Mass Flow Silo Transition and Screw Feeder for Metering Calcium Carbonate Inteplast Group in Lolita, TX

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Inteplast Group
Lolita, TX

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Burlington Central WWTP
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General Description

Inteplast Group manufactures plastic-based products at more than 50 locations in North America. The flagship facility is Integrated Bagging Systems (IBS) located in Lolita, TX. Products such as can liners, garment bags, and merchandise bags are made from blown polyethylene (PE) film. The blown PE film manufacturing process requires transferring calcium carbonate from a storage silo to extruders where it can be converted to pellets used to produce the blown PE film.

After 25 years of operation, the IBS plant needed equipment and process upgrades. An existing silo was fitted with a vibrating bin discharger that proved to be problematic. Inteplast determined the bin discharger would be replaced with a mass flow screw feeder to ensure accurate and reliable metering of calcium carbonate from the silo into the pneumatic conveying system. KWS provided a new silo cone transition and mass flow screw feeder. KWS also provided a manually actuated slide gate between the silo transition and screw feeder for ease of maintenance.

Mass Flow Silo Transition and Screw Feeder for Metering Calcium Carbonate at Inteplast Group in Lolita, TX - KWS Manufacturing

New Mass Flow Silo Transition with Screw Feeder, Slide Gate and Bin Vent Filter

Design Parameters

Product Type: Calcium Carbonate
Material Density: 65 Lbs. per Cubic Foot
Conveyor System Capacity: 15 Cubic feet per Hour
Duty: Intermittent

KWS Advantages

Engineers from Inteplast and KWS collaborated to create the ideal solution for the application. Because the new equipment was fitting into an area around existing equipment, the parametric 3D models KWS provided were paramount for a successful installation.

KWS engineers also worked with engineers from Coperion K-Tron, the supplier of the bin vent filter, Solimar Pneumatics, the supplier of the silo fluidizers, and Salina Vortex, the supplier of the slide gate, to integrate these components around the KWS equipment. As the local manufacturer’s representative for all four companies, Shamrock Systems played a pivotal role by providing on-site service and support from concept to post-installation and ensuring effective communication between all companies involved.

Special Features

KWS provided a mass flow bin transition and screw feeder as the most efficient way of metering calcium carbonate from the silo. “Mass Flow” describes a flow pattern in which all material in a bin is drawn down at the same rate, regardless of if the material is against the sidewall or in the center. Material is drawn down evenly along the entire length of the inlet opening of the screw feeder. Even, consistent and accurate discharge of calcium carbonate from the screw feeder allows Inteplast to maintain production without surges or downtime.

KWS also provided pneumatic fluidizers inside the silo cone transition to aid in the flow of the calcium carbonate after being compressed and packed while being stored. The aeration loosens the bulk material by using directional airflow to force air along the cone wall and gentle vibration keeps calcium carbonate flowing into the screw feeder.

KWS also incorporated a bin vent filter mounted over the screw feeder discharge to collect airborne particulate. Compressed air is used to clean the filters. Dust is dropped out through the screw feeder discharge spout. The bin vent filter aids in the prevention of potential dusting and cleanliness concerns.