RECTANGULAR AIR PAD

BULLETIN 933

The Monitor air pad bin aerator is an aeration device used to promote the flow of dry bulk powders from a storage vessel.

Principle of Operation

The Air Pad operates by continuously introducing air into the body of the dry powder. When a powder is first conveyed into a storage vessel it is actually a highly aerated mixture of air and particulate. In this state the mixture flows quite readily. However, as the powder settles the solid particulate and air separate resulting in a decrease in volume and an increase in bulk density. In this deaerated state powders can behave more like a single large solid structure rather than a fluid-like mixture. By replacing the naturally lost air, the air to particulate mixture ratio is held thus maintaining the fluid like characteristic of the aerated powder.

Applications

For best results in promoting the flow of dry bulk powders, multiple rows of air pad bin aerators should be used. The number of rows and quantity of air pads in each row will differ by application. Monitor application engineers are ready to provide you with the best recommendation for your specific material flow problem.

Generally, four rows of air pad bin aerators on 12 inch (305mm) or 15 inch (381 mm) centers is recommended. While the effective radius of each air pad is approximately 10 inches (254 mm), the air pads should be spaced so that the entire troublesome area is within the sphere of influence of the air pads.

Features

Effective radius of 10 inches (254 mm)
Adapts to almost any bin configuration
Low cost
Easy Installation
Minimal maintenance

Accessories

An external mounting kit is available. This kit can completely eliminate the need to enter the bin to install or service air pad bin aerators. Using a 2-5/8 X 6-5/8 inch (66.5 x 162 mm) cutout hole in the bin wall, the mounting kit can be completely installed and serviced from outside the bin. Our air pad and external mounting kit can easily install in existing cutouts of other brands.

The external mounting kit includes gaskets, clamp bracket, rectangular mounting bracket and necessary hardware for mounting with your air pad bin aerator and its mounting hardware. An external mounting kit for high temperature applications is also available.

Specifications

Warranty

Monitor Technologies warrants each air pad it manufactures to be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use and service within two (2) years from the date of purchase. The purchaser must notify Monitor of any defects within the warranty period, return the product intact, and prepay transportation charges. The obligation of Monitor Technologies LLC under this warranty is limited to repair or replacement at its factory. This warranty does not apply to any product which is repaired or altered outside of Monitor Technologies' factory, or which has been subject to misuse, negligence, accident, incorrect wiring by others, or improper installation.

933A.7.1106

Global Flour Processor Uses Flexar® Guided Wave Radar

A large global flour processor and food products company recently began using the Flexar® guided wave radar in a total of eighteen (18) silos and bins to manage their finished product inventory.  Readings from these continuous level sensors is reported as being reliable and accurate, even during pneumatic filling, contrary to their previous measuring system.  A previous non-performing ultrasonic system was replaced by the Flexar level sensors.  Flexar guided wave radar level sensors were chosen as the best for pneumatically filled dust laden flour silos.

Eight (8) Flexar level sensors are installed in load-out silos that fill bulk trucks with processed and finished flour.  These silos are 12ft in diameter and 35ft tall.  The finished flour is pneumatically conveyed into these silos.  During filling the internal environment of the silos is very dusty and turbulent.  The finished flour in these silos is used for loading bulk transport trucks for distribution.  In addition, ten (10) Flexar level sensors are installed in 40ft high bins that contain bran.  This material is also sent by bulk transport to end users.

All of the Flexar level sensors are equipped with an RS485 digital communications output that is connected to a PC with a graphical user interface for inventory management purposes.  Monitor’s SiloTrack™ inventory management software is used by the facility to monitor and manage material inventories of both the finished flour and the bran.  SiloTrack allows for multiple user viewing and data access via LAN and this is how the facility will be using the software that provides a flexible, graphical user interface, alarms, report generation and history analysis functions.

Guided wave radar is especially well suited to level measurement applications of dusty powder materials even when measuring during pneumatic filling.  Flexar guided wave radar utilizes TDR (time domain reflectometry) technology.  Radar pulses are continuously transmitted down the sensor’s probe and guided to the material surface where they are reflected back to the electronics along the wave guide.  The time-of-flight of the pulses is measured and directly related to the distance to the material surface and its level.

>>Click here for more information about Flexar guided wave radar continuous level measurement sensors.
>>Download Product Bulletin 353A
>>Click here to visit our Flexar Website