A self-cleaning dosing apparatus includes a material hopper for containing pellets of material, a feed screw, a first material outlet through which pellets of material fall by gravity onto a first end of the feed screw for the feeding of pellets to a process machine. A second material outlet is located beneath the first end of the feed screw, with a slide gate blocking the second material outlet. A pneumatic piston is provided for pulling the slide gate to unblock the second material outlet, and a Venturi pump is located under the second material outlet for pulling pellets through the second material outlet when the slide gate is opened.

A self-cleaning dosing apparatus includes a material hopper for containing pellets of material, a feed screw, a first material outlet through which pellets of material fall by gravity onto a first end of the feed screw for the feeding of pellets to a process machine. A second material outlet is located beneath the first end of the feed screw, with a slide gate blocking the second material outlet. A pneumatic piston is provided for pulling the slide gate to unblock the second material outlet, and a Venturi pump is located under the second material outlet for pulling pellets through the second material outlet when the slide gate is opened.

A gravimetric blender has a frame, at least one material storage hopper at the top of the frame including a hopper cover, a weigh bin located within the frame, below the hopper, for receipt of material from the hopper to be weighed and being adapted for downward discharge of the material in the bio bin after the material received from the hopper has been weighed, at least one load cell connecting the weigh bin to the frame for sensing the weight of contents of the weigh bin, a mixer within the frame below the hopper, for mixing material weighed in the weigh bin after that material falls downwardly from the weigh bin to the mixer, and a guide adapted for vertical movement of the hopper cover therealong between positions which the cover contacts and thereby closes the hopper and at which the cover is spaced vertically above the hopper so that the hopper is open at the top.

A gravimetric blender has a frame, at least one material storage hopper at the top of the frame including a hopper cover, a weigh bin located within the frame, below the hopper, for receipt of material from the hopper to be weighed and being adapted for downward discharge of the material in the bio bin after the material received from the hopper has been weighed, at least one load cell connecting the weigh bin to the frame for sensing the weight of contents of the weigh bin, a mixer within the frame below the hopper, for mixing material weighed in the weigh bin after that material falls downwardly from the weigh bin to the mixer, and a guide adapted for vertical movement of the hopper cover therealong between positions which the cover contacts and thereby closes the hopper and at which the cover is spaced vertically above the hopper so that the hopper is open at the top.

An injection molding pellet is applied for injection molding. The base material of the injection molding pellet is a polylactic resin, and the polylactic resin is mixed with wood grains with a grain size that does not exceed 50 ?m.

Method for manufacturing an aerogel-containing composite, said method comprising the steps of: providing fibers, at least some of which are first fibers, such as mineral fibers, polymer fibers, cellulose fibers, or other types of fibers, in an amount of from 3 to 80 wt % of the total weight of starting materials, providing an aerogel particulate material in an amount of from 10 to 75 wt % of the total weight of starting materials, providing a binder in an amount of from 1 to 30 wt % of the total weight of starting materials, suspending the fibers in a primary air flow and suspending the aerogel particulate material in the primary air flow, thereby mixing the suspended aerogel particulate material with the suspended fibers, mixing the binder with the fibers and/or aerogel particulate material before, during or after mixing of the fibers with the aerogel particulate material, collecting the mixture of fibers, aerogel particulate material and binder and pressing and curing the mixture to provide a consolidated composite with a density of from 120 kg/m.sup.3 to 800 kg/m.sup.3. With this method homogeneous composites can be produced.

Method for manufacturing an aerogel-containing composite, said method comprising the steps of: providing fibers, at least some of which are first fibers, such as mineral fibers, polymer fibers, cellulose fibers, or other types of fibers, in an amount of from 3 to 80 wt % of the total weight of starting materials, providing an aerogel particulate material in an amount of from 10 to 75 wt % of the total weight of starting materials, providing a binder in an amount of from 1 to 30 wt % of the total weight of starting materials, suspending the fibers in a primary air flow and suspending the aerogel particulate material in the primary air flow, thereby mixing the suspended aerogel particulate material with the suspended fibers, mixing the binder with the fibers and/or aerogel particulate material before, during or after mixing of the fibers with the aerogel particulate material, collecting the mixture of fibers, aerogel particulate material and binder and pressing and curing the mixture to provide a consolidated composite with a density of from 120 kg/m.sup.3 to 800 kg/m.sup.3. With this method homogeneous composites can be produced.

The invention relates to a device for metering bulk material, in particular plastics granulate, for machines processing plastics granulate, in particular for injection molding machines, wherein at least one material funnel (2) into which bulk material can be filled and which has a material valve is provided. A weighing container (4) connected to weighing scales is optionally arranged below the material valve. A control unit is provided for the weighing scales and material valves. The material valve is designed as a metering valve (3), in particular as a flap-type metering valve. The metering valve (3) consists of a part, a closure (7), movable via a horizontal axis (6) and a fixed part, a scraper (8). The movable part has an operating arm (9) for an actuator (5) and at the end facing towards the fixed part has a closure plate (10) having a scraper projection (11). In the closed state of the metering valve (3) the scraper projection (11) touches the scraper (8).

The present invention relates to a process for treating polyolefin granules in a treatment vessel comprising the steps of: Providing a bed of granules in liquid in said treatment vessel Withdrawing a first stream of liquid from said treatment vessel, wherein said first stream of liquid contains hydrocarboneous compounds introducing a first stream of vapor into said treatment vessel Withdrawing a second stream of vapor from said treatment vessel wherein said second stream of vapor contains volatile hydrocarboneous compounds Recovering the granules from said treatment vessel wherein said first stream of vapor has a temperature from Tb to Tb+10 C., wherein Tb is the boiling point of the liquid at the applied pressure, and said first stream of vapor produces an upwards rising vapor stream in said treatment vessel, the superficial vapor velocity of which is no more than 0.2 m/s, and a plant suitable for conducting said process.

An injection molding pellet is applied for injection molding. The base material of the injection molding pellet is a polylactic resin, and the polylactic resin is mixed with wood grains with a grain size that does not exceed 50 m.