Solids Storage, Feeding and Conveying - Chemical Engineering

20/4/2021 Guidelines for Solids Storage, Feeding and Conveying - Chemical Engineering
SOLIDS HANDLING PDF
GUIDELINES FOR SOLIDS STORAGE, FEEDING AND

CONVEYING
By Shrikant Dhodapkar, Dow (U.S.), Lyn Bates, Ajax Equipment Ltd. (U.K.), George Klinzing, University of Pittsburgh (U.S.), Peter Wypych, University of
Wollongong (Aus.) | January 1, 2006
These observations and recommendations —re ecting decades of experience — can help operators avoid a lot of headaches and heartache when it
comes to handling bulk solids
Successful startup and operation of solids-handling processes depend on myriad small yet fateful decisions that are made during the various
phases of the project. Many of these are not quantitative but qualitative in nature, and are largely based on experience and broad-based knowledge
of solids handling. It is just as important to know what not to do as it is to know what to do. Since many engineers receive very little formal training
on solids handling, their rst instinct is to draw an analogy between solids-handling systems and uids-based systems. This should be avoided.
The behavior of solids (powders, pellets and granules) is often counter-intuitive to the behavior of pure uids.
The guidelines presented here draw upon the collective experience of the authors and highlight key issues that need particular attention. These
recommendations are by no means exhaustive, but merely provide a starting point for a thoughtful discussion.
STORAGE
MATERIAL TESTING AND EVALUATION
Get a representative and traceable sample. Make sure that the sample is stable over time. If large variability is observed, understand the source
(nature and range) of the variability, and collect multiple samples to establish the bounds on physical properties. Proper documentation of sample
source and history is helpful in troubleshooting if the hopper does not perform as expected.
Variations in product condition arise for various reasons, most of which fall into the three general classes: uniformity, consistency and stability.
Materials that initially have uniform composition may change during handling; for instance, if segregation occurs, the material may demonstrate
di erent bulk properties. Meanwhile, supply inconsistencies may result from seasonal or process variations, or the need to secure materials from
alternative sources. The product may also change with time, temperature, attrition, or through natural degradation or other mechanisms. All these
changes must be considered in combination, taking into account the complete range of operating and ambient conditions to which the material
may be subjected.
Use shear testing for evaluating material owability and wall friction characteristics. The Jenike ow-factor tester [1] and Schulze Rotational
Shear Tester (RST) [2] are typically used for such measurements. Shear testing is the domain of specialists, but experienced personnel can usually
make an assessment of the degree to which such testing may be necessary. Critical arching dimensions, stable rathole diameter, hopper angle
required for mass ow and feeder load can be calculated using the proven theories of Jenike and other researchers. A very important note:
Sometimes the material’s angle of repose is incorrectly used to calculate bin design parameters. The angle of repose should only be used to
estimate the volume of material in the bin.
Perform a wall-friction test on a representative wall sample obtained from the equipment fabricator. For example, a mill- nish aluminum sample
from one fabricator may di er signi cantly from an aluminum sample from another vendor. If the material being handled is highly abrasive,
https://www.chemengonline.com/guidelines-for-solids-storage-feeding-and-conveying/?printmode=1 1/18
consider the e ect of wear on wall friction. Some wall materials become more polished (smooth) with wear while others might become rougher.
Similarly, the e ect of potential corrosion and oxidation must be taken into account.
Be sure to measure the appropriate bulk density. This critical measurement should re ect the circumstances of the application. For instance, a
rapidly lled hopper may require the holding capacity to be based on a “loose poured” density, while one lled slowly may be better assessed using
a “settled” density value. On the other hand, “aerated” bulk density should be used if aeration devices are used as ow aids. Care should be taken
when dealing with a product that exhibits a wide range of density values according to how it is handled.
SELECTION, SPECIFICATION AND DESIGN
Establish the range of moisture content, additive content and operating temperature. The design basis should re ect the full range of conditions in
which a material is going to be handled and not just “typical” operating conditions. For outdoor applications, consider the consequences of
temperature cycling and whether there may be condensation in the headspace (silo weeping) or on walls that may be in contact with the material.
Include discharge rate expectations in your design criteria. The discharge rate of a powder can be severely limited by its lower permeability as
compared to a granular material.
Test the material for owability changes resulting from consolidation over time. Try to anticipate problems that may arise from extended periods
of storage, such as those occurring during normal operation, and from plant shutdowns, production cycles or weekends.
