Technology Review 1760

Dense-Phase Conveyor
The DPV-B dense-phase conveyor moves carbon black prills with efficiency, cleanliness, and is a near automated system – minimizing degradation, while meeting process demands. Recently, Cyclonaire replaced a vacuum system handling carbon black that was generating fines as high as 17%. Using the DPV-B virtually eliminated any breakage of the prills and kept the prills intact. Conveying the prills from truck or railcar with a high material-to-air ratio to the destination gently will improve flow characteristics and keep cross contamination to a minimum in a bin or silo. Cyclonaire Corp., York, NE 800-445-0730 www.cyclonaire.com

Bulk Bag Discharger with Dust Collection System
The patented Material Master bulk bag discharging system offers features that maximize production efficiency. An integrated pulse-jet dust collection system returns collected dust to the product stream and features stainless steel product contact surfaces. Automatically sequenced Flow-Master bag massagers and Power-Flo bag impactors promote material flow, while a powerful Flo-Lock discharge spout closure system halts material flow for partial bag discharging. A Sure-Seal actuated spout clamping system seals the bag discharge spout during the discharge cycle. Units are custom designed to application requirements. Material Transfer & Storage, Allegan, MI 800-836-7068 www.materialtransfer.com

Bulk Bag Unloaders
BEST bulk bag unloaders provide dust-free product discharge from bulk bags. These unloaders are expandable and flexible to meet discharging and bulk bag requirements. They are available in three models: Model BDS bag-dump station with air-vibrator-shaker grate; the economical Model MTU with 2500- to 4000-lb capacity; and the heavy-duty Model BBU unloader with vibratory-motor agitation. Many options are available. All unloaders can be loaded with fork trucks, company cranes, or by hand. All standard unloaders incorporate a neoprene facial seal with 17-in.-diam discharge outlet for a dust-tight operation. Metso Minerals Industries Inc., Brunswick, OH 800-827-9237 www.bestvibes.com

Rotary Feeders for Pneumatic Conveying Applications
Designed specifically for pneumatic conveying of dense materials, such as fine powders used in chemical and pharmaceutical processing, food and bakery processing, plastics, and milling, the Aero-Flow Series of rotary feeders provides highly efficient, air-assisted, material introduction to pneumatic conveying systems. The feeders use a proprietary, dual-induction endplate design to introduce pressurized air from both endplates into the rotor pockets carrying process material. The high bulk density material, when mixed with air, is more effectively released from the rotor pockets, and is more efficiently introduced to the pneumatically conveyed material flow. ACS Valves, Caledonia, ON, Canada 800-655-3447 www.acsvalves.com

Bin Level Sensor
The SmartBob-TS1 is a cable-based sensor for bins up to 60 ft tall. This continuous level measurement sensor is ideal for operations with multiple, smaller storage and process bins containing powders or bulk solids. The compact, rugged sensor weighs less than 10 lb and works effectively in environments where airborne dust and filling noise can prevent other types of continuous level devices from working reliably. The bin level data generated by the SmartBob-TS1 can be viewed from a control console mounted conveniently at the base of the bins, with eBob software loaded onto a personal computer, or via BinView Web-based software that also has the ability to send automated alerts and emails to a cell phone or iPhone. BinMaster, Elburn, IL 800-278-4241 www.binmaster.com

Bulk Bag Filler
The redesigned C1-2 bulk bag filler comes complete with a new programmable controller designed to increase filling accuracy and cycle speed. An automatic gain-in-weight adjustment monitors and compensates for any weight variation and by using programmable one-touch controls, the bag filler operator can control operations as well as upstream in-feed devices. Accuracy is within 1%. A filling rate of up to 20 bags/hr is attainable, depending on the ‘flowability’ of the product and the storage hopper or conveyor used to deliver the product to the filler. Customized features include a power height adjustment, retracting bag hooks, filling nozzle and inflatable mechanical seal, liner inflation device, roller bed, and electronic or pneumatic vibrators. Spiroflow Systems Inc., Monroe, NC 704-291-9595 www.spiroflowsystems.com

Powder/Liquid Delivery System
The Solidquid powder and liquid delivery system automatically and precisely delivers dry bulk ingredients as a pre-blended slurry to a mix tank, blender, or other process equipment. In addition to reducing mix times, the system eliminates the need for additional conveyors and saves maintenance and energy costs, creates less dust, uses less floor space, and offers more flexibility in equipment layout. Material is discharged from a bulk bag unloader frame into a feeder, which volumetrically or gravimetrically measures it into a solids eductor. Motive process liquid supplied to the eductor inlet creates a vacuum at the solids inlet, pulling the dry material into suspension and conveys it to a storage or mix tank. Hapman, Kalamazoo, MI 800-427-6260 www.hapman.com

Gravimetric Feeder
The CentriFeeder with Integrated Control Valve (ICV) is both a controlled feed device and a mass flow measurement device in a single multi-functioning unit, designed to accurately measure and control the flow of any dry, free-flowing solid. Using a highly customizable touch screen HMI equipped with an integrated servo, (low rpm, AC, brushless) a PID control loop is established to control the ICV feeding the patented CentriFlow Meter. The resulting output signal can be transmitted via a variety of communications protocols, to either a centralized, master HMI, or to a PLC, for the accurate mixing, blending, batching, coating, or ratio-control of a variety of products. The outcome is an easily maintained, consistent flow that can, under some conditions, be controlled over a 100:1 range in almost any industry. Eastern Instruments, Wilmington, NC 910-392-2490 www.easterninstruments.com

