Magic mushrooms
3 Jan 2001
Loading and unloading of dry bulk ingredients could be a safer procedure thanks to 'magic mushrooms', developed by Pneumatic Conveying Systems. The mushrooms are flow aids, ensuring that flow is smooth and safe.
The mushrooms consist of a stainless steel shaft capped by a food-grade rubber diffuser. Inserted into the tanker or silo outlet, they allow air from a blower into the space between the rim of the diffuser and the bin wall. This sets up vibrations in the vessel outflow and acts as a fluidising stream, preventing rat-holing and bridging and keeping the flow of solids stable. Only small blower air pressures are needed — around 5psig — although pressures as high as 60psig can be used.
The mushrooms can be installed from outside the vessel, using a specially-designed fitting tool which prevents the unit dropping inside the tanker or silo. The only additional equipment needed is a hole cutter.
