff outlet. A grain collection chute has an inlet to receive grain that is cleaned of chaff by the air stream. A tailings collection chute is positioned adjacent to the grain collection chute on a radially inner side thereof.

A method for fractionating a milled grain product into coarse and fine fractions includes providing a sieving apparatus with a bottom chamber divided from a top chamber by a sieve, an inlet port in the top chamber, a top chamber cover defined by a plurality of openings, and a first exit port in the bottom chamber, and applying vacuum suction to the sieving apparatus. The vacuum suction is configured to draw grain particles through the inlet port into the top chamber, generate substantially horizontal airflow in the top chamber via the inlet port; and generate substantially vertical airflow in the top chamber via the plurality of openings, wherein the substantially horizontal airflow and the substantially vertical airflow combine to generate turbulence which fluidizes the grain particles in the upper chamber and prevents blockage of the sieve; and drawing fine grain particles through the sieve and out of the bottom chamber via the first exit port under the vacuum suction and collecting a fine grain particle fraction.

A method for fractionating a milled grain product into coarse and fine fractions includes providing a sieving apparatus with a bottom chamber divided from a top chamber by a sieve, an inlet port in the top chamber, a top chamber cover defined by a plurality of openings, and a first exit port in the bottom chamber, and applying vacuum suction to the sieving apparatus. The vacuum suction is configured to draw grain particles through the inlet port into the top chamber, generate substantially horizontal airflow in the top chamber via the inlet port; and generate substantially vertical airflow in the top chamber via the plurality of openings, wherein the substantially horizontal airflow and the substantially vertical airflow combine to generate turbulence which fluidizes the grain particles in the upper chamber and prevents blockage of the sieve; and drawing fine grain particles through the sieve and out of the bottom chamber via the first exit port under the vacuum suction and collecting a fine grain particle fraction.

A molding sand reclamation method and reclamation system effectively separates magnetically attracted matter from molding sand. The molding sand reclamation method includes removing metal powder and metal pieces by magnetic separation with a first magnetic flux density and removing magnetically attracted matter by magnetic separation with a second magnetic flux density higher than the first magnetic flux density from molding sand separated from a casting by shot blasting, and removing by dry mechanical reclamation, from the molding sand, substances including carbonized matter adhered to the surface of the molding sand.

A molding sand reclamation method and reclamation system effectively separates magnetically attracted matter from molding sand. The molding sand reclamation method includes removing metal powder and metal pieces by magnetic separation with a first magnetic flux density and removing magnetically attracted matter by magnetic separation with a second magnetic flux density higher than the first magnetic flux density from molding sand separated from a casting by shot blasting, and removing by dry mechanical reclamation, from the molding sand, substances including carbonized matter adhered to the surface of the molding sand.

An apparatus for collecting dust from a cutting unit is provided. The apparatus includes a rotary valve operatively connected to the cutting unit, a conduit in fluid communication with the rotary valve, and a compacting machine disposed downstream from the conduit and configured to receive dust from the conduit. A blower is configured to pull air downstream to carry the dust into the compacting machine. The compacting machine produces a compact from the dust.