The Rheo Material Transfer Station [MTS], is designed to help operators transfer material out of drums using a small footprint workstation.
- Safety: Position drums directly across from the operator to optimize ergonomics. For potentially explosive products, the isolator can be flooded with nitrogen throughout the material handling process.
- Containment: A Rheo Ventilation Sleeve is integrated directly below the table’s surface. This allows containment levels of 100-10 µg/m³. For higher levels of containment, material is transferred in a completely closed system to achieve containment levels of less than 1 µg/m³.
- Productivity: Position drums directly above the receiving container for an easy transfer of powders. Cleanup time is minimized by using single-use glovebags or a CIP system for a rigid glovebox.
Transfer Modules
The interchangeable transfer modules are designed to be quickly replaced in order to change between different types of receiving containers. The following processes are available with the MTS:
- Drum to Drum Transfer
- Drum to Bag/Bottle Transfer
- In-Floor Charge Chute
- Vacuum Conveyance
Containment Modules
To increase the utility of the equipment, Rheo has developed a quick and easy change over from an open transfer system (using a dust extraction device to capture fugitive dust) to a high-containment system (that uses a flexible Restricted Access Barrier System). This modular design offers two levels of containment controls to accommodate the full span of compounds. Rheo has conducted containment verification tests on the MTS. The tests showed excellent results for each of the different configurations tested. Copies of the executive summary, full reports, and supplemental documentation are available upon request.
- Rigid Isolator: 1-0.01 µg/m³
- Flexible Glovebag: 5-0.01 µg/m³
- Open Transfer (Ventilation Sleeve): 100-10 µg/m³
Vessel Charging
The solids addition process for chemical reactors can be a complicated and very dangerous process. Due to the presence of solvents, there is often a potentially explosive environment within vessels. The addition of dry solids introduces the risk of static discharge and entrained oxygen which completes the highly dangerous fire triangle and could lead to a major deflagration event at the manway. Rheo offers many options for safe solids addition into your chemical reactor.
The Material Transfer Station, with the Vessel Charging package, is an easy to use workstation with integrated weighing and a sophisticated control package that allows for safe and efficient solids transfer into a process vessel.
This system allows for multiple drum transfers into a process tank while keeping operator exposure levels to less than 1 µg/m³ for the duration of the process. The MTS utilizes the central vacuum source on the vessel and does not require a separate powder transfer system.
Product is transferred through a small port on the vessel (manway remaining closed) to maintain an inert vessel and ensure operator safety. The PID control system reduces oxygen concentrations in the isolator below 1% for the powder transfer process while maintaining a high-containment isolator condition. Integrated load cells are used to weigh hopper contents while controls prevent material transfer if the weight in the hopper is over the target weight.