Multiple-leg discharge boot for slurry distribution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9909718-B2
Application number	US-201213659672-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2012
Priority date	Oct 24, 2011
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

A multi-leg discharge boot can include an inlet conduit and first and second outlet conduits separated by a junction portion. The inlet conduit includes an entry segment, a transition segment and a heel portion disposed therebetween. The inlet conduit can include an inlet end and a junction end. A junction portion is disposed at the junction end of the inlet conduit between first and second junction openings. The junction portion includes a substantially planar wall region that is substantially perpendicular to a main flow discharge axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-leg discharge boot comprising:
an inlet conduit including an entry segment, a transition segment and a heel portion disposed therebetween,
the entry segment having an inlet end defining an inlet opening, the entry segment disposed along a main flow entry axis extending between the inlet end and the heel portion,
the transition segment having a junction end, the transition segment disposed along a main flow discharge axis extending between the heel portion and the junction end, the junction end defining first and second junction openings, the first junction opening being disposed in spaced relationship to the second junction opening, and
the heel portion having a surface adapted to direct a flow of slurry moving from the inlet opening along the main flow entry axis through the heel portion to the transition segment along the main flow discharge axis;

a first outlet conduit in fluid communication with the first junction opening of the inlet conduit, the first outlet conduit including a discharge end defining a first discharge opening;
a second outlet conduit in fluid communication with the second junction opening of the inlet conduit, the second outlet conduit including a discharge end defining a second discharge opening; and
a junction portion disposed at the junction end of the inlet conduit, the junction portion disposed between the first junction opening and the second junction opening, the junction portion including a substantially planar wall region, the wall region being substantially perpendicular to the main flow discharge axis;
wherein the inlet conduit defines an inlet passage extending between the inlet opening and the first and second junction openings, and the inlet conduit includes a contoured portion that defines a flow restriction in the inlet passage adjacent the junction portion, and the contoured portion defines first and second guide channels, the flow restriction disposed laterally between the first and second guide channels along a transverse axis substantially perpendicular to the main flow discharge axis, the first and second guide channels each having a cross-sectional area greater than the cross-sectional area of the flow restriction.

2. The multi-leg discharge boot of claim 1 , wherein the entry segment is disposed at a feed angle with respect to the transition segment, the feed angle being in a range from about forty five degrees to about one hundred seventy degrees.

3. The multi-leg discharge boot of claim 1 , wherein the entry segment is substantially perpendicular to the transition segment.

4. The multi-leg discharge boot of claim 1 , wherein the main flow of slurry is redirected from the main flow entry axis to the main flow discharge axis by a change in direction angle within a range of about ten degrees to about one hundred thirty-five degrees.

5. The multi-leg discharge boot of claim 1 , wherein the inlet opening of the inlet conduit has a cross-sectional area, the first discharge opening of the first outlet conduit has a cross-sectional area less than or about equal to the cross-sectional area of the inlet opening of the inlet conduit, and the second discharge opening of the second outlet conduit has a cross-sectional area less than or about equal to the cross-section area of the inlet opening of the inlet conduit.

6. The multi-leg discharge boot of claim 5 , wherein the cross-sectional area of the first discharge opening of the first outlet conduit is substantially the same as the cross-sectional area of the second discharge opening of the second outlet conduit.

7. The multi-leg discharge boot of claim 5 , wherein the cross-sectional area of the first discharge opening of the first outlet conduit is less than about 85% of the cross-section area of the inlet opening of the inlet conduit, and the cross-sectional area of the second discharge opening of the second outlet conduit is less than about 85% of the cross-section area of the inlet opening of the inlet conduit.

8. The multi-leg discharge boot of claim 1 , wherein the contoured portion includes an upper convex region and an opposing lower convex region, the upper and lower convex regions projecting toward each other in the inlet passage to define the flow restriction therebetween.

9. The multi-leg discharge boot of claim 1 , wherein the first and second guide channels are substantially aligned with the first and second junction openings, respectively.

10. The multi-leg discharge boot of claim 1 , wherein the flow restriction has a maximum height along a height axis, the height axis being perpendicular to both the main flow discharge axis and the transverse axis, and the first and second guide channels each having a maximum height along the height axis which is larger than the maximum height of the flow restriction.

11. The multi-leg discharge boot of claim 1 , wherein the contoured portion includes an upper convex region and an opposing lower convex region, the upper and lower convex regions projecting toward each other in the inlet passage to define the flow restriction therebetween, and the first and second guide channels disposed laterally outwardly relative to the upper and lower convex regions and being substantially aligned with the first and second junction openings, respectively.

12. The multi-leg discharge boot of claim 1 , further comprising:
a compressing device including first and second compressing members disposed in spaced relationship to each other, the junction portion being disposed between the first and second compressing members, at least one of the first and second compressing members being movable over a range of travel relative to the other compressing member along a compressing axis, the compressing axis being substantially perpendicular to the main flow discharge axis, between a normal position and a compressed position wherein a portion of at least one of the inlet conduit and the first and second outlet conduits adjacent the junction portion is compressed relative to the normal position.

13. The multi-leg discharge boot of claim 12 , wherein the compressing members each comprise a substantially planar compressing surface, the compressing surfaces being in substantially parallel relationship to each other and to the main flow discharge axis.

14. The multi-leg discharge boot of claim 12 , wherein the compressing device includes an actuator adapted to selectively move the first compressing member relative to the second compressing member.

15. The multi-leg discharge boot of claim 14 , wherein the compressing device includes a controller adapted to control the actuator such that the actuator is periodically actuated according to a predetermined frequency to periodically compress the junction portion.

16. The multi-leg discharge boot of claim 14 , wherein the compressing device includes a controller adapted to control the actuator such that the actuator is actuated to move the first and second compressing members toward each other by a predetermined stroke length.

17. A multi-leg discharge boot comprising:
an inlet conduit including an entry segment, a transition segment and a heel portion disposed therebetween,
the entry segment having an inlet end defining an inlet opening, the entry segment disposed along a main flow entry axis extending between the inlet end and the heel portion,
the transition segment having a junction end, the transition segment disposed along a main flow discharge axis extending between the heel portion and the junction end, the junction end defining first and second junction openings, the first junction opening being

Assignees

• United States Gypsum Co

Inventors

• Wittbold James
• Li Alfred C
• Lee Chris C
• Chan Cesar
• Rago William
• Song Weixin D

Classifications

• B28B19/0092 Primary

  to webs, sheets or the like, e.g. of paper, cardboard · CPC title

• F16L41/023

  Y- pieces (F16L41/025, F16L41/026, F16L41/028 take precedence) · CPC title

• Y10T137/85938

  Non-valved flow dividers · CPC title

• B28C5/003

  Methods for mixing (B28C5/386, B28C5/402 take precedence) · CPC title

• B29B7/74

  using other mixers or combinations of {mixers, e.g. of} dissimilar mixers {; Plant} · CPC title