Choose mass ow mode. A bin is set to operate in mass ow mode when all material in the bin is in motion while the material is being discharged.
When this does not occur, the bin is operating in funnel ow mode. In general, a mass ow pattern results in a smaller required outlet size, more
reliable ow for cohesive materials and some re-mixing of segregated materials. Typical bin geometries are described in Figure 1, along with
selection guidelines.
The rst-in, rst-out nature of mass ow also helps to prevent uidizable powders from ushing straight through the hopper. It should be noted
that the rst-in, rst-out ow pattern in mass ow can only be achieved if there is at least one diameter head of material in the cylindrical section
of the hopper. This is a requirement to get a uniform draw of material during discharge.
Mass ow hoppers are typically taller than funnel ow hoppers (for a given hopper geometry, such as those shown in Figure 2), due to a steeper
cone angle. There are applications where a self-cleaning funnel ow design will provide comparable duty at lower cost; therefore, careful
evaluation of all factors is essential.
FIGURE 2. Shown here are ve of the most commonly used hopper geometries for bulk solids
Be aware that choice of hopper shape is a multi-factor decision (Figure 1). The decision largely hinges on whether the ow bene ts of plane ow,
which occurs in a V-shaped ow channel, are justi ed over the poorer ow behavior associated with a conical or pyramid construction.
Flat walls and rectangular cross-sections allow easy construction and maximize holding capacity but generally have the worst ow characteristics
and pressure capacity. Cones contain internal pressures well, but require simultaneous ow convergence in two directions at 90 deg to each other.
By comparison, plane ow allows the use of less-steep walls and permits ow through smaller outlets, but normally requires the use of a well-
designed feeder to extract product from an extended slot. Such a feeder must extract product from the total cross-sectional area of the outlet for
mass ow applications. The critical arching dimension in a plane- ow channel is half that of the diameter of a circular outlet, provided the slot
length is greater than three times its width. For example, a 12-in.-wide slot that is 3 ft long is equivalent in ow terms to a 24-in.-dia. outlet and
the walls can be less steep (about 10 deg shallower). Remember, ow aids can also be used to encourage ow for hard-to-handle materials [3, 4],
but getting the wall slope wrong is far more di cult to correct.
In retro t situations, have structural considerations re-evaluated by a trained solids-handling expert. For example, when a funnel ow bin or silo
design is converted to operate in the mass ow pattern, the cylinder-cone transition may have to be reinforced to withstand highly localized peak
stresses. On the other hand, if a silo that was designed for mass ow is operated with a more cohesive material that forms large voids and ratholes,
the additional dynamic loads, due to erratic ow, must be taken into account.
Don’t overlook the value of close cooperation and collaboration with the supplier or vendor. To ensure success, it is important to have agreement
on the following issues upfront:
• De nition of operating window, along with extreme bounds of operating conditions and material properties
• Sampling techniques and de nition of representative sample (including handling instructions)
• Test methods to be used for product evaluation and eventual performance evaluation
• Expectations on performance validation and nancial terms associated with it
• Degree of freedom available to the vendor to optimize total cost of the project and share the reduction in cost with the purchaser
INSTALLATION, OPERATION AND PERFORMANCE
Keep the wall surface smooth. Surface impediments on the hopper wall such as weld splatters, o set anges protruding gaskets, poke holes and
badly installed liners prevent the material from sliding along the wall. Remember the humorous adage: “Protruding lips sink powder ships”
Avoid using a slide gate to throttle the ow because this will result in preferential ow at the outlet. This preferential ow problem can be
alleviated by using a vertical transition piece (H > 1.5 D) at the outlet. Slide gates should only be used in the open or closed position. The inner
diameter of the bottom ange can be slightly oversized to avoid any lips or protrusions in the ow path.
Avoid asymmetric stresses. Do not cut into the walls of a hopper to create additional discharge outlets. In most cases, they will disrupt the mass
ow pattern and create high wall stresses.
Protect the wall nish and liners of the cone from the weather to prevent oxidation (rust) and corrosion. The internal surface of the hopper must
be protected from fabrication until the time it is installed in the process. Make sure that all the protective liners are removed before commissioning
the hopper. Avoid welding on cones with liners and wall coatings since the heat can cause delamination.
Avoid improper selection and installation of a feeder, which can destroy the ow pattern in a well-designed mass- ow hopper. Reliable ow out of
a mass- ow hopper requires the material to be discharged across the whole cross-section of the outlet. For example, a screw feeder with
progressively increasing pitch o ers a proven option for drawing material across the entire outlet.
Some common installation issues discussed in this section are summarized in Figure 3.
FEEDERS (PROCESS AND ADDITIVE)

