BULK MATERIAL
FEEDERS
However challenging your application, our engineers can assist in the selection and design of a suitable bulk material feeder.
Ensuring the hopper is properly matched to the selected feeder is of paramount importance to reliable mass flow.
Bulk Handling Technologies can determine the most suitable feeder for your application by carefully considering the characteristics of the bulk material to be handled, the stored volume and the required range of feed rates.
Our capabilities include:
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Heavy Duty Belt Feeders
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Apron Belt Feeders
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Heavy Duty Screw Feeders (Single, Twin or Multiple)
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Drop Forge Chain Feeders
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Rotary Valves
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Circle Feeders
BULK MATERIAL / SOLIDS FLOW CONTROL
The requirement to 'feed' or regulate the flow of a bulk solid is a fundamental requirement for virtually all bulk storage and handling installations. With the feed rate controlled reliably at the source, the product can then be conveyed to process or intermediate storage using a variety of conveyor options, such as belt, screw, chain or pneumatic to name just a few.
The feeder is one of the most critical parts of the material handling system and must ensure accurate, uniform discharge from storage to the downstream system. There are a wide variety of challenges to be considered in the design of a feeder, and the importance of designing an integrated hopper / feeder solution can not be over emphasised.
Bulk Handling Technologies' engineers have many years' of experience with handling a variety of bulk materials and selection of the most appropriate feeder depends on many variables, including:
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Size and Geometry of the silo or hopper
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Bulk material characteristics (such as lump size, cohesiveness, bulk density, temperature etc.)
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Discharge rate and duty cycle
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Downstream equipment configuration and limitations
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Layout and space restrictions
With all feeders types, proprietary components (drives, rollers, bearings etc), surface treatment and instrumentation can be selected and supplied to suit site preferences and project specifications.
Apron Belt Feeder
Apron Belt Feeders are robust reliable feeders utilised for applications where belt feeders are nearing the limit of application regarding lump size, belt width or tensions, or where spillage on apron feeders is detrimental. Another key benefit of the apron belt feeder is the ability to incorporate a bend transition to save space or eliminate extra equipment.
Screw Feeder
Screw Feeders are suitable for a large range of materials from filter cakes to fine powders or lumps. They reliably control the feed of material within a totally enclosed casing, avoiding spillage and making them ideal for applications handling dusty or hazardous materials. There are many design options to suit a large range of possible feed rates, screw feeder hopper outlets and material properties.
En-masse Chain Feeders
En-masse Chain Feeders utilise the ability of some materials to be transported as a continuous "column" of product within a dust tight enclosure. These chain feeders have a number of unique features which can allow multiple feed inlets, 2-way conveying in a single machine and layouts incorporating multiple bends and elevating with inclined or vertical sections.
Rotary Valve
Rotary Valves can accurately discharge and feed powders and small, friable lump materials from storage silos, hoppers or other containers. In applications where there is a pressure differential across the valve (for example when feeding into a pneumatic line) the valve is able to create an airlock, allowing transfer of material while minimising air or gas leakage.
Rotary Table Feeders
Table feeders are unique style of feeder which can handle products or applications other feeders cannot. With a large opening diameter, rotary table feeders can extract difficult flowing materials with a large 'arching diameter', while allowing controlled discharge at low feed rates. A further advantage of the table feeder is that it has the ability to be configured with multiple outlets, allowing individual or simultaneous discharge as , and when required.