A device and test method for characterizing granular materials for angle of repose, static and dynamic flow properties, and process parameter variables by means of defining a sample retention boundary. The device is composed of a funnel for dynamic testing, a retention ring for static testing, a base, and a test device having an upper surface set at one or more angles to determine conditions in which samples are retained. By varying the texture of the surface, flow characteristics and other process issues can be evaluated.

The present invention addresses the problem of evaluating the hydrophobicity of a powder. According to the present invention, a powder is charged into a mixed solvent composed of a lipophilic solvent and a hydrophilic solvent, the voltage rate R of the mixed solvent is measured at predetermined time intervals while adding a lipophilic solvent to the mixed solvent charged with the powder, a parameter x correlating with the concentration of powder is defined for an arbitrary voltage rate R, a continuous function HP(x) of the ratio of a lipophilic solvent corresponding to x is defined, and HP(x) for required x is set as a representative value of a lipophilic solvent ratio distribution and used as an index of hydrophobicity.

A method of determining the spatial orientation of a two-dimensional detector in an X-ray diffractometry system, and calibrating the detector position in response thereto, uses diffraction patterns from a powder sample collected at a plurality of detector swing angles. The overlapping of the detected patterns indicates relative errors in the detector orientation. In particular, intersection points between the different diffraction patterns may be located, and their relative locations may be used to identify errors. Such errors may be in the detector position, or they may be errors in different rotational directions, such as roll, pitch or yaw. Determination and correction of the detector orientation using this method may be part of a calibration routine for the diffractometry system. Roll error may also be determined using a single measurement with the detector at a swing angle perpendicular to the X-ray beam.

Method for analyzing the structure of a sample of ground coffee, and in particular for determining the grain size curve, by means of computed X-ray tomography, the method comprising: acquiring a plurality of two-dimensional radiographic images while the sample is in rotation, processing the plurality of two-dimensional radiographic images performing a tomographic reconstruction to generate a reconstructed image of volume, processing the reconstructed volume image to identify a plurality of coffee particles of the sample of ground coffee separated from one another and determining at least one dimensional magnitude for each particle of ground coffee of the plurality.

A metering apparatus including a scale on which a metering head is disposed in such a manner that the scale measures the weight of the metering head, and a metering tool for taking up and dispensing substance, attached to the metering head. The metering tool is configured as a glass tubule having a glass punch slidably disposed therein, forming a seal. The metering head is provided with a first gripping tool for clamping the glass tubule in place and with a second gripping tool for clamping the glass punch in place. The metering head furthermore has a raising and lowering device for raising and lowering the second gripping tool relative to the first gripping tool, such that the glass punch can be raised and lowered in the glass tubule of the metering tool.

An evaluation method of mixing uniformity of composite powder includes: determining raw materials of composite powder to be evaluated and mass ratio; mixing to obtain multiple standard composite powder with different mixing time; determining flow energy of each standard composite powder; analyzing the flow energy of multiple standard composite powders by significant difference method, determining at least 3 consecutive standard composite powders with no significant difference in flow energy according to mixing time from small to large, defining as uniform-mixed standard composite powder, calculating average value of flow energy of uniform-mixed standard composite powder, and recording as standard flow energy TFE.sub.s; determining the flow energy of composite powder to be evaluated, calculating percentage difference P.Math.V.sub.ds between TFE.sub.d and TFE.sub.s, and evaluating mixing uniformity of composite powder according to P.Math.V.sub.ds.

A minimum-ignition-energy testing apparatus includes a combustion tube and a bottom assembly coupled to a lower end of the combustion tube. A top assembly is coupled to an upper end of the combustion tube. The top assembly includes a first sparge plate coupled to the top base plate. The first sparge plate has a first aperture formed therein. The top assembly also includes a second sparge plate coupled to the first sparge plate. The second sparge plate has formed therein a second aperture that aligns in registry with the first aperture. A channel is formed in the second sparge plate about a perimeter of the third aperture. The channel has a plurality of holes disposed therein that are formed through a thickness of the second sparge plate. A tube is formed through in the second sparge plate, the tube fluidly coupling the channel to a gas source.

There is disclosed a system and method for identifying a powder material. A powder press has a die for receiving a powder to be compacted. A press member is arranged to be moveable so as to compact the powder within the die. A load sensor senses a load applied by the press member to the powder so as to generate multiple load readings during movement of the press member. A processor is arranged to receive the load readings from the load sensor and to compare the load readings during movement of the die with predetermined load data. The processor outputs an identification signal for the compacted powder based on said comparison.

A screw conveyor system includes a conveyor body defining a conveyor cavity. The conveyor body includes an inlet for a conveyed material and an outlet. A screw blade is rotatably connected to the conveyor body via a shaft. The screw blade extends within the conveyor cavity between the inlet and the outlet. A hanger bearing support extends from an interior surface of the conveyor body into the conveyor cavity and a hanger bearing is attached to the hanger bearing support with the hanger bearing contacting the shaft to support the screw blade. A sensor support structure is connected to the hanger bearing support and the conveyor body. A capacitive sensor is attached to the sensor support structure and includes a first conductive plate and a second conductive plate spaced apart from one another to allow the conveyed material to travel between the first and second conductive plates.

A screw conveyor system includes a conveyor body defining a conveyor cavity. The conveyor body includes an inlet for a conveyed material and an outlet. A screw blade is rotatably connected to the conveyor body via a shaft. The screw blade extends within the conveyor cavity between the inlet and the outlet. A hanger bearing support extends from an interior surface of the conveyor body into the conveyor cavity and a hanger bearing is attached to the hanger bearing support with the hanger bearing contacting the shaft to support the screw blade. A sensor support structure is connected to the hanger bearing support and the conveyor body. A capacitive sensor is attached to the sensor support structure and includes a first conductive plate and a second conductive plate spaced apart from one another to allow the conveyed material to travel between the first and second conductive plates.