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In 1996, Vortex worked with Alltech, an animal health company, to assist with the handling of grain at their facility. Application: The client’s specifications include: •Quantity: 2 Vortex Roller Gates •Gate Size: 660 mm opening •Blade & seal retainers constructed from 304 stainless steel •Contact areas constructed from 304 stainless steel & polymer Results: Since their installation in 1996, these Vortex Roller Gates have required very limited maintenance other than the replacement of a set of bonnet seals on one of the gates. “After 24 years of service, we needed to pull one of the gates as it began leaking around the seal,” said Robert Stuart, Maintenance & Facilities Manager at Alltech. “After dismantling the valve, we were awestruck on how well it looked and held up over the past 24 years as our products are abrasive and have severely worn down many other pieces of equipment over the years.” The Vortex Roller Gate is designed with several replaceable parts, including

Ball valve replaced by heavy duty gate An acetylene gas manufacturer contacted Vortex for advice to handle calcium carbide in their facility. Calcium carbide and acetylene gas react with one another to create oxyacetylene gas. This gas is used to fuel a very high temperature flame, which allows welding fabricators to weld and cut metal. The manufacturer was discharging batches of dry calcium carbide from one pressurized holding vessel into another. The batch was then fed into a reactor, where it was mixed with water to produce acetylene gas. Previously, the client used a ball valve in this process. Unfortunately, calcium carbide would build up inside the ball valve making the valve difficult to actuate. Two operators and a breaker bar were required to manually open and close the ball valve. This process was time-consuming and a safety hazard. The replacement valve would require: •The ability to close on dry solid materials. •Sealing gas in a pressurized system (12 psi | 0.8 bar) In most valve designs,

A Bauxite refinery contacted Vortex to source a gate to feed alumina trihydrate into a furnace. They needed a gate that could withstand the high temperatures from the furnace. Vortex engineered a Titan Slide Gate that features: •A surface finished with high temperature-resistant paint. •Seals constructed from bronze and graphite fiberglass to handle temperature spikes up 315⁰ C (600⁰ F). •A beveled blade constructed from 400 Brinell Hardness Number (BHN) abrasion-resistant steel. •A three-phase electric linear actuator that delivers the force required to close through a standing column of material, if necessary. In the case of an electrical loss, the actuator is also equipped with a manual hand wheel override. Alumina trihydrate is a white, odorless, powdery substance. It is primarily used in aluminum metal production, but is also used in epoxy, urethane and polyester resins as a smoke suppressant and flame retardant filler. Approximately 100 million tons

A company who had never purchased any products from Vortex called to inquire about the iris valve they saw advertised. They had used iris valves from two different manufacturers and had not been comfortable with either company’s pricing or valve mechanics. The company was looking to convey abrasive glass powder from beneath a tote system. Vortex’s challenge was to convince the customer that not all iris valves are manufactured similarly. The application for the valve was an installation beneath a tote handling powdered glass. The customer had experimented with different sleeve materials and found that a urethane-coated sleeve gave them longer wear with their abrasive powder. They also liked Vortex’s infinite position design, since the flow rate of powder was frequently changed as it was discharged from the bin. As the company was not acquainted with Vortex, the sales engineer handling the inquiry suggested they purchase a single 30cm iris valve with the infinite

The bookmaking process requires individual sheets of paper be stitched into a spine and cover. The resulting stack of paper is then trimmed so that all pages are perfectly aligned with each other. The paper trimmings must then be collected for disposal or recycling. A printing company contacted Vortex searching for a method to convey the wasted materials away from the trimmer through a vacuum system toward two collection points. When conveying material away from the trimmer, each type of trimming poses an issue. The individual strips of paper are light and can be conveyed long distances through a dedicated line. The spine pieces are heavier and can only be conveyed shorter distances. Previously, the company was able to run a direct line to transfer paper strips toward the bailer, but sometimes the long strips of paper collected in various areas of the diverter, causing it to seize up and not work properly. The spine pieces also had to be removed from the trimmer by

