Operations are significantly affected when materials get stuck in a silo. However, delays are the least of your worries when dealing with perishable materials like flour. It is the reason a silo needs an air cannon system to break down lumps and eliminate caking. Notably, air cannons come in different shapes, sizes, and capabilities; therefore, you must think through your choice carefully. This article highlights essential considerations when buying an air cannon for a silo.
Type of Material
When a material is compacted, it becomes dense and heavy. However, some materials are heavier than others, whether compressed or not, which should guide your air cannon selection process. For instance, if you are moving a bulky material, such as raw grains, through a silo hopper, you need an air cannon with a high-pressure rating. The canon generates a blast strong enough to dismantle lumping within a silo system. In contrast, an air cannon with a low-pressure rating is enough for light material in powder forms, such as flour or cement. Some operations deal in both kinds of materials. In such cases, an air cannon with an adjustable pressure rating is the best choice. It allows you to adjust air blast pressure from cannon depending on the material in a silo.
Common Material Blockage
The most common types of material blockage also influence the kind of air cannon to install. Notably, most silo operators encounter one of three types of material blockage; arching, bridging, or ratholing. Bridging is when caking occurs across a silo's width, forming a barrier between the hopper and the rest of the silo. On the other hand, arching refers to clumping close to the hopper. If you mostly experience bridging in your silo, you need an air cannon to blast air across a silo's entire width to break the bridge. In contrast, arching blockages require smaller air canons that concentrate air blasts in specific points along a silo's slope.
Silo Size
Typically, industrial silos are about 80ft wide and 140ft tall, while light-duty silos can be as small as 16ft wide and 60ft tall. The sizes should guide your choice of air cannons, particularly the valve system. Ideally, air cannons with multiple valves are suitable for an industrial-size silo because caking can occur at different points along its height. Thus, an air cannon should blast air at the various points. Moreover, a multi-valve air cannon prevents delays if one valve malfunction. However, air cannons with a single valve system work best on light-duty silos.
Share10 May 2021
Hey, there! My name is Dan. If you are looking for a cool new guide to industrial supplies, you have come to the right place. The articles I have published on this blog will help you to develop your understanding of different types of industrial supplies. I'm no expert when it comes to this subject but I'm married to a man who works in this sector. Over the years, he has taught me lots of cool things about his work and I thought it only fair to share some of my knowledge here. I hope you enjoy reading this blog.
