EP2358612A1

EP2358612A1 - Device for the fluidification of granular materials, container provided with such a device and method for unclogging granular materials contained in a container

Info

Publication number: EP2358612A1
Application number: EP09783819A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jean-Marie Caucheteux
Original assignee: VCM METAL
Current assignee: VCM METAL
Priority date: 2008-10-07
Filing date: 2009-10-07
Publication date: 2011-08-24
Also published as: WO2010040783A1; EP2174891A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of fluidifiers of granular materials. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device (1) and to a suitable method for the fluidification and the unclogging of granular materials (24) contained in containers (14) such as silos or hoppers.

Description

DEVICE FOR THE FLUIDIFICATION OF GRANULAR MATERIALS, CONTAINER PROVIDED WITH SUCH A DEVICE AND PROCESS FOR DECOLMAGING GRANULAR MATERIALS

CONTENTS IN A CONTAINER

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of lubricants of granular materials.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and method suitable for the lubrication and declogging of granular materials contained in containers such as silos or hoppers.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Dry granular materials such as flour, cements, lime, fertilizers, vegetable seeds, powdery chemical compositions, among others, are generally stored in high capacity containers such as silos, hoppers, storage tanks, storage, tanks, etc. This makes it possible to keep these dry solids away from light and often from ambient humidity while awaiting further use.

It is well known in the art that dry granular products pose certain problems when it comes to unloading the contained products out of the container. In some cases, the granular materials refuse to flow to the outlet of the container due to the formation of air channels in the products or because of moisture which leads to the formation of blocks within the container. This can lead to situations of blocking or clogging of the corresponding containers. It is therefore necessary to realize the unclogging the container, which in some cases can be long, complex and expensive.

This well known problem in the field of storage of granular products has led to the development of various devices for the introduction of air or vibratory waves into the granular materials inside the storage tanks, so as to eliminate blockages. of products and to facilitate the free flow through the unloading outlet of the container concerned. Such devices are described for example in US Patents 3,929,261; US 3,952,956; US 4,030,755; US 4,172,539; US 4,189,262; US 4,662,543; US 4,767,024; US 4,820,052; US 5,017,053; US 6,170,976; or US 2006/0220266. However, the devices described all have as a common point that they require a larger or smaller portion of these devices is disposed within the storage volume for containing the granular materials. As a result, a greater or lesser part of the storage volume is consumed by the aeration devices instead of being devoted to the storage of materials. Furthermore, it has been found that any part or element of an aeration device which protrudes within the storage volume in fact causes resistance to the flow of the granular material contained. More importantly, these protruding parts create zones of clashes which can in certain cases initiate and promote the formation of aggregates of materials which consequently can cause clogging of the container and prevent the flow of the contained materials. Finally, it appeared that some of the solutions described in the art did not make it possible to maintain an efficiency aeration / fluidification constant and high in time. This being due in particular to problems of clogging filters, membranes or orifices associated with the disclosed systems.

A partial solution to these problems has been described for example in US 4,930,230 which discloses an apparatus for the mass conditioning of materials, the apparatus comprising a silo and a plurality of steam injectors distributed on the silo. These injectors being placed in such a way that there are no projecting parts inside the storage volume. Similarly, EP-A2-1 277 999 discloses a relatively complex aeration device whose structure, which although communicating with the interior of the storage chamber, is not located inside thereof.

Other developments have been developed in the field of fluidizers. Document EP 0 160 281 for example discloses a fluid diffusion valve whose head has curved zones likely to offer relatively little resistance to the flow of the fluid. When opened, the valve moves linearly against the action of a spring to stop at the end of its stroke. The fluid then flows in a substantially laminar manner which limits its pressure losses and thus increases its efficiency. In JP 8 281 159, the valve moves during its opening also linearly under the action of a gas flow against the combined effect of a spring and a magnet to stop at the end of his race. Without wishing to call into question the advantages provided by the solutions described in the prior art, the fact remains that these solutions are not entirely satisfactory from the point of view of their efficiency. There is therefore still a need for granular material filtration devices contained in a container which retain their efficiency over time and which provide high fluidification efficiency, while involving a low complexity manufacturing and assembly process. so inexpensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the above-mentioned state of the art by describing a fluidification device which guarantees both a high and durable fluidification efficiency and which involves a method of manufacturing and relatively simple assembly.

