Vortex Tube Cools Slide Gate Valve

A manufacturer of dietary supplements uses gelatin in their process. They convey the gelatin through a pneumatic conveying line and into a bulk hopper. At the bottom of the bulk hopper is a slide gat valve in between the hopper and a gelatin melting vessel. The melting vessel uses steam to heat and melt the gelatin. The melting process also heats up the slide gate valve to the point which heat transfers to the hopper side of the valve and melts the gelatin on the slide gate. This created a sticky situation and has caused more maintenance on the slide gate valve than desired. An EXAIR Model 3240 Vortex Tube has been installed into a flexible tube and wrapped around the slide gate valve to provide cooling from the outside. This has kept the temperature of the valve down enough to prevent the gelatin in the hopper from melting.