What an Air Cannon Actually Does

An air cannon is a direct-blast aerator: a compressed air reservoir with a quick-opening valve that releases stored air in one sudden, high-energy blast. The blast travels through a discharge pipe to aerate and dislodge material that is bridging, arching, rat-holing, or clinging to vessel walls — restoring flow in seconds instead of hours of downtime with hammers and poking rods.

In a direct-blast design, air passes from the tank straight into the discharge pipe without bends or obstructions. The faster the air discharges, the greater the velocity and force of the blast — and the more material it moves. Used in combination on a sequencing timer, multiple air cannons can restore flow to hundreds, thousands, even millions of cubic feet of material.

Air cannons are the answer where vibration isn’t practical: concrete silos and bunkers (which can’t be vibrated), very large structures where one cannon covers more area than several vibrators, high-temperature applications like kilns and preheat towers, and cohesive materials such as wood chips that don’t respond to vibration. For fine, dry, free-flowing material on chutes and smaller steel bins, an industrial vibrator is often the better tool — our team will tell you honestly which one your problem calls for.

The Flash Cannon G400 Series

ACT’s flagship air cannon line, built with Global Manufacturing: patented springless valve technology with one moving part, no lubrication ever, and ASME code-welded and certified pressure vessels — backed by a five-year warranty. Designed for the hottest jobs in industry: ambient heat to 400°F, kilns running as hot as 2,000°F (with proper discharge piping and high-temp diffusion nozzles), and a Sub-Zero model rated to −40°F.

Model	Part #	Discharge	Tank Volume	Blast Force*
G400-40-50	#814100	4”	50 L (1.7 ft³)	698–1,072 lbs
G400-40-150	#814300	4”	150 L (5.0 ft³)	1,070–1,532 lbs
G400-60-300	#817400	6”	300 L (10.6 ft³)	1,735–2,525 lbs
G400-60-650	#817500	6”	650 L (22.8 ft³)	2,065–3,005 lbs

*Measured at 70–100 psi operating pressure, per the G400 operator’s manual. Global Manufacturing rates its largest cannons at nearly 4,000 lbs of force at 100 psi, with a circle of influence over 16 feet depending on material.

Why Crews Prefer the Flash Cannon

• Springless patented valve — one moving part, no springs, motors, or bearings to fail.
• Zero lubrication — runs on 40-micron filtered plant air (or nitrogen/CO₂), 45–125 psi, with 80–100 psi the sweet spot.
• Built for heat — 400°F ambient rating, kiln service to 2,000°F with high-temp diffusion nozzles.
• Factory-mounted Quick Exhaust Valve — lets the control valve sit up to 100 feet from the cannon with no loss of blast force.
• Fast recovery — smaller models refill in as little as 15 seconds, so the next shot is always ready.
• ASME-certified tanks with integrated 125 psi pressure relief valve — and a five-year warranty.
• Serviceable in place — routine maintenance is minimal: exhaust-valve bands every 50,000 blasts or annually.

Fire It Your Way: Manual or Automatic

Every cannon can be fired by a simple 3-way manual valve, or automated with a solenoid valve driven by a sequencing timer that controls firing order, interval between blasts, and time between cycles across a whole battery of cannons. One timer manages up to eight cannon circuits — set it once and let the system keep material moving around the clock.

Flash Retro Valve — New Life for Hurricane® Tanks

Paying too much for replacement valves on your existing air cannons? The Flash Retrofittable Air Cannon Retro System was developed with Global Manufacturing over three and a half years specifically as an alternative to Martin® Hurricane® replacement valves — it installs in any Hurricane® tank, no new system required. This US-patented technology delivers:

• A more powerful blast from the same tank you already own
• No internal springs — less maintenance, fewer failure points
• Designed for corrosive and abrasive materials
• Withstands ambient temperatures up to 400°F
• Metal exhaust shields for longer life in harsh environments
• Every part accessible without dismounting the tank from the application

Turnkey Systems, Honest Assessments

ACT’s team has designed, installed, and serviced air cannon systems for over a decade. Whether you’re fighting recurring plugging or want permanent flow restoration in a silo, our specialists assess your material handling process end to end — then deliver a detailed report with recommendations on cannon sizing, count, and placement. We handle everything from turnkey project design and system proposals down to individual part sales.

Protect the investment: after your Flash system goes in, ask your ACT rep about Air Cannon Service Contracts — flexible bi-monthly or monthly servicing schedules coordinated with plant operations, so the system keeps firing at full force for years. Ask about our Air Cannon Exchange program too.

Shop Parts — Add to Your Quote

Grab what you need — every item you add lands in your quote list. Send it when you’re ready and we’ll reply with real pricing.