When transporting cement, the preferred semi-trailer is the bulk pneumatic tanker. But it’s not as easy to maneuver as a normal semi-trailer, and some precautions need to be understood. How to use the dry bulk trailer?
Check before start
Before doing anything with a dry bulk trailer, there are a number of checks that need to be done, not only to get the best out of your trailer, but also to ensure your safety.
- Routine inspections according to the manual
- Check the fuel tank, frame, suspension and key components for cracks or loose bolts
- Check lighting and braking system for normal
- Connect the hot air hose firmly to the tank and do the same for the discharge hose leading to the silo.
- Proceed to open the trailer’s boost valve, top air valve, and dry bulk trailer’s rear aeration valve. If your trailer does not have a top air valve installed then only two aeration valves need to be opened
- Close the air dump catch and discharge valve
How to unload cement
When unloading the bulk pneumatic tanker, the following steps need to be carried out carefully, otherwise, there may be casualties and irreparable losses.
- Make sure the dry bulk trailer is parked on solid ground
- Remove the cap installed on the discharge line and check the flow:
- The hose is loose and under pressure. This is a must check whether the hose is seated correctly on the sides, if not there is a good chance of serious injury or death as it whips around uncontrollably
- Make sure that the hose quick connector is carefully seated at both ends before the pressurized unit and is securely locked
- Operators need to wear personal protective equipment. Because some product dust and fumes may harm the human body
- Check the surroundings. Because unloading without the necessary inspection may result in product contamination, be sure to go to the designated unloading point before unloading
- Remove the discharge hose from the storage tube of the tank trailer to connect it to the discharge point
- Check that the storage facility has sufficient capacity to load the cargo
- Make sure the filter actuator of the bulk pneumatic tanker is closed
- Link air supply securely to intake coupler
- Open the proportional valve and connect the intake coupler
- Open the central aeration valve, close the compressor valve, if there is an air valve on the top of the dry bulk trailer, then you need to open it too
- Pressurize the tank according to the pressure specification that the material being transported can withstand, be careful not to exceed the pressure limit, otherwise it may cause changes in the transported goods
- When the tanker reaches the specified operating pressure, carefully half-open the discharge valve to the front hopper. When the material begins to flow, the discharge valve can be fully opened
- When the pressure of the tank trailer begins to drop, close the front discharge valve
- Gradually open the drain valve near the hopper to unload it
- Repeat the above operation to drain all the material in the hopper