Everything you should be aware of Feeding Technology

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Everything you should be aware of Feeding Technology

Feeding Technology

Feeding Technology

Feeding technology is used in a diverse range of industries such as petrochemicals, food and beverages, waste handling, pharmaceuticals, polymers and plastics, bulk and fine chemicals, fertilizers and agricultural chemicals, paints and pigments, etc. While there are huge differences in each of these industries, all of them require feeders to control the flow of their respective bulk materials. But every industrial segment cannot operate with a single feeding technology for its specific applications.
At Material Dynamics Carolinas, Inc. we provide the complete range of Coperion K-Tron feeders who have been known for their revolutionary bulk handling and feeding solutions that cater to a wide variety of industrial segments and applications.

Material Properties

The behavior of the flow of varied materials can be very different as per their material properties, particle size, and shape. Every substance, whether it’s solid, semi-solid, or liquid, differs in its chemicals and physical characteristics like bulk density, compressibility, cohesive strength, moisture, oil and fat content, water retention and absorption capacities, behavior under atmospheric pressure, etc.
Naturally, one feeding equipment cannot work with every material characteristic or property. That’s why a large number of feeding technologies and equipment have been developed over the years to handle the various challenges that may arise in different bulk handling operations.

Feeding Technologies for different Industrial Applications

Apart from the properties of the material that has to be handled, the selection of appropriate bulk handling and feeding technology depends on the following variables:
  • Plant layout and space restrictions
  • Rate of discharge and duty cycle
  • Configuration of the downstream equipment
  • Size and shape of the storage unit such as hopper or silo
Let’s take a look at different feeding solutions that are suitable to handle specific bulk material challenges.

Supremely Fine Materials – Very fine materials or floodable materials like fumed silica, gypsum, and diatomaceous earth tend to behave like liquids if they are not handled properly during silo discharge and feeding. The optimum choice for such materials is a feeder with interlocking twin screws. These screws act as a valve that efficiently controls the flow of the material.

Free-flowing Materials – The flow of materials such as powders, plastic pellets, flakes is majorly metered with the help of Single Screw feeders. They are generally available in a number of screw sizes and shapes to suit various feed rates and material characteristics. Other feeders like Bulk Solids Pump feeders and Vibratory feeders also perform exceptionally well by providing gentle and accurate feeding for easy-flowing materials.

Flow-resistant Materials – Some materials such as fiberglass or rubber particles, that are resistant to a continuous flow, need better control of discharge during the process of feeding. For these, Vibratory feeders and Screw feeders are considered to be the best options.

Cohesive Materials – Cohesive or sticky substances such as titanium dioxide, paints, pigments, APIs, and copper concentrates can be very challenging to handle during the metering process. They are prone to bridging inside hoppers or accrete to the machine surfaces. The best method to handle these materials is a Twin Screw feeder with hopper agitation. Not only are they very economical, but are also optimized for quick material changes and can even be configured for any other particular application.

Fragile and Friable Materials – Materials like food and pharmaceutical items need to be handled with care or they can be ruined during the process of feeding. Equipment like Weigh Belt Feeders, Vibratory Feeders, and Loss-in-weight Belt Feeders are specially designed and produced for gentle metering of these materials. If configured in the right manner, single screw feeders might also be used.

Without reliable and optimized feeding technologies, the performance and efficiency of your operations will be affected negatively. It may also lead to increased operational expenses and decreased product yield. Since no two processes and materials are the same, we at Material Dynamics Carolinas offer the widest range of material handling solutions in the industry.
If you want to determine the best suitable feeding technology for your application, reach out to us and our experts will gladly guide you to select the required equipment as per the particular technical specifications of your operations.

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