Method and apparatus for volume reduction of fine particulate

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the volume reduction of fine particulate by either promoting the dense packing of the discrete solid particles using a poker equipped with at least one paddle for mixing the particles and imparting vibration or by injecting the finest tailings fractions into the open void spaces between the coarser grains.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for the compaction of fine particulate comprising:
 a poker for insertion into said fine particulate, said poker comprising an elongated cylindrical outer casing mountable to a delivery vehicle;   a drive shaft extending within said outer casing and operatively connected to a rotatable coupling;   at least one elongate element connected at one end to said rotatable coupling and at an opposite end to a nose cone; and   wherein said at least one elongate element being movable from a first position to a second position radially extended from said outer casing.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said elongate element comprises a paddle. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said paddle comprising a top portion, an intermediate portion and a bottom portion; and wherein
 said top portion being hingedly connected at a first end to said rotatable coupling and at a second end to said intermediate portion, and said bottom portion being hingedly connected at a top end to said intermediate portion and at a bottom end to said nose cone. 
 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said nose cone being adapted for penetrating said fine particulate. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said paddle being rotatable relative to said outer casing. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said rotatable coupling adapted to transmit rotation or vibration. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said rotatable coupling comprising an upper spiral coupling connected to said drive shaft and a lower spiral coupling rotatably connected to a lower end of said outer casing. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  further comprising a weight seated on said upper spiral coupling and wherein said lower spiral coupling being seated within a bushing or roller bearing with seals, said bushing or roller bearing with seals being fixedly connected to said lower end of said outer casing. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein rotation of said upper spiral coupling in a first direction causes said lower spiral coupling to rotate, and rotation of said upper spiral coupling in an opposite direction results in vertical forces being applied to said lower spiral coupling thereby causing vibration. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a central actuating element extending within said outer casing and connected at a lower end to said nose cone. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said central actuating element being actuatable to move said elongate element from said first position to said second position. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said central actuating element comprises a threaded shaft. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said central actuating element comprises a cable actuatable by a cable winch. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein said central actuating element comprises a pipe. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said nose cone has a hollow upper portion having a cylindrical side wall having holes therein. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said pipe being in fluid communication with a source of fluid to be dispensed through said holes of said cylindrical side wall. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said nose cone having at least one fluke. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a lower end of said outer casing having holes defined therein and a mesh screen connected thereto. 
     
     
         19 . A method for compacting particulate material comprising:
 inserting a poker into particulate material to be compacted, said poker having at least one stirring element extendible from a first position for penetrating said particulate material when said poker being inserted to a second position extending radially outward from said poker;   extending said stirring element from said first position to said second position;   alternately rotating said stirring element through said particulate material and causing said stirring element to vibrate.   
     
     
         20 . A method for minimizing the volume occupied by the combined volumes of a volume of particulate material and a separate volume of viscous fluid comprising:
 inserting a poker into said particulate material;   dispersing said viscous fluid through said poker into said particulate material surrounding said poker, thereby filling void space between adjacent particulate with said viscous fluid.