Smooth flow of solid materials in industrial and manufacturing facilities is critical in promoting efficiency during handling. However, as they flow, materials tend to get stuck to each other along the length of the silo or bin. This reduces the volume of materials flowing through the silo at a particular time. Air cannons are attached onto industrial silos and bins to facilitate the smooth flow of solid materials. When selecting air cannons for your facility, you should look out for the following features that will help increase their efficiency and material handling speed.

High-speed valves

Air cannons have valves which are attached to tanks with compressed air. The compressed air is used to dislodge materials that may be stuck on the sides of the silo or bin and restore the flow. However, air cannon valves and tanks vary in terms of size and efficiency. There are valves that are attached to large tanks, and these require a lot of energy to compress the large volume of air contained therein. These systems can lead to energy wastage in your facility and increase material handling costs.

When choosing air cannon systems, go for high-speed valves that are usually paired up with small air tanks. Tanks with a smaller volume of air are able to use less energy to compress the air and use it to dislodge stuck materials. The high-speed valves with smaller air tanks will consume less energy while increasing the efficiency of your silos during material handling.

Adjustable nozzles

Materials tend to get stuck in various ways as they are being dispensed through a silo. Heavy materials such as coal tend to block the dispenser while lighter materials like cereals get stuck along the walls of the silo to form bridges. Adjustable nozzles make it possible to adjust the system depending on the type of blockage. For instance, you can narrow the nozzle to blast materials on the sides or widen it to provide a wider spray for heavy materials. You should choose adjustable nozzles, especially if you deal with different types of materials in your facility.

Retractable nozzles

Nozzles are usually subjected to significant wear due to the abrasive force that they experience as materials flow through the system, if your nozzles are not retractable, they will experience premature wear, and this means that you will be forced to replace them every now and then. Some nozzles can be retracted when there is no material blockage, and this will reduce the amount of time they are exposed to abrasion as the materials flow through the silo. This will extend their durability and minimize replacement costs.

These are the key features that you should look for when purchasing air cannons for your silos and bins. Make sure that you inspect the air cannons regularly to ensure that they are operating efficiently.