What Is a Powder Container?
A powder container is a vessel designed for storing powdered materials or products in plants and factories.
Powdered materials, also known as granular powder, are used in various industries such as construction, food, electronics, metalworking, and chemical/pharmaceutical sectors. The container used to store granular powder within plants, factories, or warehouses is referred to as a powder container.
Typically constructed from metal or plastic, powder containers feature a lid on the top for pouring in powdered materials and a conical discharge outlet at the bottom. This shape has led to them being known as cone valve containers. Additionally, these containers are equipped with legs at the bottom for stability.
The primary role of powder containers is to protect granular powder materials from moisture, prevent contamination from foreign particles, and ensure that the stored materials do not scatter externally. Some containers have valves at the bottom, allowing the discharge of the required quantity of granular powder while facilitating measurement.
Uses of Powder Container
Powder containers are utilized for both storage and transportation of granular powder within plants and factories. Granular powder materials find applications in the construction, electronics, metalworking, and food industries, among others.
- Construction Industry
Materials such as cement, lime, gypsum, calcium carbonate, silica, iron oxide, and alumina are commonly used. - Electronics Industry
Metal powders, ceramic powders, glass powders, among others, are utilized. - Metalworking Industry
Iron powder, aluminum powder, copper powder, stainless steel powder, etc., are examples of granular powder materials used. - Food Industry
Key granular powder materials in the food industry include flour, sugar, dairy products, cocoa powder, starch, and more.
In some cases, products are made by combining multiple materials. In such instances, powder containers are filled with various materials, and the container is rotated or vibrated to mix the contents.
Principles of Powder Container
In plants and factories where granular powder is used as a raw material for products, manual handling becomes inefficient when the volume of powder materials used in manufacturing processes is substantial.
Granular powder materials are transported to plants or factories by ships or lorries. Once delivered, these materials are stored in large silos through hoses. In cases where the production of products or the use of granular powder materials is limited, the materials are conveyed through pipes laid out within the plant to the manufacturing process. By minimizing manual intervention and automating processes, plants can reduce manufacturing time, control costs, and achieve mass production.
However, in cases where the variety of products produced in plants or factories is extensive, or the production quantity per batch is low, or when there are many materials to mix, the distribution via powder containers becomes advantageous. Using powder containers for temporary storage or mixing multiple materials eliminates the need to reconfigure production lines frequently.
Furthermore, to achieve labor savings and reduce production time, powder containers with added value have been developed. These containers are equipped with mechanisms for automatic transport through conveyor systems and devices for automatically discharging the required amount of materials. Powder containers play a crucial role in many processes, including the supply, measurement, transportation, storage, discharge, and mixing of granular powder materials.
Types of Powder Container
Powder containers are classified based on the material they are made of, including metal containers, plastic containers, and flexible containers.
Metal Containers: Often made of stainless steel for corrosion resistance, they boast high strength and durability, making them suitable for various material types.
Plastic Containers: Lightweight and easy to handle, these containers are characterized by excellent chemical resistance.
Flexible Containers: Constructed from materials like polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP), these containers are flexible and can be folded into a bag shape. They have hanging parts for suspension and openings for injection and discharge. They are used for transporting industrial chemicals, synthetic resins, refractory materials, feed, food, and more.
When selecting a powder container, considerations should include the type of material, additional functionalities, the quantity of materials to be handled, transportation methods, storage conditions, and more.