FEEDERS AND STORAGE SILOS

FEEDERS

• Feeders are machineries used in

assembly and manufacturing
applications to move or “transport”
materials or products to a designated
storage or to other processing
equipment.
VOLUMETRIC FEEDERS

• Discharge rate is controlled by feeder speed based on

prior calibration.
• Amount of materials transported is carefully calculated
and controlled by adjusting the speed at which the screw
turns.
• Very accurate feed values to be maintained
• Rotational speed may be present or constantly adjusted.
GRAVIMETRIC FEEDERS

• Feeder speed based on direct material weight measurement to

result in a precisely controlled discharge rate.
• Delivery rate is controlled by adjusting the rate at which the
materials is introduced into the machine.
• Used extensively in controlling the discharge of bulk materials
from storing units and stockpiles and directing these materials
onto the conveyor belts.
• They are especially suitable for a broad range of bulk materials,
are being able to accommodate a range of particle sizes, and are
being particularly suitable for abrasive materials
ROTARY FEEDERS

• Also known as Rotary Airlocks or Rotary Valves

• They are commonly used in industrial and agricultural applications
as a component-in-a-bulk or specialty material handling system.
• Rotary table feeders are generally used for the volumetric feeding
of fine bulk materials solids which have reasonably good
flowability.
• They are suitable to install under storage unit outlet of larger
diameter to prevent clogging by the sluggish material.
• Power comes from an internal combustion engine or an electrical
motor.
VIBRATORY FEEDERS

• Vibratory feeders are used extensively in

controlling the discharge of bulk materials from
storing units and stockpiles and directing these
materials onto the conveyor belts.
• They are especially suitable for a broad range of
bulk materials, are being able to accommodate a
range of particle sizes, and are being particularly
suitable for abrasive materials
SCREW FEEDERS

• Used for handling bulk materials, in which a rotating helicoid

screw moves the material forward, toward and into a process
unit.
• Very similar to screw conveyors in their basic structure, both
which are based on the principles of the Archimedean screw.
• Capable of delivering dense slurries and dry granular
products with great accuracy at a range of operational
speeds.
• Drives is controlled by servo motors capable of precise stop-
start and speed control
APRON FEEDERS

• Machines that resemble short conveyor belts, and are also known as plate
feeders.
• Allow automatic control of volume of materials that are added to the
process.
• They are constructed from heavy, durable materials like steel to withstand
the load of the materials fed on it.
• Apron feeders are a version of belt feeders and are useful for feeding large
tonnages of bulk materials and for those bulk materials which requires
feeding at elevated temperatures. They are also able to sustain extreme
impact loading.
• The apron feeder is costly equipment but its sturdiness is not surpassed by
other feeders
CHAIN FEEDERS

• Chain conveyors utilize a powered

continuous chain arrangement, carrying a
series of single pendants.
• The chain arrangement is driven by a motor,
and the material suspended on the pendants
are conveyed.
ROLLER FEEDERS

• Roller feeders are used to handle dry granules

and powders.
• Material is fed into a hopper at an uncontrolled
rate where it is agitated by guiding vanes so it
keeps a consistent density.
• The material passes between two steel rollers,
which compresses the material into a thin
uniform ribbon.
BOWL FEEDERS

• Used to feed parts an assembly line or piece of

manufacturing equipment
• Individual components exit the feeders at specific
intervals and enter the next step in the assembly
process
• Each bowl feeder uses special sensors to spot
jams or parts that may be misaligned
• One drawback is its precise operation
STORAGE SILOS

A silo (Greek: siros; "pit for holding grain") is a

structure for storing bulk materials. They are used
in agriculture to store grain or fermented feed
known as silage. Silos are more commonly used for
bulk storage of grain, coal, cement, carbon black,
woodchips, food products and sawdust.
TOWER SILOS

• Most common type of silo

• Can be made of concrete, brick , metal , wood, and other
materials.
• Loading and unloading is done with automated system
• Silos storing grain, cement and woodchips are typically unloaded
with air slides or augers and can be unloaded into rail cars, trucks
or conveyors.
• An advantage of tower silos is that the materials tends to pack
well due to its own weight, except in the top few feet.
BUNKER SILOS

• Bunker silos are trenches, usually with concrete walls,

that are filled and packed with tractors and loaders.
• The filled trench is covered with a plastic tarp to make it
airtight.
• These silos are usually unloaded with a tractor and
loader.
• They are inexpensive and especially well suited to very
large operations.
BAG SILOS

• Bag silos are heavy plastic tubes, usually around 2.4 to

3.6 m in diameter, and of variable length as required for
the amount of material to be stored.
• They are unloaded using a tractor and loader or skid-
steer loader.
• Bag silos require little capital investment.
• They can be used as a temporary measure when growth
or harvest conditions require more space.
BINS

• shorter than a silo used for holding dry matter

• shape is either round or squared
• contain a hollow perforated or screened central shaft