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 dry bulk commodities cargo fluidizing system which is substantially flat and foldable for use in shipping container liner-bags used for transporting bulk commodities and may be built into or secured to liner-bags. The system is composed of a first floor layer and a second floor layer which covers the first floor layer. The first and second floor layers are thermally joined together about woven plastic mesh to form connected chambers for receiving deliver of fluid evenly throughout the system with the second floor layer having multiple pinholes of various size and number density over its surface in relation to the fluid source to the system. The plastic mesh strips between the first and second floor layers create fluid flow bridges for fluid flow even when bulk commodities cargo is loaded onto the second floor layer and is pressing the second floor layer against the first floor layer.

A dry bulk commodities cargo fluidizing system which is substantially flat and foldable for use in shipping container liner-bags used for transporting bulk commodities and may be built into or secured to liner-bags. The system is composed of a first floor layer and a second floor layer which covers the first floor layer. The first and second floor layers are thermally joined together about woven plastic mesh to form connected chambers for receiving deliver of fluid evenly throughout the system with the second floor layer having multiple pinholes of various size and number density over its surface in relation to the fluid source to the system. The plastic mesh strips between the first and second floor layers create fluid flow bridges for fluid flow even when bulk commodities cargo is loaded onto the second floor layer and is pressing the second floor layer against the first floor layer.

An apparatus includes a superstructure including cylindrical vessel with a conical bottom section and an opening near the base of the cone; an air assisted puffer device near the base of the cone; an air blower attached near the base of the cone, wherein the air blower is configured to produce air velocities of at least about 40 ft/min; a gently sweeping elbow attached after the blower exit; and a hatch fitted to the top of the vessel that allows for a funnel to be connected to the tank thereby allowing bulk barite powder to be loaded into the top of the tank from bulk bags. A barite powder blend including: a blend of barite particles with a size of about 1 micron and barite particles with a size of at least about 325 mesh, wherein the D50 of the blend is not greater than about 325 mesh.

An apparatus includes a superstructure including cylindrical vessel with a conical bottom section and an opening near the base of the cone; an air assisted puffer device near the base of the cone; an air blower attached near the base of the cone, wherein the air blower is configured to produce air velocities of at least about 40 ft/min; a gently sweeping elbow attached after the blower exit; and a hatch fitted to the top of the vessel that allows for a funnel to be connected to the tank thereby allowing bulk barite powder to be loaded into the top of the tank from bulk bags. A barite powder blend including: a blend of barite particles with a size of about 1 micron and barite particles with a size of at least about 325 mesh, wherein the D50 of the blend is not greater than about 325 mesh.

A method for handling polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) powder, the method including receiving PTFE powder into a hopper having a conical section; reducing a sticking force (1) between an inner surface of the conical section of the hopper and the PTFE powder, (2) among particles of the PTFE powder, or both; discharging the PTFE powder from an outlet located near a base of the conical section of the hopper into a transfer channel; applying a pressure differential to the transfer channel to convey the PTFE powder in a dilute phase including a gas and the PTFE powder along the transfer channel; and at an outlet of the transfer channel, separating the PTFE powder from the gas, in which the separated PTFE powder has a particle morphology that is sufficient for dry manufacturing of film battery electrodes.

A method for handling polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) powder, the method including receiving PTFE powder into a hopper having a conical section; reducing a sticking force (1) between an inner surface of the conical section of the hopper and the PTFE powder, (2) among particles of the PTFE powder, or both; discharging the PTFE powder from an outlet located near a base of the conical section of the hopper into a transfer channel; applying a pressure differential to the transfer channel to convey the PTFE powder in a dilute phase including a gas and the PTFE powder along the transfer channel; and at an outlet of the transfer channel, separating the PTFE powder from the gas, in which the separated PTFE powder has a particle morphology that is sufficient for dry manufacturing of film battery electrodes.

A flexible container for containing a flowable material, including a primary chamber having an inlet at an upper part of the primary chamber through which the flowable material is loaded into the flexible container and a secondary chamber extending from a first side of the primary chamber at a lower part thereof and containing an outlet through which the flowable material exits the flowable container, the secondary chamber being configured to fold against the first side and be secured thereto, and when unsecured from the first side, the flowable material is allowed to exit the flexible container wherein the primary chamber and secondary chamber are each formed of an inner layer and an outer layer, wherein an inner layer comprises a laminate layer; and the outer layer comprises raffia.

A flexible container for containing a flowable material, including a primary chamber having an inlet at an upper part of the primary chamber through which the flowable material is loaded into the flexible container and a secondary chamber extending from a first side of the primary chamber at a lower part thereof and containing an outlet through which the flowable material exits the flowable container, the secondary chamber being configured to fold against the first side and be secured thereto, and when unsecured from the first side, the flowable material is allowed to exit the flexible container wherein the primary chamber and secondary chamber are each formed of an inner layer and an outer layer, wherein an inner layer comprises a laminate layer; and the outer layer comprises raffia.

A system and method for feeding a high volume of low-bulk-density and pressure-sensitive feedstocks into a pressurized environment. The system includes a lock hopper filling system, one or more lock hoppers, a feed bin, and a feeder. The methods involve using such a system to feed bulk materials into a pressurized environment by feeding bulk material from a low pressure into the surge bin, filling the one or more lock hoppers from the surge bin, operating the lock hoppers, and discharging lock hoppers into feed bin, and discharging feed bin into the high-pressure zone using feeder.