Patent ID: 8337122

Claim:
A continuous semi-dense phase conveying method for conveying a particulate material through a pneumatic conveying line comprising: continuously feeding said particulate material from a feed source through a low pressure rotary airlock valve into a sealed vessel having a gas inlet, a particulate material inlet, and a gas and particulate material outlet, and wherein said vessel has a pressure therein during operation of about 15 psig or less; continuously supplying gas into pressurizing gas supply line which branches into at least one feed gas line at least one bypass line; wherein said feed gas line provides pressurizing gas to said vessel at said gas inlet to form a gas and particulate material mixture and wherein said bypass line has a bypass control valve and is coupled to said pneumatic conveying line downstream from said gas and particulate material outlet at a point where a pressure in the pneumatic conveying line is measurably and substantially lower than said pressure in said vessel; permitting said gas and particulate material mixture to continuously flow into said pneumatic conveying line, wherein said pneumatic conveying line is coupled to said gas and particulate material outlet of said vessel; wherein said continuously feeding and said continuously supplying gas steps are performed without equipment meeting ASME code requirements.