Dust Suppression Hopper

The DustCone Dust Suppression Hopper is a spring-suspended hopper installed beneath the feed point of bulk materials. It consolidates the product into a solid, cohesive column before discharge, forcing out entrained air and keeping dust confined within the flow itself.

100% mechanical operation: no electrical connection, no internal moving parts and no energy consumption.

Working principle

Air is the main carrier of fine particles during the loading and unloading of bulk materials. The Dust Suppression Hopper solves the problem at source: it removes air from the material flow, instead of trying to capture dust once it has already escaped.

The unit is installed beneath the feed point and suspended over the discharge zone. As material fills the hopper, the increasing weight extends the spring mechanism and gradually opens the flow control gap, allowing a smooth, regulated release.

This movement compresses the product into a dense, solid column and forces out entrained air immediately before discharge. The column keeps its integrity even from significant drop heights, and any airborne dust is captured within it, resulting in minimal visible emissions at the point of impact.

Typical applications

• Truck loading
• Ship loading
• Belt conveyor discharge
• Stockpile forming
• Filling flat stores and silos

Benefits

Cost reduction

• No electrical connection required — no wiring, no control panels
• No internal moving parts: minimal maintenance and no wear parts to replace
• Less dust means less cleaning, fewer stoppages and lower labour costs

Health, safety and environment

• Visible dust reduction in the region of 80 to 85% (figure stated by the manufacturer)
• Lower airborne dust concentrations reduce ignition and explosion risk in enclosed spaces
• Less fugitive dust leaving the site, supporting environmental compliance

Product quality and throughput

• Reduced product degradation: dense column discharge minimises grain breakage and fines generation
• Steeper angle of repose: de-aerated material stacks higher, increasing usable storage capacity
• Less air entrapped in the load: more product per truck, container or vessel
• Faster loading, with fewer stoppages for dust management

Engineered for the field

Flow level monitoring window — a polycarbonate inspection window allows the internal fill level to be confirmed visually during operation. It simplifies commissioning, fine-tuning and ongoing performance checks without stopping the process.

Modular construction — body, cone, springs and chains are individually replaceable. On larger models, the two-piece hopper allows section-by-section maintenance without removing the full assembly.

Purpose-designed suspension — a zero-detachment steel plate interface prevents slipping under load. Finished with a flexible dip-coating that resists the micro-cracking and internal corrosion typical of conventional powder-coated hooks.

FT model — flanged top

Total containment, top to bottom. The FT (Flange Top) version also eliminates dust at the inlet: a fully enclosed, gasket-sealed flat steel cover is bolted directly to the existing feed chutes. It ensures no dust escapes during the initial transfer, in a compact, space-saving profile.

Construction materials

• Carbon steel or Corten — regular applications
• SS304 — corrosive materials
• SS316L — food products, such as refined sugar
• Hardox — highly abrasive materials
• Polyurea coating available on request

Models and capacities

Reference figures calculated for wheat at a density of 700 kg/m³. Each configuration is tailored to the specific density of the material and to the conditions of the installation.

• DC Mini — up to 50 t/h
• DC 1 — up to 100 t/h
• DC 2 — up to 175 t/h
• DC 3 — up to 325 t/h
• DC 4 — up to 550 t/h
• DC 5 — up to 865 t/h

Models DC 6 to DC 9 are available for higher-capacity applications.

Compatible materials

The Dust Suppression Hopper works with high efficiency when loading free-flowing granular materials: grains, wheat, corn, wood pellets, soda ash, fertilisers, mining aggregates and many others. For the full list of suitable materials, please contact our technical team.

Installation and technical support

Ventisec provides sizing, installation, commissioning and after-sales support for the Dust Suppression Hopper in Portugal. Request a proposal with the details of your operation — material, throughput, drop height and type of discharge point.