Pneumatics & Hydraulics


Choosing a pneumatic knocker

February 2024 Pneumatics & Hydraulics

Pneumatic knockers are a valuable tool in minimising buildup of materials and preventing disruptions in material flow in silos, rotary dryers, coolers, granulators and coating drums. This helps plant managers improve production efficiency and product quality. A pneumatic knocker achieves its high rate of impact power through spontaneously released energy stored in the form of compressed air.

singold produces and sells the world’s most powerful pneumatic knocker. This makes it suitable for massive, heavy-duty containers. For example, it is used in the mining industry for large silos and discharge chutes, in the building materials industry for gravel bunker outlets, in the chemical industry for mixing plants, in the lime industry for silos with a capacity of over 200 tons, and in the fertiliser industry.

Application temperature is crucial

The most important factor in selecting the optimum knocker is the application temperature. For temperatures up to 60°C, a standard version with a plastic piston can be used. For applications above 60°C, the piston is made of aluminium. The cover and anchor plate, tube and striker are made of aluminium, steel or stainless steel, depending on the application. The pneumatic knocker can even be used with wall temperatures of over 140°C. A T-shaped welding plate to increase the distance to the hot wall, a heat-dissipating plate, and a heat insulation plate are available as accessories in this case.

Steel or stainless steel for special challenges

Even if the application temperature is below 60°C, steel knocker models may still be the most suitable due to their resistance and durability. This applies to working areas with aggressive types of dust or vapours, such as the fertiliser industry. For plants with increased hygiene requirements, singold produces knockers in which all external parts are made of stainless steel.

singold offers pneumatic knockers in six sizes. The right size depends on the thickness of the silo wall. The company’s range covers wall thicknesses from 1 to 25 mm. The number of knockers and the points on the silo where they are to be ideally installed should be assessed individually. For example, it is recommended that rectangular containers have at least two knockers. They are attached to the two flatter sides, and operate interchangeably.

The pneumatic knocker is effective in a multitude of applications, and is available in different materials and designs with a temperature resistance of up to 140°C. For slowly rotating drums, hot walls, and filling or emptying stations with changing containers, singold has available a variant of the pneumatic knocker, the QJ distance knocker.


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