No posts to display

Recycled Material Flow Test

During the manufacturing process, scrap material that has either been rejected or trimmed off can be collected and sent back to the grinder. Reusing recycled material is good for the environment and the bottom line – but it does pose a material flow challenge.

Any recycled material has a heat history that affects its physical, chemical and flow properties. Bridging, arching, ratholing are common. However, many flow aids are unable to activate this bulk material. Fluidizers do not have the pressure or volume. Vibrators can cause it to settle and compact. Air cannons are too expensive to operate round-the-clock, and the recoil can cause long-term damage to the vessel.

AirSweep can help provide smooth, first-in/first out on-demand flow of all bulk solids, including recycled material. Watch proof of the flow in this video.

Liquid Cheese Blend Material Flow Test

Put down the hammer—we have a better way to get rid of build-up of whey and other cheese products from your bins, silos and other vessels.

AirSweep® uses high pressure, high-volume, 360° bursts of compressed air to slice through material blocks and sweep it back into the flow stream. Each unit activates up to 2.44 m diameters of material.

Watch our video of AirSweep® cutting through a thick liquid cheese blend.

You can also read about how AirSweep helped a cheese company resolve bridging, even when the cheese was treated with lecithin.

Powdered Hydrated Lime Material Flow Test

Hydrated lime is a surprisingly versatile material, used to make both bricks and better tortillas.

Lime is used to make sugar and purify sugar from other sources like maple. It is added to milk to produce butter or convert it into skim milk. It can be added to whey to form calcium lactate, which can be used for other products. Lime is also used to treat waste materials and to manufacture refractory bricks.

AirSweep pneumatic material flow aids are very effective for bulk powders and materials like hydrated lime. Watch the video to see how the AirSweep system can help prevent material blocks and promote on-demand material flow.

Powdered Hemp Material Flow Test

Hemp is a versatile material that is used in many kinds of commercial and industrial products. The fibers are woven into fabrics that are used for clothes, shoes, bags or furniture. Thicker fibers are used in mulch or animal beddings.

Hemp is also used in the construction industry. Hemp and lime blocks are used for insulation. Hemp walls are also gaining popularity as a “green building material” because they are durable and allow a natural flow of air, thus decreasing energy consumption.

The uses for hemp are growing, but what can keep it flowing? AirSweep is one of the best pneumatic flow aids for bulk materials like hemp. Watch the video to see how the powerful air pulses clear the vessel in seconds.

Gypsum Pebbles Material Flow Test

Gypsum is used in the cement industry as a hardening retarder. It’s also made into dry walls, since its natural moisture content makes it the first line of defense against building fires.

However, gypsum rocks need to broken down before they’re added to other materials. However, like many heavy bulk solids, they can interlock and get stuck in the vessels. This can be very problematic for mineral processing plants that work with tons of material.

This gypsum pebble material flow test shows how the AirSweep system can help prevent material blocks. This set-up uses the AirSweep VA-51, which is ideal for large bins, silos, hoppers, chutes, mixers, and other vessels. You can also read about how AirSweep helped a mineral processing plant improve their productivity by 3000%.

Ground Oat Hulls Material Flow Test

AirSweep is a powerful pneumatic flow aid that can be used for practically any kind of material, vessel and industry. The high pressure, high-volume, 360° bursts of compressed air cut through material blocks and effectively solve ratholing, bridging, arching, caking and other flow issues without damaging the vessels.

This material flow test shows how quickly AirSweep flushes bulk solids like ground oat hulls from a vessel. Increasing the pressure can also speed up the process for fast, reliable, on-demand flow.

Fish Powder Material Flow Test

Most flow aids aren’t effective for heavy, moist materials. Rubber fluidizing discs only work for light powders, vibrators can actually pack and condense the material, and hammers and agitators do more damage on the vessel walls. However, this material flow test shows how AirSweep can swiftly and safely solve the problem.

The Setup

Fish meal powder was poured into a vessel with a 4” diameter discharge, in a plant with humidity levels of 40%. The material already showed signs of caking and sticking while it was being handled.

