Smooth material flow is critical in industrial processes, and bin activators ensures consistent discharge from storage units. Polimak offers a comprehensive selection of advanced industrial bin activators designed to prevent common flow problems like bridging and rat-holing. These vibrating dischargers are engineered with a variety of innovative options and accessories that optimize functionality and meet the unique demands of different applications. From enhancing safety to improving operational efficiency, our customizable features ensure reliable performance and long-term durability even in demanding environments.
Secondary Baffle
A secondary baffle is an internal plate positioned near the outlet of a bin activator used to improve the bulk material flow. It reduces downward pressure coming from the bulk material. This mechanism helps prevent flow issues such as compaction, bridging, and blockages.
The secondary baffle provides a more balanced flow pattern within the discharger, allowing dry bulk solids to move freely and steadily through the outlet. This accessory is especially required when dealing with materials that are fine, cohesive, or otherwise prone to poor flow characteristics. The result is a more reliable discharge process, increased efficiency, and reduced maintenance needs.
Slide Gate Valves
Slide gate valves serve as essential components for managing the flow of free-flowing dry bulk materials with precision and reliability. These valves are specifically designed to match circular or rectangular flanged outlets on various types of equipment, ensuring a secure and seamless fit.
Installed at the discharge point of bin activators, slide gate valves regulate the bulk material flow by allowing operators to start or stop material movement to downstream processing units. In addition to controlling flow, they simplify maintenance tasks by isolating sections of equipment, reducing downtime and enhancing operational safety. Available in both manual and automated configurations, slide gate valves offer versatile options to meet the demands of different industrial applications and operational requirements.
Butterfly Valves
Butterfly valves are another effective solution for controlling the flow of free-flowing dry bulk materials, similar in function to slide gate valves but differing in design. These valves are equipped with a circular disc placed within a cylindrical body. The disc rotates up to 90 degrees to control the flow of material. Installed at the outlet of vibrating dischargers, butterfly valves regulate the transfer of bulk solids from the bin activator to subsequent bulk handling equipment, offering precise control over discharge rates.
The operation of a butterfly valve relies on the position of its rotating disc. When fully open, the disc lies parallel to the direction of material flow, allowing bulk solids to pass through with minimal obstruction. As the valve closes, the disc gradually turns to a perpendicular position, restricting or completely stopping the flow of material. In addition to its role in regulating flow, the butterfly valve also serves as a shut-off mechanism, ensuring a secure seal that stops the discharge process completely when needed. This combination of flow control and shutoff capability makes butterfly valves a versatile choice for efficient material handling systems.
Diverter Valves
Diverter valves play a critical role in material handling systems by allowing the redirection of bulk solids from a single source to multiple downstream. Installed at the discharge outlet of bin activators, these valves enable operators to control and manage the flow of dry materials efficiently, diverting the product to different processing or storage units as needed. This flexibility optimizes production workflows and ensures smooth operation across various stages of the process.
One of the most common types, known as the flap-type diverter valve, uses a hinged flap inside the valve body to guide the material flow. This flap swings to direct bulk solids toward one or more outlets, effectively managing the flow path of the product. The precise movement of the flap ensures minimal flow interruption and reduces the risk of material buildup or blockage within the valve. Thanks to this design, flap-type diverter valves provide reliable and consistent flow control in complex material handling applications.
Vibration Sensor
A vibration sensor is key to ensuring the proper operation of a bin activator by continuously monitoring its performance in real time. Installed as part of the system, vibration sensors detect the unique vibration patterns generated during normal operation. By tracking these vibrations, it helps identify any irregularities or malfunctions that could indicate potential issues such as mechanical wear, misalignment, or other operational faults.
During operation, the vibration sensor evaluates the incoming vibration data to ensure it matches the expected patterns. If it detects abnormal or unexpected vibration movements, it immediately notifies the operator or control system, allowing for quick intervention. This early warning system helps prevent damage to equipment, reduces downtime, and enhances overall safety by enabling timely maintenance or prompt responses to prevent escalation.
Flexible Connector Sleeve
A flexible connector sleeve serves as a secure connection between a bin activator and upstream or downstream equipment, allowing for movement and misalignment while maintaining a secure seal. Generally made from durable polyurethane, this type of sleeve provides elasticity and strength to absorb vibrations and prevent material leakage during operation.
Polimak offers an alternative silicone sleeve option for applications that demand enhanced temperature resistance or greater chemical durability, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of industrial environments. These flexible connectors not only protect equipment by reducing stress from mechanical movements but also help maintain consistent material flow and system efficiency.
Bin Activator with Multiple Outlets
The multiple outlet bin activator is designed to efficiently transfer dry bulk solids from one source to several separate downstream processes at the same time. This design features multiple discharge points within a single unit, eliminating the need for additional diverter valves downstream. This approach simplifies the overall system layout and reduces both equipment expenses and maintenance requirements.
