Install pneumatic conveyors correctly Follow 10 steps to prevent a variety of common problems By Thomas R. Blackwood, Healthsite Associates PNEUMATIC CONVEYING IS ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE WAYS to move solids over moderate es. So, not surprisingly, Chemical Pro~ cessing over the years has published a number of artick 1) on the ‘design, installation and operation of dense- and dilute-phase pneumatic conveyors. Several models and a whole host of data from research groups also are available. Howev e el and data can only go so fat. Actual performance depends upon mechai uracy. For 1 small unnoticed leak can kill the performance of a pneumatic conveyor — so much for having a good model. Addi- tional problems may result from non-uniformity of the flow ‘of local changes in the solids-to-air ratio. nvironments is that the quest tions and r, you can take a number of steps 0 prevent problems,‘Top 10 tips I ning new systems and modi Figure 1. Sometimes no detailed analysis needed to spot abad layout. have found the following pointers useful both for plan- ying existing ones. 1. Put lifts before horizontal runs. In most conveyors the feed point has the lowest gas velocity and par- ' may fall out of suspension. This ean be offset by line size changes but standard line sizes ean force you to push the velocity higher than desired, especially near the end of the line. As the pressure along the line goes down, the velocity goes up. By raising the conveyor in front of horizontal runs instead of atthe end, particles have a chance to sas velocity and gai choking velocity is generally lower t velocity: The downside is cost. Unless you are going over a building, the extra support can be expensive. 2.Minimize elbows and angled runs. Pressure drop and attrition are highest in elbows (for the effec- tive distance solids travel). Most of the wear and ‘maintenance seen in pneumatic conveyors is due to the elbows; soit often is best not to use too many. ‘The major exception to minimizing the number of elbows in a system is for a ine that needs to g0 up and then horizontal. While an angled run offers the shortest distance between two points, it does not have lowest pressure drop. Indeed, a convey line g0- ing up at a 45° angle has much higher pressure drop than a horizontal and vertical line with three elbows. Putting elbows too close together is another major mistake, due to acceleration effects. Many models just count the amount of elbows — but placement in the layout is more important. The lowest number of elbows is not always optimum. 3. Calculate velocity every 10 t0 20 feet on the line.Don't Can swwechorialprcngcom rely only on measurements of the pickup velocity or the maximum and minimum velocities in the system. The velocity of the gas and particulates should be de- termined along the entire length ofthe lin, to ensure that the correct density is used to determine the chok- ing and saltation velocities. This makes the design a trial-and-error calculation. Shortcut design methods often overlook this critical step. 4. Check acceleration lengths at feeders and around elbows. It takes time for a particle to reach its slip velocity (effective velocity below the gas velocity). Particles also must be dispersed across the convey line so the solids-torair ratio is uniform — otherwise the saltation effects will be drastically different. You could have high localized solids-toair ratios that would throw a dilute-phase conveyor into dense phase and slug flow. The acceleration length can be “Small leaks can cripple operation by changing the difference between the gas and saltation velocity.” determined using the graphic technique of Rose and Duckworth [2] oF the Jotaki and Tomita method [3]. For a quick estimate of the optimal spacing of clbows or feeders from each other, use a value be- ‘ween the square root and the eube root of the stop- ping distance forthe particle in feet: X,=(V, 4 psn) where V, is gas velocity, fu; d, is particle diameter, frp is effective particle density Ibvf's and, is gas viscosity, Ibfes. Sometimes it is obvious by looking at a conveying line that the elbows are too close together and the layout was ‘not well planned (e. igure 1). 5. Be careful with pipe joints. Piping should be carefully aligned during installation. The use of slip-couplings can allow for gaps or pinched gaskets, even with tie~ bars. Even welded pipe can be improperly fabricated at the flange due to misalignment and “cat teeth” from the welds. When joining pipe, specialized weld ing methods can prevent slag inside the pipe. 6. Slow the particles down before the collector. Par- ticle-to-particle impact is the biggest source of at- trition, Even discharge into a bin can result in 4 significant amount of attrition as the particles strike the pile. Bag collectors increase the particle- to-particle contact unless there is a cyclonic inlet ‘or an expansion of the line prior to the collector. ‘The acceleration velocity can be used to judge the length of any deceleration spool piece, generally about 25% of the acceleration length, or the opti- Apr 2006 « 37mal distance between elbows, as described in Tip 4. Wateb for leaks. Small leaks ean cripple operation by reducing or increasing the difference berween the gas and saltation velocity. High velocities lead to high pressure drop and attrition; low velocities lead to transitional flow (dilute to dense). The obvi- ‘ous location of a leak is at the feeder. When several feeders are on the same convey line, check for leak- age at each one. Diverters and misaligned pipe also can contribute to the problem. In vacuum systems, the area around the collector, including the discharge valve, can be a major leak source 8. Match the type of compressor to your convey line. On most dilute conveyors the pressure rises rapidly g the feeding of solids and usualy falls off a ks and