What is the Continuous Bulk Density Meter?

The Continuous Bulk Density Meter can be used for the continuous bulk density measurement of nearly any flowable, granular solid, without cumbersome sampling or the stopping of flow. Continuous bulk density measurement allows you the option of measuring the bulk density of the entire flow of a product while in process which can lead to tighter control of the density by accepting and rejecting material based on the near instantaneous output of the CentriFeeder. This feedback as to accepted and rejected bulk density can be used to perform upstream checks on equipment or process procedures as well. Moreover, the CentriFeeder is typically repeatable to within +/-1.0 lb/ft³.

JUST A FEW POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS

• DIVERTING REJECTED PRODUCT IN SILOS OR BINS: If positioned after a large holding tank, silo or bin of stored material, a Continuous Bulk Density Meter can maintain the bulk density of a flow of product within a predetermined range. This range can be set by determining the upper and lower bulk density limits for the process. As product from the silo or bin is discharged, the material will flow through the Continuous Bulk Density Meter, which will output the real-time bulk density of the flow of product. When out of spec material passes through the meter, an alarm would be triggered that would actuate a downstream diverter, thus diverting off-spec material.  
• DIVERTING REJECTED PRODUCT DYNAMICALLY IN PROCESS: For situations where product is in process and not stored in silos or bins, a Continuous Bulk Density Meter can be used in conjunction with a maintained level hopper. When installed in this type of application a level set point for the hopper would be set and, in order to maintain this level, the system would continually adjust the flow set point for the continuous bulk density meter in order to maintain the level in the hopper. Although the Continuous Bulk Density Meter would not be controlling the flow rate, the bulk density measurement would still typically be within +/-1.0 lb/ft³.
  

• DIVERTED STREAM BULK DENSITY MEASUREMENT: When control of the full stream of product is not practical or possible, the Continuous Bulk Density Meter can be used to measure the bulk density of a continuous stream of diverted product that would be measured and then immediately diverted back to the original product stream. In such a case, only a fraction of the full flow of product would be measured, however, due to the small amount of “stored” product - (the stored product is only the amount of product that collects above the continuous bulk density measurement device) – the density feedback that is received from the device is fairly indicative of the current upstream process conditions and can thus, be used to make determinations about the upstream process nearly immediately. 

• BLENDING OF VARIOUS BULK DENSITIES: For processes that measure bulk density, one of the byproducts is volumes of out of spec material. This material could be considered waste, or it could be blended back into the main process or blended with in-spec material in a predetermined ratio. With two continuous bulk density feeders the accepted and rejected materials could be re-blended for packaging.