Hoppers with Live Bottom Mass Flow Screw Feeders for Storing and Metering Crystalline Silica Powder

General Description

Fritz Industries, an international manufacturing and distribution company, is an industry leader in providing oilfield, water quality, aquaculture, and pet product solutions for nearly sixty years. Fritz Industries offers several products used in the oil and gas industry, the company’s primary market. With an expansion of a dual packaging line in their Greenville, TX facility, Fritz enlisted the help of KWS to provide a solution for storing and metering their product into bagging machines. Upon completion of the proprietary blending process, the product is screened using a centrifugal sifter and stored while the next batch of product is being mixed. KWS provided two identical hoppers for product storage and incorporated twin live bottom mass flow screw feeders to provide optimal product discharge from the hoppers and a consistent metered feed to the bagging machines.

Design Parameters

KWS Advantages

KWS collaborated with mechanical and electrical engineers at Fritz to ensure the ideal solution was being offered to meet their needs. Engineers from KWS and Fritz exchanged 3D CAD models and made design iterations prior to beginning the manufacturing process to confirm that the hoppers, screw feeders, and structural supports would integrate with other equipment and install seamlessly into the facility.

KWS was not only able to offer the ideal conveying solution, but was able to provide Fritz with a single source for the hoppers and support structures as well. KWS’s local sales representatives also played a pivotal role in offering extensive onsite customer support and service. KWS has an “open door policy” that allowed Fritz the opportunity to conduct in-process and final inspections of the equipment at KWS facilities before shipment to confirm all of their expectations were being satisfied.

Special Features

It was particularly critical that the crystalline silica powder not become stagnant once it has been discharged from the screener into the hopper. KWS provided a rotating agitator inside the hopper to prevent the product from becoming compressed and packing while being stored.

KWS recommended the mass flow screw design as the most efficient way of discharging the bulk material from the hoppers. The term “mass flow” describes a material flow pattern in which all material in a bin is drawn down at the same rate, regardless if the material is against the sidewall or in the center. This feature allows the material to be drawn down evenly along the entire length of the inlet opening of the screw feeder. The even discharge of product allows Fritz to maintain an accurate reading of the product level inside the hoppers at any time of their process.