A global pharmaceutical company was looking for a gate to shut off and control the flow of different ingredients into a dry blender. But the gate needed to adhere to the company’s specifications. • The slide gate must provide a positive seal of materials across the gate and to atmosphere. • All metal and polymer materials of construction must be health compliant. • The slide gate must be able to limit initial material flow as the gate is opened, so that downstream equipment is not “flooded.” • The gate’s inlets and outlets must match with existing equipment. The solution was to install a Vortex Clear Action Gate with a Variable Position Open (VPO) assembly. In addition to a superior material seal across the gate and to atmosphere, the Clear Action Gate “self cleans” its seals on the closing stroke. Traditional slide gates jam and pack material into an end seal upon closure. Alternatively, the Clear Action Gate does not seat into an end seal. This reduces potential

Several years ago, Vortex Global was approached by a systems group to discuss a new original equipment manufacturer (OEM) opportunity. This particular systems group specializes in the design and construction of roasters and other coffee processing systems. Typically, this systems group would construct their own simple gate valves for use in their coffee roasting systems. But after attending an exhibition where Vortex products were on display, they became interested in Vortex design. In particular, they were impressed with the Orifice Gate. With that, the systems group contacted Vortex to request a trial order of Vortex Orifice Gates, to be integrated within their coffee roasting systems. Quantity: 2 Vortex Orifice Gates • Size: 200 mm • Designed for indoor service • Gate body constructed from painted carbon steel • Gate blade & material contact areas constructed from 304 stainless steel • Flange gasket constructed from food-grade white neoprene • Stainless

Last spring, Vortex consulted with a horse feed producer to assist with a process need. At this facility, the client is producing forage cubes. Upstream in the process, bales of hay are broken down and minor ingredients are added before the raw materials are formed into cubes (approximate size: 75 – 100 mm square). Once formed, the cubes are transferred into cloth silos. Below each silo, a common belt conveyor transfers forage cubes to a packaging line, where they are loaded into bulk bags. Vortex was tasked with identifying a solution for discharging forage cubes out of the cloth silos, down onto the belt conveyor. Primarily, the client is concerned with forage cube quality and thus, the cubes cannot be damaged upon gate closure. Upon careful analysis of the application, the Vortex Roller Gate was recommended. The client sourced this small-batch order as part of the “proofing” stage of its new production process. Now installed in their application, the Vortex

Flour Milling Company in East Jawa, Indonesia It is not unusual for a flour mill to have problems with in-line flap diverters when installed in a pneumatic conveying system. The soft seals around the flap are exposed to direct blast abrasion from grist or wheat flour. This can create significant pressure drops in the conveying system, as well as line plugs once product is allowed to pass through the closed leg of the diverter. A flour milling company was experiencing these problems with the in-line flap diverters purchased when the mill was built. The product leakage from the diverters was creating conveying inefficiencies and significant downtime to uninstall the flap diverter and remove line plugs. The milling company decided to install Vortex Wye Line Diverters, which are ideally designed to overcome common problems associated with in-line flap diverters. The wye line design features a stainless steel sliding blade while maintaining a positive seal when the ports are closed. The diverter is also capable

Materials can flow individually or both outlets simultaneously or both closed Application: Vortex’s client previously utilised a flapper diverter to handle baking flour. This was problematic because, depending on the position of the blade, material was constantly flowing through one of the outlets. With the Vortex Gravity Vee Diverter, materials can flow toward either outlet individually, both outlets simultaneously, or both closed for material shut-off. Features: * Dual cylinder gate design. * Diverter body, blade & material contact areas constructed from 316L stainless steel. * Seals constructed from PET polymer, for food-grade product safety. * 24 in | 610 mm round inlet transition, to connect with a hopper above. Inlet transition * features 12 fluidizer pads to assist material flow. * Round, 12 in | 305 mm, ANSI flange outlet transitions, to match the client’s pre-existing footprint. * Pre-wired terminal box. Set up for a Class II, Div I (Groups E, F, G) environment. This dual cylinder Gravity Vee Diverter was

