There are two major types of industrial vibrators including linear and rotary. Rotary are characterized by the unbalanced mass that rotates around a center point. It is known for its centrifugal force output at a certain frequency. The vibrators that fall into this category include turbine, ball, ring, and motor-driven eccentric types. Rotary vibration is aimed at making the bin wall highly rigid.
Linear vibration exists in single impacting, continuous impacting and continuous non-impacting. Continuous impacting oscillates nonstop giving an impact at the end of each stroke. Continuous non-impacting vibrators have no impact despite having the same operation. Linear vibrators are excellent at dislodging sticky and wet materials from the bin wall. During vibrator selection, there are certain things you must factor in.
Number of Vibrators Needed
The amount of vibrators needed in operation depends on the size and shape of the bin, chute, type of material flow selection, and hopper. When making your selection, keep it in mind that different vibrators come with a varying radius of influence. The radius is responsible for controlling the material and the vessel to be affected. With a large vessel, you need more vibrators to move the bulk material effectively.
Vibrator Strength
Consider the vessel’s wall thickness if you plan to clean off, clean out, or unstick bulk materials. However, if you need a solution to boost the flow of the material, be sure to calculate the total transition area weight of the material. This is what will guide you to the total force needed to meet the needs of the vibrator.
Moisture Content
The friction and cohesiveness between the bin walls and the material are affected by moisture content. When moisture increases, cohesiveness also tends to increase. Once the moisture content reaches saturation, cohesive strength decreases. Relative humidity affects the moisture content, especially in hygroscopic materials. This can, in turn, increase cohesive strength resulting in material flow problems. Wet materials need more force output to move. That way, it is easy to identify the best vibrator for the operation. Remember, the force should be increased by about 5 percent for every percentage of moisture content.
Problems associated with material flow exist for many different reasons, and it is not always easy to solve them. When properly selected, industrial vibrators can give a high-value solution. There are many different designs in the market today, and each offers a unique solution. It is important to define your particular needs and be sure to work with a vendor who has a wide selection of vibrator technologies. Making your selection with enough knowledge is a sure-fire way of finding long-term solutions.