Air blasters are tools used to loosen and facilitate the flow of bulk materials in storage containers like silos and bins. They release jets of air to break up trapped accumulations of material. They can be installed in new or retrofitted containers and can be activated by technicians. Air blasters can help with common problems like bridging and rat holing and can be used to loosen materials stuck in corners. Maintenance tasks include checking the media, cleaning the air inlet, and checking nozzle alignment.
An air blaster is a tool to facilitate the handling of bulk materials in storage containers such as silos and bins. Releases jets of air to release trapped accumulations of material and force them to flow. A number of companies produce air blasts along with sonic cleaning systems that use a different mechanism to loosen stored materials. Catalogs are available through manufacturers to members of the public interested in installing an air blaster system to streamline their operations. This equipment can be installed in a new storage container or retrofitted if required.
The air blaster includes a can of compressed air attached to a nozzle and typically charges from the surrounding air. When activated, the nozzle shoots air into the container, loosening materials in the way of the nozzle. A storage container can have several externally mounted air blasters, each aiming inward at different regions to provide complete coverage. Technicians can activate devices when they need to, although there may be a short wait between charges.
The two most common problems seen in containers such as silos are rathole and bridging. In bridging, the material wedges through the outlet and doesn’t move, blocking the outflow. With rat holing, the central column of material collapses through the outlet, while materials stick to the sides and do not flow. The air jets can cut through the buildup, relieve tension, and allow materials to flow back naturally.
These tools can also be useful in containers with edges, where materials tend to drift to corners and get stuck. The air blaster can fire into corners to loosen material, acting almost like an explosive to blast it and force it through the exit. This eliminates the need for a technician to tap on the container from the outside or crawl in to loosen materials, making for a much safer and more pleasant working environment.
Activation systems may vary, depending on the type of air blaster installed. The devices are generally easy to use. Maintenance tasks may include checking the media to make sure it is secure, cleaning the air inlet so the device can refill easily, and checking the nozzle alignment to make sure it hasn’t moved out of position when loading and unloading materials from the container. Also known as air cannons, these devices can be suitable for handling a variety of materials, including concrete mixes and grains.
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