Ryan Breese

Product Development Engineer

Lyondell Chemical Company
The Wonderful World of Pneumatic Conveying

It Will Blow You Away…..

Disclaimer
ƒ The information in this presentation is, to our knowledge, true
and accurate. Equistar makes no representations or warranties
as to the completeness or accuracy of the information. All
information, suggestions, and recommendations presented by
Equistar are without warranty, express or implied, and are not an
inducement to use any process, product or design in conflict with
any patent. Equistar makes no commitment to update or correct
any information.
ƒ It is the user’s sole responsibility to determine whether, in the
user’s particular application, the products and procedures
presented here can be safely and satisfactorily used.
ƒ We may provide web site links and contact information of third
parties as a convenience, but this should not be construed as an
endorsement by Equistar. Any contacts with such third party are
at your own risk.
ƒ By attending this presentation, the attendee accepts the terms
and conditions of this statement.
Goals for Today!
ƒ Develop:
ƒ General understanding of pneumatic conveying
systems and equipment
ƒ Understanding of a typical plant’s transfer
system
ƒ Troubleshooting skills for fines and streamers
issues

“We create sustainable business value by being a preferred solutions

provider to our customers.”
Agenda

ƒ Types of Flow: Dilute vs. Dense Phase

ƒ How fines and streamers are generated
ƒ System components
ƒ System design best practices
What is Pneumatic Conveying?

• Moving objects with air

• Vacuum - Pulls
• System pressure is less than atmospheric
• Vacuum Cleaner
• Drinking Straw
• Pressure - Push
• System pressure is greater than atmospheric
• Leaf Blower
• Garden Hose
Dilute vs. Dense Phase…
ƒ Stream Flow (Dilute)
ƒ air/solids > 2.25

ƒ Two Phase Flow

ƒ 2.25 < air/solids < 0.2

ƒ Pulsed Piston Flow

ƒ air/solids < 0.2
*loadings ratio in units of scf of air/lbs of pellets
Dilute Phase Conveying
ƒ Object are suspended in the conveying air
ƒ The transfer velocity is greater than the “saltation” velocity
ƒ Low system pressures (< 14 psig)
ƒ High air to solids loading ratios (> 2.25)
ƒ High linear velocities (4,200 – 6,500 ft/min)
ƒ More destructive - mostly due to the high velocities
ƒ Lower capital costs at startup
ƒ Lower cost equipment / not rated for pressure system
ƒ Easier to operate
ƒ Wider ∆v range on phase diagram
Dense Phase Conveying
ƒ Anything that is not Dilute Phase
ƒ The transfer velocity is less than the “saltation” velocity at some
point in the system (< 4,200 ft/min)
ƒ High system pressures (14 – 90 psig)
ƒ Low air to solids loading ratios (< 0.2)
ƒ Low velocities but high pounds capacity (101 – 102 ft/min)
ƒ Less destructive – a result of lower velocity
ƒ Higher capital costs at startup
ƒ Pressure rated lines, airlocks, valves, etc.
ƒ More difficult to operate (easier to plug)
ƒ Narrower ∆v range on phase diagram
Pneumatic Conveying Phase Diagram
The Origin of Fines and Streamers

ƒ A coating of plastic
formed by smearing
pellets against the pipe
wall
ƒ Skin peels off in strips
and becomes
streamers, angel hair,
and/or fines
Pellet Tail Can Form Fines
ƒ Tails are small stubs of
polymer that are the
result of poor pellet cut
ƒ Pellet tails can break
off and generate fines
ƒ Small percentage of
fines studied looked
like pellet tails (<7%)
Fines Are “Mini-Streamers”
ƒ Most fines look like
“mini-streamers” under
a microscope
ƒ Most fines are
generated by
“smearing” and not
tails.
ƒ Breaking up of
snakeskins forms angel
hair and fines
Typical Conveying System
ƒ Feed Vessel
ƒ Feed Point
ƒ Pressure System: Air Lock (rotary valve)
ƒ Vacuum System: Gate Valve
ƒ Air Mover (Blower)
ƒ Pressure: Mover at the solids pickup
ƒ Vacuum: Mover at discharge vessel
ƒ Air Cooler
ƒ Located at the blower discharge
ƒ Especially a concern with pressure systems due to temperature
rise induced by the blower
Typical Conveying System-Continued
ƒ Transfer line
ƒ including piping, elbows, and divert valves
ƒ Discharge vessel
ƒ Feed hopper at the extruder
ƒ Particulate removal equipment
ƒ Bag filters (suction of vacuum blowers)
ƒ Dedusters-fines
ƒ Elutriators-some fines and streamers
ƒ Scalperators-streamers
ƒ Cyclones
ƒ tangential entry vessels can be conducive to streamers
generation
Typical Pellet Transfer System

Storage
Silos Elutriator

Blower/Cooler

Scalperator

Deduster
The Common Elbow
ƒ Long Radius Bends
ƒ Lowest −∆P
among all bends
ƒ ~20 ft of straight pipe
ƒ Generates Streamers
ƒ Pellets “smear” against the outermost wall of the elbow
ƒ Frictional heat generated by this rubbing causes the outer portion of the
pellet to melt and leave a skin
ƒ This skin peels off as snakeskins and could potentially be broken into
angel hair/fines
Dead End Tees
ƒ Largest −∆P among all bends
ƒ ~70 ft. of straight pipe
ƒ Minimizes streamers
ƒ Semi-static bed of pellets forms
in dead end and acts as a
cushion
ƒ Vortex in bed provides for self
cleaning
ƒ Tee wears out if pocket is not
formed due to low solids/air ratio
ƒ Least expensive of specialty bends
ƒ Easy to fabricate
Hammertek Smart Elbow

