Let’s converge!
A major producer of polypropylene and polyethylene granules needed diverter valves for conveying 48 up to 80 tons/hr, depending on the conveying distance. They preferred to use the SDTD, due to its compact design. However, at some locations the diverters also needed to be able to converge to allow a line change in the event of a production line failure. A bit like train tracks, where trains can change tracks in either direction.
SDTD plug diverters are well known for their clever, value engineered design: the compact, single pipe design allows a large pipe diameter in relation to the size of the diverter. The standard SDTD version, however, is only suitable for diverting. It consists of an LM25 aluminium grade body and plug, lined with a 316 stainless steel tube, creating a rim at the inlet. This is no problem when diverting, but it would lead to product build-up when the diverter is used for converging.
Our solution was to provide the diverter valve with a completely stainless steel body and plug, so that there is no edge at either the inlet or outlet. As a result, this SDTD-C can be used for both diverting AND converging, while maintaining the engineering advantages of a diverter with relatively small installation dimensions compared to its pipe size.
A nice example of creating Solutions beyond Bulk Handling.
