Bulk materials often require careful and proper management during storage. For example, storage in coal bunkers, grain silos, alternative fuel bunkers, etc.
In addition to the storage itself, we also need to consider whether these materials can be transported continuously and in large quantities. As the storage space increases, the pressure exerted on the medium outlet also increases accordingly. Since different media have different flow properties, the rotating gate plays a key role here – responsible for accurately controlling the required flow.
What is a rotating gate?
Rotating gates are also often called gravel gates and their function is similar to that of rotary pumps to a certain extent. Rotating gates are usually connected to the inlet and outlet sides of the material storage device via flanges and have their own inlet and outlet sides.
Basic working principle:
A rotor driven by a motor rotates in a housing. The metal sheets on the rotor are fixed parallel to the direction of rotation at regular angular intervals to form a rotor cavity. The material enters the rotor cavity from the outlet of the storage device through the feed side of the gate through pressure and gravity. The material is released from the rotor cavity to the outlet side of the gate in a controlled manner through the rotation of the rotor and the resulting centrifugal force.
By adjusting the rotor speed and chamber size, the flow of bulk materials can be precisely controlled.
How to deal with gate damage and downtime?
Depending on the conveying material, the rotor may get stuck due to lumps, foreign matter or interference, which will cause a significant increase in the initial torque, damage to the gear or gate rotor, and unnecessary costs for replacing damaged drive components.
ES2 safety coupling shows its strength
The main structure of R+W ES2 is a safety coupling with an integrated elastic coupling. The elastomer between the sleeves can compensate for deviations. The disc spring preload system is used to achieve zero backlash. And through a specific disc spring, a set of steel balls are clamped in the base of the coupling for torque transmission.