Conduct trials under realistic conditions. Materials that are sensitive to heat and moisture may appear to be well-behaved in air-conditioned labs.
This can produce false con dence based on test results.
Establish feeding accuracy requirements. It is important to know whether feed rate control or totalized weight is required by the process. The time
basis for calculation of feed rate accuracy must be established. Make sure that acceptable accuracy is achieved at the lowest feed rate.
Run extended trials (1–7 days) on new materials or critical applications. Many problems do not appear in short-duration (< 1 day) tests. Consider
renting a unit for longer-term pilot-scale testing.
Be sure to test representative materials. Often times, o ine tests are done on materials that do not re ect ow properties of actual material in
process. Such tests may be misleading.
De ne operational requirements. Does the process require the material to be fed at a target rate (e.g., in a continuous blending operation), or to
deliver a target totalized weight in a batch operation (e.g., in a packaging operation)?
Choose between gravimetric and volumetric feeders. Gravimetric feeders are recommended when feed rate uniformity of better than ±2% is
required, especially for sample collection times less than 30 seconds. These feeders are also required for feeding ne cohesive powders with erratic
ow, or powders with unpredictable bulk density that are prone to aeration.
Be sure to design the feeder and hopper as an integral unit. The feeder is not merely a “discharger;” therefore, reliable ow out of the hopper is
essential for proper feeder operation. A feeder is designed to modulate the owrate of the material that is reliably fed into it. Material discharge
must take place over the entire outlet for a mass ow hopper to work (Figure 4). For some hard-to-handle products (such as those that are
cohesive, caking, brous, stringy, time consolidation sensitive or hygroscopic), a discharger may have to be installed upstream of the feeder to
ensure reliable ow [3, 4].
Plan for su cient ight tip clearances. Make sure that ight tip clearances for screw feeders are large enough to avoid particle trapping or
wedging, which can result in material degradation. On the other hand, rotary feeders require the clearances to be less than the particle size to avoid
smearing inside the housing.
Determine whether the feeder is required to provide positive protection against uncontrolled ow that might result from ooding or ushing of
ne powders. For example, a screw feeder will not restrain a uidized powder from ushing out of a hopper. If the product is prone to ushing,
install a valve on the discharge port. The valve should be interlocked to be open only when the screw is running, and should have an emergency
override switch to close it.
Consider system-integration issues that may arise when feeder electronics are integrated with plant network and process computers. The ability to
seamlessly integrate a feeder control package with the plant network and share data and diagnostic information will result in smooth operation.
Be aware that rotary and screw feeders are prone to pulsations in feed rate. Pulsations can be minimized in a number of ways:
Rotary feeders:
•Use a reduced-capacity rotor and ncrease the number of vanes
Screw feeders
• Install wire mesh at the nozzle outlet
• Provide a slot (1.5 times the pitch) on the side of the nozzle
• Install a wedge at the outlet over which the material must ow
• Reduce the pitch near the outlet
• Use a twin-screw con guration