ƒ −∆P similar to long

radius
ƒ Minimizes wear
ƒ Minimizes streamers
ƒ Circulating bulb of pellets deflects
the solids
Specialty Elbows

ƒ Coperion Gamma
Bend
ƒ −∆P is less than DET but
greater than LR
ƒ Minimizes streamers
ƒ Moving bed of pellets
minimizes impact
Specialty Elbows
ƒ Diamond Cut
ƒ −∆P similar to short radius
ƒ greater than long radius bends
ƒ similar/slightly less than DET
ƒ Minimizes streamers
ƒ Streamers prevented from
Diamond Cut on inner wall
ƒ Fines generation is still an issue-
smearing mechanism of pellets to metal
is still present
Specialty Piping
ƒ Shot Peened
ƒ Shot is used to roughen the inside of the transfer
pipe
ƒ The roughening of the pipe prevents the formation
of snakeskins
ƒ More fines are generated due to abrasion
ƒ Helps with reducing large snakeskins but generates
more fines
ƒ Inexpensive initial cost, but has a short life span
Specialty Piping

ƒ Spiral Grooved
ƒ A lip is machined into the inner wall of the pipe
ƒ Groove acts as a “speed bump” and prevents
the pellets from smearing
ƒ Expensive initial cost
ƒ Has a substantially longer lifespan than peening
Ideal Pneumatic Conveying Conditions
For Pellet Conveying
ƒ Some Heuristics…
ƒ Velocities
ƒ Pickup = 4,200 ft/min for pressure
= 4,400 ft/min for vacuum
ƒ Terminal (exit) should be less than 6,000 ft/min
ƒ Temperature
ƒ As cold as possible!
ƒ Temperatures above 100 °F are excessive
Designing Line Layout
ƒ Avoid inclined lines
ƒ Keep lines horizontal and vertical
ƒ Avoid installing elbows within close distances to each other
ƒ Have straight stretch between elbows
ƒ Avoid bends and use direct paths
ƒ Avoid bends within 20-30 pipe diameters from the pickup
point
ƒ Never use more than 2 bends in a series
ƒ Downward conveying design
ƒ Treat as horizontal when doing pressure calculations
 Designs Which Cause Line Plugs
ƒ Line configurations
ƒ Avoid bends at the pickup
ƒ First bend at ~ 20-30 pipe diameters
ƒ Minimize the changes in direction
ƒ Do not use upward sloping lines
ƒ Conveying air conditions
ƒ If a loss of air volume occurs, check…
ƒ Blower: dirty filters, leakage through rotary feeders, valves, couplings,
holes, non-seating RV, opening of RV due to over pressuring

ƒ Dirty filter on resin vessel

Designs Which Cause Line Plugs
ƒ Miscellaneous
ƒ Resin vessel
ƒ Improperly sized feeder
ƒ bridging in cone
ƒ Material buildup in line
ƒ result of fine materials and moisture
ƒ Additives, etc.

A line plug will typically be found about 40’

downstream of a leak!!!
Ways To Increase Capacity
ƒ Minimize flex hose length and eliminate where possible
ƒ Increase pressure to system’s maximum by optimizing
solids/air ratio
ƒ Check sloping lines for recycling of material
ƒ Minimize the number of bends
ƒ Shorten the total conveying distance
ƒ Increase/decrease the system’s air supply
ƒ Install a larger/smaller blower, change rpm, etc
ƒ Must take into consideration pressure limitations
ƒ Step up the line diameter near the end of the system
ƒ Doing so decreases the total system pressure
Ways To Minimize Wear in Conveying
Lines
ƒ Wear:
Time to Failure ∝ (linear velocity )−4
ƒ Reduce conveying velocities
ƒ Use wear resistant materials
ƒ More prevalent for abrasive materials
ƒ Sand, carbon black, etc.
ƒ Minimize line length and number of bends
ƒ Lower velocities and fewer changes in direction
Ways To Minimize Wear in Vessels
ƒ Enter the vessel radially, not tangentially
ƒ Hang a flapper in the middle of the bin to
allow the material to contact it instead of the
vessel wall
ƒ Step up the line diameter 40’ before the
vessel entrance to reduce conveying
velocities
Top 5 Reasons for Fines/Streamers
Issues…
1. High transfer velocities
2. High conveying temperatures
ƒ No cooler on pressure system
3. Long Radius Bends in service
ƒ Especially near the end of a conveying system
4. No fines/streamers removal device
ƒ Bag filter on vacuum suction
5. No preventative maintenance for silo washing
ƒ Rinse out silos at least semi-annually
Resources
ƒ Transfer System Engineering Companies
ƒ MAC
ƒ Hammertek
ƒ Fuller Bulk Handling
ƒ Coperion Waeschle
ƒ Consultants
ƒ Pneumatic conveying consultants: Paul Solt
ƒ http://www.powderandbulk.com/pcc/index.html
ƒ Phone: (610) 437-3220 ([email protected])

ƒ PSRI (Particulate Solid Research, Inc.): Ted Knowlton

ƒ http://psrichicago.com/
ƒ Phone: (773) 523-7227 ([email protected])

ƒ www.powderandbulk.com
ƒ “Pneumatics Points to Ponder” Articles by Paul Solt
Questions?

Ryan Breese
Product Development Engineer

[email protected]