Blow Through Rotary Airlock Valves

January 3, 2023

If you’re looking to feed dry materials that are powdery or granular through a pneumatic
conveying system, blow-through rotary airlock valves are a good option. This valve is commonly
used in both positive pressure and vacuum systems alike.

The way the blow through airlock works is simple. Instead of an outlet throat, it has ports
positioned on the sides of its end covers, and those connect directly to the convey line pipe.
The convey line is able to efficiently blow air through those rotor pockets, which cleans them
and allows them to function optimally.

For blow through rotary airlock valves, outlet convey line adapters are not required. This makes
the airlock extremely compact, which means less space required for installation.

Types of Rotary Airlocks

We’ve designed three types of rotary airlocks in order to meet industry demands. These include
drop thru valves, blow thru valves, and side entry valves.

Drop Thru Valves

Drop thru valves are the most common applications from pneumatic conveying.
They are dust collection systems for powders and granules and come in a variety
of sizes and options.

Side Entry Valves

Side entry valves eliminate shearing and jamming. If you’re working with plastics,
pellets, regrind, and other large particles, this is an ideal option.

Blow Thru Valves

This is a conveying application that works with maximum efficiency. It has a
compact design with convey line air that blows through the rotor pockets.

Function of the Valve

As the blow through rotary airlock valve works, two compartments become filled up with the
material that enters through the inlet at the top of the valve. The rotor is continuously turning
and, after less than half a turn, the material falls through the bottom outlet and into the air
stream that’s passing through the pneumatic conveying pipeline. That pipeline is connected
with the bottom compartment of the rotary valve.

Airlock Function

The airlock aspect of the valve has three functions. Those include:
1. To be used as a feeder application with no pressure. In this case, they are used purely to
feed products at a controlled rate from a bin or hopper.
2. Collecting dust while maintaining an air seal and being used as filter applications for
cyclones, baghouses, and other various collectors.
3. Pneumatic conveying applications that feed material into a system against pressure or
vacuum. As a standard, Carolina Conveying will meet those types of demands with
heavy duty airlocks.

After CNC machining equipment was introduced, along with volume sales and stock production,
we are able to meet and exceed our customers’ needs with prompt delivery and competitive
prices.

Not to mention the high standard we hold ourselves and our equipment to. When you work
with Carolina Conveying, you will receive nothing less than the very best equipment.

Benefits of the Valve

There are plenty of notable benefits that come with the blow through rotary airlock valve. Not
only does it have a robust and compact design, but it is also complete with easy access to all
internal mechanical parts – making repairs simple and straightforward.

You can expect the valve to be made of cast iron construction, which makes it sturdy and
durable for long-time use. It includes universal flanges that allow for custom-drilled flanges that
fit your unique pattern, along with outboard re-greasable bearings. It comes with shaft packing
gland assemblies and eight-blade rotors as standard with your choice of speed.

As you can see, there are plenty of ways that you can make the valve completely your own,
customizing it to fit the needs of your business.

Carolina Conveying places heavy emphasis on tight tolerances, which is why we make sure that
our rotors are robustly constructed with thick vanes and large shafts. The body of the valve, the
end covers, and the rotor are machined with precision in the CNC to further ensure those tight
tolerances, and there is minimum clearance between the rotor and the housing. There is
maximum pressure present between differential sealing to ensure minimal leakage for your
valve.