The invention is as defined in the main claims and comprises in particular a device suitable for the fluidification of granular materials, comprising:

(a) a yoke comprising at one of its ends a main opening connectable with means for pressurizing a fluid, and at the opposite end a secondary opening and fluid injection openings; (b) a valve comprising a head and a stem, said valve stem being slidable in said secondary opening;

(c) return means associating said valve and said cylinder head; such that when said device is not pressurized through said pressurizing means, said valve head seals said injection openings through said return means; and when said device is pressurized through said pressurizing means, said valve stem slides in said secondary opening so that said valve head no longer occludes said injection openings, characterized in that that the valve head has an inner face whose profile forms an angle α of 80 to 89 ° with the longitudinal axis of the valve stem, which allows it to vibrate under the action of a fluid flow. The inner face of the valve is the one facing the fluid injection openings of the cylinder head.

It has surprisingly been found that the angle α as defined above causes, during the displacement of the valve into its open position, in the fluid a turbulent flow such that the valve begins to vibrate, the manner of an inverted pendulum around a point of equilibrium situated on the longitudinal axis of its stem. The displacement of the valve is no longer only linear as in the documents EP 0 160 281 and JP 8 281 159 cited above but results from a combination of a translation and a vibratory movement.

In addition, it has been found that the vibratory action of the valve combined with the injection of pressurized fluid contributes to greatly improve the fluidizing effect. It is postulated that the vibration of the valve helps to create a pneumatic vibration that propagates through granular materials and promotes their motion.

The present invention also includes a container adapted to contain granular materials, the container being inter alia provided with at least one device as mentioned above. The present invention also relates to a method for unclogging granular materials contained in a container, the method comprising the step of placing on the container at least one device as mentioned above. The device according to the invention makes it possible not only to efficiently fluidize granular materials contained in a storage container, so as to avoid clogging phenomena and material flow problems (preventive action), but also allows to unclog containers that are prevented from being drained or braked

(curative action). This double action is made possible by the various components of the device according to the invention, and their particular arrangement within the device. The present invention also relates to the use of a device as mentioned above for the fluidification of granular materials. Moreover, the present invention relates to the use of a device such as mentioned above for unclogging granular materials contained in a container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a general sectional representation of a device 1 according to the present invention placed on a container 14 when the device is pressurized. FIG. 2 is a general sectional representation of a device 1 according to the present invention placed on a container 14 when the device is not pressurized.

FIG. 3 is a sectional representation of a support ring 2 (optional) disposed on the wall 16 of a container 14, wall 16 on which an insertion opening 22 is present.

FIG.4 is a perspective representation of a device 1 according to the present invention when the yoke 3 is in the projected position relative to the support ring 2.

FIG. 5 is an exploded representation of a device 1 according to the present invention, in which are represented: a support ring 2, a valve 8, sealing means 13, a cylinder head 3, return means 11, and restraint means 12.

FIG.6 is a front view of a device 1 according to the present invention shown without the cylinder head

3.

FIG.7 is a representation of a container 14 on which are placed two devices 1 according to the present invention.

FIG.8A-E are sequential views of the operation of a preferred embodiment of the device 1. FIG. 9 illustrates the principle of self-regulation of the axial stroke of the valve 8 of the device 1 according to FIGS. 8A to E.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

PARTICULARS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in particular to a device 1 suitable for the thinning of granular materials 24.

In the context of the present invention, the term "granular materials" means any material, generally solid, granule or powder type that is typically capable of spilling. Preferably, the granular materials 24 are so-called powdery materials such as cements, flours, lime, certain fertilizers, vegetable seeds, powdery chemical compositions, fillers, recovered fillers, sands, granulas, etc. . It is known in the art that these materials are particularly susceptible to clogging when they are placed in storage containers for a period of time.

