Pneumatic Conveying Systems

Theory and Principles

Session 100

1
Controls &
Instrumentation
 Key Relationship
PV/T
P = Actual Pressure
V = Actual Volume
T is Typically Ignored

Terminal Point

Any Point

Pick Up Point

PV @ Pick Up = PV @ Any Point = PV @ Terminal

P @ Pick Up > P @ Any Point > P @ Terminal
V @ Pick Up < V@ Any Point < V @ Terminal
Since Q = VxA --- Velocity follows same trend as Volume
 TYPES OF
PNEUMATIC CONVEYING SYSTEMS

4
Vacuum System

Filter
Receiver

Feed

Air
Inlet Rotary Airlock
In-Line
Filter Gas Mover

• Advantages
– Easy to Feed
– Multiple Pick-Up Points
– Cleaner Operation
– Gas Leakage is Inward
• Disadvantages
– Limited Capacity & Distance
• (usually 18” Hg)
– Potential Damage to Gas Mover
• High Temperature
• Material into Gas Mover
5
VACUUM CONVEYING SYSTEMS
Single Multiple
Destination Destination

6
 Typical Vacuum Pick-Up Points

Dust Collector
Iso Container
Railcar Drum or Gaylord

• OTHER SOURCES
Silo or Day Bin
– Central Vacuum System
– Directly Off a Process Stream
– Bag Dump Station
– Bulk Bags
– Tote Bins

7
 Pressure System

• Advantages
– Multiple Delivery Points
– Unlimited Capacity and Distance
• Disadvantages
– Potentially Dirty Operation
– Higher Explosion Design Pressure
– More Concerns for Line Chargers

8
PRESSURE CONVEYING SYSTEMS

9
Combination
– Vacuum / Pressure

FILTER RECEIVER
FEED RECEIVER

ROTARY
AIRLOCK

VACUUM & PRESSURE BLOWERS

10
Combination System

• Advantages
– Easy to feed
– Multiple pick-up points
– Cleaner operation on vacuum side
– Leakage inward on vacuum side
– Multiple delivery points
– Unlimited capacity and distance on
pressure side

11
Combination System

Disadvantages
– Potential damage to air mover due to high
temperature or material
– Potential dirty operation on pressure side
– Two air movers recommended
– Higher explosion design pressure
– Line charger concerns on the pressure leg
– Pressure leg bottleneck

12
Combination System
Vacuum / Pressure

13
 CLOSED LOOP CONVEYING SYSTEM
FAN
LINE FILTER

PRESSURE
INERT RELIEF VALVE
GAS
SUPPLY

BLOWER RELIEF ROTARY

VALVE AIRLOCK

PRODUCT
DISCHARGE
Water

AIR
COOLER
PRODUCT FEED

DIRECTION OF FLOW
14
 Vacuum vs. Pressure
1. Material doesn’t know the difference in the
pipe line
2. Vacuum easier to feed
3. Pressure has unlimited energy, thus higher
capacities or longer distance in a given pipe
diameter
a) Vacuum 29.92” Hg or 14.7 psig
b) Pressure unlimited - usually < 60 psig
4. Pressure easier to deliver to multiple points
a) Only requires diverter valves
5. Vacuum is easier to pick up from many points
15
and delivers to one common point
 Vacuum vs. Pressure
Energy Comparison

Design Diameter SCFM PSIG “ Hg Blower Pickup Adiabatic

ICFM velocity Air HP

1 4 1100 31.63 1100 3,998 95.58

2 4–6 957 25.57 957 4,002 71.50

3 6 1446 12.35 1446 4,001 61.66

4 8 2,043 6.80 2043 4,000 52.54

5 8 1,396 14.70 2744 3,999 68.07

6 8 – 10 1396 12.48 2394 3,999 52.16

7 10 2181 9.35 3172 3,999 55.24

16
 Vacuum vs. Pressure
Selection Guideline
Application Normal Choice
• Multiple feed points Vacuum
• Multiple delivery points Pressure
• Hose pick up (unloading drums etc.) Vacuum
• Multiple pickup and delivery points Combination
• Smooth delivery to a burner Pressure (dilute phase)

• Hot material Pressure

• Limited head room at feed point Vacuum
• Limited head room at terminal point Pressure
• Quick line cleanout Pressure or Vacuum

17
 Vacuum vs. Pressure
Other Considerations
Characteristics Normal Choice
• Smaller conveying lines pressure
• Smaller dust collector Pressure
• Smaller blower size Pressure
• Cleaner operation Vacuum
• Less complicated controls Vacuum
• Less initial cost Pressure

