Rotary Airlock Valve Sizing & Air Leakage Calculator
Determine rotor displacement capacity, RPM, pocket fill efficiency ($eta_{fill}$), and parasitic air blowback leakage under pneumatic conveying differential pressure.
Throughput Requirement & Material
Speed, Leakage & Air Venting
Recommended Tools & Equipment
Tested hardware and components for high reliability
Rotary Airlock Mechanics & Air Blowback
Rotary airlocks meter granular powders and bulk solids from hoppers into positive-pressure pneumatic conveying pipelines while maintaining a pressure seal. Sizing relies on pocket displacement volume ($V_{rev}$) and conservative rotational speed (typically $15 - 25\text{ RPM}$) to ensure gravity has sufficient time to completely fill pockets during rotation across the inlet throat.
Blowback Air Leakage & Venting Shrouds
Conveying air at pressure $\Delta P$ continuously leaks backward through blade tip clearances ($0.10 - 0.20\text{ mm}$) and within returning empty pockets. If this upward air blast is not vented through an exhaust shroud, it fluidizes and aerates powder in the feed throat, severely choking gravity inflow and slashing throughput by up to $50\%$.