CA2753636A1 - System and method for sequentially displacing granular material - Google Patents

Abstract

A system and method for sequentially displacing granular material from a storage container to an apparatus that makes usage of granular material. In a preferred embodiment, granular material is burned into a burner and produces heat for a residential or commercial building. The granular material is discharged in the storage device using a transportation vehicle such as a truck or train. To accelerate or stop the descent of the granular material to the burner device, a pressurization conduit induces positive or negative variation of the air-pressure of the storage and the storage has a generally conical shape.

Description

File number: 11825-001 Revision: As Filed Date: 201 1-09-27 Title of the Invention System and method for sequentially displacing granular material Field of the Invention [002] The present invention generally relates to the field of system for displacing granular material from a transportation vehicle to a storage apparatus and, more particularly, to a novel system for displacing wood pellet for heating purposes from a delivery truck to a silo or a tank.

Background of the Invention [003] In the recent years, the high increase on the demand on petroleum products versus the slower increased production rate of such petroleum products have skyrocketed the price of heating the interior of a building. To cope with the high prices, many people started to utilize wood burning fireplaces and stoves as a main or auxiliary heating source, particularly for homes, shops and small offices. More particularly, many people started to use wood pellet stove to produce heat.

[004] Usually, stove heating systems are located into the building basement in order to optimize the heating process. One of the major disadvantages of having a stove heating system within a basement relates to the storage and transport of the wood pellets or of any other burnable granular material. More than often, the wood pellets are bought as bags and shall be manually carried within the basement, near the stove heating system.
This process is typically lengthy and maybe arduous during the winter as a bag of wood pellet may weight up to 40 pounds. There is therefore a need for a method to easily transport wood pellet or any other burnable granular material directly to the stove heating system, wherever such stove is installed. Also, it should allow to store a large quantity of wood pellets or any other burnable material and to allow a granular material transporter to easily refill the storage container.

[005] Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described or will be Fi Ic number: 1 1825-001 Revision: As Filed Date: 2011-09-27 indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practise.

Summary of the Invention [006] In order to at least mitigate the aforementioned and possibly other problems, a system and method for sequentially displacing granular material in accordance with the principles of the present invention is presented.

[007] A system for sequentially displacing granular material in accordance with the present invention, wherein the system comprises at least one storage apparatus, an output valve and conduit, at least one vacuum device, at least one inputting conduit for discharging granular material in the storage apparatus, at least one pressurization conduit to induce positive or negative variation of the air-pressure of the storage apparatus, at least one airflow conduit connected to a conduit for allowing air to enter the storage apparatus and at least one granular material source.

[008] The granular material may be expelled from the storage apparatus through gravity and/or through the use of the airflow valve. The thickness of the wall of the storage apparatus may vary to support the power of the vacuum device. The usage of a vacuum device may decrease the pressure within the storage apparatus, therefore increasing the flow speed of the inputting of the granular material in the storage apparatus.

[009] A method for sequentially displacing granular material comprising the steps to discharge granular material through an inputting conduit, to open an output valve allowing the outputting of granular material from a storage apparatus, to open an airflow valve to accelerate the output flow of granular material from a storage apparatus and to have the granular material displaced to an external storage or apparatus.
Furthermore, the method may comprise steps allowing the speed for discharging the granular material to be increased by closing an airflow valve therefore blocking the input of airflow within the storage apparatus, to lower the pressure within the storage apparatus using a vacuum device and stopping the vacuum device to allow the granular material to be outputted from the storage apparatus.

File number: 11825-001 Revision: As Filed Date: 2011-09-27 [0010] Other and further aspects and advantages of the present invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice. The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings [0011] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0012] Figure 1 is a section view of a system for sequentially displacing granular material in accordance with the present invention.

[0013] Figure 2 is a section view of an embodiment of the present invention installed to displace granular material from a delivery truck to the basement of a building.

[0014] Figure 3 is a section view of an airflow conduit and the related valve.

[0015] Figure 4 is a workflow diagram of the different steps of a method for sequentially displacing granular material in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment [0016] A novel system and method for sequentially displacing granular material will be described hereinafter. Although the invention is described in terms of specific illustrative embodiment(s), it is to be understood that the embodiment(s) described herein are by way of example only and that the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited thereby.

