A method for coating bulk material uses a coating apparatus to produce a continuous flow of coated material having a predetermined stationary coating weight gain. Coating material is sprayed on the bulk material in two phases within respective first and second rotatable tubular containers of the coating apparatus. In the first rotatable container, the bulk material is partially coated with a pre-set weight gain. In the second rotatable container, the bulk material is sprayed with a coating material to obtain a bulk material coated with the predetermined stational coating weight gain. A transition phase is provided between the two spray periods during which a load of coated bulk material from the first container is transferred at a transfer flow rate to the second container while a new load of bulk material is fed to the first container at the same flow rate as the transfer flow rate.

The disclosure encompasses systems and methods for performing high temperature and high humidity curing of tablets using air flow delivered from a recirculating air handler to a pan coater of a tablet coating device. The recirculating air handler may be integrated into a preexisting tablet coating device so that the air flow may be delivered by the preexisting air handler or by the recirculating air handler as desired.

Methods and apparatus for electrostatic dispensing fluid onto food products are disclosed. An electrostatic dispense system includes a material supply, a voltage block, and a power supply to electrostatically charge a coating material. The electrostatic dispense system further includes a dispense assembly, a conveyor through or by which a food product is configured to be conveyed, and a support that supports at least one liquid outlet of the dispense assembly. The dispense assembly dispenses the electrostatically charged coating material from the at least one liquid outlet onto the food product. The voltage block provides electrical isolation, and includes a pump that pumps the electrostatically charged coating material to the dispense assembly.

In a method of coating a particulate material, a particulate material is fed into a mixing chamber. The particulate material is agitated within the mixing chamber and conveyed to a mixing chamber outlet. A coating is directed into the mixing chamber and the flow of the coating is controlled based on the volumetric flow rate of the particulate material into the mixing chamber. The coating includes at least one compound selected from herbicides, insecticides, nutrients, wetting agents, surfactants, fungicides, biologicals, inoculants, and mixtures thereof.

Coating apparatus (20) includes a pair of juxtaposed bodies (22, 24, 112, 114, 112a, 114a, 138, 140) defining a nip region (30, 126, 126a, 150) therebetween, with each presenting a periphery (26, 28, 116, 118, 116a, 118a, 144, 146) and being rotatable in opposite directions, respectively. The peripheries (26, 28, 116, 118, 116a, 118a, 144, 146) of the bodies (22, 24, 112, 114, 112a, 114a, 138, 140) are provided with a series of indentations (32, 120, 120a, 148). Liquid coating material is directed onto the bodies (22, 24, 112, 114, 112a, 114a, 138, 140) through an outlet (100, 110, 158) during rotation of the bodies (22, 24, 112, 114, 112a, 114a, 138, 140). This generates an adjustable spray or fog flow pattern (108) for effective coating of a substrate.

Coating apparatus (20) includes a pair of juxtaposed, cylindrical bodies (22, 24) defining a nip region (30) therebetween, with each presenting a periphery (26, 28) and being rotatable in opposite directions, respectively. The peripheries (26, 28) of the bodies (22, 24) are provided with a series of laterally extending notches (32), optionally oriented to provide chevron patterns (68) with apices (32a) and diverging legs (70a, 70b); the patterns (68) are positioned so that the apices (32a) first pass through the nip region (30), with the legs (70a, 70b) in trailing relationship. Liquid coating material is directed onto the bodies (22, 24) through an outlet (100, 110) during rotation of the bodies (22, 24). This generates an adjustable spray or fog flow pattern (108) from the apparatus (20) for effective coating of a substrate.

A spray coating machine and process accommodates coating pans of various sizes and simplifies cleaning after particulate material in the pan is coated. A selected pan is supported on a trolley carried by a wheeled cart. After the cart is positioned adjacent the coating machine, the trolley and pan are extended into the machine, and then the pan lifted for support by a rotatable drive shaft and castors. The trolley is then removed from the machine, and the door is closed so that the coating process can commence. When coating is complete, the door is opened, and the trolley extended into the machine under the pan and raised for removal of the castors. Then, the trolley and pan are withdrawn from the machine. The trolley does not need cleaning after spraying, since the trolley is outside the machine during spraying of the coating solution.

A mixing apparatus is configured to efficiently input noodles coated with an additive to a receiving tray, with no need to perform weighing again after the noodles are input to the receiving tray. The mixing apparatus includes at least two hoppers that each house falling noodles and that allows the noodles to fall through rotation of the hoppers. A supply device supplies a sauce to the noodles in the hoppers, and the two hoppers are spaced from one another in the falling direction.

A granular coating conveyor system for coating granular particles carried in compartments along a tubular conveyor member. Coating fluid is fed over the granular particles through radial nozzles located inside a co-axial rotating blender with tubular member upstream discharge port and tubular member downstream return ingress port for the granular particles. The blender is a drum having a helicoidal spiral screw integrally mounted to an interior peripheral wall face of the drum and extending therealong radially outwardly of the tubular member mixing in the drum in tumbling fashion the granular particles with coating fluid and guiding same therealong, so as to dynamically form a kidney shape mass of granular particles.

A plasma spray system including a turntable subsystem operable to position a multiple of work pieces on a respective multiple of workpiece mounts; a plasma spray subsystem operable to plasma spray the multiple of work pieces on said turntable subsystem; and an overspray wash subsystem operable to wash the multiple of work pieces on said turntable subsystem subsequent to plasma spray of the multiple of work pieces.