Referring now to FIG. 1, which is a general sectional representation of a device 1 according to the present invention placed on a container 14 when the device 1 is pressurized, it is apparent that the device 1 can understand how a support ring 2 associated with a yoke 3. The yoke 3 and the support ring 2 may be in any form well known to those skilled in the art provided, however, that said yoke 3 is slidable in said support ring 2. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support ring 2 can take the form of a hollow cylinder open at both ends symmetrically. The support ring 2 also defines an internal volume 23. According to this preferred embodiment, the yoke 3 preferably takes the form of a hollow cylinder open at both ends asymmetrically. The shapes and dimensions of said support ring 2 and the yoke 3 are chosen in a complementary manner to allow the yoke 3 to slide in the support ring 2. These shapes and dimensions will be easily identified by the skilled person.

In order to ensure a tight sliding between the support ring 2 or any other means and the yoke 3, said yoke 3 is advantageously provided with sealing means 13, well known to those skilled in the art. Preferably, said sealing means 13 may take the form of one or more O-rings placed on the outer face of the yoke 3, as shown in FIG. In a preferred embodiment, the support ring 2 may also be provided with means for adjusting the sliding of said yoke 3 in said support ring 2. These adjustment means 25 make it possible to ensure a perfectly controlled sliding of said cylinder head 3 in said support ring 2, which makes it possible to optimally control the introduction of the yoke 3 into the insertion opening 22 made in the wall 16 of the container 14, as described below (see FIG. 3). . Preferably, the adjustment means 25 take the form of one or more adjustment screws passing through the wall of the support ring 2 and coming into contact with the yoke 3 so as to create an appropriate mechanical friction, as shown in FIG.

The yoke 3 is further provided with a main opening 4 at one of its ends, and at the other end with a secondary opening 6 and injection openings 7 (see FIG. 6). The secondary opening 6 is intended to receive the valve 8, as described below. The injection openings 7 are intended to allow the projection of gas or liquid under pressure supplied by pressurizing means 5. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the injection openings 7 take the form of one or more circular perforations advantageously placed around said secondary opening 6. However, the present invention is not limited in this way. Concerning the pressurizing means 5 (see FIG. 7), these will be easily identifiable by those skilled in the art. They will not be detailed.

As shown in FIG. 5, the device 1 according to the present invention further comprises a valve 8 comprising a head 9 and a rod 10. The valve 8 can take any form well known to those skilled in the art to the provided however that said valve 8 is slidable in said secondary opening 6 of the cylinder head 3. The shapes and dimensions of said valve 8 and said secondary opening 6 are selected in a complementary manner to allow the valve 8 to slide in secondary opening 6. These shapes and dimensions will be easily identified by the skilled person. Preferably, the opening secondary 6 takes the form of a circular opening (as shown in FIG. 6). Preferably, said valve stem takes the form of an elongate cylinder, while said valve head 9 preferably takes the form of a profiled circular disc as shown in FIG.

According to a preferred embodiment, the yoke 3 is further provided with a housing 26 which is dimensioned and shaped such that it allows the valve head 9 to integrate optimally (see FIG. in combination with FIG. According to a preferred form, said valve head 9 can fit into said housing 26 so that said valve head 9 does not extend out of the plane 19 formed by the end of the cylinder head 3 containing the secondary opening 6, when the device 1 is not pressurized via the pressurizing means 5. According to an even more preferred embodiment, said valve 8 is configured so that the plane 20 formed by said valve head 9 is substantially adjacent to the plane 19 formed by the end of said cylinder head 3 containing said secondary opening 6, when the device 1 is not pressurized via the pressurizing means 5 (see FIG. .2 in combination with FIG.

Still according to a preferred embodiment and as shown in FIG. 6, said secondary opening 6 and said injection openings 7 are advantageously placed in said housing 26, so that said valve head 9 is able to close off said injection openings 7 when it is housed in the housing 26.

The device 1 according to the present invention further comprises return means 11 associating said valve 8 and said cylinder head 3. These return means 11 are able to maintain a compressive force between said valve 8 and said cylinder head 3, such that when the device 1 is not pressurized through the pressurizing means 5, the valve head 9 is able to effectively seal said injection openings 7. Return means 11 used in the present invention will be easily identified by those skilled in the art.

