High solids material moving apparatus

Abstract

Described herein is a material moving apparatus having a chamber that includes a chamber having a cross-sectional shape and a discharge opening; a pumping ram mounted in the chamber configured to move material out of the discharge opening of the chamber; and a discharge pipe connected to the discharge opening of the pump and having and an inlet and an outlet and a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the discharge opening.

1 . A material moving apparatus comprising:
 (a) a chamber having a cross-sectional shape and a discharge opening;   (b) a ram mounted in the chamber configured to move material out of the discharge opening of the chamber; and   (c) a discharge pipe connected to the discharge opening of the chamber and having an inlet and an outlet and a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the chamber cross-sectional shape.   
     
     
         2 . The material moving apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the discharge pipe has a constant size such that the discharge pipe outlet has a size that is substantially the same as the discharge pipe inlet size. 
     
     
         3 . The material moving apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the discharge pipe is tapered such that the discharge pipe outlet has a size that is greater than the discharge pipe inlet size. 
     
     
         4 . The material moving apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the discharge pipe includes one or more sections. 
     
     
         5 . The material moving apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the discharge pipe includes a substantially constant section in which the inlet size and the outlet size are substantially the same and a tapered section in which the outlet size is greater than the inlet size. 
     
     
         6 . The material moving apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the sections of discharge pipe have a stepped configuration in which the inlet size of a distal discharge pipe section is greater than the outlet size of an adjacent proximal discharge pipe section. 
     
     
         7 . The material moving apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the sections of discharge pipe include sections selected from the group consisting of constant, tapered and stepped sections. 
     
     
         8 . The material moving apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the discharge pipe includes alternating constant and tapered sections. 
     
     
         9 . The material moving apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the chamber comprises first and second downwardly converging side walls defining a longitudinal chamber with a discharge opening having a downwardly converging cross-sectional shape and the discharge pipe has a corresponding downwardly converging cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         10 . The material moving apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the downwardly converging sidewalls converge at a point and the chamber has a triangular cross-sectional shape and the discharge pipe has a corresponding triangular cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         11 . The material moving apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet of the discharge pipe has a cross-sectional shape that is similar to the cross-sectional shape of the discharge opening of the chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The material moving apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet of the discharge pipe has a size that is the same as the discharge opening of the chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The material moving apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet of the discharge pipe has a size that is greater than the size of the discharge opening. 
     
     
         14 . The material moving apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a low friction coating on one or more interior surfaces of the discharge pipe. 
     
     
         15 . The material moving apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more longitudinal ribs along one or more interior surfaces of the discharge pipe. 
     
     
         16 . A material moving apparatus comprising:
 (a) a chamber having a triangular cross-sectional shape and discharge opening having a triangular cross-sectional shape;   (b) a ram mounted in the chamber configured to move material out of the discharge opening of the chamber; and   (c) a discharge pipe connected to the discharge opening of the chamber and having an inlet and an outlet and a triangular cross-sectional shape corresponding to the triangular chamber cross-sectional shape.   
     
     
         17 . A method for pumping a high-solids material comprising:
 (a) placing the high-solids material in a pumping chamber having a cross-sectional shape and discharge opening;   (b) pumping the high-solids material out of the discharge opening of the chamber into a discharge pipe connected to the discharge opening of the chamber, wherein the discharge pipe has an inlet and an outlet and a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the chamber.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the high-solids material comprises at least 10% solids by weight. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the high-solids material is compressible. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the high-solids material is selected from the group consisting of: bio-solids, including, saw dust, yard trimmings, compost, wood chips, straw, grass, corn cobs, and corn stover; garbage or waste material, including, bottles, cans, clothing, disposables, food packaging, and food scraps; paper materials, including, newspapers, magazines, cardboard, office paper, and paper bags; plastic materials, including milk jugs and other storage containers; and mixtures and combinations thereof.