FEEDER SELECTION CONSIDERATIONS
The following issues must be considered during feeder selection:
1. Material properties
a. Particle size distribution and maximum lump size
b. Flowability and cohesion
c. Air-retention characteristics and their e ect on bulk density
d. Flooding or ushing characteristics
e. Abrasiveness
f. Friability
g. Sensitivity to temperature
2. Operational requirements
a. Process temperature and humidity conditions
b. Feed rate (typical, maximum, turndown ratio requirements)
c. Feed rate uniformity versus accuracy and sampling requirements
d. Volumetric versus gravimetric feeding
e. Need for dust control and containment
f. Sealing requirements against pressure
g. Ease of cleaning (frequency of cleaning and acceptable e ort necessary)
h. Sanitary requirements (for instance, in food and pharmaceutical applications)
i. Ability to handle unexpected materials (such as tramp metal or nuts and bolts)
j. Headroom constraints
k. Vibrations in the process area and isolation techniques required
l. Controller interface protocol and control system integration with existing plant network and process computer
m. Data and parameters that need to be exchanged, namely, instantaneous owrate, setpoint, totalized weight, bulk density, alarms, system reset
and PID control parameters
n. The location of the controller box vis-à-vis the feeder
A concise comparison of various feeders, shown in Table 1, provides a good starting point. An in-depth review of various feeders can be found in
Carson et al. [5] and Thomson [6].

Always con rm that the outlet will not be blocked or obstructed or admit a reverse gas ow. Unvented rotary valves often pass back air by leakage,
and via returning vane pockets. With no means of escape, this air can inhibit ow from the hopper. Allow a gas-bypass route to ensure that the
material will ow freely into the feeder. Fit a torque limiter or a level detector to isolate the drive if there is any prospect of backup from
downstream equipment.
Verify and minimize the starting load on the feeder. It is not uncommon for the starting load to be ve times the operating load. During initial
lling conditions, a peak stress eld is generated in the bin where large loads are transmitted to the feeder. With ow initiation, an arched stress
eld is developed in the hopper where most of the load is supported by the hopper walls (further discussion on arched stress elds can be found in
Jenike, [1]). The arched stress eld is retained even if the ow is temporarily stopped. Feeder loads during startup can be signi cantly reduced by
creating an arched stress eld; for example, by withdrawing small amount of material during lling. Leaving the hopper partially full before
re lling will also achieve the same result.
Provide a slide gate (or some other type of shuto valve) above a feeder. This is especially important for situations in which the feeder fails and
must be removed for maintenance or repairs when the overlying silo or bin is full of materials.
Make sure that the seals are adequately purged to prevent ne powder from entering and destroying the seal. Seal and bearings must be inspected
and maintained on periodic basis to avoid premature failure.

FEEDERS FOR PNEUMATIC CONVEYING SYSTEMS
Feeders for pneumatic conveying systems are rarely tested on a standalone basis. Rather, their e ectiveness is typically tested while conducting
conveying trials. The following issues must be looked into during testing:
1. The e ect of gas leakage or aeration on the bulk density of product. Reduced bulk density can result in lower feeder capacity.
2. The abrasiveness of material and its impact on feeder performance
3. Stickiness of material and any resulting reduction in feeder capacity
4. Ease of cleaning and unplugging

Give careful consideration during the feeder selection process. Feeder selection depends on the mode of operation (pressure versus vacuum),
operating pressure, mode of conveying (batch versus continuous), space availability and material properties (such as abrasiveness and cohesion).
See Table 2 for more details.
Match feeders with the characteristics of air movers. For instance, feeders that create large pulsations in the feed rate should not be used in
systems that use fans as air movers. The interaction between pressure variations resulting from feed rate uctuations and fan characteristics can
result in an unstable system.
Design a proper venting system for rotary airlock feeders in positive-pressure applications. The upward leakage of air through clearances and
returning pockets can impede material ow and may reduce bulk density, which can result in capacity limitations. The vent always contains
entrained solids and therefore must be designed as a pneumatic conveying system.
Consider the e ect of pipe and bolting stresses. Feeders connected to piping system (chutes) that are exposed to large variations in temperatures
either due to process conditions or diurnal variations may experience high stresses. This can a ect the operational clearances and cause jamming
or excessive leakage to occur.
Consider relative expansion that may result from hot product and cold ambient conditions. Relative expansion of feeder internals due to a hot
product can cause interference t and result in a feeder jam. The problem can be alleviated by heat tracing the feeder.
Make sure that the feeder is appropriately designed for quick clean out for sanitary applications. Provide the necessary working space in the
process area.
Proper interfacing of feeders with the conveying line is essential. The feeders are attached to the conveying line with a feed shoe or a feed box. A
good feed shoe design provides for rapid removal of material from the bottom of the feeder, minimal reduction in local gas velocity at the feed
point, and minimal recirculation patterns.
PNEUMATIC CONVEYING – DILUTE PHASE

