Plattco Double Flap Airlock® Valves are volumetric feeders. To choose a suitable valve for an application, we first need to know the desired flow rate or tonnage. One must calculate the volume of material flow.
Bulk density must be in units of pounds per cubic feet (lbs/ft^3) for this calculation. It is important to choose a bulk density that corresponds to the aerated condition of the material being handled and that corresponds to real operating bulk density. For example, a fluidizable powder in the non-fluidized state may weigh 80 lbs/ft^3, but in the fluidized condition it could weigh as little as 35 lbs/ft^3. This makes a very big difference to the size of the Plattco valve suitable for this application.
Mass flow rate must be in units of pounds per hour (lbs/hr). Perform any necessary conversions to arrive at the mass flow rate of (lbs/hr).
Divide the mass flow rate by the bulk density to arrive at the required volumetric flow rate for the application. (lbs/hr) ÷ (lbs/ft^3) = (ft^3/hr)
Using the capacity chart, one can then find the range of valves suitable to handle the application flow rate requirements. Note, the flow rates included in the chart already include a fill rate safety factor.
A practical example:
Suitable valves to handle the required flow rate for the example application are shown in the following capacity chart in green.
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