A Rotary Feeder,also commonly referred to as a rotary airlock valve,star feeder,or rotary unloader,is a critical industrial equipment designed for continuous,quantitative feeding and airtight isolation of bulk solid materials.It serves as a bridge between material storage(such as silos,hoppers)and conveying systems,ensuring stable material supply while maintaining system pressure balance.

Widely used in various industrial fields,it is an indispensable component in pneumatic conveying,dust removal,and material batching systems,suitable for handling dry powders,granules,small lumps,and other bulk materials without high viscosity or moisture.

Working Principle

The rotary feeder operates based on a simple yet efficient volumetric principle,consisting of a sealed housing,a star-shaped rotor with multiple blades,a drive unit(motor+reducer),and high-performance sealing components.The specific working process is as follows:

1.Bulk materials from the upper hopper or silo fall into the cavities formed between the rotor blades by gravity.

2.The drive unit drives the rotor to rotate at a constant speed(adjustable for variable speed models),and the blades carry the materials downward as the rotor turns.

3.When the material-filled cavities rotate to the bottom outlet,the materials are discharged smoothly under gravity,realizing continuous and uniform feeding.

4.The minimal clearance between the rotor blades and the housing forms a reliable airlock seal,which isolates the pressure difference between the upper(positive or negative pressure)and lower sections,preventing air backflow,pressure loss,and dust leakage.

Core Features

-Excellent Airtight Performance:Advanced sealing structure effectively isolates positive and negative pressure zones,ensuring no air leakage and stable operation of the entire system.

-Precise Quantitative Feeding:The volume of each rotor cavity is fixed;the feeding rate can be flexibly adjusted by changing the rotor speed,meeting different production requirements.

-Wide Material Compatibility:Suitable for dry powders(such as cement,flour,fly ash),granules(such as plastic particles,grain),and small lumps(such as coal powder,ore particles),with strong adaptability.

-Durable&Low Maintenance:The housing and rotor are made of high-quality materials(carbon steel,stainless steel 304/316 optional);wear-resistant lining can be added for abrasive materials,ensuring long service life and low daily maintenance cost.

-Compact&Easy to Install:Small volume,reasonable structure,easy to connect with hoppers,dust collectors,and conveying pipelines,saving installation space.

-Temperature Adaptability:Standard models can withstand temperatures up to 280℃;high-temperature customized models are available for special working conditions(above 450℃).

Application Fields

Rotary feeders are widely used in various industrial sectors that involve bulk material handling,mainly including:

-Environmental Protection:Ash discharge of bag dust collectors,cyclone separators,and dust removal systems.

-Chemical Industry:Feeding and discharging of chemical powders,granular materials,and additives.

-Building Materials:Cement,lime,sand,and other powder conveying and batching in cement plants and construction sites.

-Food&Pharmaceutical:Feeding of food powders(flour,starch),pharmaceutical raw materials,ensuring hygiene and no pollution.

-Metallurgy&Mining:Discharging of ore powder,coal powder,and metallurgical slag.

-Grain&Plastics:Grain storage and conveying,feeding of plastic particles and recycled materials.

Typical Technical Parameters

-Feeding Capacity:0.5–150 m³/h(adjustable according to model and speed)

-Rotor Speed:10–60 rpm(fixed speed or variable speed optional)

-Motor Power:0.37–11 kW

-Pressure Rating:0–0.6 MPa(positive/negative pressure applicable)

-Inlet/Outlet Size:DN80–DN600(3"–24")

-Material:Carbon steel,stainless steel 304/316,wear-resistant alloy

As a key equipment for bulk material handling,the rotary feeder integrates feeding,metering,and airlock functions.Its reliable performance,flexible design,and wide adaptability make it the preferred choice for industrial material conveying systems.