This streamlined configuration not only improves material handling efficiency but also enhances operational reliability by reducing potential failure points. These multi-outlet bin activators are commonly used for handling a variety of bulk materials such as powders, granules, and pellets commonly used in industries like food processing, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals.
Custom Designed Internal Baffles
Polimak designs and manufactures custom-designed internal baffles in a wide range of configurations to meet the unique requirements of various industrial processes. These special solutions help improve material flow by addressing common challenges such as bridging, segregation, and rathole formation within bulk handling systems. By optimizing the movement of dry bulk materials, these baffles enhance discharge efficiency and reduce operational interruptions.
Bin activators are equipped with a diverse selection of internal baffle designs, each engineered to optimize flow and prevent blockages. These include:
• Convex deflectors: Designed to gently redirect material flow and prevent buildup on the walls of the bin.
• Conical deflectors: Shaped to send materials smoothly toward the outlet, minimizing the risk of accumulation points.
• Compound deflectors: Combining features of multiple designs to provide enhanced flow control in challenging applications.
All these baffle options promote continuous and smooth movement of dry bulk solids through the bulk handling system, ensuring efficient and trouble-free operation.
These valves are typically actuated by pneumatic actuators and are used to automatically open and close the product flow to discharge material to downstream equipment.
Installed below silos or hoppers, these valves are used for maintenance operations of equipment such as rotary valves, screw feeders, etc., that are positioned below the butterfly valve.
These valves are typically actuated by pneumatic actuators and are used to automatically open and close the product flow to discharge material to downstream equipment.
In this design, the butterfly valve is sandwiched between two flanges. Rubber sealing at both faces of the valve provides a tight seal between the flanges and the wafer butterfly valve.
One side of the valve has a bolted flange connection, while the other side features a built-in short pipe designed for fixing a flexible sleeve.
These valves have bolted flange connections on both sides, making them suitable for installation on silos, hoppers, screw feeders, and similar applications.
Bulk tanker trucks or open trucks can be filled with powdered materials delivered within FIBC bags. These systems generally consist of bulk bag discharging station, mechanical or pneumatic conveyor and loading bellow. Big bag discharge station transfers the bulk solid from big bag to conveying system. Conveying system transfers it to truck loading area. And loading bellow is used to fill tanker truck without any dust emission. Since truck loading operations are done within limited time, high capacity big bag discharge systems and bulk material conveying systems are used. For short distances, screw conveyors are preferred to transfer material from big bag discharge station to truck loading chute. For long conveying distances, pneumatic conveying systems provide better service. There may exist a storage hopper or silo above bulk truck loading bellow to compensate material flow between inlet and outlet. Bulk bag discharge and truck filling systems have automatic control system that monitors product level in truck and operates all equipment accordingly. Optional weighing system can be added to measure the amount of material that is filled to truck.
Big bag discharge systems can deliver dry bulk solids in powder and granular form to weighing and batching systems. The loading hopper of the weighing system should remain full during dosing and batching. Big bag discharge systems can monitor the product level in the loading hopper and maintain a constant level automatically. Depending on the dosing speed and conveying distance, mechanical conveying systems or pneumatic loading systems may be used. Dust collectors can be employed to prevent dust emissions during hopper loading, especially for materials with high dust content.
Dry bulk packaging systems are used to fill powdered or granular materials into bags, drums, jars, sacks, etc. Bulk materials delivered in big bags must be transferred to packaging machines without interruption. The loading hopper of the packaging system should remain full during the filling and packaging process. Big bag discharge systems can monitor the product level in the loading hopper and maintain a constant level automatically. Depending on the packaging speed, mechanical conveying systems or pneumatic loading systems can be selected. Dust collectors can be used to prevent dust emissions during hopper loading, especially for materials with high dust content.
Mixer automation systems are used to mix dry bulk solids according to specific recipes. Raw materials delivered in FIBC bags can be transferred to mixing units through a combination of conveying equipment and bulk bag discharge systems. Depending on the type of application, pneumatic conveying or mechanical feeding systems can be used to fill mixers. Big bag discharge stations can be manufactured with built-in dosing systems. The amount of raw material to be loaded into the mixer is automatically controlled with the help of a weighing and dosing system. Dust collectors can be used to prevent dust emissions during the mixer filling process.
Bulk material stored in big bags can be automatically filled into small bags. Big bag discharge systems come with optional built-in bag filling units. For low filling capacities, these units are installed below the big bag discharge hopper, providing a practical and cost-effective solution. Both big bag discharging and bag filling operations can be handled by a single, compact system. For higher bag filling needs, bag filling machines are installed near the bulk bag discharge stations. Pneumatic conveying systems or mechanical conveyors can be used to transfer bulk material from the FIBC bag discharge station to the bag or sack filling system.
