Uneven blending in silos and hoppers

What is uneven blenind in silos & hoppers?

Blending in silos and hoppers is the process of combining different materials to produce a desired product and quality. However, if materials are blended unevenly, even the smallest inconsistency could lead to a significant decrease in its quality, potentially affecting the size, colour and even taste of the finished product. This could result in complaints from your customers, products being rejected and ultimately costing you precious time and money.

Uneven blending in silos and hoppers is largely caused by the aeration of powders and materials. Silo and hopper aeration can be an issue when the circulation and dissolving of air into the materials which they store, results in the segregation of particles with different weights, densities and shapes. Whilst light particles in aerated materials will move towards the top of a container, larger and heavier particles will locate and settle at the bottom.

Hopper and silo aeration can additionally cause issues of ratholing and material bridging, which will only worsen the effects of uneven blending. This is because even a small amount of stagnant material or inconsistencies in the blend can contaminate the final product.

How can an acoustic cleaner prevent uneven blending?

Acoustic Cleaners can ensure that material flows smoothly on the “first in – first out” principle to ensure consistent blend quality. Primasonics Acoustic cleaners create a series of high energy- low frequency sound waves, which penetrate static material with rapid pressure fluctuations.

By using alternating frequencies, acoustic cleaners are able to target particles that have different masses and which therefore travel at different speeds, thus promoting an increase in blend uniformity. As a result, the compacted materials will vibrate at different rates to their surrounding environment, causing them to dislodge from surfaces, behave more fluidly, becoming easier to handle.