System for discharging dry solids and an associated method thereof

Abstract

A system for discharging dry solids into high pressure environments is disclosed. The system includes a hopper, a feeder device coupled to the hopper, and a discharge device disposed downstream relative to the feeder device. The feeder device includes a rotatable casing including a plurality of pockets, a stationary core disposed within the rotatable casing, and a plurality of valves. Each pocket includes an inlet, an outlet, and a plurality of first through-holes. The stationary core includes a plurality of channels, where each channel includes a plurality of second through-holes. Each valve is disposed at the outlet of a corresponding pocket from the plurality of pockets. The discharge device includes a valve actuator configured to actuate each valve.

1 . A system for discharging dry solids, comprising:
 a hopper;   a feeder device coupled to the hopper, wherein the feeder device comprises:
 a rotatable casing comprising a plurality of pockets, wherein each pocket comprises an inlet, an outlet, and a plurality of first through-holes; 
 a stationary core disposed within the rotatable casing, wherein the stationary core comprises a plurality of channels, each channel comprising a plurality of second through-holes; and 
 a plurality of valves, wherein each valve is disposed at the outlet of a corresponding pocket from the plurality of pockets; and 
   a discharge device disposed downstream relative to the feeder device, wherein the discharge device comprises a valve actuator configured to actuate each valve.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hopper includes a metering device configured to regulate discharge of the dry solids to the feeder device. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressure source coupled to at least one channel and configured to supply a pressurized fluid to at least one corresponding pocket through the corresponding plurality of second and first through-holes. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a vacuum source coupled to at least one channel and configured to extract a pressurized fluid from at least one corresponding pocket through the corresponding plurality of first and second through-holes. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable casing further comprises an inlet end, an outlet end, and a plurality of seals coupled to the inlet end. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the feeder device further comprises a stationary cover disposed on the plurality of seals, wherein the stationary cover comprises an opening for feeding the dry solids from the hopper to the feeder device. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each valve comprises a ball valve and the valve actuator comprises a projection. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the stationary core comprises a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, a first seal coupled to the first end, a second seal coupled to the second end, and at least two vertical seals spaced apart from each other and coupled to the first and second seals. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a drive unit coupled to the rotatable casing. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable casing comprises a first outer-peripheral wall, a first inner-peripheral wall, and a plurality of first partition-walls spaced apart from each other and extending from the first outer-peripheral wall to the first inner-peripheral wall to define the plurality of pockets. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first inner-peripheral wall comprises the plurality of first through-holes corresponding to each pocket. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the stationary core comprises a second outer-peripheral wall, a second inner-peripheral wall, a plurality of second partition-walls spaced apart from each other and extending from the second outer-peripheral wall to the second inner-peripheral wall to define the plurality of channels. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the second outer-peripheral wall comprises the plurality of second through-holes corresponding to each channel.