Granular absorbent and system and method for treating or processing granular absorbent during granular absorbent transport

• Main Author: Lipscomb, John M
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 18.06.2024
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; AGRICULTURE; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; CARE OF BIRDS, FISHES, INSECTS; FISHING; FORESTRY; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HUNTING; MAKING GRANULES OR PREFORMS; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PREPARATION OR PRETREATMENT OF THE MATERIAL TO BESHAPED; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; RECOVERY OF PLASTICS OR OTHER CONSTITUENTS OF WASTE MATERIALCONTAINING PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRANSPORTING; TRAPPING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A system and method for treating or processing granular absorbent while the granular absorbent is being transported in a fluid stream that preferably is a stream of air. The system includes a pneumatic conveyor with a conduit that draws pellets exiting an extruder into the conduit drying the pellets as they are transported through the conduit. Material can be introduced that dries, coats or otherwise treats the pellets while the pellets are transported through the conduit. Coating material, e.g., powdered bentonite can coat and also dry pellets during transport. A conduit can have inner pellet treating surface that abrades pellets transported through the conduit producing smaller fines that can be packaged with pellets forming a granular absorbent product that forms clumps on top that extend generally horizontally.