A day bin is a compact in-process hopper of 0.5 to 8 m3 holding a shift or day of powder consumption directly above a process machine or dosing feeder. Built in SS 304 or SS 316L with a steep cone and load cell mounting, it decouples bulk storage from the line, absorbs supply interruptions, and provides gravimetric batching capability at the point of use.
The bin is refilled automatically from the main silo by a vacuum or pressure conveying system triggered by low-level probes or loss-in-weight setpoints. A compact reverse-jet or cartridge vent filter releases conveying air. Powder discharges through a butterfly or slide valve into the dosing screw, with load cells providing live inventory and gravimetric batch control to the plant PLC.
Challenges
Refill Disturbance of Gravimetric Dosing
Conveying refill during a loss-in-weight dosing cycle disturbs the weight signal, forcing the feeder into volumetric fallback and reducing accuracy.
Vent Filter Blinding in Compact Housings
Small vent filters in confined headspace blind quickly on fine powders, back-pressurising the conveying line and slowing refills.
Bridging in Small Outlets
Compact bins need small outlets for machine interfaces, increasing arching risk with cohesive powders.
Cross-Contamination in Multi-Product Lines
Shared day bins on multi-recipe lines retain residues that carry over into the next recipe.
Load Cell Error from Piping Forces
Rigid connections to conveying and discharge pipework transmit forces into load cells, corrupting inventory and batch weights.
Solutions
- Refill Window Scheduling in the PLC: Sequencing refills only between dosing cycles, with weight-signal freeze during conveying, preserves loss-in-weight accuracy.
- Oversized Cartridge Filter with Timed Pulse: A generously sized cartridge filter with timed reverse pulsing keeps vent resistance low across the powder's full fines range.
- Bin Activator or Aeration Pad at the Cone: A small bin activator, vibratory cone, or aeration pads at the outlet zone break arches on demand for cohesive powders.
- Quick-Release Internals for Cleaning: Tool-free removable cone sections and clamp connections allow full internal cleaning at every recipe change.
- Flexible Sleeve Isolation at All Connections: Flexible sleeves and braided compensators at inlet, vent, and outlet isolate the weighed bin from pipework forces, holding batching accuracy within 0.1 percent.
Applications
- Tablet Press and Capsule Filler Feed: Machine-top buffering of final blends providing continuous feed through upstream changeovers.
- Loss-in-Weight Feeder Refill Duty: Buffer hoppers above LIW feeders on extrusion and continuous mixing lines.
- Seasoning Applicator Feed at Snack Lines: Day storage of seasoning powders above coating drums with gravimetric usage tracking.
- Bagging and Sachet Machine Feed: Buffer feed to packing machines smoothing flow between bulk silo and high-speed filling.
- Minor Ingredient Batching Stations: Load-cell mounted bins dispensing minor recipe components in automated batching plants.
Model Range and Capacity: JBM-DB Series
Basis: 65 degree cone, 200 mm outlet, working volume 90 percent of gross.
| Model | Dia (m) | Cyl. Ht (m) | Overall Ht (m) | Gross Vol (m3) | Working Vol (m3) | Capacity (t) @ 0.6 t/m3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JBM-DB-005 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 |
| JBM-DB-010 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.6 |
| JBM-DB-020 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 1.9 | 1.1 |
| JBM-DB-040 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 2.2 |
| JBM-DB-070 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 4.4 | 7.2 | 6.5 | 3.9 |