Agitator Feed Vessels

Advanced Solutions for Poorly Flowing Materials

In industrial processes, poorly flowing powders and granules often pose challenges in storage and dosing. Agitator feed vessels are designed to solve these issues by ensuring a controlled material flow. These mechanical systems prevent materials from clumping or sticking inside silos, hoppers, or dosing units, making processes more efficient and reliable.

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Efficient solutions for conveying poorly flowing products

Buffering and conveying poorly flowing products is a complex process. According to Klinkenberg, the conventional approach is not the best solution. That’s why we have developed Agitator Bottoms specifically for processing sluggish powders, fibers, and cohesive materials. These can be expanded with a hopper, allowing you to handle viscous materials efficiently. Klinkenberg offers a variety of options for our Agitator Bottoms.

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Simple design
Easy to maintain
Compact build
Suitable for compacting products

What is an Agitator Bottom?

An Agitator Bottom is a specially designed system mounted at the bottom of a silo or storage vessel. Using a mechanically driven scraping mechanism, solids are loosened and directed in a controlled manner toward a conveying or dosing system. This prevents bridging and rat-holing, which are common problems with poorly flowing materials.

The Agitator Bottom is equipped with

Advantages of an Agitator Feed Vessel

Reliable Material Handling

Ensures continuous and controlled discharge of hard-to-handle powders and granules.
Prevents blockages and interruptions in the process.

Ensures continuous and controlled discharge of hard-to-handle powders and granules.
Prevents blockages and interruptions in the process.

Reduced Maintenance and Downtime

Fewer manual interventions needed thanks to automatic loosening mechanisms.
Extends the lifespan of storage and conveying systems.

Suitable for Various Materials

Effective with cohesive substances such as cement, lime, starch, flour, sugar, and chemical powders.
Can be adapted for hygienic applications in the food industry.

Custom Design and Integration

Designed to meet customer-specific requirements and easily integrated into existing dosing and conveying systems.
Available in various diameters and capacities depending on the silo or hopper.

How Agitator Feed Vessels Work

The agitator feed vessel is a flat-bottomed storage silo with an agitator arm rotating closely above the hopper base. The drive system can be positioned either on top of or beneath the buffer. Agitator bottoms are used in processes as intermediate buffers for temporary storage or as emergency overflow units, allowing the production process to continue without having to halt operations upstream. They are commonly deployed in production lines handling poorly flowing materials.

Can be used as intermediate storage
Functions as an emergency buffer
Reduces process lead times
Absorbs production peaks and drops

Agitator Feed Vessels for Consistent and Accurate Powder Dosing

The agitator principle described above is also used in volumetric and gravimetric feeders for precise powder dosing. Agitator feed vessels can be delivered with ATEX certification.

Easy to integrate into your process
Available in capacities from 100 to 50,000 liters
200+ units delivered worldwide
Bottom can be executed with cooling or heating features

We are happy to help Our company is ready every day to support your critical processes.

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Agitator Feed Vessels for Various Industries

Buffering and receiving bulk solids with poor flow properties is difficult to manage using conventional methods. By applying an agitator unit in combination with a hopper, issues such as clogging or the need for vibrators and air injectors become a thing of the past. The designers at Klinkenberg have developed a modular system that allows for the necessary combinations. Both internal and external finishes can be offered at various finish levels. The agitator unit is compact, making it suitable for use in virtually any setting.

Applied Technology We always select the right technologies for your process

Klinkenberg technology includes the following variations:

Technologies, Finishing, and Safety

If you’d like to know more about the underlying or applied technologies for screw conveyors—such as bearing arrangements, seals, safety features, ATEX compliance, or preferred surface finishing and packaging of the equipment—feel free to contact us.

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Variants

Aerated Agitator Feed Vessel

Agitator Feed Vessel with Low-Residue Cone

Integrated Hopper & Agitator

Agitator Feed Vessel with Twin Screw

Documentation Exclusive with a personal design

Agitator Bottoms

Product brochure

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Bulk density table

Expressed in kg/m³ and lbs/ft³

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FAQ Direct answers to your questions

Quickly find answers to frequently asked questions about Agitator Feed Vessels. Our FAQ section helps you make the right choice.

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Feel free to send us a message.

Improved material flow, higher efficiency, and greater reliability when handling poorly flowing substances.

Capacity depends on several factors, including silo diameter, material properties (bulk density, moisture, particle size), number of paddles, and agitator speed. At Klinkenberg, every agitator bottom is calculated and designed to meet specific process requirements.

Effectiveness is determined by:

Material type: Powders with high cohesion or fatty substances require a more powerful loosening mechanism.
Agitator design: Paddle shape and positioning affect flow characteristics.
Speed: Agitator RPM governs dosing rate and throughput.
Hopper geometry: Silo cone angle influences gravity flow and thus the need for additional agitation.

Low-density materials (< 500 kg/m³), such as fibrous or fluffy powders, may flow poorly and often need extra activation or combined vibration. High-density materials (> 1000 kg/m³), such as sand or metal powders, demand higher structural strength and drive power.

Yes. Agitator bottoms can be designed for hazardous zones (ATEX Zones 20, 21, 22) by using:

Conductive materials and grounding to prevent static buildup.
Explosion-proof drives and sensors to avoid sparking.
Airtight and dust-tight connections for added safety.

Wear is reduced by:

Wear-resistant coatings such as Hardox or tungsten carbide for abrasive materials.
High-grade bearings and seals resistant to dust and chemicals.
Regular inspection and lubrication of moving parts to prevent premature wear.

Yes. Hygroscopic powders (e.g., salt, sugar) can clump when absorbing moisture. An agitator bottom can be equipped with:

Heated bottom, agitator, or walls to prevent condensation.
Dry compressed-air injection in the silo to minimize moisture uptake.
Special anti-stick coatings to reduce adhesion.

Discharge rate can be managed by:

Variable-speed drive (frequency inverter on the motor).
Adjustable paddles that influence conveying action.
A slide gate or valve at the silo outlet.

At low temperatures (< −20 °C) materials can become brittle; robust bearings and low-temperature lubricants are required.

At high temperatures (> 100 °C) metal expansion must be accounted for in the design.

In extreme cases, a cooled or heated system may be needed to optimize flow.

Feature	Agitator Bottom	Screw Conveyor	Vibrating Bottom
Suitable for cohesive materials?	✅ Yes	⚠️ Limited	✅ Yes
Suitable for fragile materials?	✅ Yes	❌ No	✅ Yes
Adjustable discharge rate?	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	⚠️ Limited
Maintenance intensity	🔹 Low	🔸 Medium	🔹 Low
Dust-free operation?	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No
ATEX suitable?	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	⚠️ Limited

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Efficient solutions for conveying poorly flowing products

What is an Agitator Bottom?