For materials for which there is no prior pneumatic conveying experience, and for which no related data are available, pilot or full scale testing is
recommended. Take the following issues into consideration:
• Conduct tests at material temperatures and moisture levels that are comparable to the process conditions
• Conduct tests on o -grade materials (not just the prime product) to ensure process reliability across a range of material properties
• Consider the e ect of attrition on conveying characteristics if the material is being recirculated during the test
• If the conveying line is getting coated (by materials buildup) during the test, the data will exhibit scatter and may not be reliable

In the project scope, clearly de ne current conveying-rate requirements and plant layout, along with plans for future expansions or potential rate
enhancements due to improvements in process technology. This should include potential changes in the product slate due to improvements in
process technology. Developing the project scope should be a collaborative e ort between research, manufacturing and engineering personnel and
the outside vendor.
Allow a ‘reasonable’ horizontal conveying length (15 to 20 pipe diameters), before the rst bend to allow the bulk material to accelerate. Use of
exible hose at the pickup should be kept to minimum. Excessive length of exible hose, often in the form of a coil, is the worst pickup pipe
con guration. Inability to provide proper con guration at the pickup will result in plugging condition at gas velocities higher than saltation
velocity
Consider stepping conveying lines (increasing the pipe diameter) to prevent excessive velocity at the end of the line. Be sure to maintain the
minimum required Froude number at the step location, otherwise the material will settle out of the suspension (saltation). Properly stepped
systems result in more e cient systems with lower degradation and wear. Using ISO pipes or tubes allows for more choices in diameters.
Be aware that proper venting of the rotary airlock and feeder in a positive-pressure system is critical for reliable operation. Upward leakage of air
into the feed hopper can result in reduced discharge rates or an unsteady feed rate. This issue can be addressed by using proper design of a vent
system, either using a body vent or a disengagement hopper. The vent system should be designed much akin to a conveying system with su cient
gas ow and minimal bends.
Be aware that product damage and wear at piping bends is very material-dependent. A blind tee piping con guration often has a lot of merit, but
may also cause greater pressure drop compared to long-radius bends. Mitered elbows may o er a good compromise in some cases.
Remember that minimum conveying velocity is a function of conveying rate. Make sure that the gas velocity at the pickup is greater than the
saltation velocity at the highest solids owrate. Safety margin must be allowed for non-optimal line con guration at the pickup (such as
insu cient acceleration lengths, back-to-back bends, and so on).

Avoid conveying line layout with bends or elbows placed back to back. This will inevitably cause excessive pressure drop and premature line
plugging.
Be aware that conveying lines should not be routed like utility lines (i.e., those carrying compressed gas or steam), which follow the contours of a
building. When designing solids-handling systems, minimizing the number of bends or directional changes will result in higher capacity, lower
degradation, less erosive wear and more reliable ow.
Consider electrostatic e ects. Electrostatic e ects in pneumatic conveying systems can be minimized by increasing the relative humidity of the
conveying air to more than 70%.
Remember that ‘more air’ can mean ‘less transfer capacity’ in dilute-phase systems. At constant conveying pressure, increasing gas velocity
results in reduced conveying capacity (This is shown in Figure 5, at the line labeled A→ B). Operating limits can be best understood using the
concept of operating windows (see Agarwal and Dhodapkar [7])
Install su cient ports or couplings in the systems for pressure measurement during troubleshooting. Pressure measurement is a convenient way
to measure the pulse of a conveying system. Take time to generate baseline data for an existing conveying system. It will come in handy for future
troubleshooting.
Always verify installation in the eld. The technical guidelines of system designers and engineers, even if well-documented, can be undone by
contractors installing a system. Common mistakes, such as those listed here, can cause signi cant delay in successful startup:
• Incorrect rotational direction of rotary airlock/feeder or air movers
• Conveying lines with directional internal treatment (e.g., shot-peening) that are installed backwards
• Poor alignment of anges or improper seating of gaskets (which can result in air leakage or material degradation)
• Specialized bends or elbows (such as blind tee con gurations) that are installed backwards
• No allowance for pipe exing (which can result in high bolting stresses on the components)
Always verify the control logic and the sequence of valve operation in the eld. Follow these recommendations to avoid problems:
• For complex systems, run simulations before startup to understand unintended consequences. A software code is easier to mend than broken
hardware during a startup
• Failure to include su cient time delay between various steps may cause problems. For example, a large slide valve may take as much as 30
seconds to close fully.
• If control loops are being used for feed rate control, tune the parameters and provide upper limits to prevent overshooting. This might result in
overfeeding solids into a conveying line resulting in plugged condition.
During startup, verify process instrumentation with eld measurements. Make sure that calibration parameters, conversion factors and units are
correctly entered, calculated and communicated to the process computers. If possible, use local gages for veri cation.
More guidelines on troubleshooting pneumatic conveying system can be found in Mills [8], and Dhodapkar and Jacob [9].
PNEUMATIC CONVEYING – DENSE PHASE

