Stainless steel star shaped discharging rotary airlock valve for powders

This document describes a rotary valve, also known as a rotary feeder, specifically engineered for the controlled discharge of sugar powder under a gravity feed configuration. Its primary role is to ensure a consistent, regulated, and reliable flow of material from a storage hopper or silo into the downstream process.

The application involves handling refined sugar powder, a material known for its cohesive properties and tendency to bridge or rat-hole. The valve is mounted directly beneath the hopper outlet, where material flows into the valve's inlet by gravity. The key to its effective operation lies in the custom-designed Serrated Rotor.

The serrated rotor, with its saw-tooth profile, is critical for handling sugar powder. It addresses the primary challenge of material bridging in several ways:

1.Breaking Bridging:The sharp, discontinuous teeth actively cut through and disrupt any cohesive arches or tunnels that form in the sugar powder above the valve, ensuring a steady, uninterrupted discharge.

2.Promoting Flow:The aggressive action of the serrations encourages the material to cleanly enter the rotor pockets, preventing a void or empty cavity from forming at the inlet.

3.Self-Cleaning:The design minimizes the surface area for powder adherence, reducing buildup on the rotor vanes and promoting a more complete discharge of material with each rotation.

Constructed from stainless steel for hygiene and corrosion resistance, this rotary feeder functions as an efficient volumetric feeder under gravity. By preventing blockages and ensuring a uniform material flow, the serrated rotor valve is an optimal solution for the reliable metering and transfer of sugar powder in gravity-fed systems.