Category Archive: Airsweep

The Cost and Efficiency of Using Pressurized Air to Break Material Blocks

Pneumatic flow aids use pressurized air to stimulate material flow. Fluidizers and air pads use a combination of aeration and gentle vibration and are typically used for fine powders. However, low-pressure air can’t activate heavy materials or break bridging, arching, and ratholing.

AirSweep releases high-pressure air pulses and is proven effective for problematic materials. One unit can activate more material than dozens of fluidizers, and flush the vessel completely clean.

The AirSweep system just needs to be hooked up to a good air supply that provides enough pressure and volume to power up each pulse. Here are some frequently asked questions about AirSweep and the cost and efficiency of using pressurized air to solve material blocks.

Why do I need high-pressure air to solve material blocks?

Bridging, arching, and ratholing are caused either by a material’s high cohesive strength, or particles that interlock and are then further packed together by downward pressure.

The high-pressure air pulses create a shockwave that breaks up the material blocks and sweep up the stalled material out of the vessel. This can’t be achieved by gentle aeration.

How does AirSweep compare to air cannons and air knockers?

Air cannons and air knockers also use high-pressure air in higher volumes. However, these require more plant air and energy, and the strong recoil can cause metal fatigue.

Furthermore, using bigger blasts of air doesn’t necessarily improve material flow. The peak force lasts only 1/1000th of a second – subsequent discharge is wasted energy. The air also tends to “channel” through holes in the material, greatly diminishing effectiveness.

AirSweep releases short, controlled pulses exactly where and when you need it, so you never use more plant air or energy than you have to. You can control the position of each nozzle, the duration between each pulse, and the sequence. You can also choose between the classic AirSweep which releases pulses in 360 degrees or the Straight Shooter model which releases a vertical column of air.

What kind of plant air can be used?

The AirSweep can pass any inert medium that can be pressurized. Some plants have even used nitrogen with AirSweep to help purge oxygen from the vessel to reduce explosion or fire hazards.

Is it expensive to use high-pressure compressed air?

AirSweep is very cost-efficient. Unlike fluidizers and air pads which run continuously, the nozzles release air pulses in sequence. So even if you have several units on a vessel, they only pulse one at a time. AirSweep also uses less plant air and electricity than air cannons and air knockers.

Can damp air damage the AirSweep?

Damp air will not damage the unit itself, but it can introduce moisture into the material and cause it to cake or gum up. That is why we recommend treating the air before it goes into the system.

Can AirSweep cause air pressure build-up?

Pressure build-up is not an issue because the AirSweep system is not run until the vessel is actively discharging.

The AirSweep design also allows you to customize the flow. For example, if the material has a tendency to overflow, air pressure can be lowered to lessen the volume or area of influence, or the pulse frequency and sequence can be changed. You can also get a smaller AirSweep unit with a smaller sweep diameter.

Will the air pulses cause segregation and demixing?

As long as the AirSweep is tied into the discharge cycle, there will be no segregation. In fact, AirSweep is often used to maintain blend uniformity.

An infant formula company uses AirSweep at the start of the packaging lines—where base powders with vitamins and other compounds are mixed—down to their receiving hoppers and sifters. The air pulses ensure continuous material flow, so the product remains consistent from start to finish.

Can AirSweep units on different vessels share systems like an air receiver?

If two vessels are used simultaneously, it depends on whether the compressed air supply can handle the load. If these are used simultaneously and are in close proximity, then they can be connected to the same air receiver, filter, and regulator.

Do you have questions about AirSweep and pneumatic flow aids that weren’t covered by this article? Contact us and we’ll be happy to give you information or customize a proposal.

Solve Cement Flow Issues with AirSweep

Cement is an important building material with the global demand expected to reach 4.73 billion tons by 2025. However, many cement plants struggle to keep up with production because of bulk solid flow problems. Materials like limestone, slag, bauxite, gypsum, and clay are prone to bridging, ratholing, and flooding. Moisture—especially in Asia and other humid environments—can also harden materials during storage.

Plant operators often resort to makeshift solutions like hammering the vessel. However, this seemingly “cheap fix” is slow and has hidden costs: slow productivity, safety risks, and damage to the vessels. Flow aids can help clear out material blocks and improve production, but it is necessary to find one that is effective for cement materials.

