Automating the milling process
UK. Malvern
Instruments has just published a paper, jointly authored with an expert from the aluminium industry, which considers how best to exploit on-line particle size analysis to automate and improve milling efficiency and provide more cost-efficient operation.
The paper, entitled Automated control of the milling
circuit
, shows how research into automated control, based on real-time particle size measurement using Malvern’s Insitec online analyzer, simultaneously improves product quality and reduces energy consumption. The information is relevant to any industry that utilises milling.
In
any milling process, milling output is typically defined in terms of a particle size specification. For many industries, a product that is too coarse is not acceptable, while an overly fine one is. Consequently over-milling can be a major issue and a significant cause of excessive energy consumption.
For many products, grade change - the switch from one particle size to another - is also an important source of waste, because manual analysis and control make it difficult to rapidly reach a new set point. Although on-line particle size analysis is increasingly employed for mill monitoring, a greater return on investment can be achieved by using the resulting data to automate control.
Designed for integration within existing control platforms, Insitec is an on-line laser diffraction particle size analyzer that measures up to four complete particle size distributions per second. The paper looks at how best to filter such data for optimal control and discusses the benefits that automation delivers.
Results show that automation robustly maintains product quality, reducing over-milling and cutting unproductive transition times, and delivering significant financial benefits.
• To view the publication visit http://www.malvern.com/hydro
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10:22 15/11/2010
Feature-rich bag dump
system
UK. Flexicon (Europe) Ltd has a new bag dump system which collects dust generated during manual dumping, compacts the bags and conveys bulk material downstream. The unit is intended to reduce material waste and eliminate the need to clean a remote dust collection site, with the added benefit of protecting workers and preventing plant contamination.
Available as a pre-engineered, pre-wired and ready to plug in and run unit, the compact system integrates a receiving hopper, dust collector, bag compactor and flexible screw conveyor within a frame to streamline installation and allow for easy relocation if required.
The bag dump station portion of the system collects dust generated during manual dumping and compaction of bags using a high velocity vacuum fan to draw dust away from the operator onto two cartridge filters. An automatic reverse-pulse filter cleaning system causes dust build-up on the outer surfaces to fall into the hopper. Importantly, filters are readily accessed by removing the interior baffle and are replaced rapidly using quick-disconnect fittings.
Vacuum created by the dust collector also serves to contain dust generated when an operator pushes empty bags from the dust hood, through an integral chute, into the bag compactor. It also recovers dust created during bag compaction, conserving useable product while reducing the frequency and cost of trash disposal.
The fully enclosed, flexible screw conveyor handles both free and non-free flowing bulk materials ranging from large pellets to sub-micron powders, including products that pack, cake, seize, smear, fluidise, break-apart or separate, with no separation of blended products.
The entire system, including the flexible screw conveyor, is available mounted on frames with boom and castors for in-plant mobility. Construction is in stainless steel, finished to food, dairy, pharmaceutical or industrial standards or in carbon steel with durable industrial coatings. Hoppers are also available, configured for connection to pneumatic conveying systems or process equipment.
www.flexicon.co.uk
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20:41 13/10/2010
Conveying in tight spaces
UK. Flexicon (Europe) Ltd has introduced a new bulk conveyor with a tilt-down portable base to enable it to fit through tight spaces and provide easy access for removal of the flexible screw.
With its reduced footprint, the unit’s castor mounted frame can manoeuvre through narrow aisles and around corners. With the hopper, support boom and conveyor assembly tilted down, it fits through standard doorways and orientates the conveyor tube horizontally, allowing the flexible screw to be removed easily for cleaning and inspection.
Each unit is custom configured according to discharge height, tilt-down height, discharge overhang and the overall size parameters of the application.
The hopper, which is equipped with a hinged lid, feeds a flexible screw conveyor which is capable of transporting bulk ingredients ranging in size from sub-micron powders to large pellets. Enclosure of conveyor tube prevents product and plant contamination, while the gentle rolling action of conveyed material prevents blend separation.
The only moving part contacting material is the inner screw which reduces maintenance and increases reliability. A range of specialised screws is available to handle free flowing or non-free-flowing materials, including products that pack, cake, smear, seize, plug or fluidise.
