Bulk bag apparatus and unique bulk sack solution for storage and transport of torrefied materials

Abstract

A container receives and holds product. The container includes a multilayered composite film combination forming a bag defining a product fill opening. The multilayered composite film combination includes first and second polymer film inner and outer layers each having vacuum holding properties, and a third polymer film disposed between the first and second polymer films. The third polymer film has oxygen barrier properties. Product is packed into the container by coupling a fill spout of the container with a fill tube of a product filling apparatus, and oxygen is drawn from an inner cavity of the container. Product is flowed through the fill spout of the container, and nitrogen is added into the inner cavity through the fill spout of the container. The fill spout of the container is sealed while a negative pressure is drawn within the inner cavity thereby immobilizing the product within the container.

Having thus described the example embodiments, it is now claimed: 
     
         1 . A container ( 10 ) for receiving and holding associated filled product ( 2 ), the container ( 10 ) comprising:
 a multilayered composite film combination ( 20 ) forming a bag ( 22 ) defining a product fill opening ( 30 ), the multilayered composite film combination ( 20 ) comprising:
 a first polymer film ( 22 ) having vacuum holding properties, the first polymer film acting as an inner layer ( 23 ) of the container; 
 a second polymer film ( 24 ) having vacuum holding properties, the second polymer film acting as an outer layer ( 25 ) of the container; and 
 a third polymer film ( 26 ) disposed between the first ( 22 ) and second ( 24 ) polymer films, the third polymer film ( 26 ) having oxygen barrier properties. 
   
     
     
         2 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1  wherein:
 the first polymer film ( 22 ) comprises a first low density polyethylene (LDPE) film ( 22 ′); 
 the second polymer film ( 24 ) comprises a second LDPE film ( 24 ′); and 
 the third polymer film ( 26 ) comprises an ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) film ( 26 ′). 
 
     
     
         3 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first and second LDPE films ( 22 ′,  24 ′) provide an airtight vacuum seal; and   the EVA film ( 26 ′) is impervious to a flow of oxygen therethrough.   
     
     
         4 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 3 , wherein the EVA film is impervious to a flow of nitrogen therethrough. 
     
     
         5 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein the multilayered composite film combination ( 20 ) is a co-extrusion of the LDPE and EVA films. 
     
     
         6 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein the LDPE and EVA films are in intimate contact with each other. 
     
     
         7 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein the LDPE and EVA films are fused together as a single unitary film structure. 
     
     
         8 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a first adhesive (ADH) film ( 27 ) disposed between the first LDPE film ( 22 ′) and the EVA ( 26 ′) film, the first ADH film ( 27 ) having bonding properties for connecting the first LDPE film with the EVA film; and   a second ADH film ( 28 ) disposed between the second LDPE film ( 24 ′) and the EVA film ( 26 ′), the second ADH film ( 28 ) having the bonding properties for connecting the second LDPE film with the EVA film.   
     
     
         9 . The container ( 10 ) according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a fill spout ( 32 ) operatively coupled with the bag at the opening, the fill spout ( 32 ) having a generally cylindrical conformation defining a first opening ( 33 ) in fluid tight connection with the product fill opening ( 30 ) of the bag ( 22 ), and a second opening ( 34 ) configured to receive the associated filled product ( 2 ) into the bag through the fill spout ( 32 ) and the product fill opening ( 30 ); and   a flexible bladder ( 40 ) member carried on the fill spout adjacent to the second opening, the bladder member being configured to be selectively inflatable for selectively coupling the fill spout ( 32 ) with an associated fill tube ( 3 ) communicating the associated product ( 2 ), the bladder member ( 40 ) being operative to couple the fill spout ( 32 ) with the associated fill tube ( 3 ) when the bladder ( 40 ) is in an inflated condition and to decouple and release the fill spout ( 32 ) from the associated fill tube ( 3 ) when the bladder member ( 40 ) is in a deflated condition.   
     
