An original equipment manufacturer supplying their silo systems to a HS2 site in the UK have included AKO Pinch Valves as silo protection valves on their system, and have provided feedback on their customers use of the valves within their silo fill lines.
There are a total of 4 Pinch Valves on this HS2 site, passing quick lime at 2 bar maximum, and at ambient temperature. The company operating the silos is using the valves as isolation valves to protect the silo when tanker filling, either when a silo is not in use or when a silo filling enters an alarm state.
Installed in a vertical position, these silo protection valves operate a number between 2-6 cycles per day. The Pinch Valves are normally open air operated units, but the user is operating them with a pneumatic safety arrangement to ensure they are normally closed.
Reasons for Selecting Pinch Valves for Silo Protection
The OEM stated that during the 3-4 years of using Pinch Valves from AKO, the valves have been operating very well. As they deal with new customers and projects, they will incorporate Pinch Valves into their projects.
There were specific reasons that the OEM chose AKO Pinch Valves for this project:
- Cost effective
- Efficient
- Full bore
Pinch Valve used within this application – VF100.03X.31.30LA
VF model, air operated, aluminium body, aluminium flanges PN10/16 with mild steel bushing contact parts, natural rubber sleeve.
Further benefits of pneumatically operated Pinch Valves by AKO UK include their lightweight construction, lightening fast opening/closing times, durable & reliable reinforced rubber sleeves to suit almost every application, and low maintenance effort, to name a few.
Pinch Valves Control the flow of many substances within Silos
Most silo systems prevent both overfilling and excess pressurisation, avoiding damage to the silo, venting filter and other accessories. The Pinch Valve assists with this safety system by controlling the flow of materials into or out of the silo. Whether emptying silo trucks or tankers, filling silos via risers or the precision emptying of the silo from the bottom, pinch valves control and dose all of these processes.
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