Getting materials, such as animal feeds, ingredients, powdered milk and medicines, to flow properly through bins and hoppers sometimes requires personnel to beat on the sides of the bins.

Purdue University researchers have now developed technology to help improve the process and reduce the need for the hammering in production. The team created a flow aid that can be placed inside a bin and controlled with Bluetooth, the university said in an announcement.

“This device directly transfers vibration energy to the powders without affecting the structural integrity of the bin,” said Kingsly Ambrose, an associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering, who leads the team with Karthik Salish, an engineering graduate research assistant. “This device could also monitor powder parameters like temperature, humidity and pressure, which in turn indicate any change in quality.”

Erratic flow in the powder mixture is a common problem in manufacturing industries. Some of the powder can stick to the sides of the bin or clog in the middle of it, resulting in deficiencies in the powder and final product, the announcement said.

“There are flow aids that can be used outside the bin,” Ambrose said. “These aids present numerous problems in reliability, are typically very expensive and require additional support such as compressors.”

Ambrose explained that the device developed at Purdue also allows the user to control the vibration intensity and location to provide a consistent powder product. He said the device also has applications for the agricultural and grain industries.

The team worked with the Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization for a provisional patent on the device, and they are seeking additional partners. For more information, contact [email protected].

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