Mechanical conveyors can be used for silo loading from big bag discharge stations. Screw feeders, bucket elevators, rotary valves, or chain conveyors are connected to big bag discharge stations to fill silos. The selection of conveying equipment directly depends on the conveying distance, height, transferred material, and capacity. Bucket elevators are preferred for high silos, while screw feeders are preferred for shorter silos and short distances. The big bag discharge system can be installed on top of the silo for faster filling. In this case, rotary valves or butterfly valves are better choices as they provide simple flow control. Dust collection systems may be required depending on the dust content of the bulk solid. During silo loading, air content in the silo escapes to the atmosphere and carries some dust along with it. Vacuum fans and jet filters in dust collectors prevent dust emissions into the environment. The collected dust is sent back to the silo, thus preventing product loss.
Pneumatic conveying systems installed after bulk bag discharge units transfer bulk material through conveying pipelines to fill silos. This configuration is useful in applications where high transfer rates and long conveying distances are needed. In production lines where raw materials are stored in warehouses far from storage silos, bulk bag discharge stations can be installed close to the warehouses, and pneumatic conveying systems are used to fill silos from long distances. This design reduces the need for forklifts and cranes for bulk material transfer on the production site and increases overall efficiency.
Pneumatic conveying systems used for silo loading utilize blower pumps or compressors. Motor power, pipeline diameter, and equipment selection depend on the type of bulk material, transfer distance, silo height, and transfer capacity. Level sensors, jet filters, and other equipment are installed on storage silos to ensure the proper operation of the silo filling system.
Pneumatic conveying systems installed after bag dump units transfer bulk material through pipelines to fill silos. This configuration is ideal for applications requiring high transfer rates and long conveying distances. In production lines where raw materials are stored in warehouses far from storage silos, bag dump stations can be installed close to warehouses, allowing pneumatic conveying systems to transport materials over long distances. This design reduces the excessive use of forklifts and cranes for bulk material transfer within the production site, improving overall efficiency.
Pneumatic transfer systems used for silo loading utilize blower pumps or compressors. Motor power, pipeline diameter, and equipment selection depend on factors such as the type of bulk material, transfer distance, silo height, and transfer capacity. Level sensors, jet filters, and other equipment are installed on storage silos to ensure the proper operation of the silo filling system.
Mechanical conveyors can be used for silo loading from bag dump stations. In this configuration, screw feeders, bucket elevators, rotary valves, or chain conveyors are connected to bag dump stations to fill silos. The selection of conveying equipment depends on factors such as conveying distance, height, material properties, and capacity. Bucket elevators are preferred for high silos, while screw feeders are ideal for shorter silos and short distances. Bag dump systems can be installed on top of the silo for faster filling. In such cases, rotary valves or butterfly valves are better choices as they provide simple flow control.
Dust collection systems may be required depending on the dust content of the bulk solid. During silo loading, air inside the silo escapes to the atmosphere, carrying dust particles with it. Dust collectors equipped with a vacuum fan and jet filter capture airborne dust. The collected dust is returned to the silo, preventing product loss and ensuring a cleaner environment.
The inlet skirt is an optional feature designed to extend the lifespan of the flexible connector sleeve. Its upper portion is attached to the outlet port of the upstream equipment and extends down into the bin activator’s inlet port. The primary function of the inlet skirt is to serve as a protective shield, safeguarding the flexible connector seal from wear and damage.
A vibratory motor is externally mounted to the bin activator. When powered, the motor generates vibrations that facilitate a steady flow of dry bulk materials within the system. Depending on the application requirements, one or two vibratory motors can be installed externally.
To accommodate a bin activator, the cone of a silo must be shorter than usual, resulting in a wider outlet. A flange supplied with the bin activator is separately welded to the silo’s outlet, slightly above the opening, at the production site. Once installed, the vibrating bin discharger is securely bolted to the flange, ensuring a stable and reliable connection.
Special spring suspension links and an engineered polymer seal work together to create a flexible connection between a vibrating bin discharger and the equipment positioned above it.
The proper design and installation of the polyurethane seal prevent it from slipping off and ensure a secure seal, eliminating the risk of dry bulk material leakage. Additionally, the seal offers high stress resistance and long-term durability, withstanding stresses caused by motor vibrations, pressure conditions, and other operational factors.
Externally installed spring suspensions provide full resilience to the vibrations of the cone head. They ensure that the generated vibrations affect only the cone itself rather than the upstream equipment structure.
An internally tapered, conical-shaped baffle plate is positioned at the center of the bin activator’s diameter. The baffle is rigidly attached to the equipment body using structural steel components. It facilitates bulk material flow from upstream equipment by directly inducing vibrations into the material.
A secondary deflector plate reduces the weight of the bulk material in the lower portion of the bin activator by acting as a wedge beneath the material, directing it around the areas adjacent to the cone’s surface.
Polimak baffle plates are available in various configurations, including convex and cone plates, and in different angles (15°, 30°, 45°, or even 60°) depending on the flow characteristics of the handled bulk material and the specific application requirements.
