Live Bottom Bin for Storage and Controlled Feeding
The LBB (Live Bottom Bin) is essential equipment positioned at the start of processing lines. Its function is to receive, store, act as a buffer, and feed a wide range of materials in a controlled manner, ensuring a homogeneous and continuous flow to subsequent stages.
The LBB (Live Bottom Bin) represents a robust and versatile solution specifically developed to optimize the input and pre-treatment of materials in various industrial and environmental plants. This equipment is designed to effectively manage temporary storage and volume regulation—up to 400 cubic meters and beyond—in addition to the controlled feeding of organic, semi-solid, sludge, or waste materials, ensuring a smooth transition to subsequent processing stages.
The technological heart of the LBB is its live bottom auger (or multiple augers).
This innovative extraction system ensures constant and precise material transport, distinguishing it from traditional hoppers by its ability to prevent “bridging” (formation of material bridges), which could impair the flow.
The active action of the auger guarantees uniform extraction from the storage volume, essential for maintaining the stability of the downstream process and for accurate dosing, which can be further refined by integrating with weighing systems. The LBB’s design is engineered to reduce the need for manual intervention and minimize downtime, thereby improving overall operational efficiency.
In line with Pretreatment House’s equipment manufacturing philosophy, the LBB is built with materials of the highest quality and significant resistance. The augers are made of thick painted iron, designed to withstand even intense wear.
The bottoms, conversely, are made of Hardox, an exceptionally robust anti-wear steel, ideal for managing particularly abrasive materials. The overall structure is reinforced at critical points, ensuring maximum solidity and durability.
Surfaces in contact with the material are standard in AISI 304L/316L stainless steel, with additional options for specific components in Duplex or Superduplex.
This ensures a long service life and reduced maintenance requirements, even in demanding working environments. The robust design translates into high reliability and the ability to operate continuously, even with the most challenging or abrasive materials.
Thanks to its ability to provide constant and measured feeding, the LBB finds crucial application in various sectors.
It is ideal as a reception and dosing unit for biogas plants, where it ensures an optimal flow of biomass (such as food waste or animal manure) to digesters. It is employed in the management and feeding of organic waste for composting or energy recovery plants, and serves as a controlled storage and dosing point in the food industry for processing by-products or waste.
Its buffering function is vital for compensating irregularities in incoming flows, stabilizing and optimizing the entire process’s operation.
The LBB stands out for its high reliability and ease of use, offering precise control over material feeding. This results in a tangible improvement in the overall system’s performance and profitability.
It is an indispensable solution for the efficient management of voluminous or difficult-to-handle materials. The equipment is prepared for the required type of transport and is always supplied with detailed instructions for proper assembly.
The LBB is available in various models, with specific capacities tailored to project-required flow rates. It also offers optional devices such as level sensors and anti-bridging elements, to meet specific operational needs. It is confirmed as a fundamental tool for efficient and sustainable organic material pre-treatment.