Valve selection for dust collection systems can pose a real challenge to plant engineers because of the varied cost and performance factors involved. While a rotary valve can be custom fit to handle high temperatures, harsh chemical environments and abrasive materials, they are also difficult to clean and expensive to operate. Because of these factors, the use of non-powered automatic dust discharge valves is on the rise. These “trickle valves” provide an economical way to manage dust discharged from bag filters or cyclone dust collectors under negative pressure. A trickle valve (or Vacu-Valve) operates without power and controls, requires no lubrication, and easily handles abrasive materials that would jam or wear out a rotary valve. Available at a fraction of the cost of a typical rotary valve, trickle valves are suitable for continuous discharge applications that have dense, free-flowing material such as sand, coffee, and many industrial powders. View Aerodyne’s animated Vacu-Valve demo to learn how trickle valves work.