PNEUMATIC conveying is an extremely efficient method of transporting a great variety of products, provided that the right system is used and that it’s done correctly, says JC Lombard, Atlas Copco Compressor Technique business line manager, oil-free air division.
Pneumatic conveying is favoured by diverse industries such as food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, mining, and even wastewater treatment. Atlas Copco Compressor Technique offers a broad range of pneumatic conveying solutions that include air compressors, air blowers (screw, lobe, centrifugal and turbo) and ancillary products to meet the bespoke needs of these industries.
“Due to the wide range of materials that can be transported via pneumatic conveying, a one-size-fits-all solution is simply not possible,” says Lombard. “While some materials can be moved more quickly and in greater volumes, other more fragile materials require careful transportation to avoid damage.”
To meet the varying requirements of the materials, there are different pneumatic conveying methods i.e. dilute phase, dense phase and transient phase. Lombard says that it’s therefore imperative to know the properties and requirements of the material that will be conveyed to be able to select the most appropriate conveying system that will guarantee optimum performance and product quality and mitigate the risk of potential blockages and combustion.
Atlas Copco also offers pressure and vacuum conveying systems. “Pressure conveying is ideal for effectively ‘pushing’ bulk materials over long distances and is used in cement production for instance to move cement from the silo through a pipeline for processing,” explains Lombard. “In contrast, vacuum conveying, also known as negative conveying, uses air suction to draw materials through a pipeline, reducing contamination risks.”