4 Factors When Selecting a Flow Aid for the Cement Industry

• Material activation. The flow aid must be able to handle heavy materials and large volumes. Some flow aids like fluidizers, which use a combination of gentle air pulses and vibration, are only effective for light powders that respond to light aeration.
• Energy consumption. Air cannons and air knockers have more power than fluidizers, but also require a lot of energy and plant air. Vibrators can also be expensive to operate because they run continuously. This is a big factor for countries that have high electricity prices, particularly in Asia and Europe.
• Reliability. Ideally, flow aids provide on-demand, first-in / first-out flow. Stagnant material left in the vessel can compromise product consistency and safety. For example, some additives like magnesium oxide can add strength but must be used in precise quantities so the product remains stable.
• Maintenance time and cost. Part of productivity includes shortening maintenance and cleaning times. Flow aids that are installed outside of the vessel, and can easily be removed even when they are located higher up in the silo or hopper, can significantly simplify routine maintenance.

AirSweep is One of the Most Trusted Flow Aids in the Cement Industry

AirSweep is a pneumatic flow aid that releases high-pressure, high-volume, 360-degree bursts of compressed air, which lifts stalled material back into the flow stream. It is used by cement companies around the world, such as Heidelberg Cement, Republic Cement, Cemex, Mississippi Lime, Carmeuse, and more.

AirSweep is proven effective for cement materials such as:

• Aluminum
• Bentonite
• Coal
• Copper
• Diatomaceous earth
• Gypsum
• Iron ore
• Limestone
• Magnetite
• Phosphate
• Shale
• Soda Ash

This material flow test demonstrates AirSweep’s effectivity for gypsum pebbles, which are used in the cement industry as a hardening retarder.

AirSweep Increases Cement Production by 60% Overnight

A Pennsylvania concrete company with six ready-mix plants was experiencing problems with fly ash bridging in bins, halting production.

After the AirSweep units were installed, fly ash moved freely from the bin to the ready-mix truck. “Production went from zero percent to 100 percent overnight after installing the AirSweep units,” stated the quality control technical service manager at the plant. The plant increased production by 60 percent.

AirSweep Works Better Than Industrial Vibrators for Cement Materials

An Asian cement company needed a flow rate of 30 tons per hour, but humidity caused shale to clog the silos. They lost $12,000 per hour of downtime. They tried numerous flow aids, such as vibrators, but workers still had to hammer the vessels to clear out all the material. This happened so frequently that they developed a formula for the cost of downtime on their monthly reports.

Vibrators and air knockers didn’t work. Only AirSweep produced reliable flow – and even used half as much energy as other flow aids.

AirSweep Proves More Powerful Than Air Cannons and Air Knockers

Heidelberg Cement, one of the largest building materials companies in the world, previously used air cannons to clear cement clinker from vessel walls and pipes. “We were using a bar to [break] the material in the tube.”

They replaced air cannons with AirSweep. “They worked perfectly.” Heidelberg Cement was so happy with the results that in the last year, they ordered 13 additional units for their various factories. “This is only the beginning of the project.”

AirSweep Meets All the Criteria for a Cement Flow Aid

• Material activation. AirSweep’s powerful air pulses are able to lift all material back into the flow stream. You don’t need to have workers hammer or climb into the vessel with pick axes and other tools to clear out blocks and residue.
• Energy consumption. AirSweep uses less energy and plant air than other flow aids. It also uses controlled pulses which are released in sequence, instead of running continuously.
• Reliability. AirSweep promotes on-demand, first-in / first-out flow. It even flushes the walls clean, ensuring product consistency and integrity.
• Maintenance time and cost. AirSweep units are installed outside of the vessel, and can easily be removed with simple tools for routine maintenance and cleaning.

For more information on AirSweep in the cement industry, visit this page or contact us.

AirSweep Cuts Back on Cleaning Time

If you are looking to cut back on cleaning time then you need AirSweep.

When you are cleaning your vessels, do you need to manually clean them, or flush them with flour or other materials?

We have a better way to clean your vessels and save you time and money. 

An infant formula company produces several varieties and milk formulations in the same processing and packaging lines. They used AirSweep during production to prevent segregation, and after production to flush the vessels completely clean – this cut their cleanup time by 75%!

Are you curious about how AirSweep can help your process? Contact us and we’ll be happy to customize a proposal for you.

The Hidden Cost of Ineffective Material Flow Aids

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—and hinder productivity and revenue.

Hammers and Manual Cleaning

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’re actually paying for manpower hours and the downtime while workers clear out the clogged material from the vessel.

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.

Hammering can also damage machines, and it creates the risk of worker injury. It’s also very inefficient: material can still cling to vessel walls compromising product consistency and even leading to spoilage.

