A new Hydraulic Bulk Bag Conditioner from Flexicon Corporation loosens bulk solid materials that have solidified during storage and shipment, enabling bulk bag unloaders to discharge the material through bag spouts, according to David Boger, sales manager.

The conditioner features two hydraulic rams with specially contoured end plates to press opposing sides of bulk bags. An optional hydraulically-actuated, variable-height turntable allows in-frame bag rotation, and conditioning of bulk bags at varying heights.

The number and pressure of hydraulic ram actuations, the height of the turntable, and the number of 90-degree rotations are user adjustable. The system controller and hydraulic pump can be mounted on the exterior of the safety cage or remotely. The conditioner is fully enclosed on all four sides for operator safety and includes full-height doors that are interlocked to disallow operation of the system when the doors are open.

"The new conditioner is intended for bulk bags containing hygroscopic chemicals, certain types of spice blends, heat-sensitive products, and other materials prone to solidifying to the point at which pneumatically-actuated flow promotion accessories integral to bulk bag dischargers are inefficient or completely ineffective," says Boger.

Available as a stand alone unit or integral component of a bulk bag discharger, the unit measures 87" (2210 mm) H X 133" (3378 mm) W X 78" (1981 mm) D, accommodates bulk bags of all popular sizes, and requires only an electrical power connection for operation.