What is Rotary Airlock Valve?
Rotary Airlock Valves are a type of rotary feeder and are often referred to simply as a Rotary Airlock or Rotary Valve. They provide feeding and metering functionality of a standard rotary feeder but their primary duty is to maintain pressure and provide an optimal airlock seal between different product conveying transitions, such as gravity to pneumatic conveying lines. An optimal airlock condition is essential to prevent air pressure loss in high pressure and high temperature conveying systems.
Rotary Airlock valves Rotary Airlocks are used worldwide throughout a large variety of industrial and agricultural bulk and specialty material handling systems. We specialize in the design and manufacture of custom built rotary airlock products that can immediately improve the safety, reliability and efficiency of your feeding and metering operations compared to other rotary valve brands.
Why choose a Abster Rotary Airlock?
After years of engineering and manufacturing rotary airlocks, we consider ourselves proven experts on the various rotary airlock and valve designs available to our customers. We understand that temperature, pressure, size and construction plays a very significant role in processing various materials which is why all of our rotary airlock valves are carefully machined for those unique specifications. Each of our rotary airlocks can be individually customized to your exact processing specifications to ensure optimal, reliable and worry-free operation that meets your precise needs.
Our airlocks have an innovative larger vane pocket design that allows up to 50% more volume which enables the rotor to run at lower speeds than other manufacturers’ rotary airlock and valve feeders. Pair this with our exclusive self-adjusting packing glands and you have a rotary airlock valve that provides minimum air leakage, a longer life, less maintenance and a higher return on your investment.
How Does a Rotary Airlock Valve Work?
A rotary airlock is comprised of several key components, including a casted outer housing, a fabricated multi-vane rotor and shaft, endplates, a drive, shaft packing seals, and bearings.
Here’s a breakdown of its operation:
❖ Functionality:
- When activated, the vanes of the rotary airlock rotate within the housing, resembling the movement of a revolving door. The primary objective is to facilitate the controlled movement of materials while preventing pressure loss, much like a revolving door manages the flow of people while preserving the indoor environment.
❖ Rotor Pocket:
- The space between the rotating vanes forms the rotor pocket. This is where incoming material enters from the top opening and stays before being pushed out through the lower opening, continuing its journey through the pneumatic lines.
❖ Pressure Control:
- The tight clearance between the vanes and housing minimizes pressure loss in the system. This is crucial, especially when dealing with varying pressures between bins, silos, hoppers, and the adjacent operation. Placing airlocks at the beginning of a pressure system or at the end of a vacuum system helps maintain optimal pressure conditions.
Fall-Through Rotary Airlock Valve:
- In this type, the material drops through the valve and is discharged at the bottom.
- It is suitable for gravity-fed applications where the material flows directly through the valve
Blow-Through Rotary Airlock Valve:
- Also known as “conveying” or “pneumatic” rotary valve.
- Designed for use in pneumatic conveying systems.
- The material is blown through the valve with the assistance of an air or gas stream.
Standard Duty Rotary Airlock Valve:
- Commonly used for general-purpose applications where standard pressure differentials and material characteristics are present.