A mill includes a housing with a first end portion, a second end portion, and a lateral area disposed therebetween. The housing includes a raw material inlet, an air inlet, a recirculated material inlet, and a material outlet. An impeller is supported by the housing and includes a shaft disposed along the longitudinal axis of the housing, with a plurality of curved blades. A method for milling includes receiving a material of a first size range, introducing the material to an apparatus via a first inlet and introducing air into the apparatus via a second inlet. The method also includes agitating the material via an impeller, where the agitation reduces at least some of the material to a second size range by the time the material reaches an outlet of the apparatus. The processed material is delivered to subsequent processing operations.

A mill includes a housing with a first end portion, a second end portion, and a lateral area disposed therebetween. The housing includes a raw material inlet, an air inlet, a recirculated material inlet, and a material outlet. An impeller is supported by the housing and includes a shaft disposed along the longitudinal axis of the housing, with a plurality of curved blades. A method for milling includes receiving a material of a first size range, introducing the material to an apparatus via a first inlet and introducing air into the apparatus via a second inlet. The method also includes agitating the material via an impeller, where the agitation reduces at least some of the material to a second size range by the time the material reaches an outlet of the apparatus. The processed material is delivered to subsequent processing operations.

A beater wheel for a pulverizer mill is provided. The beater wheel includes a rotatable hub disc having apertures defined therethrough and a ring disc having respective apertures defined therethrough, and a plurality of tubular ribs, disposed therebetween and weldingly coupled thereto at a tubular first end to the hub disc and at a tubular second end to the ring disc to define respective weld joints thereat. Each respective aperture in the hub disc and ring disc are sized and disposed to allow direct access therethrough to at least one respective weld joint at the respective interior surface of the first and second tubular ends for inspection and testing.

A beater wheel for a pulverizer mill is provided. The beater wheel includes a rotatable hub disc having apertures defined therethrough and a ring disc having respective apertures defined therethrough, and a plurality of tubular ribs, disposed therebetween and weldingly coupled thereto at a tubular first end to the hub disc and at a tubular second end to the ring disc to define respective weld joints thereat. Each respective aperture in the hub disc and ring disc are sized and disposed to allow direct access therethrough to at least one respective weld joint at the respective interior surface of the first and second tubular ends for inspection and testing.

A method for preheating a beater mill is provided. The method includes: rotating a beater wheel disposed within the beater mill to facilitate circulation of a gas stream between the beater mill and a furnace fluidly connected to each other via both a pulverized fuel conduit and a flue gas recirculation conduit; generating a burner gas via a burner disposed within the flue gas recirculation conduit such that the burner gas joins and heats the gas stream circulating through the beater mill and the furnace; and adjusting at least one of an air supply and a fuel supply to the burner via a controller based at least in part on one of a temperature of the gas stream at an entrance of the beater mill, a temperature of the gas stream at an exit of the beater mill, and an oxygen level within the beater mill.

A method for preheating a beater mill is provided. The method includes: rotating a beater wheel disposed within the beater mill to facilitate circulation of a gas stream between the beater mill and a furnace fluidly connected to each other via both a pulverized fuel conduit and a flue gas recirculation conduit; generating a burner gas via a burner disposed within the flue gas recirculation conduit such that the burner gas joins and heats the gas stream circulating through the beater mill and the furnace; and adjusting at least one of an air supply and a fuel supply to the burner via a controller based at least in part on one of a temperature of the gas stream at an entrance of the beater mill, a temperature of the gas stream at an exit of the beater mill, and an oxygen level within the beater mill.

A device for processing feed material, with a housing enclosing a processing space in which a rotor rotatable about the axis of rotation is arranged. The rotor has a rotor disk at which circumference a plurality of axially disposed impact plates is arranged uniformly distributed. A coaxially arranged processing path surrounds the impact plates while maintaining a working gap. Via a material inlet, the device is fed in the axial direction with feed material centrally ending in the processing space, which upon deflection in the region of the rotor disk is fed in the radial direction to the working gap. To ensure complete and gentle processing of the feed material while maintaining its original taste, smell and color, the processing path is part of a basket rotating about the rotational axis.

A device for processing feed material, with a housing enclosing a processing space in which a rotor rotatable about the axis of rotation is arranged. The rotor has a rotor disk at which circumference a plurality of axially disposed impact plates is arranged uniformly distributed. A coaxially arranged processing path surrounds the impact plates while maintaining a working gap. Via a material inlet, the device is fed in the axial direction with feed material centrally ending in the processing space, which upon deflection in the region of the rotor disk is fed in the radial direction to the working gap. To ensure complete and gentle processing of the feed material while maintaining its original taste, smell and color, the processing path is part of a basket rotating about the rotational axis.

A delumper includes a housing defining a chamber in which edible material is received. The housing includes a screen having a plurality of holes and a plurality of inwardly extending fingers. The holes are sized such that edible material of a first diameter is capable of passing through the holes and edible material of a second, larger diameter is incapable of passing through the holes. The fingers are arranged in at least a first row, and the first row is located at or between a 5:00 position and a 7:30 position. The delumper further includes a rotatable shaft including a plurality of paddles spaced along a length of the shaft. When the shaft rotates, each of the paddles passes between adjacent fingers of the first row such that edible material located within the chamber is forced into contact with the fingers and cleaved by the paddles.

A delumper includes a housing defining a chamber in which edible material is received. The housing includes a screen having a plurality of holes and a plurality of inwardly extending fingers. The holes are sized such that edible material of a first diameter is capable of passing through the holes and edible material of a second, larger diameter is incapable of passing through the holes. The fingers are arranged in at least a first row, and the first row is located at or between a 5:00 position and a 7:30 position. The delumper further includes a rotatable shaft including a plurality of paddles spaced along a length of the shaft. When the shaft rotates, each of the paddles passes between adjacent fingers of the first row such that edible material located within the chamber is forced into contact with the fingers and cleaved by the paddles.