the compressor slip have stabilized. A tank can help but adds cost to the sy tem. Volumetric feeders are just that — the solids- “If there is one thing that can upset a pneumatic conveyor, it’s sudden changes in solids-to-air ratio.” PT Rotation Figure 2 Tis mosticaton enabls vanting a vale lacks avert por PO; to-air ratio will vary over a conveying cycle. As the ‘compressor heats up, the gas velocity can inet small of light-weight compressors, leading to attei- tion of the solids. When ng system is used The Smart Way to Unload, Convey, Weigh & Mix Less degradation Move your dry granular materials gently, reliably and with significant reductions in product degradation and/or system wear. Sixteen concepts Each Dynamic Air system i custom designed from one of our sixteen different conveying concepts. So you get a conveying solution that fits your process perfectly, without compromises Cost effective Our high material-to-air ratios reduce energy and compressed air require- ments. Our low conveying velocities provide signifi- cant process savings in both operation and maintenance. Proven capability Dynamic Air dense phase pneumatic conveying systems have been proven in over 10,000 installations worldwide. For efomaton go page 6 andl 216 Dense Phase Tronspore,-Series BulkBuster™ Bulk Bog Unlooder Betlo™ win Shaft Foidiaed Zone Misor Dyna Side™ High Precision Airactvted Feeder DYNAMIC AIR Conveying Systems #1 651 484.2000 + Fax +1 651 484-7015 www.dynamicair.com 38+ April 2006 sree shemalprocoing cntnamical ‘One ofthe mast important pars of puttng n anew conveying tne 1 correct testing, especially on 8 new product or tng layout. Mast equipment manufacturers wil perform a test ora nominal ee that ‘seldom covers real eas. Remember venders ae not clarveyant and vsualy don't understand you overall process as wel as you do. ‘Some engineers arrive at a test expecting te manufacturer to guide ‘them through the testing process and to point out what the buyer ‘needs oo. Tat approach does sel alto pneumatic conveyors, ‘hich afte ali the vendors objective. Most manufacturers test set- _us are not research systems but demonstration devices. So, is best {to have atest plan that you and the vendor agreed upon beforehand. ‘This may mean bringing in atonal testing resources at your cost to supplement whats provided. Pointers 1. to at pare atten Conduct parle sng tests and ram Inte parties under amicoscope. 2. temo to fn te choking and satan verte, compare these fo clted vas. Design te system a 1.5 teste rani ve ut plan resets vst ater etalon (by reducing the blower flow rate). un at bot tie and hae he erected esi vey Ensure the solids-to-air ratio is constant during the test. Calevte vey aon he ine Ts requres cata on preset sn epee 6, Rowy determin he partcl-o-gs vaty ong a stat secton te. 7. Gettheaatcos to wnat i pete he pan Tyo mach ons anatitwcaton ‘8. Make some of your own measures. Tis Keeps the vendor roves. 8. Inspect the pig Pay atetn tothe ype ots, construction materia, bow 10, fede and clectr deta. 10, fun “power ae" test. eter stp te gas fw and et ‘the line sit overnight, it possible. Failures happen. The best place tof out her consequences is ned ‘While following the test and designing the conveyor, enjoy ‘the process of understanding your material. Imagine yourself run- ‘ning around inside the pipe. Pneumatic conveyors are powerful {nd e so convey censceale fre was emg tat ne te wren every few Rous we heard clark nina vera sectan on a reerevton peut conveying lend, We shutdown te conveyer and removed the eto ow o {nd nog 1-1 darter bot a ad made several ps ‘through the system. Oh wel! vee continuously, this usually is not a problem, except maybe during start-up. Oversized compressors that ‘un at low speeds can be sluggish and unable to keep up with leaks or sudden changes in solids-to- tio. This is especially true when spare equipment is being re-used. sew cherialpresangom 9. Vent the feeder valves and factor the amount lost into the design, If the is one thing that can upset a pneumatic conveyor it's sudden changes in solids-to-air ratio. An unvented sol- ids feeder prevents the pockets from filling uni- formly and can fluidize the solids in the tank or bin above the feeder. The solids can flood the valve, prompting overconsolidation and bridging. Not only does the solids-to-air ratio “Even the same product can have different shear rates and pickup velocities.” change but particles also can be pinched in the feeder and break. Figure 2 shows a way to vent the valve in the absence of a vent port supplied by the manufacturer. Note in particular in the figure the use of an insert to prevent particles being pinched between the housing and rotor. 10. Look for frictional differences between prod- ‘ucts, Sometimes after conveying one material and either making a change to the ingredients oor trying to convey a different material we for- get that the particles may not behave the same. ‘While basic physical properties can be helpful in predicting a problem you can’t go wrong with a few tests. Frictional changes can be subtle. Even the same product can have different shear rates and pickup velocities. In addition, don’t forget to check the characteristics of an existing mate- rial after conveying a new material. A fine coat- ing or change in surface may alter the pressure drop in the system. CP fess 1 .Haraburda, $7 steps o ete conveying.” Chemical ‘Processing. 63 (9.57 February 2000), 2. Duckworth, RA and HE Rose, “Transport of Sol Pats in guid and Gases," Engineer, Vol. 227 (5 906), pp. 292-396, 490- 439 and 478-483, London (1969. ‘3. dot, and Tomita, "Flow nthe Acceleration Reon o Ped ‘matic Transport of Granular Sali in Veral Pipes," Proceedings of Preumotransport 3 pp 99-108, ath, UK (Ap 1976). Thomas R.Blacievod is director of technology for Heltsite Asche, Palin, Mo, Email im at rac Batt April 2006 #39