ESS considers the factors that lead to material build-up and reduced flow when designing air cannons.
Material build-up poses a significant challenge to plant efficiency by decreasing live capacity and obstructing material flow through bulk storage containers.
This issue can lead to several knock-on consequences, including material shortages, disruptions in product flow, and altered impact zones, which may cause wear in unexpected areas. Such wear can result in misalignment, leading to spillage and damage to conveyor belts. Addressing material build-up is essential for maintaining optimal plant performance and reducing operational costs.
ESS air cannons offer a solution to these problems. ESS air cannons are high-pressure vessels that blast air at high-velocity speeds, dislodging build-up and allowing sites to maximise storage capacity.
Tom Stahura, accounts development manager for Western Australia and overseas projects, said the company has more than 45 years of experience delivering air cannons.
“Our extensive application experience makes our Air Cannons stand out,” he told ABHR.
Stahura knows just how valuable and versatile ESS Engineering’s flow-aids can be in the bulk material handling industry. ESS air cannons have been used in numerous applications. They can quickly solve bulk flow problems in silos, hoppers, chutes and storage piles and are often used where vibration is not practical or other methods are too expensive.
“I think wherever bulk materials are being handled, there is a need for a flow-aid to help them with their product,” Stahura said. “I’ve had clients use air cannons on everything from cereal manufacturing and grain storage to bricks, cement works, and heavy-duty bulk handling of iron ore and coal.”
Safety is ESS’s top concern, as dealing with compressed air is hazardous. The company designed air cannon systems to store air in 40L, 70L, 150L or 250L receivers. The cannons are designed to fill with air just before they are fired, which minimises the time the air cannon is charged and reduces risk. Air escapes directly through valves into a discharge pipe to affect the area of influence during the dispersal.
Stahura said the 150L air cannons are also cast vessels, which effectively has an infinite life in terms of pressure cycles. “Because the air cannon is cast, there are no welded areas prone to fatigue over time,” Stahura said.
“When combined with a remote-control system that allows you to fill the cannon just before you discharge it, it lowers the hazard class significantly as the cannon is not sitting around filled with pressurised air at all times which is typical of other air cannons in the market.”
ESS valves feature a single moving part with no metal-on-metal contact, eliminating fatigue-prone components to extend their lifespan.
ESS can help customers optimise air blasting outcomes through certain design features, such as tailored pipe designs or a chute mounting arrangement that will maximise the efficacy of a blast through proper design and firing sequence.
Stahura said ESS’s high-quality air cannons and commitment to providing end-to-end service, from design and manufacturing to installation and ongoing maintenance and service, keep customers returning, which has allowed the company to grow globally.
“Air cannons are cheap insurance. If you don’t have product moving through your plant, you’ve got nothing,” he said.
“Currently, we have projects in Africa, the Philippines, and more.
“Our customers love them. In fact, when our clients move overseas to international projects, they will often contact us to help them solve material handling problems at their site.”
