Dry Flow Control Equipment for Bulk Material Handling
Keep Bulk Materials Moving Through Every Stage of Your Process
Dry materials rarely behave the way you expect. Powders, granules and bulk solids can bridge, clog, segregate, or discharge inconsistently, leading to downtime, waste and product variability.
APEC’s dry flow control equipment is designed to eliminate these issues by ensuring materials move reliably and predictably through every stage of your process.
What Is Dry Flow Control, and Why Does It Matter?
Dry flow control refers to the equipment and systems used to regulate how dry bulk materials move, discharge and feed into downstream processes.
Unlike liquids, dry materials have flow characteristics that change based on particle size and shape, moisture content, bulk density and storage conditions. Without proper control, these variables lead to inconsistent discharge, process instability, and product variation, resulting in:
- Production delays and downtime
- Inaccurate batching and product variability
- Increased labor requirements
- Excess material waste
Applying the right control components at the source creates a more stable, efficient, and predictable process.
How APEC Solves Dry Flow Challenges
APEC addresses dry material flow with purpose-built components that control discharge, direct material and measure flow in real time. Instead of broad system claims, these solutions focus on the points where flow problems actually occur.
Control Discharge with Slidegates
Slidegates regulate how material exits hoppers, bins and process equipment. By controlling start and stop functions and restricting flow area, slidegates help prevent surging, reduce spillage and improve batching accuracy.
Pneumatic
- 6” up to 36” square discharge openings
- Air cylinder actuator
- Solenoid control valve with (2) NEMA 4 roller arm limit switches
- Top and bottom covers with rubber wiper slide
- Mild, stainless and aluminum construction
Manual
- 6” up to 26” square discharge openings
- Machined steel rack and pinion with hand wheel
- Ball type flange bearings
- NEMA 4 roller arm limit switches
- Top and bottom covers with rubber wiper slide
- Mild, stainless and aluminum construction
Electric
- 6” up to 26” square discharge openings
- Electric motor actuator
- NEMA 4 roller arm limit switches
- Top and bottom covers with rubber wiper slide
- Mild, stainless and aluminum construction
Direct Material with Diverters
Diverters route material to the correct destination without interrupting flow. This is critical in systems with multiple downstream paths such as batching, blending or packaging lines.
2-Way Plate
- 10” up to 20” square discharge openings
- Air cylinder actuator with lever arm and ball bearing pivots
- Solenoid control valve with (2) NEMA 4 roller arm limit switches
- Mild, stainless and aluminum construction
3-Way Plate
- 10” up to 20” square discharge openings
- Air cylinder actuator with lever arm and ball bearing pivots
- Solenoid control valve with (2) NEMA 4 roller arm limit switches
- Mild, stainless and aluminum construction
2-Way Basket
- 10” up to 20” square discharge openings
- Y or K style
- Air cylinder actuator with lever arm and ball bearing pivots
- Solenoid control valve with (2) NEMA 4 roller arm limit switches
- Mild, stainless and aluminum construction
Hose Style
- 10” up to 20” square discharge openings
- Air cylinder actuator
- Solenoid control valve with (2) NEMA 4 roller arm limit switches
- Mild, stainless and aluminum construction
Optional Features (Slidegates and Diverters)
The following options are available for most slidegate and diverter configurations:
- Explosion proof components
- 50 hz motors
- Rhinohyde cover on wear surfaces
- Electric drive motors
- Reed style limit switches
Measure Flow for Accuracy and Control
APEC dry flow measurement solutions quantify how much material is moving through the process, enabling tighter control and improved visibility.
- Real-time flow rate and totalized measurement
- Integration with controls for closed-loop batching
- Reliable performance across varying material characteristics
Applications Across Industries
APEC dry flow control equipment is used in a wide range of industries, including:
- Food and ingredient processing
- Pet food production
- Plastics and resins
- Chemicals and minerals
Any operation handling dry bulk materials can benefit from improved flow control.
Get More from Your Material Handling System
If you are dealing with inconsistent discharge, routing challenges or the need for accurate flow measurement, APEC can help you select and configure the right slidegates, diverters and measurement solutions for your application.
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