Yo. 17 -No. 1 = JanuaryFebnary 2005
A.T. Agarwal, USA
Theory and Design of Dilute Phase
Pneumatic Conveying Systems
Introduction
“This article describes the theory and calculation method for de-
signing dlute phase pneumatic convaying systems. Its based
fon the work of Dr. FA, Zexz and Dr. D.F. Oraien as described
by tham in the book “Flicization and Fuid-Partcle Systoms"
published in 1960 (Ret. 1). This method was later modied by
Dr, Zenz based on his research work during the 70's end 80's
land publshed in the proceedings of the Particle Science Re~
search Instituto PSR). Although, several other methods have
bboen pubfshed since then this metnod has been used widely
land has beon found to be within about 10% ofthe actual ma
sured pressure drop,
‘This caleulation method can be used to perform the following
functions:
+ Design of new systems.
+ Prediction of maximum solids transfor rate using existing gas,
supply and corweying lino.
Caleulatons for gas flow neaded for @ specie solids trenster
rate, using an existing conveying ine.
+ Sing of the conveying Ine fora specific soli transfer rato
Using exsting ges supply
* Modifying any of the above by increasing the ine diameter
‘along the conveying line to maintain @ specie conveying vo-
locty or a terminal velocty, or @ maximum corweying pres-
1. Basis for the Calculation Method
“The calculations forthe design ofa ciste phase conveying sys-
tem are basad on determining the pressure drop that is gener-
ated inthe system due to the fow of gas and sols. Zenz and
(Ora state that this pressure drop, fr both dist and dense
phase conveying, s composed of si effective forcos:
1. Fretion ofthe gas against the pipe wal
2, Forco requited for moving the solids mass through the con-
‘eying sipaine
‘rt, Aanva Contr, Pheuatic onvoirg Coat Sense LL, T
‘erage fon Cateton, 26314 USA
Saiset ont aisstas, Fa +1204 06125
‘sna: oleebanicom
Deri cut he ator an ge 2
1
.In vertical pipes the force required to suppor the weight ofthe
sokds,
4.\nvetical pipes the force required to suppor the weight ofthe
gas.
5. Force required to accelerate the sols,
6. Friction between the pipe and the solids.
‘Compared with dense phase, friction betwaen the pipe and the
olds (tem 6) in te phase conveying is usualy negigile and
Itean be ignored.
2. Calculation Method
in ther book published in 1980, Z2x2 ang Onwven gle the fot
Towing two equations for calculating pressure drop in dilute
‘phase conveying systems:
Hater ee
Moy WK 2F 0 NEL LHe
Ren Sg RE te,
verze:
Rae, * Ran *
For horizontal ines, the fst term isthe pressure drop due tothe
‘scosleralion of gas, the second termis the pressure drop due to
the aocelration of sols, tha tid term is tho pressure crap
{due to tiction batween the gas and the pipe wal and the fourth
term isthe pressure drop dua tothe flow of solids through the
pipaline
For vertical lows another tarm (W-LIY,) is added to represent
the weight ofthe supported sols inthe vertical in.
The namenclatura used in the above equations is given below:
Vp = Gas valocty
Gas donstty
W = Solids mass velocity, Ros/sac 2]
Vp= Parte veloctty
{f= Fanning fiction factor
1 =Longth of pipotine
1D = Pipaline inside dlamotor
{fp = Solids fiction factorBeRREE errno 1 -aanitnar 208
“processing te ms
Pneumatic Conveying Design
For pressure drop due to solids friction, Zerz and Oreven in
thoi book explainod that somo ofthe ear investigations had
Concluded thatthe term (/,"%,V/f-Vq) could be ignored but that
tho use of this term, in general, wil predict pressure drope
(reater than those observed and thus can be considered con-
Servatve for design purposes. Further research on this tople
was carried out by Zaz while he was at PSRland te concluded
thal this term should be repiaced by a constant (K) bocauso this
term was dependent upon tha physical properties ofthe solids
boing convoyad. His investigation also concluded that bocausa|
of many variables it was very dificult to develop an accurate
Corrlaton for calculating the value of K and therafore, the value
Of K should be back-caculated from the actual prassure drop
data obtained from fab or plant taste
Based on this work the term for solids prossure drop was
changed to:
w
BR A Koo HOR
whore,
AP, = pressure drop due to solids fow
preseure drop due to gas flow
K = constant depending upon sofas physical and fitional
properties
tio of solids to gas mass fow rates,
“Tha next sop is to develop a singlo equation for calculating tho
{otal pressure drop in @ conveying sysiom that may have both
horizontal and vertical Snes. In adaltion, aterm APrige was
added to account for pressure drop in any equipment such 2s a
dust colactor that may be required atthe end of the conveying
lino.