Conveyor frames can be constructed in steel with durable industrial coatings or stainless steel to suit particular industrial or sanitary standards.
www.flexicon.co.uk
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14:56 01/09/2010
UK. Flexicon (Europe) Ltd has announced a new Open Chute Box Dumper to provide a safe, low cost method of discharging bulk solid materials from boxes, totes and other containers when dust containment is not a requirement.
The box-container dumper has the ability to accommodate boxes and bins with a side of 915 mm to 1220 mm and an overall height of 990 mm to 1120 mm.
During operation, the unit’s lift assembly is tipped hydraulically until material discharges from the container onto a smooth, flat chute that allows unobstructed discharge of free-flowing and non-free-flowing products containing large agglomerates into receiving vessels.
Twin hydraulic cylinders pivot the platform chute assembly to discharge angles of 45 or 60 degrees, with the container secured by transverse sidewall bracing to prevent sliding. There is also a motion dampening feature when container rotation movement is completed.
Units are available with stainless steel material contact surfaces, carbon steel with durable industrial coatings or all stainless construction to meet industrial and sanitary standards. Optional receiving hoppers can be configured with the company's mechanical or pneumatic conveyors for onward transfer of discharged material to any plant location.
Flexicon also manufactures dust tight dumpers for boxes, totes, drums and other bulk solid containers, as well as box/tote/drum fillers.
www.flexicon.co.uk
| 09:02 20/07/2010
Getting the right massage across
UK. Materials that have
compacted or hardened in Bulk Bags can often be beyond economic
recovery.
There is the option to use standalone hydraulic breakers/bulk bag conditioners to split the offending contents into lumps. However, Spiroflow say that these devices can be a time consuming and costly way of dealing with the problem, taking up valuable space and, in extreme cases, even breaking the bags open and spilling the contents.
From
experience, Spiroflow say that around 95 per cent of compacted or otherwise difficult to discharge bulk bags can be dealt with by utilising the 'earth-quaking' action generated by one or more of their integral massagers. Offered as an option on their range of Bulk Bag dischargers/unloaders, they comprise pneumatic powered massage paddles to help promote flow of cohesive, sticky and otherwise difficult non-free flowing materials.
Three types of unit are offered: side massagers - adjustable vertically to work at the optimum position (usually within the lower third of the bag); base massagers - break up material that has become compacted across the base of the bag; and corner massagers which ensure that the greatest lump breaking forces are applied from opposite corners, whilst ensuring all four corners of the bag are emptied.
Units work by
either 'earth-quaking' compacted or cohesive materials thereby breaking the inter-particle bonds or by pushing material from the extremities of the bag to the outlet spout area where it is then free to fall out. During this process, additional encouragement is provided by Spiroflow's patented spring support arms which stretch the bag and liner vertically to ensure that product is not held up in any folds.
To help select the most appropriate system, Spiroflow can conduct tests at their own facility, or at a customer's site, which can be witnessed by clients in person or via a live video link.
For applications where lumpy products inhibit repackaging or further processing, a variety of lump-breaker and sifting systems is also offered. These can be integrated into Bulk Bag dischargers to ensure that material is delivered to the packing or processing machine to the required specification. There is also the option of mechanical and pneumatic conveying systems for onward transfer of product.
www.spiroflow.com
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09:26 24/07/2010
Controller consolidates applications
Switzerland.
K-Tron Process Group has introduced the new K-Tron Premier LSR controller which consolidates several applications into one system. This allows the LSR to control either a K-Tron Premier self contained loader or a single central receiver for pneumatically conveying a wide variety of bulk materials.
The controller is locally
mounted with all 24 VDC unit devices pre-wired and has an auto-switching
power supply that accepts 115 or 230 VAC. The front panel includes a
potentiometer to set draw times, on/off switch and LEDs to indicate
power/alarm, loading status and dump
status.
Enclosure construction can be polycarbonate or stainless steel. Nine different operating modes are selectable via an internal rotary switch and ten-position dip switch.