A pet food manufacturer needed to divert kibble dry food from a feeder into one of two disc conveyors, which transports the kibbles to the packaging line. Vortex engineered several 254mm Seal Tite Diverters constructed from stainless steel for the pet food company. The four Vortex Seal Tite Diverters feature a removable access door that allows inspection, maintenance and repairs to be performed without removing the diverter from service. The Seal Tite Diverters also feature removable parts. For return-on-investment purposes, this feature is beneficial because it allows for the replacement of worn parts, rather than full diverter replacement. The Seal Tite Diverters are designed so that the leading edge of the blade actuates into a recessed area. This protects the blade’s seals from the material flow stream, which would otherwise cause them to wear and allow material leakage into the closed diverter leg. The client is very pleased with the performance

Beneficial for Food Manufacturing Like the Quantum Series Orifice Gate, the Vortex Quick Clean Orifice Gate provides a positive seal for fine powders and is dust-tight to atmosphere. It also mechanically self-cleans on the opening stroke. With a full-port opening, the Quick Clean Orifice Gate allows unrestricted material flow. Especially beneficial for food & beverage manufacturers, the Quick Clean Orifice Gate can either be fully opened or closed, or be configured with one of Vortex’s four material flow control assemblies. The Infinite Variable Positioner (IVP), Adjustable Variable Positioner (AVP), Variable Position Closed (VPC) and Variable Position Open (VPO) assemblies each allow a gate’s blade to be stopped at midpoints to create highly accurate and replicable batches. Most importantly, the Quick Clean Orifice Gate can be easily removed and reinstalled into the process line. Once the gate is removed from service, quick-lock bolts along the lateral aspect of the gate can be loosened without

Special slide gates were required for this application. Because of the solvent nature of vapors created in the mix tank below, it was unacceptable for the sourced valve to feature silicone rubber seals. In addition, all switches and solenoids had to be rated for hazardous duty (NEMA 7/9). The Vortex HDPV2 Gate met each of these requirements. The gate’s unique “lifting” action of the blade seating into a top-mounted o-ring offers many advantages over traditional knife gate valves that pack and jam material into an end seal. A Class II / Div. 1 pre-wired terminal box was also provided to meet the client’s hazardous duty standards. Two years after installation, one of the gates was handling red pigment when it experienced a slight blade sticking problem. To solve the issue, Vortex supplied quick exhaust valves that were installed on the gate’s air cylinder actuator to increase the speed of the gate’s opening stroke.

Wye Line Diverters Handling Flour Pre-Mix Client: A national doughnut chain. Valve Size: •Vortex Cross-Over Wye Line Diverter: 6 in. (152 mm) •Vortex Four-Way Wye Line Diverters (qty. 2): 6 in. (152 mm) Features (Cross-Over Wye Line Diverter): •Diverter body constructed from stainless steel. •Material contact areas constructed from stainless steel. •Straight leg diverting design. Features (Four-Way Wye Line Diverters): •Diverter body constructed from stainless steel. •Material contact areas constructed from stainless steel. Application: Pneumatically convey various grades of flour from two sources toward any of eight destinations, for packing. Challenge: Rather than a hose manifold station, automate the process of switching convey paths for materials traveling toward several packing stations. Results: The client’s desired automation was found in Vortex Wye Line Diverters.  In this client’s process, various grades of flour mix arrive via bulk container trucks and are unloaded

Customer: Plastic pipe manufacturer Features: Two 2-way Vortex Wye Line Diverters with air actuation & Ceram-Back inlets. For outdoor use in a pneumatic conveying system. Application: Find a solution to divert PVC resin toward several extrusion lines, while minimizing wear and abrasion at the valve. Results: The wye line diverters were installed separately to support two different conveying lines. Each diverter was fed by its own hopper (two hoppers, in total). Once resin reaches the diverter, it can be directed from one inlet toward either of two locations (1-to-2 configuration). In total, the two wye line diverters can supply materials toward four separate extrusion lines. Because PVC resin can have abrasive material characteristics, the customer expressed concern for abrasion and wear – particularly to the valve body. To compensate for wear, the valve was strengthened with ceramic backing at the diverter’s inlet. This prolongs a valve’s useful life by

