Some powders can be highly aggressive when flowing through flexible connectors, causing excessive wear and tear.
There are also many instances where the flow of powder enters from an angle, causing abrasion to the wall of your connector.
To avoid these problems, the best way is to redirect the flow of the product slightly, often with a ‘flow correction ring’ to avoid direct contact with the connector walls as much as possible.
There are three standard methods of achieving flow correction as outlined below:
Make the diameter of the BFM®spigot at the point of inlet larger than the pipe feeding the product in so that it falls through without making contact with the sides of the connector.
This method is particularly suited to low-velocity/gravity-fed product flows.
Insert a flow correction ring that extends past the cuff of the connector to ensure minimal wall contact by the product. Suited to low-velocity/gravity-fed product flow.
Important: You will need to ensure that the gap between the flow correction ring & the edge of the spigot cuff (dimension 'A' shown above) is big enough to allow for connector replacement.
Inserting a flow-correction ring on the inside of the inlet BFM®spigot that ends before the cuff will help direct the powder flow inwards and away from the wall of the connector.
This is suitable for any diameter spigot and doesn’t impact on connector replacement. Ideal for high-velocity flow.
The video adjacent shows how a flow correction ring extending down past the spigot (using method 2 above) ensures the product - in this case hot (roasted) coffee beans - is kept away from the walls of the connector.
The ideal solution for flow correction depends on a number of factors, including connector length and diameter, the product being transported, flow rate and production/cleaning cycles amongst other things.
Contact your local Distributor to discuss the best solution for your specific application and requirements.
- Top Global Petrochemical Manufacturer
A leading manufacturer of chemicals, fertilizers, plastics and metals had a problematic flexible connection that other products and suppliers could not resolve. The process was the manufacturing of sliced polycarbonate chips which are extremely abrasive. The connector is situated between the separator and the cyclone and was only lasting between two and five days.
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