Conduct pilot-scale or full-scale testing on representative materials, especially for new or di erent products where no prior experience or data are
available. Benchtop characterization tests (to determine such characteristics as wall friction, permeability and deaeration tendencies) are helpful
for preliminary screening of a material’s suitability for dense-phase conveying. Dense-phase conveying performance can be sensitive to variations
in material properties (such as particle size, size distribution, shape, density, moisture and cohesion).

Ensure that the choice of a ow mode (and system) is based on the product properties (rather than on some imprecise de nition or misleading
solids-loading assumptions), and that the selected or supplied ow mode is con rmed during commissioning. The term “dense phase” is often
misused in practice. For example, many so-called “dense phase” systems are found to be operating in dilute phase (or suspension ow). And, many
researchers and designers de ne “dense phase” as a ow mode with solids loading (mass of solids/mass of gas) greater than 10 or 15.
Many di erent types of dense-phase conveyors have been developed over the past few decades to take advantage of certain product properties
(such as air retention, deaeration, permeability, cohesion, and particle-size distribution). In most cases, “dense-phase” can simply be considered
as some form of non-suspension ow that occurs at some time at any section along the pipeline. Using solids loading as an indicator of ow mode
can be misleading (for instance, solids loading is a mass concentration parameter that depends on the mass or density of the particles; some
dilute-phase systems are operating at a solid loading rate greater than 40, while some dense-phase systems operate at a solid loading rate less
than 10).
For materials that do not have a natural tendency for conventional dense- phase conveying, consider specialized systems with controlled and
regulated gas injection or bypass pipeline technology (Figure 6). Ensure that proper dense-phase ow is actually achieved during commissioning.
Using a conventional or “o -the-shelf” pipeline, not all materials can be conveyed reliably in dense phase. Some materials can be conveyed in
single- or multi-slug/plug mode, some in uidized moving-bed type ow, while others can only be conveyed in dilute phase. Not selecting the
right ow mode for a particular material, or the right operating condition for a given ow mode, can result in excessive pressure spikes, system
shutdown, unstable vibrations and pipeline blockages.
Compared with dilute-phase conveying, the dense phase regime can be more limiting and sensitive to variations in air ow and conveying rate. For
some materials, a reduction in solids owrate can shift the operating point into the unstable zone, thereby causing severe instability (evidenced as
line vibrations and pressure spikes).
Ensure proper venting at the feeder to avoid feeding problems that may result from gas blowback. Feeder gas leakage can be a signi cant fraction
(up to 50%) of total gas consumption. The gas leakage at the feeder (especially through rotary valves) must be considered in design calculations
and compensated appropriately.
Use a gas- ow control system for multiproduct and multi-destination systems, to ensure that the operating point is maintained within the stable
operating zone. Also, ensure that the gas- ow control system provides a constant gas mass owrate for the full range of operating pressures and
pressure uctuations. Numerous control logic schemes are available from various vendors or can be designed by reputable consultants.
For systems with high pressure drop (7 psi or 50 kPa and higher), consider stepping the line diameter to reduce the velocity and maintain dense-
phase conditions. In dense-phase systems, gas expansion can be signi cant between the feed point and destination. This will result in a
corresponding increase in gas velocity, and a possible transition from dense- to dilute-phase ow along the conveying pipeline.
Remember that selection of optimal feeder is critical. Improper feeder selection can result in unreliable operation and high maintenance costs.

