Industrial Hoppers
A & J Mixing manufactures a variety of industrial hoppers: weigh hoppers and discharge hoppers, hoppers for feeding, intermediate storage, receivers, . We have experience with many materials and know how in design. Hopper design has to fit the process requirements. We model all our industrial hoppers with the angle of repose to determine true volume. In places where height is tight, we can tweak every dimension may have to get into the space. Sometimes we use larger valve sizes to reduce height and get enough space to install.
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Hopper Details
As a general rule, all industrial hoppers over the mixer are funnel flow. After the mixer, some products need mass flow to prevent segregation. The shorter the drop the less elutrification segregation you will have to use other remedies. There may be a need to address cleanout issues. Polishing or coating with epoxy paint have a role. We have put split pipe in the corners to material will not compress in the corners and flow and clean easier. We use a UHMW milled slide over door ledges to material does not sit on the ledge. Access is important to clean or service drop bottom mixers, and clean the hopper. We have a hinged and clamped door that supports weight that does not leak, and on angles we can hinge it.
We can recommend level sensors appropriate for your material. Maintenance valves are generally supplied over baggers when we have space. They are one of the items sacrificed when you have to jam into a restricted space.
Designing for the proper air exchange always is challenging. Some products leave the mixer like water, so a big surge of air has to go somewhere.
For support on load cells we like 3-point for ease of installation. Not all mixers will support on 3 points, so then we use 4. When there are load cells on the mixer, the hoppers needs a separate support. Our system is to support the mixer and hang the hopper. When there are no load cells, hoppers less than 5,000 lb. (2500 kg.) gross can hang from the bottom flange of the mixer. Heavier than that, we incorporate a separate assist.
Weigh hoppers need jacking points so you can change load cells. There has to be lifting lugs such that you can handdle the hopper in the shop, loading and unloading without damage, and to hoist the hopper into place. The piece of metal in the middle keeps the hopper from tipping off short forks and getting damaged. After install, it looks like a superfluous piece after the hopper.
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