Cone Valve IBC Discharge
Figure 1 - Matcon Cone Valve
'Cone Valve' technology, invented and perfected by Matcon offers many significant benefits when compared to more traditional "tilting totes" or other valved IBCs. These benefits include:
- Ability to discharge virtually any solid material or mixture due to its lifting probe action and in-built vibration.
- Fully automatic operation. No need for operator intervention to open a valve or make any connections.
- It is dust free. The combination of an environmental outer "lip-seal" combined with an "Alpha/beta" inflatable seal coupling between the IBC and the Discharge Station ensures minimal dust escape. This is also true when there is a requirement to remove a part empty IBC from the Discharge Station.
- Control of flow to the downstream process. This is a requirement in most IBC applications, removing the need for any secondary screw or other feeder device.
- Prevent risk of segregation – by opening an annular gap around the cone valve, mass flow discharge is promoted.
- Accurate dosing – for some applications such as recipe batching and packing to bags, dosing direct from the IBC can be very advantageous.
- Low noise levels – with the pulsing action of the cone and the in-built vibrator, the requirement for noisy frame vibrators is very rare and in the majority of operations, not needed at all.
- IBCs are available in sizes ranging from 150 Litres to 3300 Litres. Other outlet valves performance declines as the head load increases. The "cone valve" performs equally as well with larger IBCs.
- Gentle handling – thanks to the vertical movement of the cone "with the flow", it does not break fragile particles as it opens and closes.
- Ease of cleaning – with the variety of recipe formulations demanded today.
The system operates across practically all process industries, delicate or rough, indoors or outdoors, never cleaned or cleaned several times a day.
The Cone Valve is available in two sizes subject to IBC volume. IBCs start at 150 Litres and range up to 3300 Litres, and are available in Polyethylene (with or without a metal frame) as well as a fully Stainless Steel construction.