Fluidizers

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.

While the fluidizers work for very light powders like flour, they can’t 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.

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.

Industrial Vibrators

Vibrators, as the name implies, vibrate the material to shake it free from the vessel wall and collapse any bridging and blocks.

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’s effective in a warehouse, but not in a silo or hopper where you want materials to move.

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.

Air Cannons

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.

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.

How to Find the Most Efficient Flow Aid

When selecting a flow aid, don’t just look at the initial cost of installation. Look at the hidden costs—downtime and manual labor, consumption of energy and plant air, cleaning and maintenance, and even the financial and legal impact of a worker injury.

To avoid these costs, select a flow aid based on these factors:

• Speed and efficiency. How fast will your material flow? Will it shorten your production time? Can the flow aid remove all stagnant material, or will you still need to hammer or manually clean your vessels?
• Operating costs. How much energy does it consume during operation? Does it use energy efficiently, i.e. will the units run continuously or in short, specific durations? What is the cost of cleaning and maintaining the flow aid itself, and how does it impact the maintenance of the vessel in which it is installed?
• Hygiene and safety. Consider risks to your product quality (like material contamination and spoilage) and risks to your people (worker injuries during manual cleaning, etc.).

Companies Choose AirSweep as the Most Cost-Effective Flow Aid

Many plants that used fluidizers, vibrators, and other flow aids eventually switched to AirSweep because they got better results. It improved productivity, product quality, and had lower energy and maintenance costs.

You can read about 7 companies that switched from vibrators to AirSweep or see how AirSweep’s features compare to the other flow aids in the market.

• AirSweep vs Fluidizers
• AirSweep vs Vibrators
• AirSweep vs Air Cannons
• AirSweep vs Air Knockers

If you have any other questions about AirSweep or need more information about how it can work on your process, contact us for a personal consultation or customized proposal.

DAZIC Zero Speed Switches Prevents Tons of Problems

What would happen if your conveyor system suddenly malfunctioned, and dumped all of your material on the ground? How long would it take you to clean it up?

A cement manufacturer whose feeder loads up to 250 tons of gravel per hour knows that if a machine fails, any delay in response time means hours of backbreaking cleanup. Even just a 10-minute delay could result in 30 hours of downtime.

DAZIC Zero Speed Switches can help prevent material pileup and detect machine failure saving you time and money.

The cement manufacturer used DAZIC to prevent tons of problems.  Their DAZIC solution costs less than $1,000 and hasn’t failed them once in the last decade. Read their story – and reach out to us if you’d like to have one installed in your plant.

Meet Safety Regulations with DAZIC Zero Speed Switches

What could happen if one of your equipment malfunctions, and tons of material spill before you’re able to shut it off?

The obvious problem would be the loss of production. You could spend hours, if not days, cleaning up the mess. You may even have to pull workers from other parts of the plant to get the job done faster or hire other people.

But the biggest and most expensive risk that you make is a violation of safety regulations.

• Can a worker be injured if he is buried under the material, or exposed to it?
• Does the material have hazardous properties? (Ex. can cause fires, chemical burns, health problems, etc.)
• Is the worker trained to personally handle and move the material? Does he know the proper safety precautions, and has he been given the proper safety equipment and gear?
• Is this part of his job description? Any task assigned to a worker outside of what he is trained to do increases the risk of injury.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has different levels of safety violations. However, the most serious violation is “When a business owner or manager knows there is a hazard that can result in injury or death and does nothing to resolve it.” Fines can reach up to $14,502 for each one, and willful or repeated violations can get stiffer penalties up to $145,207.

Use DAZIC Zero Speed Switches to Meet Safety Regulations

A DAZIC Zero Speed Switch can help prevent material pileups and detect machine failure. Just like fire alarms, they are cheap, easy to install, and can quickly alert you of a problem.

Speed switches are attached to any equipment that has rotating shafts. The sensors can detect if the rotations per minute (RPM) do not match the speed trip-points that you have set – either it is moving too fast, too slow, or stopped completely. It triggers an alarm and shuts it down.

Several plants around the world have installed DAZIC Zero Speed Switches to prevent worker injury and meet strict industry safety protocols.

Flammable Environments

Some fine powders can form explosive mixtures when released into the air, which can lead to flash fires. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has classified these materials as combustible dusts.

Under OSHA regulations, companies that use these materials must have dust control measures that prevent the accumulation of the dust during daily operations, and an emergency action plan in case the dust collects or is accidentally dispersed.

