Disclosed is a valve for use in particulate material processing. The valve has a rotatable closure member having a convex sealing surface and a resilient sealing ring moveable between a first configuration in which the sealing ring forms a seal around a circumference of the convex sealing surface; and a second position in which a circumferential gap is defined between the convex sealing surface and the sealing ring. The valve body defines a fluid-directing surface extending around the fluid passage between the inlet and the sealing ring to define an annular clearance which tapers towards the sealing ring and becomes narrower than the annular gap. When there is a pressure drop across the valve and before the closure member is moved to fully open the valve, material flowing through the valve experiences a dynamic pressure rise towards the circumferential gap, decreasing flow velocity and wear.

Method and apparatus for air flow limiting comprise a vertically oriented tube, a sail assembly positioned in the tube and moveable therewithin responsively to air flow through the tube to limit rate of air flow through the tube and halt air flow through the tube upon air flow rate through the tube exceeding a preselected value, and a moveable stop for adjustably changing the length of travel of the sail assembly thereby changing the maximum amount of air flow.

Method and apparatus for air flow regulation comprise a vertically oriented conduit, a sail assembly positioned in the conduit and moveable therewithin responsively to air flow through the conduit to regulate rate of air flow through the conduit and to stop air flow through the conduit upon air flow rate through the conduit exceeding a preselected value with a detector for sensing when the sail assembly has stopped air flow thought the conduit as a result of air flow rate exceeding said pre-selected value.

Method and apparatus for air flow regulation comprise a vertically oriented conduit, a sail assembly positioned in the conduit and moveable therewithin responsively to air flow through the conduit to regulate rate of air flow through the conduit and to stop air flow through the conduit upon air flow rate through the conduit exceeding a preselected value with a detector for sensing when the sail assembly has stopped air flow thought the conduit as a result of air flow rate exceeding said pre-selected value.

A method of and for optimizing pressure waves in fluids and profiling openings of elements of mechanical system to optimize systems, is provided. The method aids in the generation of pressure waves with predetermined waveform in elastic fluids and can be used to increase the energy efficiency in the pipeline technologies for the transportation of flowable media, one-phase and multi-phase, homogeneous, and heterogeneous media; powders, disperse mixtures; and technologies of forced extraction of liquids from capillary porous saturated media. Wherein, in the use of the method, changing a value of at least one of the parameters of the generating waves consisting of the shapes, sizes and single-position location of surfaces profiles of openings, amplitude, frequency, waveform, and the pressure difference (P.sup.+-P.sup.) measured on the pump of generating compression and rarefaction pressure waves so, that an energy efficiency of a process of generating pressure waves determined by minimal value of the specific ratio and therefore a maximum energy efficiency of the interaction of the specific wave energy with the elastic fluid flow, is optimized.

Provided are a rotational flow generator, a piping system, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and a heat exchanger that enable the clogging of a pipe member to be more effectively prevented. A rotational flow generator 1 comprises a spray port 14a that can be attached to/removed from a pipe member 103 through which a first fluid flows, and that sprays a second fluid in a direction inclined with respect to the center axis line of the pipe member 103. A rotational flow generated by the rotational flow generator 1 can reduce the amount of accretion on an inner wall of the pipe member 103.

In one aspect, a system for removing blockages present within a delivery conduit of a seeder may include a plurality of delivery conduits, a plurality of flow blocking devices, and a plurality of blockage sensors. A controller may be configured to determine when a blockage is present within a first delivery conduit of the plurality of delivery conduits based on measurement signals received from the plurality of blockage sensors. The controller may be further configured to control the flow blocking devices to occlude the flow of air through the other delivery conduits of the plurality of delivery conduits such that an air pressure in the first delivery conduit is increased.

In one aspect, a system for removing blockages present within a delivery conduit of a seeder may include a plurality of delivery conduits, a plurality of flow blocking devices, and a plurality of blockage sensors. A controller may be configured to determine when a blockage is present within a first delivery conduit of the plurality of delivery conduits based on measurement signals received from the plurality of blockage sensors. The controller may be further configured to control the flow blocking devices to occlude the flow of air through the other delivery conduits of the plurality of delivery conduits such that an air pressure in the first delivery conduit is increased.

Methods for conveying granular material from a supply to receivers that retain and dispense the material when needed by process machine include a vacuum pump, an air flow regulator connected to the vacuum pump, a first conduit connecting the receivers to the air flow regulator, and a second conduit connecting the material supply to the receivers.

Methods for conveying granular material from a supply to receivers that retain and dispense the material when needed by process machine include a vacuum pump, an air flow regulator connected to the vacuum pump, a first conduit connecting the receivers to the air flow regulator, and a second conduit connecting the material supply to the receivers.