Patent ID: 6039470
Filing Date: 2000-03-21
Classification: B01F

Abstract:
A system for hydrating a dry powder material with a liquid to generate a homogeneous, wetted material, comprising:a disperser for mixing the dry powder material with the liquid to generate a liquid mixture containing nonwetted particles within said liquid mixture;a settling tank having an upper end and a lower end, wherein said settling tank is engaged with said disperser for receiving said liquid mixture and for separating said nonwetted particles from said liquid mixture as said nonwetted particles gravitate toward said tank lower end;a pump having an inlet proximate to and in communication with said tank lower end for removing said nonwetted particles from said tank lower end and further having a pump outlet for discharging said nonwetted particles;a mixer having a mixer inlet engaged with said pump outlet for processing said nonwetted particles to reduce the size of said nonwetted particles in a process stream, wherein said mixer further has a mixer outlet for discharging said process stream into said settling tank to create the homogeneous wetted material; anda valve for selectively discharging the homogeneous wetted material.