Make sure that the operating point (gas owrate, solids owrate) falls well within the bounds of plug stability at all locations in the system and for
all pipeline con gurations (if applicable). Coarse or granular materials that can be conveyed in dense phase (low-velocity slug- ow mode) exhibit
an unstable operating zone in between (high-velocity) dilute-phase and (low velocity) dense-phase conveying. The dense-phase regime is bound
by a high-velocity (unstable zone) boundary and a low-velocity (blockage) boundary (see Figure 7 for details).
A proper purge-control sequence may need to be designed and tested to avoid unnecessary product degradation or pipeline blockage. To purge a
dense-phase line during cleaning, a controlled increase in gas velocity may be required. The dust collector must be designed to handle the peak gas
ow rates.
Work closely with an experienced vendor to design and install proper pipeline supports, to prevent excessive de ection and line movement and
reduce the prospect of fatigue failure. The motion of slugs and stresses generated within the conveying line during directional changes (such as
those that occur at bends or diverter valves) results in signi cantly higher stresses on pipe supports as compared to dilute-phase systems.
In summary
The guidelines o ered here provide a good starting point for designing a reliable bulk solids handling system involving selection, installation and
operation of a silo, feeder and conveying system. Each new project o ers unique challenges, especially with ongoing innovations in polymer
science and ne (even nanoscale) particle production. The secret to success lies in understanding the fundamental concepts of solids handling,
using material characteristics (real data) for designing, matching hardware performance speci cations with the process requirements and paying
attention to details during design and implementation.
Edited by Suzanne Shelley


Click here for full pdf version of this article – includes all graphs, charts, tables, and author information
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Solids Storage, Feeding and Conveying - Chemical Engineering

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Solids Storage, Feeding and Conveying - Chemical Engineering

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20/4/2021 Guidelines for Solids Storage, Feeding and Conveying - Chemical Engineering

SOLIDS HANDLING PDF

GUIDELINES FOR SOLIDS STORAGE, FEEDING AND

SELECTION, SPECIFICATION AND DESIGN

• Sampling techniques and de nition of representative sample (including handling instructions)

• Expectations on performance validation and nancial terms associated with it

INSTALLATION, OPERATION AND PERFORMANCE

FEEDERS (PROCESS AND ADDITIVE)

SELECTION, SPECIFICATION AND DESIGN

•Use a reduced-capacity rotor and ncrease the number of vanes

• Install wire mesh at the nozzle outlet

• Install a wedge at the outlet over which the material must ow

• Reduce the pitch near the outlet

• Use a twin-screw con guration

The following issues must be considered during feeder selection:

a. Particle size distribution and maximum lump size

b. Flowability and cohesion

c. Air-retention characteristics and their e ect on bulk density

a. Process temperature and humidity conditions

b. Feed rate (typical, maximum, turndown ratio requirements)

c. Feed rate uniformity versus accuracy and sampling requirements

d. Volumetric versus gravimetric feeding

e. Need for dust control and containment

f. Sealing requirements against pressure

g. Ease of cleaning (frequency of cleaning and acceptable e ort necessary)

h. Sanitary requirements (for instance, in food and pharmaceutical applications)

k. Vibrations in the process area and isolation techniques required

n. The location of the controller box vis-à-vis the feeder

2. The abrasiveness of material and its impact on feeder performance

3. Stickiness of material and any resulting reduction in feeder capacity

4. Ease of cleaning and unplugging

INSTALLATION, OPERATION AND PERFORMANCE

PNEUMATIC CONVEYING – DILUTE PHASE

• Incorrect rotational direction of rotary airlock/feeder or air movers

PNEUMATIC CONVEYING – DENSE PHASE

SELECTION, SPECIFICATION AND DESIGN

INSTALLATION, OPERATION AND PERFORMANCE

Edited by Suzanne Shelley

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