A silo for storing bulk material, the silo comprising: a container defining an inner space, at least one supply opening for receiving bulk material, an insert located in said inner space, the insert having the shape of a capped cone, the bottom rim of the insert being mechanically coupled to the inner surface of the container, the insert having one or more openings, along its bottom rim for allowing bulk material to pass from the upper inner space to the lower inner space, a first group of discharge openings near or at the lower side of the container in the surface of the container for discharging bulk material from the lower inner space, the top rim is provided with a second group of discharge openings comprising at least one discharge opening for discharging bulk material from the upper inner space, a recirculation system coupled to the discharge openings of one of the first and second group of discharge openings, for transporting bulk material from said discharge openings to said supply opening, and an extraction system being coupled to the discharge openings of the other of the first and second group of discharge openings for extracting bulk material towards the exterior of the silo.

Powder module (1, 15, 24) for an apparatus for additively manufacturing of three-dimensional objects, comprising a powder chamber (2) defining a powder room (3), which is fillable with building material (4) in powder form and a cover (5) defining the powder room (3) at its top, whereby the powder module (1, 15, 24) comprises at least one equalization unit (7), configured for spreading the building material (4) inside the powder room (3).

Layering of initially mixed granular dissimilar material components deposited by surface flow is realized by varying the relative angle of the flowing layer periodically with respect to the bulk of the pile formed. Layer thickness and extent can be controlled by varying the timing and extent of the surface variations. Variation in surface flow rates may be realized by varying the feed rate from an inlet to a collection base at a fixed feed location, varying the feed location relative to the collection base, tilting the collection base that is supporting the material, and reducing the pile repose angle using vibration or fluid flow through the base.

Layering of initially mixed granular dissimilar material components deposited by surface flow is realized by varying the relative angle of the flowing layer periodically with respect to the bulk of the pile formed. Layer thickness and extent can be controlled by varying the timing and extent of the surface variations. Variation in surface flow rates may be realized by varying the feed rate from an inlet to a collection base at a fixed feed location, varying the feed location relative to the collection base, tilting the collection base that is supporting the material, and reducing the pile repose angle using vibration or fluid flow through the base.

Layering of initially mixed granular dissimilar material components deposited by surface flow is realized by varying the relative angle of the flowing layer periodically with respect to the bulk of the pile formed. Layer thickness and extent can be controlled by varying the timing and extent of the surface variations. Variation in surface flow rates may be realized by varying the feed rate from an inlet to a collection base at a fixed feed location, varying the feed location relative to the collection base, tilting the collection base that is supporting the material, and reducing the pile repose angle using vibration or fluid flow through the base.

A device for dispersing a water-soluble polymer in powder form having a standard particle size of less than 1 mm, includes: a wetting chamber, a chamber for grinding and discharging the dispersed polymer with a horizontal axis of revolution, and a mechanism for connecting the wetting chamber to the grinding chamber in the form of an L-shaped tube. The upper and lower parts of the wetting chamber and the L-shaped tube have an internal surface with an identical surface tension (TS1). The cover of the wetting chamber has an internal surface with a surface tension (TS2) higher than the surface tension (TS1) of the internal surface of the upper and lower parts of the wetting chamber and the L-shaped tube.

A device for dispersing a water-soluble polymer in powder form having a standard particle size of less than 1 mm, includes: a wetting chamber, a chamber for grinding and discharging the dispersed polymer with a horizontal axis of revolution, and a mechanism for connecting the wetting chamber to the grinding chamber in the form of an L-shaped tube. The upper and lower parts of the wetting chamber and the L-shaped tube have an internal surface with an identical surface tension (TS1). The cover of the wetting chamber has an internal surface with a surface tension (TS2) higher than the surface tension (TS1) of the internal surface of the upper and lower parts of the wetting chamber and the L-shaped tube.