One of the world’s largest rubber tire manufacturers uses carbon black—classified as a combustible dust—to improve durability and performance. They installed DAZIC Zero Speed Switches to prevent any material spills and meet OSHA safety standards.

Physical Injury

Some industries—like cement, mining, or minerals processing—work with very heavy bulk solids. If any of the equipment fails, workers would have to clear the material before production can resume. However, contact with any material outside of normal operations can have its own risks.

The type and level of hazards depend on the material properties and the process. However, scenarios can include:

• Physical injury from lifting heavy material, or being hit by debris
• Respiratory problems from inhalation of dust and fine powders
• Skin irritation, ranging from rashes to chemical burns

Knowing these risks, a ready-mix concrete manufacturer installed DAZIC Zero Speed Switches to prevent material pile-up. They have 12 mixers, with feeders that load up to 250 tons of gravel an hour.

While they are a local business with limited budgets, the DAZIC Zero Speed Switches were an inexpensive investment that has prevented workplace accidents and very expensive regulatory fines. “It’s really a safety issue,” said plant supervisor Joe Kruzewski. “It would be a train wreck [to be] buried with that amount of gravel.”

The DAZIC Zero Speed Switches are also very durable. The oldest one is 18 years old, and it is still working.

More Information

To learn more about how DAZIC works watch this video. Are you looking to meet safety regulations in your plant? Contact us and meet your safety regulations with DAZIC.

AirSweep in the Mined Materials Industry

AirSweep is used in the mined materials industry. Nearly all manufacturing processes use mineral commodities. The smartphone you use every day (including its display and circuits) is made from at least 14 different mined materials.

Unfortunately, mineral commodities are notoriously difficult to handle. They bridge, arch, and interlock. These material blocks can be as stubborn as a rock—literally.

But AirSweep has solved this problem every single time. See it for yourself with the case studies and flow tests on our mined materials industry page. We work better than vibrators, bin activators, and air cannons on heavy materials. If that isn’t enough, AirSweep costs less to operate too!

What’s your toughest, most problematic flow problem? Contact us and we’ll find a way to fix it.

AirSweep VS Air Cannon Management Style

Do you have an AirSweep or air cannon management style? The air cannon is like the obnoxious co-worker who’s really loud and loves to throw his weight around. But despite all its hot air, it makes a mess that somebody else has to clean up.

AirSweep is the manager that quietly gets things done. It puts pressure where it’s needed, to keep things flowing and the process going. It reduces stress, and never leaves a mess.

You’ll see what we mean in our updated comparison between AirSweep and air cannons. Which one do you want to hire for your plant? (Referrals available upon request.)

DAZIC: Mining and Processing of Mined Materials

Mined industrial materials are used to make thousands of commodities: building materials, electronics, detergents, medications, plastics, ceramics, paper, glass, and many more. Some minerals are used in processes — such as bentonite for gas and oil extraction, and kaolin for fracking operations.

Many production facilities will process tons of mined materials a day. For example, Barnes Concrete Co. is a manufacturer of ready-mix concrete based in the Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey tri-state area. In just one hour, up to 250 tons of gravel are loaded into their feeders. Imagine the kind of volume in much larger companies that have more products and wider distribution.

Problems and Risks

Working with high volumes of heavy materials can cause several problems in production that can cost millions of dollars if it is not properly managed. Any failure in equipment can lead to tons of materials being spilled—causing delay and possibly injury.

If companies do not manage this risk by incorporating safety devices, they are vulnerable to serious and long-term financial and legal problems.

Safety Compliance

Regulatory bodies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) require employers to keep the workplace—whether it is the mining or the processing facility—free of serious recognized hazards.

If a plant inspection reveals negligence or failure to comply, the company can be slapped with large fines and a suspension of its business license.

Production Delays

Barnes Concrete Co.’s plant supervisor Joe Kruzewski estimates that if there were any material spills, it would take three people at least three hours to shovel one ton of gravel.

Since the feeder loads 250 tons of gravel per hour, or about four tons a minute, even a 10-minute delay in response time after a machine fails could result in 30 hours of downtime. “We would have to shovel for days!”

Worker Injury

Manually shoveling heavy material also creates another problem: worker safety. Any work that is outside of what a worker is trained and hired to do increases the risk of injury. Other minerals can also be dangerous if they are spilled, because of the weight, creation of flammable or other hazardous environments, or health problems caused by exposure to either the mineral or the chemical compounds combined with it.

