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From the Editor

No Build-Up, Self-Scouring Action

DALLAS, TX -- Unlike screw and mechanical conveyors that require mechanical parts to physically push material to the discharge point, the Slipstick Tube Conveyor uses no internal parts in contact with the conveyed material. Instead, it uses a gentle-sliding motion and the inertia of the material itself to move product along the length of the tube.

There are several disadvantages to using a screw conveyor to convey powders and other bulk materials. First, screw conveyors are as hard on the product as the product is on the parts - resulting in product degradation and excessive downtime for maintenance. The impact of the screw against the product also shortens the life of the screw conveyor considerably. Screw conveyors also generate product build-up in the gap between the flight and the tube, which often remains in the tube after clean out.

In contrast, the Slipstick Tube Conveyor has a longer working life and requires less downtime for maintenance. Since its horizontal motion is self-scouring, the tube requires less cleaning. When cleaning is required, it is much easier since the tube is completely hollow and has no screw in the way.

Another important side benefit of Slipstick Tube Conveyor is safety. If an object gets stuck in a screw conveyor, usually someone must reach in and try to pull the object out, while worrying about the power being turned back on. Fingers, hands and arms can be exposed to tremendous danger. Since the Slipstick does not have a screw, it is obviously much easier to operate.

The Slipstick Tube Conveyor is also dust tight, sanitary and uses less energy than a screw conveyor - and its drive unit is quieter and built to last for many years of continuous service with only periodic lubrication.

Since 1888, Triple/S Dynamics has been providing specialized dry bulk material separation and conveying equipment to the food, chemical, agricultural, mining, recycling and other material processing industries. Today, this experience is evident in a broad range of equipment including highly efficient Slipstick conveyors, high-quality gravity separators for dry separations, and size-reduction equipment for non-ferrous reclamation systems.

For more information contact:
Mr. Jim Tatum
Triple/S Dynamics
Telephone:  214-828-8604
Email:  jtatum@sssdynamics.com
Web site:  http://www.sssdynamics.com/

Withstand Exposure to 500^oF Temperatures

KANSAS CITY - BHA Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: BHAG) announces new technical developments in the commercialization of pleated filter elements for use in high temperature air pollution control (APC) applications. Pleated filters provide up to 2-3 times more filtration surface area than conventional filter bags (improving airflow), and offer significantly improved collection efficiencies. BHA is the world's #1 manufacturer of APC pleated filter elements.

First, the company has improved the durability of its ThermoPleat® product line. ThermoPleat filter elements are designed to operate in temperatures up to 375°F (191°C). Prolonged exposure to these temperatures can often weaken most fabrics, resulting in short filter life. BHA researchers have developed an improved media for this product that is much stronger than other media available in the market, retaining significant tensile strength even after many hours of exposure to temperatures up to 375°F. This new ThermoPleat media still yields excellent airflows, as well as 99.99% filtration efficiency. ThermoPleat filters can replace Nomex®, Ryton®, or aramid filter bags in almost every OEM style of baghouse without major capital modifications to the equipment.

BHA is also in the final testing stages of new extreme high temperature pleated filter elements that can withstand prolonged exposure to temperatures up to 500°F (260°C). These new pleated filter elements use stiffened fiberglass media and other high temperature fibers, along with a proprietary new adhesive system. This product line, not yet named, has been field tested in several demanding applications and also in BHA's filter testing lab. The company expects to commercialize these extreme high temperature filters in the coming months based on final test results.

Tony Thill, Vice President of Product Development and Marketing for BHA, said, "BHA has earned a reputation for being the innovator when it comes to pleated filter development and application. However, we will not offer a new product to our customers until it passes a rigorous series of tests. Our testing includes laboratory simulations as well as actual in-field testing. Our customers should know that when BHA introduces a new product, it is truly ready for use. Some of these new developments have taken many months and many hours of technical direction in order to withstand the rigors of a high temperature operating environment. We are pleased to now have high temp pleated elements that we believe meet or exceed customer expectations for performance."

