Which Industries Use Pneumatic Conveying Systems?

For large scale industries, transferring bulk materials like powders, pellets and granules from one place to another can often be a tedious task. However, this process can be made seamless through the use of pneumatic conveying systems.

Pneumatic conveyors have an enclosed conveying pipeline or tube through which pressure differential gas flow is generated by an air movement device such as a centrifugal fan, roots blower/prime mover or compressor.

The aim of the pneumatic conveying system is to transfer material between storage locations or to feed different kinds of reactors. One of the major advantages of installing a pneumatic conveying system to transport bulk material is it offers flexibility in routing the pipeline. Often transport pipes have many bends, which considerably increase the difficulty in predicting the performance of the system. However, pneumatic systems provide design flexibility that makes even complex routing seamless, ensuring efficient transportation.

Typically, pneumatic conveying equipment is installed in the Food Processing Plants, Grain/Malt Handling Plants, Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Petrochemical Industries, Spice Industries, Agro & Fertilizer Industries, Breweries and distilleries, Plastic & Polymers, Cement Manufacturing Plants, Mineral and Cosmetic Industries, Steel & Power plants.

A] Why Pneumatic Conveying?

Pneumatic conveying systems use compressed gas or air to transfermaterial and operate in a straight line with minor directional adjustments. It has fewer moving parts, plus each component (air compressor, in-feed device or tubing) can be repaired independently. This helps limit downtime. The system is also
completely enclosed, which ensures a dust-free environment. Fewer moving parts, which are electronically managed, also make it easier to maintain.

Pneumatic conveying systems typically comprises of four parts:

In fly ash handling, the no-flow condition can be caused either due to rat-holing or arching.

• Feed vessel
• Air mover
• Transfer line
• Discharge vessel

Pneumatic conveyor systems are more suited for the conveyance of fine particles over shorter distances. One of the most significant factors to consider when handling a pneumatic conveying system is the properties of the material that is to be conveyed. This includes the bulk density of the material, its flow properties, temperature, moisture content, and allowable degree of degradation. Pneumatic conveyors are built to handle a wide range of materials, ranging from fine powders to large particles to fragile as well as temperature-sensitive material.

B] Top Industries that use Pneumatic Conveying

1. Food Industry

The food sector is enormous and constantly demands higher levels of precision, hygiene and efficiency. That is the reason why the pneumatic conveying systems are being used in this industry to transport their material in bulk. The systems help in maintaining hygiene and offer more enhanced conveying methods.

Pneumatic conveying systems can be employed to convey a wide variety of food products. These can help confine and convey essential food items ranging from rice, oats, wheat, maize, seeds, cereals, grains, sugar and salt to powders including flour, starch, milk & whey powder, as well as bakery ingredients, additives, flavours. The systems are also utilised to convey animal and pet foods in much the same way.

2. Pharmaceutical Industry

Pneumatic conveyors in pharmaceutical industries are designed and implemented in a way that follows and facilitates good manufacturing practice (GMP) guidelines. The GMP guidelines include certification of materials provided by the USA’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA), operational safety and methods to make systems easy to clean.

Vacuum conveying along with dilute phase conveying systems has long been a popular practice in the pharmaceutical industry. The system’s suction abilities ensure that all powdered material remains contained within the system.

3. Beverage – Breweries and Distilleries

India is the third-largest and fastest-growing liquor market globally. Alcohol beverages are now being considered an emerging industry due to their rising growth potential and increased social acceptance. India is also the biggest manufacturer of beverages in the world. It is also perceived as a lucrative market for global alcohol giants. The pneumatic conveying systems are installed in Brewery & Distilleries as they assist in handling total dry goods as well as hygroscopic material.

4. Chemicals

Products used in the chemical industry are often hazardous and require safe provisions to avoid explosion hazards and for dust and cross-contamination control. Owing to these reasons, the pneumatic conveying systems are the industries’ best bet. They provide the chemical industry with fully compliant systems that follow the regulations concerning explosive atmospheres. One of the advantages of using pneumatic conveying systems is to transport bulk material as it offers flexibility in routing the pipeline.

5. Cement and Minerals

One of the biggest advantages of installing pneumatic conveying systems in the cement and mineral industry is the easy handling and conveying of the cement/mineral without any spillage. The system applications are targeted at abrasive and high-temperature materials. The systems also assist in high tonnage transfer and long-distance conveying.

The pneumatic conveying systems are able to precisely handle the raw and processed minerals like bentonite, coal dust, pellets, dry dust, ash, and lime. The systems are also used to transfer slurry mixes.

6. Plastic and Polymers

The plastic and polymer industry produces and exports a wide range of raw materials, plastic-moulded goods, polyester films, soft luggage items, plastic woven sacks and bags, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), sanitary fittings, packaging, medical-surgical ware, consumer goods, electrical accessories, laminates, fishnets, and others.

To offer excellent potential in terms of capacity and infrastructure, the pneumatic conveying systems help in automating the conveying systems, speeding up the process of raw material transportation. The major strength of the plastic industry is the availability of raw materials. These raw materials are polypropylene, high-density and low-density polythene, and PVC. With pneumatic conveying systems, industries can efficiently manage and convey raw material to the feeder.

7. Steel Industry

The steel industry produces end-products like plates, bars, rounds, and flats. The steel processing involves handling a lot of powders mainly comprising of iron ore-based compounds, other powders, and additives. These powders need handling in their departments like Pellet plant, Sinter plant, Blast furnace, Steel Melting Shop, Lime calcination Plant etc.

Macawber can offer solutions ranging from pneumatic conveying to injection, dosing, and feeders for powders like iron-ore dust, lime, pulverized coal, bentonite & various other process dusts that need recycling.

8. Power Industry

Power plants, typically thermal power plants, which are coal-based require ash handling systems for the ash generated from their ESPs, bag filters and other such environment air cleaning systems.

Macawber offers our proven dense phase technology like Denseveyor, Ashveyor, Dome valves, and Diverter valves for power plant applications.

Conclusion

Different materials often require totally different pneumatic conveying mechanisms. However, if the employed system is not as per the requirement, industries can end up incurring huge losses. Pneumatic conveyors are designed to carry out pneumatic conveying trials. The designs are built to exhibit conveying characteristics for a number of materials.

We at Macawber, with our proven technology experience, are focused on bringing the best industry benefits along with offering the right and effective alternative to your outdated conveying methods.

The team at Macawber has extensive experience in the design, manufacture, and supply of advanced pneumatic conveying systems . We can help clients pick the right pneumatic conveying system for a specific application. So, if you are looking for innovative pneumatic conveying systems with advanced technology, then get in touch with us for further queries.