Any worker accident can incur both direct and indirect costs. Direct costs include regulatory fines, hospital and litigation costs, and insurance penalties. Indirect costs can be even larger, because of loss of business contracts and long-term damage to reputation.

Manage Risks with a DAZIC® Zero Speed Switch

Barnes Concrete Co. has never had any incidents of material spills because of a simple safety device: the DAZIC Zero Speed Switch.

DAZIC Zero Speed Switches are interlocked into a conveyor system so that operations stop if any equipment runs outside of pre-set speed limits. It prevents material pile-up and all of its disastrous consequences.

They installed the DAZIC Zero Speed Switches on all of their 12 conveyors several years ago. The oldest one is 18 years old, and it is still working.

At that time, Barnes Concrete Co. was still a smaller company with a limited budget for equipment investment. However, the DAZIC Zero Speed Switches cost less than $900 each—a very affordable investment that has paid off.

“It’s really a safety issue,” said Kruzewski. “Any equipment malfunction or failure in the production line could lead to an avalanche of material. It would be a trainwreck [to be] buried with that amount of gravel.”

The speed switches have also proven to be very durable and reliable. “They have never quit. The mounting eventually fails from wear and tear, but that’s more of maintenance on our part, not from the unit failing,” says Kruzewski.

How a DAZIC works

DAZIC Zero Speed Switches are used by both small, local businesses and industry leaders that operate all across the globe.

To find more information on how DAZIC works, visit the product page, which has a simple video explaining its operations, and the different models that can meet your process needs.

You can also contact us for consultation, where we can answer your questions and customize a proposal.

How to Reduce Material Handling Costs

Plants can manage tons of bulk powders and solids every month. In order to manage production costs, it is important to efficiently store, move, and process the materials without waste or delays. 

However, many materials have intrinsic properties that can affect how they react to the environment or flow in a vessel. Powders can settle in storage or draw moisture to form clumps. Particles can segregate, and moist or heavy materials can cling to equipment. Bridging and ratholing are also very common.

Improve material handling efficiency

AirSweep pneumatic flow aids can prevent many problems that can increase material handling costs. Its powerful air pulses promote on-demand, first in/first out flow. It is effective for tough materials and has been proven to be more effective than vibrators, fluidizers, and other kinds of flow aids. 

Many companies have used AirSweep to reduce material handling costs. One client even said, “The AirSweep paid for itself in just two weeks!”

Reduce waste

A food company that uses flax and cocoa powder had to throw away up to 40 pounds of mixture a day and even had to pay to have it hauled away. 

When they tried using vibrators and fluidizers, they not only spent more on energy consumption, but also had to spend one hour each day manually clearing out residue with sticks and hammers. However, AirSweep was able to solve 90% of the material retention problem, which significantly increased production and reduced waste.

Increase production speed

Poor material flow can affect production efficiency and the overall output of the plant. One paint company had issues with titanium dioxide, a fine powder that has a tendency to segregate. Since it did not completely empty out during the batch cycle, it would take 50 minutes to transport it a distance of 325 feet.

However, with the AirSweep system, the paint company was able to shorten batch time to 15 minutes.

Prevent spoilage

Stagnant material that is left in the vessel can spoil or affect product size, color, and texture. In order to protect quality and safety, and maintain a consistent formula, it is important for materials to achieve first in/first out flow. 

One of the world’s largest manufacturers of infant formulas trusts AirSweep to flush material build-up between production runs of regular and lactose-free milk. The USDA-accepted model also meets sanitation requirements and is so effective that it reduced cleaning time from 40 hours to 10 hours.

Prevent equipment damage

To reduce material handling costs, plants need to choose a flow aid that will not cause structural stress on the vessels. Hammering leaves deep dents and cracks, and air cannons and vibrators cause metal fatigue. Eventually, the vessel will need to be repaired or even replaced.

In contrast, AirSweep does not damage vessels, and can even be used on vessels with very thin walls.

Use energy efficiently

Another key factor in reducing material handling costs is to use energy-efficient equipment. 

Though it taps the same level of air pressure as fluidizers and air vibrators, the AirSweep system does not run continuously. It starts and stops with the discharge cycle, and runs in a sequence with one pulse at a time. So overall, it uses less plant air and electricity than flow aids that run continuously.

The energy savings can be very significant for plants located in countries that have a high cost of electricity—such as this cement company in the Philippines.

AirSweep: the most cost-effective flow aid 

The AirSweep system can improve material flow and prevent material handling costs.  Contact us to find out more about how you can use AirSweep in your process.