18
Dilute vs. Dense Phase

19
 Dilute vs. Dense Phase
1. Is not a function of the pressure or vacuum
2. More dependent on material characteristics
3. Definition – dense phase is below the saltation velocity
a) Saltated layer may flow like a liquid, surge, form waves or
pistons
4. Dilute phase – no material settling in the horizontal

20
 Modes of Conveying

• Stream Flow (Dilute Phase)

• Two Phase Flow
• Dense Phase Flow
– Permeable
– Non-Permeable

21
 Dilute Phase Conveying

• Material is in complete suspension in the pipe

• Steady / Continuous material discharge
• Conveying takes place above the saltation velocity of the material
• Conveying pressures are typically < 15 psig
• High gas to material ratios: > 2.25 Ft3 gas / # of material
• Low material to gas ratio: < 5.25 # material / # of gas
• Pick-up velocities are in the 3600 - 5000 fpm range
• Pressure drop increases as gas velocity increases
• Works for all classes of materials.
22
 Two-Phase Flow

• Dilute phase conveying takes place in upper section of pipe.

• A heavier concentration of takes place in lower section of pipe.
• Medium gas to material ratios: > 0.20 to 2.25 Ft3 gas / # of material
• Material to gas ratios are in the 5 -60 range.
• Conveying velocities are in the 1000-3600 fpm range
• Surging / pulsing material discharge
• Works very well for class A materials -- long retention time
23
 Dense Phase Conveying
Pulse – Piston Permeable Materials

Gas Flow

• Slugs or plugs of material move within the pipeline.

• Low air to material ratio – <1.0 cubic feet of gas per # of material
• High material to gas ratio – > 30
• Low velocities – in range of 1500 FPM
• Conveying depends on the ∆P across the plug of material
• Pressure drop increases as gas velocity decreases
• Recommended for products which are abrasive or friable
• Pipe forces become concerning 24
 Dense Phase Conveying
Pulse-Piston Non- Permeable Materials

• Material travels in intermittent, discrete controlled length plugs

of material
• Conveying depends on ∆P across the plug of material
• Usually some form of plug length control required, like boosters,
air knifes, air assists, bypass pipes, etc.
• Pressure increases as the air flow decreases
• Pipe forces become more concerning 25
 Questions

Jack D. Hilbert P.E.

610-657-5286
jack.hilbert@yahoo.co

26
Air Activated Gravity Conveyors
Pneumatic Conveying Without A Pipeline

27
 Principle of Fluidization

Angle of Repose
Ø

• Materials have a natural Angle of Repose.

• For material to flow by gravity down a plate, the angle Ø
must be greater than the Angle of Repose.
• By flowing air through a powered product, the angle to achieve
gravity flow is significantly less than the Angle of Repose.

28
Air Activated Gravity Conveyor
Product Flow
Permeable
Membrane

Fluidization Chamber

29
 Air Activated Gravity Conveyors

• Closed type units used when conveying from point to point

• Open type units used inside bins, hoppers, silos, railcars,
etc. to aerate material to encourage flow
• Most effective for materials which are responsive to
Fluidization - Geldart Type A materials
30
 Air Activated Gravity Conveyors
• Open type units are installed in
the conical portion of the bin
• Number of units is dependent on Storage Bin or Silo
the bin diameter
• Air supply is typically a positive
displacement blower at 3-5 PSIG
• Air flow is sequenced to open
type units to promote flow

31
 Air Activated Gravity Conveyors
• Closed type sections
transfer from point to point
• Systems can be quite
inclusive!

Inlet Section

Flow Control Valves

Observation Ports
Air Supply

Curve Sections
Side Discharge Connections 32
Media and Capacity Options

33
 Typical Application of Air Activated
Gravity Conveyor Technology

Open Type on
Cone Wall

Rotary Flow Control Valve

Open Type on
Silo Floor Aerated
Bin Bottom

Aerated Material Trap

Closed Type with 34

Components
 Air Activated Gravity Conveyors

Collecting Dust Under a Fabric Filter Bag House or ESP

35
Air Activated Gravity Conveyors

Loading Alumina into a Barge

36
 The “Fluidized Elevator”
• Often called an
Receiving Air Lift.
Vessel
Lift • Used for primarily
Pipe
vertical conveying of
fluidizable materials
Inlet

Air Supply

37
 Questions

Jack D. Hilbert P.E.

610-657-5286
pcchilbert@gmail.com

38