Various silo discharge systems have been used for decades but they all cause different issues and are now considered unreliable for dry sorbent injection applications.
These issues amongst others include:
• An erratic discharge due to worn-out equipment
• Powder compaction at the bottom of the silo caused by too much vibration
• Powder injection feed rate in the process impossible to control
• Equipment expensive to replace
• Difficult to replace the broken parts due to a lack of reference on the silo/accessories suppliers
• The injection feed rate might have changed over the years making the equipment outdated and unfit for use.
• Dust pollution affecting the safety of the work environment
CHALLENGE
Traditional silo discharge and feeding systems usually feature:
• 1 powder discharge system (bin activator, vibrator, air injection system)
• 1 dosing system (rotary airlock)
• 1 feeding system (screw feeder)
• 1 weighing system for approving the feeding accuracy (hopper on load cells)
This represents at least 4 pieces of equipment, from different vendors, with different electrical requirements, and all of them must be controlled by the same control panel, altogether to serve only one purpose: feeding the powder at the right feed rate.
The challenge is to replace all the above mentioned apparatuses with an all-in-one equipment which can:
• Fit underneath the silo, or within the silo skirt
• Connect to the silo flange
• Convey the powder from the silo to the injection point
• Respect the desired feed rate
• Be installed as fast as possible while the silo is shut down
SOLUTION
In order to simplify the silo discharge process, Sodimate introduced an all-inclusive solution: The Mechanical Arch Breaker.
Sodimate’s innovative 3-in-1 system discharges the silo without any vibration or air injection, isolates the powder from the rest of the silo to conserve its density and feeds it with a +/- 2% accuracy to the process.
INSTALLATION
One to replace all four
The Mechanical Arch Breaker fully replaces the combination bin activator + rotary airlock + screw feeder.
Adaptability
Its compactness allows an easy adaptation to crowded and complex environments. The length of the screw feeder is adjustable, and it can either be inclined or flexible. The arch breaker can even feature several feeders.
Easy connection to the silo
It is connected to the silo thanks to an adapting cone, which can be bolted to an existing flange or welded to the silo cone.
Its advantages
• Space saving: one equipment instead of at least four
• Energy saving: Only two motors need to be powered
• Accuracy improvement: equipment fully customizable based on latest powder needs
• Safety improvement: no dust pollution