BHA Group, Inc., a subsidiary of BHA Group Holdings, Inc., is the world's largest supplier of replacement parts and services designed to enhance the operation of industrial air pollution control equipment. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri USA, BHA has manufacturing facilities and service offices worldwide.

For more information contact:
Mr. Jim Morgan
BHA Group, Inc.
8800 East 63rd Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64133
Telephone:  800-821-2222
Fax:  816-353-1873
Email:  jmorgan@bha.com
Web site:  http://www.bha.com/

The Reading Room

Ask Joe! Column

Selecting Diverter Valves For
Your Pneumatic Conveying System
Guest article by Kevin Peterson of Salina Vortex
You can read Kevin's article at:
http://www.powderandbulk.com/pb_services/askjoe.htm

Past Ask Joe! Archived Articles
http://www.powderandbulk.com/pb_services/ask_joe_archive/toc.htm

We Need Your Guest Articles!
Do you have an area of expertise in bulk materials, have you solved a difficult materials problem? Share your knowledge with others and promote yourself by contributing an article to the Ask Joe! Column.  For more information, please contact Joe Marinelli at:  Joe@SolidsHandlingTech.com

Quick and Easy to Setup

SPRINGHOUSE, Pa., May, 2002 - Siemens-Milltronics has just released a new series of paddle and vibrating point-level switches which offer low cost, reliable high and low level alarms for a wide variety of bulk solid applications.

Based on a proven product design, these switches are rugged and long lasting, with special features such as a dual bearing seal on the paddle switch that protects the mechanism from dust and moisture. They are quick and easy to set up, and can be readily connected to an alarm or control system. They are effective even in low bulk density materials, and can be used in harsh conditions.

The Pointek PSL 200 is a rotating paddle switch that detects full, empty, or demand conditions in materials such as grain, animal feed, cement, plastic granules, and wood chips. As material contacts the paddle, rotation stops and actuates a microswitch relay to trigger an alarm. When the paddle is no longer covered by material, rotation resumes and the relay reverts to its normal condition. The standard measuring vane is effective in materials with densities to 100 g/l (6.25 lb/ft³), but it can be configured with a hinged vane for increased sensitivity to materials with densities as low as 35 g/l (2.19 lb/ft³). The paddle can be adjusted for varying material properties like build-up on the vane. Configurations available include compact version, rigid extended, or cable version with 2 meter (6 ft) extension.

The Pointek VSL 200 is an economical vibrating level switch that detects the absence or presence of dry bulk solids in bins, silos or hoppers. It is ideal for applications such as lime, styrofoam, flour, plastic granules, cement, and other materials. It provides a strong reading in products with densities as low as 20 g/l (1.3 lb/ft³). Fork oscillation constantly cleans the tines, and the unique patented design of the fork-and-crystal assembly eliminates false high-level readings. It uses a high amplitude, low frequency, low energy signal that makes the fork vibrate with a uniform resonance throughout the complete sensing area. If the fork is covered by material, the electronic circuitry detects the change in resonance and causes the relay to change state after a one-second delay. When the fork is free of material, full resonance resumes and the relay reverts to its normal condition. Pointek VLS 200 has a compact design and can be top or side mounted. Extensions up to 4 meter (14 ft) are available.

For more information contact:
Siemens-Milltronics
709 Stadium Drive
Arlington, Texas U.S.A. 76011
Telephone:  817-277-3543
Fax:  817-277-3894
Email:  tsg@sea.siemens.com
Web site:  http://www.sea.siemens.com/ia

40,000+ Visitors!

A over, 40,000+ professionals visited our web site last month!

That's over 1,900+ people per business day!  They are looking for equipment and services you offer!  Banner advertising is a great way to make your company stand out and reach these savvy material handling pro's.

Want a Rate Card?  It's Easy!
Click here to visit our Banner Ad Rate information page.

"Over 35,000 Visitors Expected"

Launched in 1962 by a group of organizations representing the plastics industry, EUROPLAST rapidly became one of its main international show cases.