The AirSweep System

Four AirSweep VA-06 units, placed 90 degrees apart

Challenge # 1

We compared the effect of hammering the vessel and using an AirSweep. Hammers only released small clumps. The material plugged the vessel outlet, and there was sticky residue on the vessel walls. AirSweep swept the vessel completely clean in just a few pulses.

Challenge # 2

Water added to the fish meal mixture, turning it into a sticky paste. The AirSweep cleared the bin with less than 10 pulses.

Kaolin Material Flow Test

AirSweep is a powerful and versatile pneumatic flow aid that can be used for practically any kind of material, vessel and industry. It releases high pressure, high-volume, 360° bursts of compressed air that clears material blocks. In this material flow aid test, we demonstrate its effectivity on extruded kaolin.

Kaolin: Applications

Kaolin is a key component in the production of paper to plastics, cosmetics to crayons, adhesives to adsorbents. Here is how it is used by major industries:

Paper. Coats the surface and make it whiter and smoother, or make colors brighter and sharper.

Rubber compounds. Kaolin is added to both natural and synthetic rubber products to add strength, abrasion resistance, and rigidity. It also costs less than other rubber pigments.

Ceramics. Kaolin helps make ceramic whitewares easier to mold, and adds dimensional stability, strength and smoothness. It is alsoused to make porcelain electrical insulators and refractory applications.

Plastics. Kaolin is added to thermosetting and thermoplastic mixes to improve appearance and smoothness, and dimensional stability.

Watch AirSweep Improve Kaolin Flow

The AirSweep VA-06 is the smallest model, with an activation radius of 2 to 3 inches. Watch how even the smallest AirSweep effectively clears material blocks.

Chopped Cellulose Material Flow Test

Keep materials flowing, and your process going, with the AirSweep® System! It is the best pneumatic flow aid for any kind of material, including flakes, fibers, powders and granules. This includes cellulose flakes, which is used in many industries.

Cellulose Flakes: Applications

Cellulose is used to make paper and card stock, and textiles like cotton, linen and rayon.

Cellulose is also widely used in food, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals. Powdered cellulose can prevent caking, and is found in spice mixes, flavored drinks and grated cheese. However, cellulose can exhibit other useful properties when mixed with water. It becomes a gel, which can thicken and stabilizes products like cheese, yogurt, ice cream and sauces. It is frequently found in health food or diet food, because it adds bulk and fiber content without affecting flavor or adding calories. Cellulose derivatives like MCC are used in medicine tablets.

Cellulose can also be processed into filter material, electrical insulation paper used in transformers and cables, and even an eco-friendly, water/fire-resistant alternative to plastic.

AirSweep:The Proof is in the Flow

AirSweep is the only pneumatic flow aid that can handle any form of cellulose—whether it’s a fine powder, or a moist gel. Watch our AirSweep® Cellulose Material Flow Test, or how it works on similar materials like resin flakes and wax flakes.

Powdered Rice Bran Material Flow Test

Material flow can be affected by humidity, the size of the vessel outlet, and the natural moisture and fat content of a material. For example, rice bran is high in fat and oil, and can be prone to clumping, bridging, arching and ratholing. Since rice bran has a shorter shelf life and can become rancid, it’s important to prevent these material blocks and get smooth, on-demand, first-in/first-out flow.

Rice Bran Applications

Rice bran is a byproduct of rice milling. Once considered “food waste”, it is now recognized for its high nutritional value and used as a sustainable functional ingredient. For example, rice bran lecithin (RBL) can be used as an alternative to soybean and sunflower lecithins in food and cosmetics. Rice bran wax is a superior binder of oils. Rice bran powder can be added to health food and supplements, or used as a natural treatment for gastro-intestinal problems, inflammation and more.

AirSweep

AirSweep is an effective flow aid for moist, heavy and sticky bulk powders. Watch the video to see how it works on rice bran powderçor read about how it helped a rice bran plant clear material blocks and lower factory stress.