‘This equation consisting of six prassure drop terms is given
blow:
AR = AR, +AR+AR AH, + AH, + AR
total pressure drop in the system.
ressura drop due to acceleration of the soids from
their "at rest” condtion atthe pick-up pont to thar con-
vaying votcty up to thelr eit from the Conveying syS-
tem.
rassuro drop of gas due to fictional losses betwoan
the gas and the pipe wall
ressure drop of solids through the pipaine,
ressure drop due to elevation of gas in vetical pio.
ressure drop dus to elevation of solids in vertical pipe.
ressure drop due to miscellaneous aquipment.
‘These six pressure drop terms ghen above ara related to the
‘wo pressure crop equations given by Zaxz and Oren. These
terms are then corwerted tothe unit that are commonly usedin
preumalic conveying systems, resuting n the folowing eque-
tions where pressure drop is expressed in s/square inch,
Eq. 1: Pressure drop due to acceleration of the solids from
thal “at rest" condition atthe pick-up ponnt fo the con-
‘eying velocity up to the ext from the conveying sys-
tom:
Eg. 2: Pressure drop of gas due to frictional losses between
{ges and the conveying pipaine and in any bends, a=
verter valves, and flexible hoses that may be in’ the
palne
af bony We
- aED ae
af Lp We
TaD
Note: In the above exprassion, the term “L" Is the
length ofthe straight sections of the pipeline and fs the
equivalent longtt" of the bends, diverter vahes and
‘lexbla hoses,
Eq. 8: Pressure drop due to fiction between the sods and
the conveying pipeline, bends, darter valves, and x
Ible hoses:
AR = AR-K-R (modified Zone equation)
Eq, 4: Pressure drop dus to elevation of gas by AZ foot:
AZ-Py
*- Tg,
Eg. 5: Pressure drop due to elevation of sods by AZ feet
AZ-W-9
oe ee
9.6: Pressure drop dus to miscellaneous equipment in the
‘conveying system,
Hews its a term that fs not caloulated but is
fontered a8 input data in the calcula-
tions) This term isa constant.
Nomanclaturs
“The nomenclature and the units that are used inthe above she
equations are given below:
D = Pipe inside dametor
f= Fanning fection factor
9 = Acceleration due to gravity (82.2 R/seck)
9 = Constant (32.174 fetb/b-sec%
= Fiction mati forthe solids conveyed
L=Pipe equivalent lanath
F_ = Sols to gas mass fow rato (fb)
Vp = Gas velocity ft/sec)
Particle veloty (hsec)
W. = Sols tne loading (bs/sec-t2)
Elevation change in conveying tne (A)
py = Gas density (s/t)
‘To sok the above equations the velue of the folowing terms
has to be determined:
f_ =Fanningtretion factor
K = Friction mutiplior
L_= Pipe equivalent length
Vp =Solds velocity
A =Soids to Gas ratio.
‘These values are determined as folows:
19Pneumatic conveying Design
WoL 17 -No. + -JanwayFebruary 2005 =
2.1 Fanning Friction Factor f
“The Reynold's number (Na) is rst calculated
DY,
Ne =
%
ero th gas vscosty in bssec)
-Aftar ths, the Faning ction factor fs caleulted using tho fol.
lowing eauaton developed from tho chats ven in.Crme's
“Technical Paper No. 410 (pages A-23, A24) on the “Flow of
Fide"
E47:
vafero- (el
where es the pipe roughness factor. Pipe roughness factor de-
pends on ifthe pipe is internally smooth, rough, or vory rough.
