A sanitary high pressure valve assembly is provided. The valve assembly includes an inlet adaptor for admitting pressurized gas into a sanitary central passageway for release into a storage vessel containing granular material for the purpose of aiding flow of the granular material from the storage vessel. The valve assembly also includes an isolation chamber for housing serviceable parts that are isolated from the sanitary central passageway.

A sanitary high pressure valve assembly is provided. The valve assembly includes an inlet adaptor for admitting pressurized gas into a sanitary central passageway for release into a storage vessel containing granular material for the purpose of aiding flow of the granular material from the storage vessel. The valve assembly also includes an isolation chamber for housing serviceable parts that are isolated from the sanitary central passageway.

The present invention is a new method to efficiently reclaim cement from a horizontal warehouse. This new reclaiming method combines a mechanical cement reclaiming machine, together with a reduced amount of open air slides. Material is fluidized through a porous media with low pressure air. Material flow is achieved by sloping the Air slide conveyor to match the fluidized angle of repose of the powdered material. Further, the present invention introduces a conveying system, comprising a cascade of open and enclosed air slides and elevator machines, to convey the cement from the reclaiming area to a dispatch hopper. The introduction of these components, together with cement stacking and dispatch systems, is a Fully Automated Cement Horizontal Storage system and method.

The present invention is a new method to efficiently reclaim cement from a horizontal warehouse. This new reclaiming method combines a mechanical cement reclaiming machine, together with a reduced amount of open air slides. Material is fluidized through a porous media with low pressure air. Material flow is achieved by sloping the Air slide conveyor to match the fluidized angle of repose of the powdered material. Further, the present invention introduces a conveying system, comprising a cascade of open and enclosed air slides and elevator machines, to convey the cement from the reclaiming area to a dispatch hopper. The introduction of these components, together with cement stacking and dispatch systems, is a Fully Automated Cement Horizontal Storage system and method.

A Pneumatic Bulk Container (PBC) includes a tank body configured to carry bulk product and further configured to form an airtight seal to hold pressurized air and an input port for receiving pressurized air. An air line coupled to the input port for receiving pressured air from the air input port and for conducting the pressurized air into the PBC is coupled to a three inch jet line that produces a greater volume and lower pressure air into an output port. At least one inflatable air slide coupled to receive pressured air from the air line for fluidizing and pushing the bulk product towards the four inch diameter output port.

A Pneumatic Bulk Container (PBC) includes a tank body configured to carry bulk product and further configured to form an airtight seal to hold pressurized air and an input port for receiving pressurized air. An air line coupled to the input port for receiving pressured air from the air input port and for conducting the pressurized air into the PBC is coupled to a three inch jet line that produces a greater volume and lower pressure air into an output port. At least one inflatable air slide coupled to receive pressured air from the air line for fluidizing and pushing the bulk product towards the four inch diameter output port.

A flexible liner system for a silo receiving and storing granular materials, in which the flexible liner system includes a first flexible inflate liner and a second flexible inflate liner placed in the silo and aligned respectively against a silo wall and a silo floor. The first inflate liner and the second inflate liner are separated from each other by a central trough that extends completely across or substantially completely across the silo floor. The flexible liner system includes a conveyor assembly that inflates each inflate liner to push the granular material toward the central trough and aerates the granular material stored in the silo. The flexible liner system further includes a liner return system that allows each inflate liner to be brought back against the wall and the floor of the silo during deflation.

An apparatus for metering granular material, comprising: a container for holding the granular material, the container including a granular material outlet; a mass change measuring device, operatively connected to the container, for measuring a decrease in the mass of the granular material in the container; a granular material forcing apparatus, operatively connected to the container, for selectively forcing granular material out of the container through the granular material outlet; a granular material fluidizer, operatively connected to the container, for fluidizing the granular material within the container during operation of the fluidizer; an electronic controller, operatively connected to the granular material forcing apparatus, for selectively activating and deactivating the granular material forcing apparatus, the controller being operatively connected to the mass change measuring device such that the granular material forcing apparatus is deactivated in response to a predetermined decrease in the mass of the granular material in the container.

An apparatus for metering granular material, comprising: a container for holding the granular material, the container including a granular material outlet; a mass change measuring device, operatively connected to the container, for measuring a decrease in the mass of the granular material in the container; a granular material forcing apparatus, operatively connected to the container, for selectively forcing granular material out of the container through the granular material outlet; a granular material fluidizer, operatively connected to the container, for fluidizing the granular material within the container during operation of the fluidizer; an electronic controller, operatively connected to the granular material forcing apparatus, for selectively activating and deactivating the granular material forcing apparatus, the controller being operatively connected to the mass change measuring device such that the granular material forcing apparatus is deactivated in response to a predetermined decrease in the mass of the granular material in the container.

A sanitary high pressure valve assembly is provided. The valve assembly includes an inlet adaptor for admitting pressurized gas into a sanitary central passageway for release into a storage vessel containing granular material for the purpose of aiding flow of the granular material from the storage vessel. The valve assembly also includes an isolation chamber for housing serviceable parts that are isolated from the sanitary central passageway.