Multi-Stage Vacuum Conveyors For Materials Handling

The MVC-Series is a new multi-stage vacuum conveyor from UMM (United Materials Management). Units are engineered for free-falling compounded, powdered or pelletized plastics. The manufacturer says the series was developed as an alternative to manual and mechanical materials handling methods. All conveyor components are made of mirror-quality electro-polished stainless steel.

The conveyors are said to be especially suited for gentle material transfer from the up-stream process to bins, mixers, drums, surge-, processing-machine- or weigh-scale hoppers. Units have a lid-mounted multi-stage pump that is compressed-air powered. Advantages cited for this pump concept: no moving parts required for operation, no heat build-up due to the cooling effect of the expanding air and quiet operation due to a standard exhaust air filter/silencer assembly.

Depending on the material type to be conveyed, the conveyor is equipped with either a cartridge filter or a bag filter assembly (each with a large filter area). The filters also have an accumulator blow-back mechanism, which automatically releases trapped airborne impurities from the filter at the end of each loading cycle. This is said to ensure dust-free conveyor operation that is compliant with ISO 14000.

In addition, at the end of each loading cycle the multi-stage pump stops, the sealed discharge valve opens and the material drains into the down-stream collection device.

Units are equipped with a state-of-the-art microprocessor controller. Standard controller features include: three programmable timer functions (material loading, vacuum and air filter backwash timers), LCD for each numerical timer value, six operating LEDs showing each phase of the cycle in progress, four-button membrane keypad and a far-reaching light signal.

UMM says that, due to the controller's reliability, the conveyor's energy consumption is kept at a minimum. In fact, during material drain cycles no energy is consumed.

Six models are available with capacities ranging from 20 to 12,000 lb/hr. Each model's capacity rating is dependent on specific material characteristics such as: bulk density, particle geometry, degree of moisture absorption, tribo-electrification and friability. Models can also be selected based on such transfer distance parameters as vertical lift, horizontal distance and number of material line elbows.

Standard accessories include a stainless steel fluidizing material pick-up wand, a flexible food-grade material hose with embedded ground-wire and two stainless steel hose clamps. Prices start at $3555.

United Materials Management Ltd.
Chicago, IL