As shown in FIG. 2, and in a preferred embodiment, the return means 11 take the form of a compression spring associated with retaining means 12 well known to those skilled in the art. A preferred retaining means 12 is represented by a nut. According to this preferred embodiment, said spring is conveniently placed around said valve stem, and a nut is conveniently located at the end of said valve stem. Said nut is preferably screwed around a thread placed at the end of said valve stem. According to a normal operating mode of the device 1, and when the latter is not put under pressure via the pressurizing means 5, the spring is partially compressed between the retaining means 12 and the cylinder head 3 so as to make the valve head 9 able to effectively close off said injection openings 7. When the device 1 is pressurized via the means of putting under pressure 5, the pressurized fluid arriving through the main opening 4 of said cylinder head 3 is introduced through the injection openings 7 by pushing the valve head 9. This pressure force exerted on the valve head 9 causes the valve stem 10 to slide into said secondary opening 6 further compressing the spring and disobstracting said injection openings 7

(as shown in FIG. The pressurized fluid then flows particularly turbulently between the cylinder head 3 and the valve head 9, which causes the valve 8 to oscillate around a point of equilibrium situated on the longitudinal axis of its rod 10. When the pressurizing means 5 are deactivated, the spring decompresses by causing the valve stem 10 to slide in the opposite direction and by bringing the valve head 9 back so that the latter resets said injection openings 7 (as shown in FIG.2).

When the device 1 is pressurized, said injection openings 7 are unobstructed and the compressed fluid is thus released therethrough. When the device 1 is placed on storage containers 14 for granular materials, the compressed fluid is thus released inside the volume of the container 14 through the granular material 24.

The fluids that can be used in the present invention will be easily identified by those skilled in the art. Typical examples of fluids include, but are not limited to, more or less viscous gases and liquids. In a preferred embodiment, the fluid is a gas. In an even more preferred form, the fluid is air.

The various components of the device 1 as claimed may be made of any material well known in the field of industrial mechanics. These materials include but are not limited to plastic materials, metal, ceramics, stainless steels, refractory steels, quenched steels, coated steels, and the like. In a preferred embodiment, the constituent elements of the device 1 according to the invention are made of metal, preferably stainless steel.

FIG. 7 represents a container 14 capable of containing granular materials 24 comprising a receptacle 15 and a wall 16, said wall 16 comprising an inner face 17 and an outer face 18, in which said inner face 17 represents the wall in contact with said granular materials 24, said container 14 being further provided with at least one device 1 as previously described disposed on the wall 16 of said container 14. Preferably, the container 14 comprises several devices 1 disposed on the wall 16 of said container 14 .

According to the preferred embodiment in which the container 14 is further provided with a shedding opening 21, said at least one device 1 is preferably placed in the vicinity of said shedding opening 21 (as shown in FIG. 7). It is postulated that a device 1 placed near said shedding opening 21 promotes better fluidification and thus a more efficient emptying of the granular materials contained in the container 14. As is well known in the technical field, the container 14 may further be provided with means for opening / closing 27 of said unloading opening 21. As shown in FIG. FIG.7, the opening / closing means 27 may advantageously take the form of an opening helmet pivoting about a fixed axis. However, other embodiments of these opening / closing means 27, easily identifiable by those skilled in the art, can also be used in the context of the present invention.

According to yet another preferred embodiment, the device 1 is placed in such a way that the plane 19 formed by the end of said yoke 3 containing said secondary opening 6 is substantially adjacent to the plane formed by said inner face 17 of said wall 16 (see FIG. 2 in combination with FIG. 7). It has been found that according to this preferred embodiment, the device 1 does not create an attachment zone which could in certain cases initiate and promote the formation of material aggregates and which could consequently cause the clogging of the container. 14 and prevent the free flow of granular materials 24 contained. It is postulated that the absence of a gripping zone combined with the injection of pressurized fluid contributes to ensuring a high fluidification efficiency inside the container 14. According to yet another preferred embodiment, the shaped plane 20 by said valve head 9 is substantially adjacent to the plane 19 formed by the end of said cylinder head 3 containing said secondary opening 6. This again guarantees the absence of an attachment zone inside the container 14, but also contributes to forming a homogeneous and smooth contact surface between the device 1 and the granular materials 24 contained in the container 14.

