Patent ID: 6109312
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: D21C

Abstract:
An apparatus for mounting in a wood chip digester chip inlet, comprising:a first flange;a second flange in spaced parallel relation with the first flange, the first flange and the second flange defining an axis along which the first flange and the second flange are spaced;a cylindrical wall having a cylindrical axis lying along the defined axis, the cylindrical wall extending between the first flange and the second flange;a conical wall having an axis lying along the defined axis, the conical wall being joined to the cylindrical wall, the conical wall tapering inwardly toward the defined axis as the conical wall extends away from the first flange and the second flange;an inner cylindrical sleeve defining a cylindrical axis lying along the defined axis, the inner cylindrical sleeve being spaced inwardly of the cylindrical wall and the conical wall;a conical ring extending inwardly from an uppermost portion of the cylindrical wall to an uppermost portion of the inner cylindrical sleeve;a planar ring joining a lowermost portion of the cylindrical sleeve to a lowermost portion of the conical wall;a plurality of baffle plates extending between the cylindrical sleeve and the cylindrical wall to define a first volume therebetween;a first fitting mounted to portions of the cylindrical wall which define an opening, the first fitting communicating through the opening with the first volume;a portions of the cylindrical sleeve adjacent the first volume which define a permeable surface through which fluid may pass;a second fitting mounted to the cylindrical wall and spaced from the first fitting and not in communication with the first volume, the second fitting communicating with a second volume defined by the cylindrical wall, the conical wall, the cylindrical sleeve, the conical ring and the planar ring, and the plurality of baffle plates separating the first volume from the second volume;portions of the conical wall which define a permeable surface through which fluid may pass into the second volume, wherein the apparatus is an integral unit formed of metal, adapted to be used to supply wood chips to a wood chip digester while simultaneously withdrawing air from said wood chip digester.