Sanitary V-Blenders
The V-Blender design is most often used for the intimate dry blending of free-flowing solids. The solids being blended in these units can vary in bulk density and in percentage of the total mixture. Materials being blended are constantly being split and intermixed as the shell rotates. Normal cycle times are typically in the range of 15 minutes, but can be less depending on the difficulty of blending. All V-Blenders are supplied with intensifier bars to permit de-lumping and de-agglomeration as needed. Discharge is accomplished through a manually operated butterfly valve. The valve is positioned 24 in. from the floor when in the bottom position. This versatile line of dry blenders is available from stock in 5-, 10-, and 15-cu-ft sizes. Charles Ross and Son Co., Hauppauge NY 800-243-7677 www.mixers.com

Bulk Bag Unloader
This automated bulk bag unloader system uses a fully integrated, 4-stage material conditioning sequence to prepare an agglomerated, rock-like material for supply to a downstream liquification process. The dual, opposing bag hoist design enables high-volume input of material to the first conditioning stage where two, hydraulic de-blocking rams each deliver 28,000 lb of direct material force. Next, dual hydraulic massage paddles, each with 2200 lb of paddle pressure, further reduce material to chunk sizes. A bag spout valve, with 1000 lb of material break-up force, and capable of breaking up a static column of material, then reduces the material for supply to the final stage where a high-capacity, size reduction crumbler breaks material into ¼-in. pieces for conveying downstream. National Bulk Equipment Inc., Holland, MI 616-399-2220 www.nbe-inc.com

Combination Bulk Bag/Drum Filler
The combination bulk bag/drum filler’s patented Swing-Down fill head simultaneously lowers and pivots, stopping it in a vertically-oriented position, allowing an operator to make bag spout connections at floor level. This eliminates the need to step over roller conveyors, strain to reach overhead connection points, or risk injury associated with operation of conventional bulk bag fillers whose connection points are beyond the reach of most operators, even when bags as short as 1220 mm in height are being filled. The unit can be switched to drum filling mode in several seconds by positioning the swing-arm-mounted drum-filling chute under the fill head discharge port. The chute automatically rotates to deliver material to all four drums on a pallet. Flexicon Corporation (Australia) Pty Limited, Wacol, QLD, Australia +61 (0)2 9482 4033 www.flexicon.com.au

Micro-Feed Screws
The SPL Micro-Feed screw combines the traditional high accuracy of the former model with a few new features. Applied in front of the outlet of a larger diameter screw feeder, the SPL serves the purpose of increasing precision in feeding powdery or granular materials extracted from silos. The new SPL features a compact design and easy disassembly for quick inspection and maintenance. Suitable for application in ready-mix and precast concrete batching plants, as well as dry premixed building material processing plants, the screw optimizes raw material consumption. WAMGROUP S.p.A., Cavezzo, Italy +39 0535 61 81 11 www.wamgroup.com

Pasteurization Systems
As an alternative to noxious gasses, radiation, or carbon producing thermal techniques, Macrowave Ultra-Series Pasteurization systems apply a high-frequency electric field to food products proven to effectively control pathogens. Utilizing clean electrical energy from the grid, the material to be treated is conveyed through a high-frequency electrode array where the alternating electrical energy causes the material to heat rapidly and uniformly throughout the product thickness. Due to this rapid, volumetric heating, the material is not exposed to elevated temperatures for long durations such that nutritional values and functionality are preserved. Radio Frequency (RF) heating is an efficient, “direct” form of heating such that no energy is wasted heating large volumes of air or preheating the system itself. The technology is “instant-on, instant-off” using energy only during the treatment process. Radio Frequency Company, Inc., Millis, MA 508-376-9555 www.radiofrequency.com

Modular Cartridge Bin Vent
The modular cartridge bin vent provides air filtration of fine airborne particles from within a storage tank and releases clean air to the atmosphere. While material is pneumatically conveyed into a storage tank, fine particles and air are efficiently separated by the large cartridge filter. This enables clean air to pass from the tank out to the atmosphere. Reverse-jet cleaning from a compressed air accumulator pulses the cartridge filter, dislodging any fines and returning them to the tank. Standard materials of construction include carbon steel enamel coating or stainless steel material contact areas. K-Tron Process Group/K-Tron Premier, Salina, KS 785-825-1611 www.ktron.com

Abrasion-Resistant Slide Gate
The Vortex Titan Series abrasion-resistant slide gate is as robust as the Vortex aggregate gate, but has the superior dust-tight seal of the Vortex roller gate. The new valve is the ideal for abrasive materials such as whole grains, coal, metal powders, or minerals up to 400°F. The heavy-duty frame is constructed of carbon steel with a beveled, abrasion-resistant steel blade and a displacement pocket on the closing end of the valve. The Titan gate is available in standard sizes from 6 to 30 in. with custom square or rectangular sizes up to 72 in. and larger. The slide gate features “live loaded” wear compensating seals that prevent material from escaping into the bonnet area of the gate. These seals are easily replaced without removing the valve from the processing line. The gate utilizes easily accessible, hardened steel cam-adjustable rollers instead of blade guides – a feature that is critical to maintaining a positive seal. Vortex Valves North America, Salina, KS 785-825-7177 www.vortexvalves.com