‘The valve ofthis factor based on test data is gen below:
{or intemaly smooth pipes, 00018;
{or shot-peened pipes, 0008;
2.2 Friction Multiplier (K)
The value of tha Friction Mutipia (is not calculated but is
dotermined exparmentally or retieved from data bank. Its
values affront for afferent materials ts range is typical 0.4
ro40
2.8 Pipe Equivalent Length (L)
For srsight pipes use the actual length ofthe pips,
For components suct as bends, divertor valves, and flexible
hoses, use ther equivalont longth expressed in pipe Giamotors
(ofthe conveying pipe. Typical equivalent length values are givan
below:
Bends # i
90° bend, Jong radius, i 40, oF 20
(10 to traauste ameter ratios | whichever & more
Diverter Vals | ace
‘as ceotee duet ange: | 20
‘degieo ert ange: | 10
Pexble Hoses ae
Staness soa, wthined tere | “Sx ppelength
Rubber or vind hose: | | 8 xpipe length
For bonds that are oss than 00", use aquhalar onath st
yo of Band
nap : Dass oftond
Fr special bends such os short radius bends, Harnmerteck,
Gamma, pocket-'s, etc, increase the value of 40 to a higher
‘umber. For examplo, for & typical conveying systam with about
5 bends increase the calculated pressure drop value by 10%.
For 10 bonds increase it by 20%, These numbers are based on
lab tests or plant data,
2
2.4 Solids Velocity (Vp)
Solids velocity is always less than the gas velocty because of
the crag forces between the gas and the solids. This ifronos
is called the sip factor. For most of coarse orhard soi this sip
factoris about 0.8, which means thatthe sols volocty is 803%
of the gas velocity. Therefore, for these materials use a sods
‘velocity 2086 los than the gas velocity Vg, Le
Vp 08Vy
For ine powders sods velocity is close to the gas velocity. For
these materials use a sip factor of 0.9 instead of 0.8. Tis value
(general ranges from 0.7 t0 0.95, Lighter and smaller materials
have higher values than those of larger and heavier particles,
2.4.1 Solids Velocity in Long Radius Bends
For a 90 dagroe radius bend, sols velecty atthe ext ofthe
bend Vgz 8 0.8 times tho sols veloaty at the inlet of the bend
Vp. Th factor "0.8" isa typical value but it ranges ftom 0.6 to
(018 depending upon the properties ofthe solids. For bends that
ares than 80 degrees, tno exit velocity Vo fs
on [1 = Dommegot bond 0.
Yes
2.4.2 Solids Velocity after Loaving a Bond
After lseving a 90 degree bend, use a default value of 20 pipa di
ameters to calculate the length of tha straight pipe forthe solids
to re-acceleale to ther orginal velocty atthe init of the bend
Wo.
2.8 Solids to Air Ratio R
CCeleulatons are based on using the folowing tern as given by
2eNz and OTHER:
ahs A
Po
\Whore m isthe solids mass flow rate jn Ibs/sec and A 's the
cross-sectionel area ofthe pipe inf. The gas mass flow rte in
Ibs/sec is calculated based on the actual cfm of gas and gas
density introduced into the conveying systom by the gas mover,
and the intemal eross-sectonal ara of tha pipe. Gas can be air
borany other gas. Use ar as dofau use ofa dforant gas isnot
‘ven.
For pressure type conveying systems, reduce tha gas mass fow
rate by 53 (delaul value) f0 account for gas leakage through a
rotary vali a rolary vale Is used to food the solid. For more
‘accurate results, change this defauit value by calculting actual
rotary vale laakago (ooth clearance and displacement),
For the gas density term p,, make carrctions ithe inlet cond
tions aro different from staiderd conditions (68 °F, 14.7 psa.
2.6 Gas Density along the Conveying Line:
Gas density depends upon gas pressure and gas temperature,
For most conveying systems, gas tamperature can be assumed
tobe constant. Therefore, only changes in pressure will change
the gas densty. Because the pressure ether increases or de~
‘reases along the conveying ine, depending upon whether iis
‘2 vacuum system or @ pressure system, gas density wil also
koap on increasing or decreasing. For calculating the pressure
{op due the flow of gas, dkide the conveying Ine ito smal
lengths such as 5 or 10 f, start from the point where inlet gas
density is known (such ag ambient conditions), and calculate
the ext pressure and corresponding gas density fr this small