Prevents hang-ups and blockages in silos, hoppers, chutes, and troughs.
Each pulse of coordinated 360-degree compressed air/gas ejection activates material within a 2.4-meter diameter without vibration or stress on the tank walls.
Enables controlled flow of even the toughest powders and bulk materials on demand.
Activates bulk material through controlled impulse flow from strategically positioned AirSweep nozzles.
Energy-saving and highly efficient – nearly maintenance-free.
Patented valve design with a single moving part ensures immediate resealing of bulk material after each pulse.
Easy installation and maintenance on the exterior of tanks, hoppers, and other containers.
Each AirSweep nozzle is easy to install and can be customized for any application, even in temperatures up to 482°C.
Applications
Food Industry and Agriculture
Construction and Mining
Chemical Industry
Other
Processed materials
Processed materials
Processed materials
Processed materials
Animal Feed
Aluminium
Activated Carbon
Acetate
Brewing Raw Materials
Bentonite
Adipic Acid
Cement
Cocoa
Coal
Aluminum Chloride
Chalk
Coffee
Copper
Chlorine
Cork
Corn
Diatomaceous Earth
Slaked Lime
Cleaning Agent
Flour
Gypsum
Iron Oxide
Fertilizer
Grain Seeds
Iron Ore
Polyacrylamide
Fly Ash
Hops
Limestone
Titanium Dioxide
Pharmaceuticals
Salt
Phosphate
Zinc
Plastics
Soybeans
Shale
-
Polymers
Spices
Calcined
-
Tar Sludge
Starch
Soda
-
Wax Flakes
Sugar
-
-
Wood Chips
Typical system
Diagram of a Typical System
1
High-performance solenoid valve
2
Electronic sequence controller
3
High-performance pressure regulator
4
Full-port ball valve
5
Check valve
6
Ball valve
7
AirSweep
Properly positioned AirSweep nozzles emit pulses of compressed air or gas in a programmed sequence, initiating and sustaining the flow of sticky materials.
Comparison
Air-operated
Fluidizers
Vibrators
Air-operated
AIRSWEEP
Functionality
Designed to deliver large amounts of air to the bin to shift solidified material, destroy bridges, and restore flow.
Functionality
Directs smaller, yet equally strong air blasts along the bin wall, lifting material off the wall and restoring flow.
Eliminates problems related to bridge formation, channeling, and material sticking.
Provides material mixing in a circle up to 2.44 m (8 feet) in diameter around each nozzle.
Efficiency
Air tends to pass through holes in the material, significantly lowering efficiency.
Risk of sudden release of a large chunk of material, which can lead to silo collapse.
Impossible to control feed rates.
Efficiency
Completely clears each batch from the bin, ensuring smooth and safe material flow following FIFO (first in, first out) principles.
Controlled feed rates.
Maintenance
Open nozzle extends into the bin and material; dust can enter the nozzle and electromagnet, leading to frequent downtimes for cleaning and costly replacements.
Strong recoil during operation bends bin walls, leading to prolonged metal fatigue and damage.
High energy consumption.
Maintenance
The patented nozzle immediately seals after a quarter-second pulse, preventing material backflow.
Requires inspection only every 6 months and part replacement after 1,000,000 cycles.
Does not cause damage, vibrations, stresses, or wear on bin walls.
Consumes only 10 CFM of compressed air or gas.
The longest warranty in the industry – 7 years.
Employee safety and comfort
Very loud! Noise spreads throughout the production area, increasing worker stress.
Even if bridging is controlled, material buildup on the bin walls requires periodic downtimes for cleaning.
Employee safety and comfort
Emits a quick, pleasant sound to the ear.
Reduces workload: can be used on demand.
Material control
Wet, sticky material can still adhere to bin walls.
Not suitable for the food and sanitary industries.
Material control
Effective for all materials, including wet, sticky, and heavy powders and bulk materials.
USDA-approved models available.
FLUIDIZERS
AIRSWEEP
Functionality
Air causes the rubber disks to flap and vibrate, activating material with the combination of gentle vibration and aeration.
Functionality
High-pressure, high-volume air pulses lift stalled material back into the flow stream.
Activation radius
Small clean radius. You may need to install many units to achieve adequate coverage.
Activation radius
One nozzle can stimulate up to 2.44 m (8-ft) diameter circle of material.
Maintenance cost
May cause vessel wall abrasion.
System accessories like hoses, valves and regulators incur additional “hidden” costs.
High energy consumption.
Maintenance cost
No damage, vibration, stress or wear to vessel walls.
Only needs inspection every 6 months, and replacement of parts after 1,000,000 cycles.
Uses as little as 10 CFM of compressed air or gas.
Longest industry warranty – 7 years.
Sanitation
Disc material may degrade, contaminating product and affecting quality.
Not the best solution for food or abrasive materials.
Sanitation
Only the nozzle tip has direct contact with the material.
USDA-approved models available.
Worker safety
Can present safety issues, if workers have to access the inside of the vessel to install or maintain them.
Worker safety
Reduces workload: can be used to provide on-demand flow or automatic cleaning/flushing of vessels.
Parts can be inspected and removed without tools for quick, easy cleaning.
VIBRATORS
AIRSWEEP
Functionality
Vibrators use external agitation of the vessel or shaking to stimulate material flow
Shaking breaks the friction to loosen material, and gravity finishes the job
Functionality
AirSweep uses internal activation through aeration.
High-pressure, high-volume air pulses to lift stalled material back into the flow stream
Noise level
Very loud, irritating noise.
Noise level
Makes a quick, ear-friendly "psst" or "pop"
Maintenance cost
Causes weld and metal fatigue, leading to vessel replacement/repair
High energy consumption
Maintenance cost
No damage, vibration, stress or wear to vessel walls
Only needs inspection every 6 months, and replacement of parts after 1,000,000 cycles
Uses as little as 10 CFM of compressed air or gas
Longest industry warranty – 7 years
Worker safety and convenience
High-current supply lines may be dangerous in some work environments
Noise transmits through entire production area, adding to worker stress
Worker safety and convenience
Safe, quiet and non-intrusive
Can be cleaned and inspected without the use of tools
Reduces workload: can be used to provide on-demand flow or automatic cleaning/flushing of vessels
Material control
De-aerates and compacts some materials, creating rather than solving material flow problems
Even if bridging is controlled, material build-up on bin walls requires periodic shutdowns for cleaning
Material control
Effective for all kinds of material, including moist, sticky and heavy powders and bulk solids
Fully clears each batch from the bin, ensuring first-in/first-out material flow with no cross-contamination
