Measures the grain, Not the Air

Measuring the flow of grain and detecting restrictions before they become pipe blockages

Cambridge-developed external sensing technology measures the product itself in pneumatic grain transfer systems

Skalene Limited has developed a non-contact external triboelectric measurement system that measures the movement and velocity of conveyed particulate product from outside the transfer pipe, without probes or moving parts inside the material flow path.

The sensor fits externally to existing pneumatic transfer pipework, with nothing projecting into the product stream. It measures the movement and speed of the grain itself and can provide early warning of developing restrictions before a full blockage occurs.

The technology was originally developed and evaluated on industrial cut-tobacco transfer lines at a major FMCG manufacturer using transfer pipes up to 200 mm diameter in a production environment. Unlike conventional approaches that infer product behaviour from conveying-air conditions, the system directly observes the movement of the conveyed product itself.

Potential applications include bulk solids handling, grain transfer, pulses, beans, biomass, powders and other particulate materials where visibility of product movement, unstable conveying conditions and developing restrictions may be valuable.

Key Features

• Measures the conveyed product itself, rather than inferring product behaviour from conveying-air velocity
• Direct product velocity measurement
• Early indication of developing restrictions and blockages
• No sensors or moving parts inside the transfer line
• Retrofit installation on existing pipework
• Suitable for powders, grain, pulses, tobacco and other particulate materials
• Industrial 4–20 mA outputs for robust integration in harsh and dusty environments

The next stage is to evaluate the system on agricultural grain-handling equipment and a range of dry products. Skalene is interested in hearing from growers, grain stores and equipment manufacturers who see potential applications for the technology.

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