Automatic and Accurate Dosing
Fully automated operation covers drum opening, material extraction, dosing, and cleaning. Weighing and programmed control ensure accurate additive dosing and consistent batch formulations.
What Is a Drum Decanting Unit (DDU)?
A Drum Decanting Unit (DDU) is an automated system for extracting, metering, and recovering high-viscosity additives from 200L drums and IBC containers. It integrates weighing, heating, drum tilting, extraction, and automatic cleaning, including drum-wall, lance, and pipeline flushing. The cleaning medium can be incorporated into the production formulation to maximize material recovery and dosing accuracy.
DDU is designed for high-value additives used in lubricants, petrochemicals, and specialty chemicals. It can handle difficult-to-pump materials and integrate with blending systems, manifold systems, pigging systems, MES, and other automation platforms.
How Does a Drum Decanting Unit Work?
Through drum‑wall cleaning, lance cleaning, and pipeline flushing, the system recovers residual additives and incorporates the cleaning medium into the final formulation to ensure accurate dosing.
Benefits of the Drum Decanting Unit
DDU combines automatic weighing, heating, extraction, and cleaning to ensure accurate dosing of high-viscosity additives while reducing manual handling and material loss.
Handles High-Viscosity Materials
Drum tilting, heating, and a dedicated extraction mechanism improve material flow and enable efficient handling of viscosity modifiers, polymer additives, and other high-viscosity materials.
Effective Drum Residue Recovery
After extraction, base oil is sprayed onto the drum walls to dissolve and recover residual additives, reducing material left behind on the drum surface and maximizing recovery of high-value materials.
Automatic Pipeline Cleaning
The lance, transfer lines, and product-contact components are automatically flushed. The cleaning medium can be incorporated into the blending process according to the preset formulation, minimizing additional material waste.
Flexible Container Handling
The system supports single 200L drums, four-drum pallets, and IBC containers, providing flexible solutions for different production capacities and additive dosing requirements.
Automation System Integration
DDU integrates with blending, manifold, pigging, MES, PLC, and other automation systems for coordinated control of additive extraction, accurate dosing, and automatic cleaning.
Drum Decanting Unit Process
DDU uses an automated Tilt → Decanting → Rinsing → Empty sequence for accurate extraction of high-value, high-viscosity additives.
1. Drum Tilting: Tilting directs high-viscosity additives toward the extraction point, reducing bottom residue and improving recovery.
2. Material Heating: Heating reduces viscosity and improves material flow for efficient extraction.
3. Accurate Extraction: The extraction pump, lance, and weighing system automatically extract and measure the required additive quantity.
4. Automatic Cleaning: A preset amount of base oil cleans the drum walls, extraction lance, and transfer lines to recover residual material.
5. Formulation Recovery: The cleaning mixture is transferred to the blending tank and incorporated into the formulation for material recovery and accurate dosing.
DDU Applications & Industries
DDU decanting systems are designed for high-value, high-viscosity additives that require accurate dosing and are difficult to handle manually. Applications include:
1. Lubricants and Greases: Automated additive dosing for lubricant and grease production.
2. Petroleum Additives: Accurate handling of high-value, high-viscosity additives.
3. Specialty Chemicals: Handling medium- to high-viscosity chemical materials.
4. Paints and Inks: Dosing resins, additives, and other formulation materials.
5. New Energy Materials: Accurate dosing of high-value functional materials.
6. Food Ingredients: Automated dosing of drum- and container-packaged ingredients.
BJVP DDU systems have been supplied to leading companies in the lubricant, chemical, and energy industries, supporting reliable additive handling across multiple production lines.
BJVP Drum Decanting System
BJVP’s fully automatic DDU replaces manual drum handling and additive dosing, reducing HSE risks from hot materials, chemicals, and hazardous gases. A 200L drum can be emptied in as little as 2 minutes, with automatic metering and dosing for accurate formulations and consistent batches.
Automatic cleaning and dual-tilt weighing and extraction improve material recovery and reduce cross-contamination. Enclosed operation minimizes spills, leaks, and material loss while supporting MES integration.
The PLC-controlled DDU supports communication with upper-level control systems and integrates accurate extraction, drum-position alignment, barcode scanning, and multiple extraction lances. It is designed for high-viscosity materials and supports single 200L drums, four-drum stations, and IBC containers.
BJVP is a National High-Tech Enterprise with ISO9001, ISO14001, ISO45001, and CE certifications. Our 27,000 m² manufacturing facility in Wen’an provides integrated equipment manufacturing and performance testing, with all DDU systems fully tested before shipment.
Our Services
End-to-end services from process design to commissioning and after-sales support
-
Process Design
Customized DDU processes based on material properties, container format, capacity, and formulation requirements.
-
Automation Control
Configure heating, weighing, extraction, cleaning, and automatic control for accurate dosing.
-
Equipment Manufacturing
DDU equipment manufacturing, assembly, and factory testing to ensure reliable performance.
-
Commissioning Support
Installation guidance, commissioning, and operator training for stable DDU operation.
Drum Decanting Unit FAQs
Common questions about DDU automatic additive extraction and accurate dosing.
What additives can DDU handle?
DDU is mainly designed for high-value, high-viscosity additives that require accurate dosing, including viscosity index improvers, polymer additives, high-viscosity base additives, and specialty lubricant additives.
How does DDU reduce drum residue?
DDU combines drum tilting, extraction, and automatic cleaning to mix residual material on the drum walls and extraction lance with base oil for recovery. Pipeline flushing further reduces system residue.
What containers can DDU handle?
DDU is typically designed for 200L standard drums, IBC containers, and other standardized packaging formats. The equipment configuration can be customized according to container dimensions and production requirements.
Can DDU connect to an MES system?
Yes. DDU can integrate with MES, DCS, and other production systems through its PLC control system, supporting formulation management, automatic dosing, production records, and automated production.
Get in Touch
Contact us to discuss your project requirements and find suitable manifold, pigging, and fluid handling solutions.