On the face of it, pneumatic conveying seems quite complicated, but the basic idea is really simple. Dry materials such as flour, sugar, grain or plastic pellets are moved through enclosed pipes using a controlled stream of air, so there aren’t any open belts carrying everything across the factory floor.
Pushing or pulling material through pipes
Every system needs something to create airflow, usually a blower, compressor or vacuum pump. The material enters through a hopper or feeder, then travels along the pipe until it reaches its destination.
Pressure systems push material forward, while vacuum systems pull it through. Pneumatic conveying systems may use a fast, light flow for smaller particles or move material more slowly in dense plugs. Specialists such as this company www.aptech.uk.com/pneumatic-conveying-systems can design the route around machinery, corners and awkward spaces.
At the end, a separator or filter gets rid of the material from the air so it can drop into something like a silo or mixer.
The right setup
The right setup really depends on what’s being moved, because fine powders act differently to grains, and fragile products can become damaged if they move too quickly through the system.
These systems are really popular because they help to reduce dust and spillage and they can also reduce contamination between different parts of the production. They’re not perfect, of course, and use a lot of energy, and sticky or very heavy materials can cause problems.
Provided that the system suits the product, this is the perfect way to move bulk material without endless manual handling.
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