[0017] Referring to Figure 1, a system for sequentially displacing granular material is generally indicated at 100. The system 100 generally comprises at least one storage apparatus 101, such as a silo, a tank or any storage reservoir, an output valve 102 and File number: 11825-001 Revision: As Filed Date: 2011-09-27 conduit 108, at least one vacuum device 103, at least one inputting conduit 104 for discharging granular material in the storage apparatus 101, at least one pressurization conduit 105 to induce positive or negative variation of the air-pressure of the storage apparatus 101, at least one airflow conduit connected to a conduit 105 for allowing air to enter the storage apparatus 101 and at least one granular material source 107, such as an external reservoir, a delivery truck or a direct flow of granular material.

[0018] The storage apparatus 101 is generally shaped as a cylinder having a conical end to control the output of granular material using an output conduit 108 and an output valve 102. In another embodiment, the shape of the storage apparatus may be adapted to optimize the flow of granular material following environmental parameters. To allow the outputting of granular material, the storage apparatus comprises an aperture 109 in which a valve 102 may be installed. Alternatively, an output conduit 108 may be installed in the aperture 109. In this configuration, the valve 102 must be installed at the outputting end of the output conduit 108.

[0019] The granular material may be expelled from the storage apparatus 101 through gravity and/or through the opening of the airflow valve shown in Figure 3 as 301. The thickness of the wall of the storage apparatus 101 may vary to support the power of the vacuum device 103. In an embodiment comprising at least one vacuum device 103, the device 103 allows the lowering of the pressure through at least one pressurization conduit 105 generally connected to the higher end of the storage apparatus 101'.

[0020] The at least one pressure conduit 105 may have a generally cylindrical shape, the diameter and length of the conduit 105 may be changed based on parameters such as the volume of the storage apparatus 101, the power of the vacuum device 103 and the distance between the vacuum device 105 and the storage apparatus 101. The pressurization conduit comprises 105 at least one airflow conduit 106.

[0021] Now referring to Figure 3, the airflow conduit 106 is presented. The airflow conduit 106 is connected, on a first end, to the pressurization conduit 105 and is opened on a second end to allow air to enter the conduit 106. The airflow conduit 106 comprises a valve 301. In an open position, the valve 301 allows air to enter the pressurization conduit 105 consequently increasing the pressure within the storage apparatus 101. Such pressure increase allows a constant and fast output flow of the granular material File number: 11825-001 Revision: As Filed Date: 2011-09-27 contained in the storage apparatus 101 through the granular material output valve 102 and/or output conduit 108. One skilled in the art may note that a variation in the opening of the valve 301 may allow the control of the flow speed of the outputting of the granular material. In a closed position, the valve 301 allows the pressure within the storage apparatus to be maintained or decreased through a vacuum device 103.

[0022] Referring back to Figure 1, an inputting conduit 104 is connected, on a first end, to the upper portion of the storage apparatus 101 and, on a second end, to at least one granular material source 107. An inputting conduit 104 is generally shaped as a cylinder to facilitate the flow of granular material. However, in another embodiment, the inputting conduit 104 may be shaped differently in order to optimize the flow of the granular material. When granular material is inputted through the inputting conduit 104, the vacuum device 103 may be used to decrease the pressure within the storage apparatus 101 and consequently increase the flow speed of the inputting of the granular material. In another embodiment, a valve (not shown) may be installed to control the inputting flow of the granular material within the storage apparatus 101.

[0023] Now referring to Figure 4, a method for sequentially displacing granular material 400 is shown, wherein such method comprises the steps to discharge granular material through an inputting conduit 401, to open an output valve allowing the outputting of granular material from a storage apparatus 402, to open an airflow valve to accelerate the output flow of granular material from a storage apparatus 403 and to have the granular material displaced to an external storage or apparatus 404. Furthermore, the method 400 may comprise steps allowing the speed for discharging the granular material to be increased. The method 400 may comprise steps to close an airflow valve 405 blocking the input of airflow within the storage apparatus, to lower the pressure within the storage apparatus using a vacuum device 406 and to stop the vacuum device 407 in order to allow the granular material to be outputted from the storage apparatus.

[0024] While illustrative and presently preferred embodiment(s) of the invention have been described in detail hereinabove, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited by the prior art.

Claims (2)

1) A system for sequentially displacing granular material as described above.

2) A method for sequentially displacing granular material as described above.