AERATION PAD
Concrete batch plant cement silo 7.5" x 3.75" aeration pads or are used to provide a means of introducing low pressure air into a dry bulk materials such as cement or flyash. The air helps restore the material's natural ability to flow once the dry material becomes compacted in the cone of a silo or cement weigh hopper.
Aeration pads are the most cost effective way to promote material flow and the aerator pads use a minimum amount of air that is typically 6.5 cfm at 3 psi.
Aeration on Cement Silos for Ready Mix Concrete Plants:
Typically, 6 aeration pad assemblies are recommended in the cone of a main or auxilliary cement or fly ash silo. Gravity cement weigh batchers and cement silo cones are equipped with aeration pads in the batcher that can typically be mounted from a small rectangular hole on the outside of the weigh hopper. The aeration pads receive their air typically from a low pressure blower operated by a single acting electric over air solenoid valve, the electrical signal for this valve should be a maintain button. Aeration for the cement scale should be activated by the batch control at the beginning of the material weigh up process and remain on until the scale is empty at the end of discharge cycle. A regulator will be located along with the solenoid valve for aeration; approximately 8 PSI is recommended for the aeration. It is important when dealing with high pressure air being used for aeration that the air is non-lubricated, dry and filtered. Using non-lubricated, dry and filtered air for cement or fly ash silo aeration will increase the life of the air pads and increase discharge speed.