According to a normal operating mode of the device 1 placed on the wall 16 of the container 14, when the device 1 is pressurized by means of said pressurizing means 5, said valve 8 slides while vibrating in said opening secondary 6 so as to project said valve head 9 out of the plane 19 formed by the end of said yoke 3 inside the receptacle 15 of said container 14. It is postulated that this particular configuration of the valve head 9 projecting inside the receptacle 15 guarantees an injection of pressurized fluid into the core of the granular material 24 contained, thus promoting high fluidification and / or efficient declogging.

The present invention also provides a method for unclogging granular materials 24 contained in a container 14 comprising a receptacle 15 and a wall 16, said wall 16 comprising an inner face 17 and an outer face 18, said method comprising the step of placing at least one device 1 as previously described on said container 14, said device 1 being placed on said container 14 according to a method comprising the steps of: • piercing an insertion opening 22 through said wall 16 so as to allow a communication between the main opening (4) the yoke (3) and the interior of the receptacle 15 of the container 14;

• introducing through said insertion opening 22, the assembly comprising said yoke 3 associated with said valve 8 and said return means 11, so that the plane 19 formed by the end of said yoke 3 containing said secondary opening 6 is substantially adjacent to the plane formed by said inner face 17 of said wall 16;

• Fix said assembly to the wall 16 possibly via a support ring 2;

• activate said pressurizing means 5.

This method has the advantage of installing said device 1 at any time in a wall of the container 14, whether it is empty or filled.

The method according to the present invention thus makes it possible to operate on containers 14 already subject to clogging phenomena of the unloading opening 21 or on containers 14 in which the granular materials 24 contained have aggregated to the point of slowing down or slowing down. prevent their flow out of the container 14.

The present invention relates to the use of a device 1 as previously described for the thinning of granular materials 24. In the context of the present invention, fluidification of granular materials 24 is not only the operation of aerating granular materials. 24 so as to prevent preventably any form of clogging, but also the operation of promoting the flow, transit or conveying of granular material 24. The device 1 according to the invention may in particular be used for the evacuation or transporting granular materials 24 through for example pipes, flow lines, evacuation ducts, tubular descent, conveyor belts or platforms, or any other device allowing the transit of granular materials 24, preferably powdery.

According to one embodiment of said use, a device 1 as described above is also used for unclogging granular materials 24 contained in a container 14. In the context of the present invention, the term "container" denotes any tank that is suitable for storage. granular materials 24.

FIGs. 8A to 8E are sequential views of the operation of a preferred embodiment of the device 1. They are furthermore more detailed than FIGS. 1 and 2 analogous above. FIG. 8A represents a valve 8, with a head 9 and a cylindrical rod 10, at rest (without fluid pressure). A spring 11 pulls on the valve 8 to ensure sealing. This head 9 has an inner face 28 facing fluid injection openings 7 of a yoke 3 and forming an angle α with the longitudinal axis of the rod 10.

In FIG. 8B a fluid injector is pressurized, so that the fluid diffuses through the injection openings 7 made in the form of a ring at the head of the cylinder head 3. The distribution of these openings 7 on said ring is preferably regular. As can be seen in FIG. 8C, the pressure acting on the inner face 28 of the valve 8 causes its axial displacement and allows the fluidization fluid to escape.

As for FIG. 8D, it illustrates the role of a recess 29 provided around the rod 10 allowing during the displacement of the rod 10 the passage of a complementary fluid flow impinging the valve head 9 at its face 28 by causing a disturbance of the fluid flow causing the valve 8 in an unstable equilibrium. The valve head 9 then moves laterally back and forth with respect to the axis of symmetry of the yoke 3 and starts to vibrate, the support of a nut 12 on the spring 11 acting as a pivot point. As can be seen in FIG. 8E, the valve head 9 is in a position of maximum displacement

(amplitude) during its vibratory movement. In this extreme position, there is no mechanical contact between the valve stem 10 and the cylinder head 3 thanks to chamfers 30 machined on the cylinder head 3 on either side of its axis of symmetry. It also shows the angle α formed by the inner face of the valve head 9 with the longitudinal axis of the valve stem 10. As a reminder, said angle must be 80 ° to 89 °. Preferably, it is 87 to 89 °. The vibratory movement of the valve 8 is also made possible by the recess 29 which provides the necessary clearance between the rod 10 and the cylinder head 3. FIG. 9 shows that when the valve 8 tends to move excessively axially the fluid passage section is reduced by the throttle resulting from complete penetration of the recess 29 in the secondary opening 6 of the cylinder head 3. The fluid flow being reduced, the axial thrust on the valve 8 is reduced, which limits its axial stroke. The axial stroke of the valve 8 is therefore self-regulating.

