With 40 years of experience in designing components for handling dry bulk materials, Vortex has seen many of the more than 8 million design variations necessary for handling thousands of dry bulk materials. Because each dry bulk material has vastly different properties and characteristics, there is no such thing as an all-encompassing solution for every material handling application. This is why today, approximately 40 percent of Vortex products are manufactured to include at least one unique, custom feature.

The following examples showcase the flexibility of Vortex products, and the variability in applications where Vortex products have proven success:

Pivoting Chute Diverter Handling Sugar

Size: 6 in. (150 mm)

Customer: a baking ingredients manufacturer.

Application: Modify a diverter for food-grade operation, with the purpose of handling granular sugar.

Features:

• 304 stainless steel valve construction.
• 0.8 RA internal finish.
• Pneumatic air cylinder constructed from stainless steel.
• Internal position switches to the air cylinder.

Results:

For this particular application, the Pivoting Chute Diverter was sourced for sanitation and contamination purposes. In the Pivoting Chute Diverter, there are no internal bearings, bolts, or seals that could otherwise contaminate handled materials, if they were to fall in-line.

Roller Gate Handling Chocolate

Size: 20 in. (500 mm)

Customer: a chocolate factory.

Application: Find a solution for handling chocolate pieces at a bulk bag discharge station.

Features:

• Actuated using a rack-and-pinion style hand-wheel.
• Two polymer-tipped blades, which close simultaneously and meet in the middle of the gate’s opening.
• 304 stainless steel valve construction.
• Round-to-square inlet transition.

Results:

The customer sought a solution for pinching off large bulk bags filled with chocolate pieces. Originally, the customer inquired about the Iris Valve. However, due to the size of the valve opening necessary to achieve the customer’s preferred flow rate, along with other application parameters, a modified Roller Gate was considered instead as the most viable solution. The modified Roller Gate was equipped with a hand-wheel actuator to accommodate the customer’s tight space constraints. For safety purposes, the gate was also designed to eliminate any pinch points, per customer request.

Mainline Diverter Handling Pebble Lime

Size: 6 in. (150 mm)

Customer: a steel mill.

Features:

• Fabricated using (3) TPV Gates.
• Connected by steel pipework.
• Reinforced by a ceramic-coated weldment.

Results:

Vortex TPV Gates were sourced for this Mainline Diverter configuration in order to address the abrasiveness of handled materials. TPV Gates also ensure the diverter’s success in high-temperature or high-pressure circumstances. By configuring a diverter valve using three stand-alone slide gates, the Mainline Diverter allows individual control of each discharge port.

Gravity Vee Diverter Handling Soybeans

Size: 16 x 24 in. (400 x 600 mm)

Customer: a grain elevator.

Application: Replace a flapper diverter with a more reliable diverter design.

Features:

• Fabricated using
• (2) dual-cylinder TSG Gates, installed at each outlet leg.
• TSG Gates lined with Kryptane® Red.
• Diverter internals lined with Kryptane® Red.

Results:

This modified Gravity Vee Diverter was installed to replace a flapper diverter which was causing the customer significant maintenance issues and downtime.

Kryptane® Red liners were utilized throughout the valve to address the abrasiveness of soybeans. By using such durable liners, this Gravity Vee Diverter will wear at a much slower rate, which extends the service life of the valve.

The dual-cylinder design of the outlet legs allowed direct valve replacement within the previous flapper diverter’s existing footprint.

The Gravity Vee Diverter further benefits customer operations because the slide gates at each outlet leg can be individually controlled. This allows controlled material flow through both legs simultaneously, one outlet at a time, or a complete shut-off. In addition, the slide gates at each outlet leg are compatible with Vortex metering assemblies, allowing more precise material flow control.

A Component Made for You – Through & Through

When it comes to handling dry bulk materials, Vortex rarely declines a customer’s challenge. By listening to customers’ specific needs and relying on in-depth knowledge of dry solids, Vortex engineers will develop the right solution for even the most demanding applications.

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