The present invention generally relates to a fluidizer including at least one wall forming a conduit for a gas. The at least one wall may include a material having microscopic holes therein with a sufficient porosity to permit the escape of the gas through the microscopic holes to gas a substance. The present invention may also relate to a fluidizer including a non-cylindrical shape for fluidizing a particulate substance. The fluidizer can include a body at least partially positioned within a flow of the particulate substance wherein at least some of the particulate substance flows around the body.
This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/208,262, filed Jul. 31, 2002 abandon. This application also relates to application Ser. No. 09/418,502, filed on Oct. 15, 1999; application Ser. No. 08/964,128 filed Nov. 6, 1997; and U.S. application Ser. No. 09/688,168, filed Oct. 16, 2000. The subject matter of all of these applications in their entirety is hereby incorporated by reference.
A bulk material system generally consisting of a container having an upper wall, a vertical wall and an opening in the vertical wall; a support frame detachably mountable on the upper and vertical walls of the container; a hopper mounted on the support frame; a material conveying conduit mounted on the frame having an inlet communicating with an outlet of the hopper for receiving material therefrom and an end portion with an outlet insertable through the vertical wall opening of the container when the frame is detachably mounted on the container; and a conduit supported on the support frame having an outlet communicating with the material conveying conduit and an inlet communicable with a source of gas under pressure, function to supply gas under pressure to the material conveying conduit for pneumatically conveying material fed from the hopper into the material conveying conduit, therethrough, into the container.
