Material Flow Promotion Systems by Thayer Scale

Thayer Scale offers a specialized range of material flow promotion solutions designed to ensure consistent discharge of bulk solids from bins, hoppers, silos, and chutes. These systems are engineered to overcome common flow challenges such as bridging, arching, ratholing, and compaction—issues that frequently disrupt automated processes and reduce operational efficiency.

Bridge Breaker® Flow Aid

The Bridge Breaker® is Thayer Scale’s flagship flow aid device. It uses a unique internal screen system combined with an externally mounted vibrator to agitate only the material inside the vessel, without transmitting vibration to the vessel walls. This design minimizes weld fatigue and noise while maintaining structural integrity.

Key features:

• Internally mounted expanded metal or bar screens
• Vibration isolated from bin walls
• Operates continuously during discharge to prevent bridging
• Adaptable to flat or conical surfaces
• Quiet operation and reduced compaction risk

Bridge Breaker® screens are placed at critical points within the bin to undercut material arches and promote flow. They are effective with difficult materials such as titanium dioxide, clays, pigments, biomass, and powdered chemicals. Screen assemblies can cover up to ten square feet and are customized to suit bin geometry and material properties.

Step Flow Hopper

For highly compactable materials like wet loam, wood shavings, or interlocking particles, Thayer Scale offers the Step Flow Hopper. This patent-pending design consists of a series of box-like chambers with sloped walls, each fitted with a Bridge Breaker® screen. The geometry enables a dramatic reduction in outlet size while maintaining flow reliability.

Benefits include:

• Compact footprint with inlet-to-outlet reduction ratios over 4:1
• Sequential flow promotion using multiple Bridge Breakers
• Ideal for space-constrained environments
• Compatible with batching and filling systems

The Step Flow Hopper is particularly useful in applications where traditional bin activators fail due to material compaction under vibration.

Bridge Breaker® Controller (BBC)

The Bridge Breaker Controller is a programmable control unit designed to manage multiple flow aid devices, including Bridge Breakers, vibrators, air cannons, and air pads. It allows precise timing and sequencing of flow aid activation based on external signals, such as feeder demand.

Technical highlights:

• Dual-core microprocessor with ladder logic support
• Up to 32 digital inputs and outputs
• Analog I/O for process integration
• Cascading control for multi-device coordination
• Touchscreen interface with real-time diagnostics

The BBC ensures that flow aids operate only when needed, reducing energy consumption and preventing over-compaction. It supports integration with batching systems and can be configured for complex discharge sequences.