Assemblies, apparatuses, and methods to extract or convey a material from a source of the material may include a vacuum generation and sound attenuation assembly and a material receiver to enhance conveyance the material from the source of the material. The vacuum generation and sound attenuation assembly may include a vacuum source positioned to cause a vacuum flow between the source of the material, the material receiver, and the vacuum generation and sound attenuation assembly. The vacuum generation and sound attenuation assembly may further include a sound attenuation chamber positioned to receive at least a portion of the vacuum flow from, and attenuate sound generated by, the vacuum source. The material receiver may be positioned an elevated location relative to a source of the material and be capable of staging and metering the conveyance of material when moving material at the top of a structure, such as a refinery tower.

Methodology for conveying hot Geldart group C materials. A slide plate for a slide of a conveyor for Geldart group C materials having a longitudinal axis, an up-facing surface for supporting the Geldart group C materials, a lower surface, a front-end surface and a rear-end surface may have a significantly reduced slope if the slide plate is made of a ceramic refractory such that the slide plate has a number of through holes configured to provide fluid communication between fluid inlets in the lower surface and fluid outlets in the up-facing surface.

Methodology for conveying hot Geldart group C materials. A slide plate for a slide of a conveyor for Geldart group C materials having a longitudinal axis, an up-facing surface for supporting the Geldart group C materials, a lower surface, a front-end surface and a rear-end surface may have a significantly reduced slope if the slide plate is made of a ceramic refractory such that the slide plate has a number of through holes configured to provide fluid communication between fluid inlets in the lower surface and fluid outlets in the up-facing surface.

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.