Claims

1. Device (1) suitable for the fluidification of granular materials (24), comprising:

(a) a yoke (3) comprising at one of its ends a main opening (4) connectable with means for pressurizing (5) a fluid, and at the opposite end a secondary opening (6) and fluid injection openings (7); (b) a valve (8) comprising a head

(9) and a rod (10), said valve stem (10) being slidable in said secondary opening (6);

(c) return means (11) associating said valve (8) and said cylinder head

(3); such that when said device (1) is not pressurized through said pressurizing means (5), said valve head (9) closes said injection openings (7) via said return means (11); and when said device (1) is pressurized through said pressurizing means (5), said valve stem (10) slides in said secondary opening (6) so that said valve head ( 9) no longer obturates said fluid injection openings (7), characterized in that the valve head (9) has an inner face (28) whose profile forms an angle α of 80 to 89 ° with the longitudinal axis of the valve stem (10), which allows it to vibrate under the action of a fluid flow.

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the angle α is 87 to 89 °.

3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the rod (10) has a recess (29) allowing a complementary flow of the fluid.

4. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said biasing means (11) are represented by a compression spring associated with a retaining means (12).

5. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said yoke (3) is further provided with sealing means (13).

6. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises a support ring (2) in which the yoke (3) slides.

7. Device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that said support ring (2) is further provided with adjustment means (25) of the sliding said yoke (3) in said support ring (2).

8. Container (14) adapted to contain granular materials (24) comprising a receptacle (15) and a wall (16), said wall (16) comprising an inner face (17) and an outer face (18), in which said inner face (17) represents the wall in contact with said granular materials (24), said container (14) being further provided with at least one device (1) according to any preceding claim disposed on the wall

(16) of said container (14).

9. Container (14) according to claim 8, characterized in that said device (1) is placed so that the plane (19) formed by the end of said yoke (3) and containing said secondary opening (6 ) is substantially adjacent to the plane formed by said inner face (17) of said wall (16).

10. Container (14) according to any one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the plane (20) formed by said valve head (9) is substantially adjacent to the plane (19) formed by the end of said cylinder head (3) containing said secondary opening (6), when the device (1) is not under pressure.

11. Container (14) according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that when said device (1) is pressurized by means of said pressurizing means (5), said valve (8) slides while vibrating in said secondary opening (6) so as to project said valve head (9) out of the plane (19) formed by the end of said cylinder head

(3) inside the receptacle (15) of said container (14).

12. Container (14) according to any one of claims 8 to 11, further provided with a load shedding opening (21) characterized in that said at least one device (1) is placed near said load shedding opening (21).

13. A method for unclogging granular materials (24) contained in a container (14) comprising a receptacle (15) and a wall (16), said wall (16) comprising an inner face (17) and an outer face (18). ), said method comprising the step of placing at least one device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 on said container (14), said device (1) being placed on said container (14) according to a method comprising the steps of:

Piercing an insertion opening (22) through said wall (16) so as to allow communication between the main opening

(4) the yoke (3) and the interior of the receptacle (15) of the container (14);

Introducing through said insertion opening (22), the assembly comprising said yoke (3) associated with said valve (8) and said return means (11, 12), so that the plane (19) formed by the end of said yoke (3) containing said secondary opening (6) is substantially adjacent to the plane formed by said inner face (17) of said wall (16);

• fixing said assembly to the wall (16);

• activate said pressurizing means (5).

14. Use of a device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 for the fluidification of granular materials (24).

15. Use of a device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 for unclogging granular materials (24) contained in a container (14).