Air cannons for pneumatic activation of bulk material
B+W GmbH, a specialist for innovative products, offers a problem-solving assortment of Matakt air cannons for combating blockage, bridging and caking in pipes, silos and hoppers, including a wide range of components for individualized applications.
Comprising a pressure vessel with a fast-acting valve, a safety controller and a plurality of blow-out valves, the system is available including turnkey installation. The compressed-air tanks mount directly on the wall of the hopper, silo or bin. In the vicinity of low-flow zones, 80 mm holes are drilled in the vessel walls. A 2 ½” pressure hose is then installed between the pressure vessel and the air-blast nozzle mounted on the inside of the vessel wall.
A blast of compressed air lasting just a few milliseconds is blown out of the generously sized tubing and into the critical material zone through the blow-out valve. The blown-in air activates the clogged material, allowing it to resume gravity flow.
A ½” compressed air line and a collecting cable for valve control connect to the air cannon. The launch valves on the pressure vessels are triggered by the control unit with all its integrated safety and air pressure maintenance devices. The control functions can be set for manual operation via pushbutton, automatic operation or error signal.
Flat-bottom silos
To ensure undisturbed discharge from flat-bottom vessels, special 45° lance nozzles are installed around the discharge point to simulate a 45° cone angle like that of a silo. This significantly improves the outfeed capacity of flat-bottom vessels with underfloor discharge arrangements.
Diversity for
maximum effectivity
The Matakt air cannon system is designed to solve specific problems in specific cases. The pressure vessels range in size between 36 and 100 l, and different numbers of blow-out valves are arranged as needed around the material container. The valves already perform well at a pressure of 8 bar. Even under cramped conditions, the air cannons can be individually positioned to flexibly fit into the space available. In addition to 45° lance nozzles, straight, angle and spreader nozzles help ensure that each blast of air aimed at a certain spot easily mobilizes the congested bulk material.
A blast of air exiting laterally from a lance nozzle at the speed of sound generates a wedge of air that separates adherent material from the container wall, thus causing any bridged material to collapse. The air from an angle nozzle comes out the front and pushes the material in the direction of flow. A spreader nozzle is particularly valuable for mobilizing loosely packed material (sawdust, for example). Like a hand fan, it emits the equivalent of a “large, sliding wall of air” that activates the material.
