Like the machines themselves, the words ‘pneumatic conveying systems’ can be rather imposing to anyone unfamiliar with them. We’ll explain what they are, how they work, and the pros and cons of these systems.
What are they?
When we break down each word in the machine’s title, its meaning becomes clear. ‘Pneumatic’ means powered using pressurised air, ‘conveying’ means transporting or carrying, and ‘system’ means an interconnected network. Together, this means pressurised air is used to transfer materials through a network.
For these pneumatic conveying systems, a series of enclosed pipelines are used, typically to transfer powders and granules. These pipelines are hermetically sealed, meaning that they are airtight. This ensures that products are transferred safely and efficiently with no pressurised air wasted.
How do they work?
Pneumatic conveyors work via pressurised air and pipelines, moving bulk products from start to end points in the system – typically a feed bin and a receiving bin, respectively.
The method differs depending on whether it is a lean or dense phase conveying system. Lean phase systems are most common for powders and granules, whilst dense phase systems are commonly used for fragile materials. A concise guide on the differences between these systems can be found here.
Plenty of helpful advice and services for conveyancing needs can be found online, such as those available at https://www.aptech.uk.com.
Pros and Cons
Pneumatic conveyors are flexible. They can be built amongst other equipment without interfering and can transfer material over long distances, horizontally or vertically.
The airtight design allows for the smooth transfer of material whilst also keeping out contaminants, and keeping operators safe from toxic substances.
These systems are low-maintenance. Their simplistic design allows for easy repairs and replacements should the necessity arise.
As for potential drawbacks, most of them can be minimised or avoided if precautions are taken. For example, fragile materials can be damaged in the systems, but this can be avoided through the aforementioned dense phase system.
The systems can be prone to blockages and high energy consumption, but these risks can once again be mitigated by sensible planning and efficient management of products.
