Caking and Lump Formation in Powders and Bulk Solids

Rotary valves are widely used to feed pneumatic conveying pipelines, and for feed metering, explosion isolation, atmospheric isolation etc. However there are a multitude of combinations of different feature options available covering choice of materials of construction, rotor type, drive type, venting arrangements, bearing pattern, seal choice, clearances, cleaning features etc. Faced with this bewildering choice, how does an engineer decide what to specify? This course will help understand the reasons for the different options and how to choose them. Topics will include: * Application areas for rotary valves, and their different demands (feeding, explosion protection, isolation etc) * Basics of rotary valve performance – air leakage, feed rate etc * Materials of construction linked to issues of wear and build-up * Seals and bearings, options, functions and selection * Special consideration for explosion isolation * ATEX requirements and responsibilities * Features for cleaning and preventing contamination * Venting – needs, options and ensuring success * Review of practical application issues The course is aimed at engineers, system designers, maintenance personnel who have responsibility for sourcing, specifying and keeping operational rotary valves in all industries. Course fees are £580 per person

Workshop Week sessions give delegates an insight into how and why various powder handling techniques are used, and how these can enhance bulk materials handling services offered to Industry. Delivered over 4 days, different applications will be presented each day: - Understanding Powder Flow - Characterisation Techniques - Pneumatic Conveying - Dust Contamination and Filtration Delegates may stay for as many sessions as required.

Overview: This course looks at the causes and effects of de-blending (segregation) of bulk particulates Subjects covered: * Identification of the most commonly encountered segregation mechanisms * Examples of how segregation has occurred in plant * Techniques that can be applied in plant design to minimise these effects Different types of segregation will also be identified; air-induced, rolling, surface effect, percolation. Course fees: £525 per person Early Bird Registration £450 until 31 December 2026 [**NOTE****The course will be delivered online in English. If you are interested in receiving this course in German, please contact us to arrange.**]

Overview: Delegates will look at the setting up and commissioning of pneumatic conveying systems. This course is a ’Hands on’ fully practical session using the pneumatic conveying lines and rotary valves in the on-site laboratories in Chatham. Subjects covered: * The practical challenge of starting up systems on site and making sure they work as the designer intended; * Understand the key signals to look out for that tell you how the system is operating; * Avoiding pitfalls that can lead to slow start up, blockages etc; * How to know when the system is operating as intended; * Ensuring the system is optimised around the users priority requirements eg. minimum energy usage/ particle blockage / system wear; * It also covers lean and dense phase, rotary valves, blow tanks and various air supply types Course fee: £915 per delegate Venue: Chatham, Kent Contact: Caroline Chapman

Consultancy, Research and Training (Short Courses) for the bulk materials handling industry. Independent expertise and cost-effective solutions to industrial problems. Our Mission: To help industry to get it’s powders and bulk materials to behave in the way they need them to. 2024 marked 50 years of service to the bulk solids handling industry We shall continue to help Industry solve its bulk materials handling issues.

2 x 3 hour sessions, delivered in English. Early Bird discount: £450 per person if your book before 31 December 2025 Join the experts for this online course to discover how to stop your materials form forming lumps or caking in vessels and discharge bins. Topics to be covered include: - Understanding the forces between particles and how they relate to chemistry, the environment and physical processes; - Methods for determining caking tendencies of powders and granules; - Practical advice on changes to the product and the handling and storage conditions to reduce this problem; - Advice on selection of the solution and practical implementation; - Extensive case studies of caking problems and their solutions across the food, pharmaceutical, chemical, mineral and other industries. 2 x 3 hour sessions, delivered in English. Early Bird discount Registration is now open. Course Fee: £525 full fee per delegate. Fees will be discounted for 2 or more attendees from the same company. Discounted rate £472.50 per delegate. Early Bird discount: £450 per person if your book before…

Process technologies have advanced enormously the past decades. But flow problems have persisted. This article will discuss some of the more common causes. by R.J. Farnish The movement and storage of bulk materials within processes has been a fundamental activity for many plants since the event of the industrial revolution in the 18th century. Process technologies have advanced enormously in their sophistication and efficiency over the intervening period to the current day. If it were possible to bring an engineer from the early days of industrialisation to see what is available today they almost certainly would not believe their eyes at the sheer diversity of plant equipment tailored for specific process requirements and end products. Sadly, what they probably would be able to relate to are the silos, bunkers and hoppers that function poorly and are often on the receiving end of the not so tender attentions of plant operators. This article will discuss some of the more common causes of processing/flow problems that have persisted over the decades. Fundamentals The discharge problems that are experienced when handling bulk…