Finding and fixing common rotary airlock valve problems
A rotary airlock valve is one of the most important components in your pneumatic conveying system. But do you know how to troubleshoot valve problems? After describing rotary airlock valve selection and operation, this article explains how you can find and fix common valve problems. Related information covers preventive maintenance.
Many manufacturers supply rotary airlock valves, but all types include these basic components, as shown in Figure 1: a housing and headplates [which form a cylindrical cavity with a material inlet and outlet], bearings supporting a rotor with blades [also called vanes], and shaft seals. In operation, a motor and drive chain turn the rotor shaft, spinning the rotor inside the housing and headplates. As the blades rotate, a fixed volume of material passes through the material inlet to the spaces between adjacent blades [called rotorpockets] and is carried in the pockets toward the material outlet.