3 Air Cannon Defects You Should Investigate

Air cannons can perform poorly in case they develop defects which remain undetected and unresolved. Material buildups can then start choking the chutes and other channels through which you move your bulk materials. This article discusses some of the defects which you should investigate and solve so that you get the best performance from the air cannons.

Low Discharge Force

Air cannons are designed to fire compressed air at a certain force so that the bulk materials can be pushed through the transport system without causing any rat-holes or blockages. However, the discharge force of the air cannons can drop due to several factors. For example, water may have accumulated inside the air cannon tank. That water prevents air from being compressed sufficiently in order to come out at the desired pressure. The bulk materials being transported may have also entered the tank and reduced the amount of air which can get into that tank. Address these issues so that the discharge force returns to the expected level.

Slow Refill

Air cannons should fire at the same discharge force within the set intervals. However, some air cannons are unable to refill quickly enough with air before the next discharge. This problem may be due to a constriction in the air line. The air compressor may have become inefficient and therefore undersized for the demand of the application. Check the air inlet lines and service the air compressor so that your air cannon can keep firing at the same force every time.

Failure to Discharge

Air cannons are usually installed at different locations of a bulk transport system. One of those air cannons may fail to discharge due to a number of issues. For example, the solenoid valve may either be blocked or have an electrical defect which prevents it from receiving a signal to trigger a discharge in the air cannon. Regular inspections and service can forestall such solenoid valve defects before they affect the performance of the air cannon. Switch to another type of solenoid valve in case the model you are using keeps developing defects.

Consider inviting experienced technicians to maintain your air cannons in case your in-house team lacks sufficient experience in servicing the air cannons. Your employees can then gain experience and gradually take over from the outsourced technicians. Work with the air cannon supplier to switch to a different size or model of air cannons in case those you have frequently develop defects.