Air Slide Sampler (AS)

The Air Slide Sampler (AS) is engineered for continuous or intermittent sampling of dry, free-flowing, non-sticky powdered materials transported through horizontal or inclined air slides. Designed for industrial bulk material handling systems where reliable and representative sample extraction from pneumatic conveying processes is a routine operational requirement, the AS provides consistent increment collection from airborne material flows without disrupting the transport process.

The sampler is designed to intersect the ducted powder flow, which is typically contained within a circular cross-section duct, and collect linear, representative sample increments across the full width of the material stream. Precise positioning within the duct ensures that each increment captured is truly representative of the overall material flow at the point of sampling, rather than drawing preferentially from one portion of the stream. This design principle is fundamental to sampling accuracy, as non-representative sampling at the extraction stage introduces errors that cannot be corrected at any later point in the analytical workflow.

The AS supports both continuous and intermittent sampling modes, giving facilities the flexibility to configure the sampling frequency to suit their process monitoring requirements and the characteristics of the material being conveyed. Its suitability for dry, free-flowing powdered materials makes it applicable across a range of industries including cement, minerals processing, mining, and other bulk material handling environments in Australia where pneumatic conveying of fine powders is a standard part of the production process.

Air Slide Sampler (AS)

• The Air Slide Sampler (AS) collects a small quantity of material per rotation, enabling continuous sampling over a set time period to generate accurate and representative average samples.
• The AS is designed to maintain uninterrupted material flow within the air slide. Its non-intrusive construction ensures efficient operation without affecting conveying performance.
• By replacing manual grab sampling, the AS offers a fully automated solution, reducing labour, minimizing safety risks, and eliminating the need for tedious and potentially hazardous manual sampling tasks.

The Air Slide Sampler operates through a rotating extraction tube fitted with a longitudinal slot, typically 4 mm wide, though the slot width can be customised to suit specific process and material requirements. The tube is mounted within a hollow rotating axle, allowing each extracted increment to fall directly into the sample bottle below for efficient and contained collection without the need for additional transfer steps that could introduce contamination or sample loss.

The volume of material extracted per rotation is small, which makes the AS particularly well suited to continuous or semi-continuous sampling over a defined period. This approach produces a reliable composite average sample that is representative of the material flow across the full sampling duration rather than capturing a single point-in-time increment that may not reflect the broader characteristics of the material being conveyed. Sampling capacity is determined by the slot size and the tube rotation speed, both of which can be configured to match the specific throughput and sampling frequency requirements of the process.

Between sampling cycles, the extraction tube is parked with the slot positioned inside a protective guard on the opposite side of the duct from the material flow. This parking position prevents unwanted material from entering the tube during inactive periods and protects the slot from premature wear, extending the operational lifespan of the component and maintaining sampling accuracy over time.

An inductive sensor is integrated into the system, serving a dual function as both a speed monitor and a position indicator. This sensor provides continuous feedback on the rotational speed and position of the extraction tube, supporting accurate and consistent sampling performance and enabling real-time system monitoring that allows operators or connected control systems to identify and respond to any deviation from expected operating parameters.

The Air Slide Sampler is controlled through an integrated control system that manages sampling cycles, tube rotation speed, and positioning with minimal operator involvement. Sampling frequency and rotation speed can be configured to match the specific process requirements of each installation, with settings stored and recalled for consistent application across operating shifts. The inductive sensor feeds real-time speed and position data directly to the control system, enabling continuous monitoring of sampler performance and automatic detection of any deviation from configured operating parameters.

For facilities operating the AS as part of a broader automated sampling and analysis workflow, the control system supports integration with plant-wide SCADA and process control platforms, allowing sampling cycles to be triggered, monitored, and logged within the same control environment used to manage the broader production process. Operational data including sampling cycle counts, rotation speed logs, and system status events are recorded automatically, providing a traceable record of sampling activity that supports quality assurance and process compliance requirements.

Remote monitoring capability allows engineering and maintenance teams to review system performance and diagnose issues without requiring physical access to the sampler during operation, reducing the maintenance burden and supporting maximum uptime in continuous industrial production environments across Australia.