Star feeder – the core power engine of the pneumatic conveying system

In the wave of industrial automation and precision manufacturing, pneumatic conveying technology has become the mainstream solution for powder and granular material transportation with its efficient, environmentally friendly, and closed transmission characteristics. As the "heart" of the pneumatic conveying system, the star feeder (also known as rotary feeder and air lock), its performance directly determines the stability and efficiency of the entire system. The high-quality star feeder of contrast agent launched by us is designed for industrial scenarios with high precision and high cleanliness requirements, especially suitable for the continuous transportation of contrast agents, additives, and powder raw materials in the fields of medicine, food, chemical, etc., and is an ideal upgrade solution to replace traditional screw conveyors and vibrating feeders.

Core role: precise control, to achieve the dual mission of "gas-solid separation" and "continuous feeding"

The core function of the star feeder is to achieve precise regulation of gas-solid two-phase flow through mechanical structure. In pneumatic conveying systems, materials need to flow in a suspended or dense phase state in the pipeline, and fluctuations in gas pressure will directly affect the stability of the material. Our products adopt a double-layer shell structure, the outer layer is the pressure-bearing shell, the inner layer is the precision rotor cavity, and the gap between the rotor blade and the shell is controlled within 0.1mm to ensure that there is no leakage and no return air during the material conveying process. When the rotor rotates, the material falls from the upper hopper into the space between the blades under its own weight, forming an independent "material unit", and when the rotor rotates to the lower discharge port, the material falls naturally under the action of gravity, and the gas is led out through the pressure equalization suction port on the side of the body, effectively eliminating the "gas topping" phenomenon caused by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the impeller, ensuring that the material falls smoothly and avoiding pipeline blockage or feeding interruption.

In addition, the equipment excels in both press-fed and suction-pumped pneumatic conveying systems. In the pressure feeding system, it is used as a metering and feeding device to control the rotor speed through frequency conversion speed regulation, achieving stepless speed regulation within the range of 0.1%-100%, and accurately matching the conveying volume demand. In the suction system, it plays the role of a gas lock discharger, preventing external air from entering the conveying pipeline, maintaining the stability of the negative pressure of the system, and avoiding the risk of pollution caused by material blowback. For high-value materials such as contrast media, its low-carryover design (streamlined rotor blade structure to reduce material adhesion) and easy-to-clean characteristics (all-stainless steel, CIP in-line cleaning) minimize the risk of cross-contamination and comply with international certification standards such as GMP and FDA.

Technical features: Innovative design empowers industrial-grade reliability

Modular structure, adaptable to multiple working conditions
The equipment supports OEM customized design, and the number of rotor blades (4-12 blades), blade shape (straight blade, curved blade, spiral blade) and shell material (carbon steel, stainless steel 304/316L, ceramic coating) can be adjusted according to the material characteristics (such as particle size, flowability, adhesion), to meet the conveying needs from micron-scale powder to millimeter-scale particles. For example, for contrast media's moisture-absorbing and agglomeration properties, we offer a heated jacket version that maintains the temperature of the housing by circulating hot oil or steam to prevent material deliquescence.
Intelligent control reduces O&M costs

Integrated speed sensor and torque monitoring module, real-time feedback of rotor running status, when overload or jammed material is detected, automatically trigger an alarm and stop the machine to avoid equipment damage. At the same time, it supports docking with DCS/PLC systems to realize remote monitoring and fault diagnosis, and reduce the frequency of on-site inspections.

Long-life design reduces downtime risk

The rotor shaft adopts double row tapered roller bearings, which increase the bearing capacity by 30% compared with ordinary bearings, and with the labyrinth seal structure, it effectively prevents dust from invading the bearing cavity and extends the service life to more than 5 years. The contact surface between the blade and the shell is laser-quenched, with a hardness of more than HRC55 and a wear resistance of 3 times that of ordinary carbon steel, significantly reducing the replacement frequency.

pneumatic conveying equipment product information