AJAX Equipment Limited products

Solids handling equipment maker, Ajax Equipment, has supplied copper chemicals producer Bardyke Chemicals with an agitated screw feeder, screw feeder and hopper as part of a project to increase production capacity at its factory in Blantyre, Scotland. Bardyke Chemicals manufactures a range of copper-based powders including cuprous oxide and cuprous thiocyanate for applications from marine paints to pharmaceutical production.

Agitated screw Feeders have a hopper section above the inlet to the screw fitted with an agitator the blades of which rotate at right angles to the line of the screw such that material above the screw is both disturbed and directed downwards. Agitated screw feeders are used for materials that are inherently susceptible to arching such as filter cake or fine cohesive powders. Agitated screw feeders are also used where flow rates are low and thus screw diameters too small to present a sufficiently wide inlet slot for gravity flow into the screw. AJAX agitated screw feeders are individually designed to suit specific applications. The feeders can incorporate easy clean features such as clean in place and steam in place. The screw and agitator can be quick release or retractable for ease of cleaning between campaigns. Pressure rated agitated screw feeders can be produced and the Pressure Equipment Directive accommodated if required. AJAX agitated screw feeders can also operate with explosive and potentially explosive atmospheres internally or externally in full compliance with the appropriate ATEX category.

Twenty Ajax Hoppers for Liberty Powder Metals Solids handling specialist, Ajax Equipment, has supplied powder metals supplier, Liberty Powder Metals, with fifteen storage hoppers, five blending hoppers and three mass flow screw feeders for powder handling. In addition to producing metal powders, Liberty Powder Metals is also an innovation incubator established by Liberty Steel with the support of Tees Valley Combined Authority.

Adding salt to aluminium during the melting process is a common practice. The salt rises to the top of the melting vessel and forms a crust which limits the ingress of oxygen and thus limits oxidisation of the molten metal. The residue salt crust can be recycled but requires a milling process to make it suitable for reuse. The milling process generates a lot of fine particles which can form dust clouds and create a highly corrosive atmosphere. The creation of dust clouds can be suppressed by mixing the milled salt with a liquid. This is a processes known as powder conditioning.