There is no doubt that everyone wants to save costs when it comes to construction projects. One of the techniques people use to cut costs is ordering cement and concrete in bulk. Specifically, it is prevalent in this era where builders use ready-mix concrete. If you want to do everything on-site, then you cannot do without a cement silo, which is necessary for storing the cement in bulk. You can move it from the silo using special pipework that mixes it with water and other materials to form concrete. During the process, the fine texture of cement results in caking and reduced flow of the materials. You can solve this using any of the following aid alternatives at your disposal:

Mechanical Agitators

The name "agitator" suggests something that catalyses or enhances a particular process. Mechanical agitators ruffle the discharge section of the cement silo, ensuring that the fine cement particles do not find a still surface where they can conglomerate. The agitators have many segmented helical compartments rotating slowly within the discharge area. These helical sections create a downward flow that moves the cement through a discharge auger that controls the flow of the material. Ideally, you will be well off with a discharge auger operating at speeds between one and two rotations per minute. This will prevent consolidation.

Cone-bottoms Machines

Cone-bottom systems are suitable for materials with a moderate rate of flow, such as cement. They have a screw installed at the centre of the flow mechanisms. The screw rotates on an axis and sweeps across the whole silo hopper. The material moves to the centre of the silo ready for discharge via a chute installed below the hopper. For the chute, the cement will move into a discharge auger and eventually end up on a conveyor that takes it out of the silo. Evidently, cone-bottoms are very effective at preventing caking of the cement inside the silo and proper discharge to minimise waste.

Vibrators

You cannot have a conversation about flow aid without mentioning vibrators. Their working mechanism is simple and straightforward. The vibrating action of the devices keeps the chute and discharge areas in constant motion and prevents the fine cement particles from settling in the system. Typically, the vibrators are mounted on one side of the silo's chute. You can go for electric or air-powered vibrators.  

You need to appreciate the cohesive forces acting on materials such as cement particles. They keep the particles together and encourage agglomeration. Gladly, the devices discussed here will help you deal with it.  

For more information on flow aids, contact an industrial equipment supplier in your area.

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