EUROPLAST – Paris 2002, the 12th International Exhibition of Plastics, Rubber and Composite Materials, will take place from Monday 3rd to Friday 7th June 2002, in halls 2, 3 and 4 of the Paris-Nord Villepinte exhibition centre.

The show will house more than 1,100 exhibitors in 55,000 m2 of space. Already, 8 months before it opens, bookings have been received for more than 75% of the area occupied by EUROPLAST 99.

EUROPLAST 2002: the show for the whole of the plastics industry.

Manufacturers of machines and ancillary equipment will all be there, as will many suppliers of materials and additives. Mould and tool manufacturers will also be present in force, with a strong contingent of French manufacturers and the active support of AFIM, Association française des Industries du Moule, Modèle et Maquette [the French Association of Mould, Model and Mock-up Manufacturers].

A new development at EUROPLAST 2002 is that small and medium sized processors are planning to show what they have to offer, with a substantial presence on the regional stands.

Finally, manufacturers of laboratory, measurement and test equipment, processing and industry services will also be present in large numbers.

EUROPLAST 2002: optimum positioning.

7 months after K, the global show case for the sector, EUROPLAST will be the first show to present market-ready versions of the new equipment or products unveiled at Düsseldorf.

8 months before it opens, EUROPLAST already had exhibitors from 14 countries representing nearly 44% of the total. Amongst others, there will be national stands from Portugal and Taiwan. Reciprocal promotional campaigns are being mounted in partnership with the Moroccan trade associations and shows. These agreements will boost the numbers of Moroccan exhibitors and visitors.

For any further information contact:
Ms. Janine AUBOUY
EUROPLAST 2002
Reed Expositions France
show 70, rue Rivay
F 92532 LEVALLOIS Cedex
France
Telephone: +33 [0]1 55 21 34 38
Fax: +33 [0]1 55 21 34 29
Web site:  http://www.europlast-paris.com/

Help Forum

People post their requests for help and offer their suggestions to others in our open forum.

Mr. Chung needs help offloading cement ship:

We unload cement from cement carrier by air pipeline conveyor from ship jetty 70 meters, capacity about to 550 tons/hour.  We need one equipment for release air, then handling those cement by chain conveyor to silo.

Kindly please recommend the manufacturers of this equipment which can release the air when cement pumping to received hopper.
(Click here to post a reply)

Thank you for your reply.
Best regards,
Lansing Chung
Division Manager
Ekpac Taiwan Ltd.
e-mail address: eq@ekpac.com
Tel: 886 22716 0618
Fax:886 22717 1815

Mr. Nusimovich needs help feeding clay-like materials:

We have a feeding system consisting of a shaker, crusher, inclined auger, receiving hopper, and a feeding auger into a reactor. As the system is designed to process contaminated soil and sludge, the material varies in particle size, moisture and density.

Soil with low levels of moisture is not a problem, but when processing soils with high clay content, the auger jams with slugs of product. We have tried replacing the motor with a more powerful one, but it does not help. The screen of the shaker also has problems dealing with the product. I believe that we need to go to a horizontal auger, maybe shaftless, and a receiving hopper with a horizontal paddle mixer at low rpm to assist in feeding the reactor feeding auger.

Could you comment on this and suggest some assistance or examples of similar applications and suppliers?
(Click here to post a reply)

Thanks,
Sergio Nusimovich
toxfree_europe@eresmas.com

Share your expertise with others in the Help Forum.

Photos Wanted

This week's homepage photo is a Canadian concrete batch plant build by Sandwell Engineering. This new plant is capable of producing up to 180 m3/h. The plant consists of four underground aggregate hoppers, a heater building, reclaim tunnel and conveyor, aboveground specialty hopper and batching plant.

Photo courtesy of Mr. Alan Pyatt of Sandwell Engineering

We would love to have your photo of a bulk materials process, packaging, conveying or handling "action shot" for our home page.  Send your photograph and description to:  news@powderandbulk.com

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Home page:  http://www.powderandbulk.com/

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Powder and Bulk Dot Com Newsletter
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