Patent ID: 8728278

Claim:
A feed system for a continuous digester wherein wood chips are continuously fed into a top of the digester and fed out from a bottom of the digester, comprising: a vessel having at least one supply line adapted for an addition of fluid controlled by a level transmitter in operative engagement with the vessel and adapted to establish a liquid level (LIQ LEV ) in the vessel of at least 20 meters above a pump level of at least two single pumps in parallel having inlets connected to a bucket-shaped outlet at a bottom of the vessel, the two single pumps having no pump serially connected thereto upstream or downstream thereof, the pumps having transferring means for transferring a chips suspension in a transfer line from the vessel to the top of the digester using a static pressure established at the inlets of the pumps by the liquid level (LIQ LEV ) at least 20 meters above the pump level to prevent pump cavitation, a rotatable stirrer disposed at the bottom of the vessel and arranged to rotate in the bucket-shaped outlet, and the stirrer having at least two scraper arms that are adapted to sweep over the pump inlets arranged in the bucket-shaped outlet.