The controller provides precise and reliable filling by time or level and offers various discharge configurations, including gravity or powered gate. Control parameters include pulse cleaning, purge (line clearance) valve, ratio loading, level sensor, fill (sequence) valve, by-pass (vacuum breaker) valve and one vacuum pump motor when controlling a single central receiver.
Importantly, using a serial connection, the LSR can be networked to external devices such as the KCM, (K-Tron’s Feeders Control Module), KSU-II (K-Tron Single Unit Display II) or K-Vision Single Line Controller.
www.ktron.com
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11:19 23/07/2010
Sanitary IBC conditioner
UK. Flexicon (Europe) Ltd has announced a new sanitary bulk bag conditioner for loosening bulk solids that have compacted during storage or transit, allowing discharge from bulk bag unloaders through the bag spouts.
The stainless steel conditioner features two hydraulic rams with specially contoured end plates that press opposite sides of the bags. An optional hydraulically actuated, variable-height turntable allows bag conditioning at all heights and all sides. Users can adjust the number and pressure of hydraulic ram actuations, height of turntable and number of 90-degree rotations.
The sanitary
model is intended for solidified bulk food and other contamination
sensitive products that cannot be loosened using pneumatically actuated
flow promotion devices integral to bulk bag dischargers. Carbon steel
models with durable industrial coatings are offered for more general
industrial applications.
Units are 2210 mm high x 3380 mm wide and 1980 mm deep and are able to accommodate bulk bags of all popular sizes. Fully enclosed on all four sides for operator safety, the unit includes full height doors interlocked to prevent system operation when the doors are open.
If needed, the system controller and hydraulic pump can be mounted remotely or on the exterior of the safety cage and only require an electrical power connection for operation.
www.flexicon.co.uk
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13:25 16/03/2010
Box/container dumper
UK.
Flexicon's TIP-TITE™ range of dumpers has been extended with a box/container dumper that forms an effective dust-tight seal between container and equipment prior to tipping and discharging material at a controlled rate through a chute.
Units are able to accommodate boxes and bins with sides of 915 to 1220 mm and overall heights of 990 to 1120 mm. The container platform itself is raised by a single hydraulic cylinder and a dust-tight seal is formed either between the top edge of a box, or rim of a drum, and the underside of the containment hood.
Twin hydraulic
cylinders pivot
the platform/hood assembly with container intact to a 45, 60 or 90 degree angle and a motion dampening feature is utilised at the end of the container rotation cycle. There is the option of a gasketted, top discharge gate, actuated by twin pneumatic cylinders, to provide a large opening with chute for handling non-free-flowing bulk solids which might otherwise bridge across smaller openings, allowing material discharge to be controlled.
Units
are constructed of stainless steel to food, pharmaceutical or industrial standards or mild steel with durable industrial coatings. Optional receiving hoppers can be configured to operate with existing mechanical or pneumatic conveying systems for onward transfer of material to any plant location.
www.flexicon.co.uk
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14:02 17/02/2010
Sanitary high lift unit
UK. Flexicon (Europe) Ltd has a new sanitary high lift drum dumper that allows drums loaded at floor level to be sealed against a discharge cone, elevated and tipped, mating the cone to a gasketted receiving ring on downstream process equipment.
Trademarked TIP-TITE™, the unit accommodates drums from 115 to 210 litres and can discharge bulk material into process vessels and equipment inlets 1525 - 3050 mm above the plant floor.
the drum platform is raised by a single hydraulic cylinder, creating a dust-tight seal between the rim of the drum and underside of the discharge cone. A second hydraulic cylinder raises the platform-hood assembly vertically before tipping it to a dump angle of 90 degrees, mating the vertically oriented cone with a sealed receiving ring.
The ring can be fitted to the lid of an optional hopper with integral flexible screw conveyor or pneumatic pick-up adapter, or to existing process equipment. A pneumatically actuated slide gate valve prevents material flow until the discharge cone has properly seated in the receiving ring.
The all-stainless unit can be finished to sanitary or industrial standards with models offered in mild steel with durable industrial coatings, or with material contact surfaces of stainless steel.
www.flexicon.co.uk
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20:39 10/01/2010
