Application
Routing Powder to Multiple Destinations in Building Materials
Answer in brief
In a cement or lime plant the diverter sends one conveying line to several silos, and the junction is where the abrasion concentrates.
Wear here does not announce itself; it appears as material reaching the wrong silo or as a conveying line that no longer holds pressure.
- Line the junction and plan to replace the liner.
- Check the sealing as part of the inspection, not after a mix-up.
- Confirm valve position from the valve, not from the command.
Reviewed October 21, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026
The problem
Fine abrasive mineral erodes the junction of a diverter faster than the straight pipe around it, and the leakage path that develops lets material into a silo it was not routed to.
Desired outcome
A junction that sends the full stream to the selected destination, leaves nothing behind for the next one and holds the line pressure while it does so.
Process approach
Lined or hardened junctions are standard, and the liner is a consumable with a defined inspection interval.
Seal tite designs are used where the line is pressurised and leakage into the closed leg would contaminate a silo.
Position feedback and silo level trends together reveal a leaking diverter before the laboratory does.
- Liner material chosen for the mineral and the velocity.
- Inspection interval based on measured wear rather than on failure.
- Level trending as an independent check on routing.
Selection factors
- Particle hardness and conveying velocity at the junction.
- Line pressure and the leakage allowed into the closed leg.
- Consequence of cross-contamination between silos.
- Access for liner replacement.
- Position feedback and its integration into the control system.
Common failure modes
- Junction liner worn through, leaking into the wrong silo
- Cross-contamination found in the laboratory rather than in the plant
- Actuator command recorded without position confirmation
- Liner replacement deferred until the valve failed
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