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Flow aids can resolve bridging, arching, and other material blocks, but many give limited results and come with hidden costs. So instead of solving the problem, they can even create new ones\u2014and hinder productivity and revenue.<\/p>\n
Hammers are the cheapest flow aid you can possibly find… or so you think. While you can get a hammer for less than $20, you\u2019re actually paying for manpower hours and the downtime while workers clear out the clogged material from the vessel.<\/p>\n
That can be very expensive. One of the biggest cement companies in Southeast Asia calculated that they lost $12,000 per hour of downtime. In North America, this downtime is more like $25,000 an hour.<\/p>\n
Hammering can also damage machines, and it creates the risk of worker injury. It\u2019s also very inefficient: material can still cling to vessel walls compromising product consistency and even leading to spoilage.<\/p>\n
Fluidizers are sometimes the default flow aid because they have already been pre-fitted into the vessel. The rubber disks are connected to air piping and use a combination of gentle vibration and aeration to activate the material.<\/p>\n
While the fluidizers work for very light powders like flour, they can\u2019t activate heavy, damp, or sticky materials. They have a small effective radius, so you may need to install several units. Since the disks run continuously, energy consumption is also high.<\/p>\n
Fluidizers that are installed inside the vessel can also degrade, and material can be trapped inside the disks. This is a risk for sanitary processes and it creates cleaning and maintenance challenges.<\/p>\n
Vibrators, as the name implies, vibrate the material to shake it free from the vessel wall and collapse any bridging and blocks.<\/p>\n
However, many materials can actually become more compact when it is shaken. In fact, vibrators are sometimes used to compress materials before they are stored or transported. That\u2019s effective in a warehouse, but not in a silo or hopper where you want materials to move<\/em>.<\/p>\n Even for materials to respond to vibration, this flow aid can still be problematic. It can cause metal fatigue and eventually lead to vessel damage. It uses a lot of air and energy to operate. It does not completely flush material that clings to walls or pipes, so you will still need to do periodic shutdowns for cleaning.<\/p>\n This flow aid blasts air through material blocks. While powerful, it is not always effective. Air can channel through the holes and diminish its effect. It requires a large amount of plant air and energy to operate, and will still leave a lot of material on the vessel that needs to be manually cleaned.<\/p>\n The large units are also difficult to install in small vessels, and the metal recoil contributes to vessel wear and tear. Flying material can also enter the nozzle and solenoid valve, so the system is prone to damage and maintenance issues.<\/p>\nAir Cannons<\/h2>\n