Polimak offers a wide range of loading bellows configurations tailored to meet specific process requirements and the unique physical properties of bulk materials. Selecting the appropriate configuration is essential to ensure efficient material transfer, minimize product loss, and maintain a dust-free working environment. We design and manufacture not only single and double bellows, with or without wear cones, but also heavy-duty bellows in various configurations.
Single Outer Bellow
For applications involving granular materials that release minimal dust, single outer bellows offer a practical and cost-effective solution. They are suitable for processes where basic dust containment is sufficient, without the need for more complex multi-layered systems.
In this design, the bellow provides a confined region within the loading system, allowing the bulk material to flow smoothly downward while minimizing spillage. At the same time, any rising dust is directed upward into the same enclosed space, and it is efficiently collected by an integrated dust extraction system. This design not only helps maintain a cleaner working environment but also improves overall process efficiency and reduces product loss.
Double Bellows
This model consists of an outer bellow combined with an inner bellow, designed to optimize both product flow and dust collection. It is suitable for applications where careful handling of dust-generating materials is demanded, such as powders, fine grains, and pellets that generate higher levels of dust, providing enhanced performance and maintaining a cleaner working environment.
The bulk material flows downward smoothly through the inner bellow, while dust particles are captured and directed upward through the space between the two bellows. By physically separating these opposite flows, this design enhances product loading capacity and improves the efficiency of dust collection. The dust extraction system is connected to the space between the bellows, ensuring that collected dust is effectively removed from the loading zone. Additionally, any dust that is collected can be returned through this same region, minimizing waste and maintaining a cleaner work environment. This dual-bellow configuration provides a reliable and efficient solution for handling bulk materials with high dust content while reducing contamination and product loss.
Single Outer Bellow with Internal Wear Cones
Wear cones are essential components designed to protect bellows from abrasion caused by the continuous flow of bulk solids. These cones are installed at the center axis of the loading bellow, providing a physical barrier that separates the main product flow from direct contact with the bellow fabric. Thanks to this design, the bulk material flows smoothly around the wear cone, significantly reducing wear and extending the lifespan of the bellows.
Various types of wear cones are available to meet different material properties and operational requirements.
• Carbon steel cones offer a versatile solution suitable for handling a wide range of bulk solids, providing reliable protection in standard applications.
• For more challenging environments involving highly abrasive materials, wear cones made from Hardox steel are necessary due to their exceptional hardness and durability.
• In industries dealing with food products or corrosive substances, stainless steel cones are preferred to ensure hygiene and resistance to corrosion.
• In high-temperature loading operations, wear cones act as an effective heat barrier, safeguarding the bellows from thermal damage and maintaining system integrity.
This combination of material options and protective functions makes wear cones a critical element for optimizing performance and durability in bulk material handling systems.
Double Bellows with Internal Wear Cones
This design brings together the advantages of Double Bellows and Single Outer Bellow with Internal Wear Cones, offering enhanced protection and improved operational efficiency.
In this configuration, inner bellows are used to cover internal wear cones, providing an extra layer of protection against abrasion caused by bulk material flow. This model not only protects the bellows from wear but also ensures efficient dust collection, helping to maintain a cleaner working environment.
During operation, the bulk material flows downward through the wear cones installed inside the inner bellow, minimizing direct contact with the bellow fabric. Meanwhile, dust is captured and directed upward through the space between the two bellows, where it can be effectively extracted. This combination allows for rapid bulk material loading while extending the service life of the bellows and maintaining high dust containment performance. Ultimately, the design is ideal for demanding applications where durability, cleanliness, and efficiency are critical.
Loading Bellow Selection Chart
We offer a wide range of bellows designed to suit different process needs and material types, ensuring efficient performance and dust control. This chart guides you in selecting the optimal loading bellow configuration for diverse applications and operational requirements.
Heavy Duty Loading Bellows
Single Loading Chute
Telescopic loading chutes are specifically designed for high-capacity and high-temperature powder loading operations, commonly used for trucks, ships, and stockpiles. The chute consists of large-diameter telescopic steel pipes that extend and retract smoothly, controlled by a reliable winch mechanism. This design provides a spacious inner passage, allowing powdered materials to discharge easily and efficiently without clogging or interruption. Additionally, the enclosed steel structure effectively isolates the powder from the surrounding environment, minimizing dust emissions and preventing contamination.
This combination of robust construction and precise control makes telescopic loading chutes ideal for demanding bulk handling applications where safety, efficiency, and environmental protection are essential.
Single Outer Bellow with Internal Loading Chute
In this configuration, a telescopic loading chute is enclosed by a single outer bellow, providing a fully sealed containment system that prevents dust leakage during bulk material transfer. The outer bellow functions as a flexible barrier, enabling movement while preserving a tight seal.
A flexible dust skirt is installed at the bottom of the chute and connected to a dust collection system to further enhance dust control. This configuration effectively captures fugitive dust generated during the loading process, ensuring a cleaner and safer working environment.
The combination of the outer bellow and internal chute provides efficient material handling with minimal environmental impact, making it suitable for a wide range of bulk loading applications.
Loading Chute with Double Dust Collection Bellows
Handling bulk materials with high amounts of dust requires advanced solutions to minimize airborne emissions and maintain a safe working environment. Due to increased dust levels, the flexible dust skirt is enlarged to ensure better containment around the loading area.
In this configuration, two bellows are installed on either side of the telescopic chute piping to enhance dust collection efficiency for high dust loads. Large-scale jet filter-type dust collection systems further support this setup by capturing fine particles and preventing their release into the atmosphere. This comprehensive approach provides reliable dust control for demanding industrial loading operations.
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.