Divert sticky material from one source to two destinations A producer of food grade plastic bags and packaging wrap for foods was in search of a solution for a problematic application. At one point in the operation hot, sticky plastic pellets are required to be diverted from a receiving hopper to either of two process lines. Diverters previously utilized were problematic in the fact that they had to be removed from service and cleaned frequently. Downtime was a major expense. After reviewing the application, The Vortex engineering team determined a Seal Tite Gravity Diverter could be modified to provide the best solution to the customers needs. A Vortex 2-way Seal Tite Gravity Diverter was engineered and manufactured to meet many application criteria. Food grade Viton rubber vane seals and Florisant 207 shaft seals were used to accommodate the 232°C to 260°C temperatures present. Special sight glasses were crafted in the legs of the Seal Tite. Through these, maintenance personnel make regular checks during the day to

Vortex Flex Tube Diverter Valve Handling Chili Powder When this national company was considering a new blending and mixing station, much of the emphasis for the project was placed on increasing output with additional production efficiency. Previously, the company had experienced issues with valves and diverters within an old system. The diverters caused cross-contamination among the product recipes and the slide gates leaked to atmosphere. In both cases, the expensive chili powder had to be trashed. Chili powder leaking to atmosphere creates an airborne health hazard (eyes and skin) and also a “slippery floor” safety hazard for company employees. The new system incorporated a Vortex flex tube diverter to eliminate product cross-contamination and Vortex roller gates to shut off and seal material at the bottom of dry blenders and mixers. Production was impressed with the performance of the Vortex valves as well as the maintenance friendly features each one has to offer. “These valves truly seal our material.”

Conveying a fragile product in a lean/dilute phase Pneumatically conveying open water fish feed is never an easy task. Product breakage must remain minimal to ensure the feed floats or sinks at specific rates. There is also an added complexity of highly variable fatty oil content, ingredients, and bulk density amongst the different blends. In 2008, Vortex collaborated with an international aqua feed manufacturer to develop a slide gate that would deliver fish feed pellets directly into a lean/dilute phase pneumatic conveying line. The success of the original slide gate design led to further cooperation on an additional aqua feed project in 2012. Many of the design parameters were similar to the previous installation, but with more specific considerations:  * Minimize material breakage by eliminating ledges through the inlet,  * Seal the pneumatic conveying pressure in the lines below the valve to prevent a pressure drop in the system,  * Handle the wide range of product variation,  *

Vortex HDPV2 replaces existing butterfly valve BASF is an integrated global chemical company. Their site in Redditch, UK, specializes in the production of flooring systems including concrete repair, structural waterproofing, traffic repair, car park decks, roofing waterproofing and structural grouts. The manufacturing process includes bulk storage, batch weighing and pneumatic transfer of a large variety of ingredients (typically sands cements, lime and coarse aggregates) to a large vacuum receiving hopper. From here materials are discharged to a mixer then discharged to a high speed packing process. BASF had experienced problems with the existing butterfly valve on the outlet of their vacuum batch receiving hopper. Some of the coarse materials, typically quartz and flintag, are very abrasive with sharp jagged edges and have a high bulk density. The butterfly valve blade was unable to open against a head load of high density compacted material. BASF identified the Vortex HDPV2 slide gate valve as ideal solution

Wye Line Diverter handles delicate tea leaves Tea and coffee merchants, Taylors of Harrogate, recruited Vortex a few years ago to assist in improving a tea transfer system at their North Yorkshire, UK plant. Staff at the Vortex Darlington office were contacted by Taylors, who had identified the Wye Line Diverter from the Vortex website as a potential alternative for their tea transfer system. Taylors were then visited by Vortex representatives just 90 minutes after this initial enquiry. At the plant, the blended tea was transferred to each packaging machine by a dedicated vacuum system. The project was to combine these two systems into one, reducing the number of vacuum pumps and pipework whilst not affecting the quality, taste or structure of the tea in any way. Following the decision that the 2-Way Wye Line Diverters offered the best solution to reduce costs and energy consumption, Taylors were able to test a set of four diverters on a trial basis for several weeks. At the end of this period, Taylors