Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Slinger or splasher; or deflector rotated relative to effluent – With addition of other fluid downstream of distributor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-30
2001-03-20
Brinson, Patrick (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Slinger or splasher; or deflector rotated relative to effluent
With addition of other fluid downstream of distributor
C239S159000, C239S175000, C239S390000, C239S562000, C239S662000, C137S56100R, C415S121100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202942
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to fluid distribution and more particularly to the distribution of a slurry flow into plural outlets.
BACKGROUND
The present invention has particular, although not exclusive, use in the application of manure to an agricultural field.
Current methods of swine manure slurry application include broadcast systems which use tanker spreaders or big gun sprinklers for spreading the manure on the surface of a field. These systems result in losses of large quantities of valuable crop nutrients to the air. They also cause significant odour problems. In consequence, some injection systems have been developed, for example the system described in Barbour et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,992, issued Dec. 28, 1993, to Greentrac Limited.
The injector systems are themselves prone to certain problems, generally caused by the nature of the slurry being delivered. These include non-uniform distribution of slurry to the various injectors. Solid waste storage cells can contain pig hair and other foreign materials such as plastics, as well as large amounts of odour-control straw. Consequently, the distribution manifold must be capable of handling these solids without plugging the distribution ports.
The present invention is concerned with the provision of a slurry distribution manifold that ameliorates this problem.
SUMMARY
According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for distributing a slurry flow to a plurality of feed conduits, comprising:
a manifold having:
an annular outer wall with a central axis;
a manifold inlet for delivering the slurry flow to the manifold;
a plurality of outlet ports spaced around the outer wall for connection to the respective feed conduits; and
an impeller in the manifold, the impeller including:
a plurality of impeller blades;
means mounting the impeller blades for rotation about the axis of the outer wall, with the impeller blades sweeping in sequence past the outlet ports; and
means for rotating the impeller.
The impeller blades produce pressurized zones in front of them as they sweep in sequence past the outlet ports. This produces a pulsating flow in the feed conduits, ameliorating blockage problems with the conduits. This effect is augmented by the use of swept-back blades.
The impeller preferably includes knives that rotate around the inside of the outer wall and anvils mounted on the outer wall so the knives will act with the anvils to sever trash in the slurry flow. In preferred embodiments, the knives and the anvils are oppositely inclined to produce a shearing action. This cutting arrangement cooperates with the pulsing flow to clear trash that might otherwise build up and plug the ports. It also reduces the size of solids that are included in the slurry, so that they will pass more readily through the feed conduits and the delivery boots used for injecting the slurry into the soil. The impeller drive is preferably an hydraulic motor mounted on the manifold.
The ports may be formed in a replaceable orifice ring, so that port sizes can readily be altered to accommodate different flow rates.
Other aspects of the invention provide injectors for agricultural purposes including distributors as described above.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4232616 (1980-11-01), Van Der Lely
patent: 5271567 (1993-12-01), Bauer
patent: 5272992 (1993-12-01), Barbour et al.
patent: 5435493 (1995-07-01), Houle
patent: 5460483 (1995-10-01), Dorsch
Hultgreen Gordon
Leduc Philip
Puryk Corwin
Battison Adrian D.
Brinson Patrick
Ganey Steven J.
Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute
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