     
         10 . A composite bulk storage and transport apparatus ( 1 ) comprising:
 a flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC) device ( 110 ); and   an in-liner container ( 10 ) for receiving and holding associated filled product ( 2 ), the in-liner container ( 10 ) being operatively coupled with the FIBC device ( 110 ) and comprising:
 a multilayered composite film combination ( 20 ) forming a bag ( 22 ) defining a product fill opening ( 30 ), the multilayered composite film combination ( 20 ) comprising:
 a first polymer film ( 22 ) having vacuum holding properties, the first polymer film acting as an inner layer ( 23 ) of the in-liner container; 
 a second polymer film ( 24 ) having vacuum holding properties, the second polymer film acting as an outer layer ( 25 ) of the in-liner container; and 
 a third polymer film ( 26 ) disposed between the first ( 22 ) and second ( 24 ) polymer films, the third polymer film ( 26 ) having oxygen barrier properties. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The composite apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 10  wherein:
 the first polymer film ( 22 ) of the in-line container comprises a first low density polyethylene (LDPE) film ( 22 ′); 
 the second polymer film ( 24 ) of the in-line container ( 10 ) comprises a second LDPE film ( 24 ′); and 
 the third polymer film ( 26 ) of the in-line container ( 10 ) comprises an ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) film ( 26 ′). 
 
     
     
         12 . The composite apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first and second LDPE films ( 22 ′,  24 ′) of the in-line container ( 10 ) provide an airtight vacuum seal; and   the EVA film of the in-line container ( 10 ) is impervious to a flow of oxygen therethrough.   
     
     
         13 . The composite apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 12 , wherein the EVA film of the in-line container ( 10 ) is impervious to a flow of nitrogen therethrough. 
     
     
         14 . The composite apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein the multilayered composite film combination ( 20 ) is a co-extrusion of the LDPE and EVA films. 
     
     
         15 . The composite apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein the LDPE and EVA films are in intimate contact with each other. 
     
     
         16 . The composite apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein the LDPE and EVA films are fused together as a single unitary film structure. 
     
     
         17 . The composite apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 11 , wherein the multilayered composite film combination ( 20 ) further comprises:
 a first adhesive (ADH) film ( 27 ) disposed between the first LDPE film and the EVA film, the first ADH film ( 27 ) having bonding properties; and   a second ADH film ( 28 ) disposed between the second LDPE film and the EVA film, the second ADH film ( 28 ) having the bonding properties.   
     
     
         18 . The composite apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a fill spout ( 32 ) operatively coupled with the bag at the opening, the fill spout ( 32 ) having a generally cylindrical conformation defining a first opening ( 33 ) in fluid tight connection with the product fill opening ( 30 ) of the bag ( 22 ), and a second opening ( 34 ) configured to receive the associated filled product ( 2 ) into the bag through the fill spout ( 32 ) and the product fill opening ( 30 ); and   a flexible bladder member ( 40 ) carried on the fill spout adjacent to the second opening, the bladder member being configured to be selectively inflatable for selectively coupling the fill spout ( 32 ) with an associated fill tube ( 3 ) communicating the associated product ( 2 ), the bladder member ( 40 ) being operative to couple the fill spout ( 32 ) with the associated fill tube ( 3 ) when the bladder ( 40 ) is in an inflated condition and to decouple and release the fill spout ( 32 ) from the associated fill tube ( 3 ) when the bladder member ( 40 ) is in a deflated condition.   
     
     
         19 . A method ( 150 ) of packing a container ( 10 ) with an associated product ( 2 ), the method ( 150 ) comprising:
 coupling ( 152 ) a fill spout of the container with a fill tube of an associated filling apparatus;   flowing ( 153 ) the associated product into the inner cavity through the fill spout of the container;   drawing ( 154 ) oxygen from an inner cavity of the container;   adding nitrogen ( 155 ) into the inner cavity through the fill spout of the container;   drawing a negative pressure ( 156 ) within the inner cavity relative to areas outside of the container; and   sealing ( 157 ) the fill spout of the container.   
     
     
         20 . The method ( 150 ) according to  claim 19  wherein the drawing the negative pressure comprises immobilizing the associated product within the inner cavity by inward pressure of a wall of the container on the associated product. 
     
     
         21 . The method ( 150 ) according to  claim 20  wherein the sealing comprises sealing the fill spout of the container while the inner chamber is under a negative pressure relative to the areas outside of the container. 
     
     
         22 . The method ( 150 ) according to  claim 19  wherein the coupling the fill spout of the container with the fill tube of the associated filling apparatus comprises inflating a flexible bladder disposed on the fill spout of the container.