Pneumatic conveyors are among the most popular ways of transporting materials and products from one area to another. Because of their speed, ease of use and relative affordability, they have become a common element in many commercial and industrial settings. When purchasing a pneumatic conveying system, it is important to consider what its main benefits are and whether or not these benefits would be beneficial to you. Understanding the benefits of pneumatic conveying will help you determine if this is an option that would be suitable for your company or even for your own needs.
How is pneumatic conveying system different?
- Compared to traditional mechanical conveying mechanisms, pneumatic conveying systems have a lower need for maintenance and tend to require less manual labor when compared to other types of conveyor mechanisms.
- With less required labor and fewer moving parts, pneumatic conveying system present less risk to operators and technicians and therefore presents more opportunities to save money on maintenance costs over time.
- Another benefit is the fact that a pneumatic system can work more accurately than any other system and that mistakes are significantly reduced as compared to other conveyors.
- This accuracy makes the system less likely to miss key deadlines and reduce the cost of lost revenue and goods because of inaccurate delivery.
One of the most common drawbacks of the pneumatic conveying system is the dust that is emitted from the pumping action. There are several methods used to control the discharge of dust into the atmosphere; however, because the dust is discharged by the pump and not the air compressor, the particles can be quite large and still cause the dust to be discharged into the environment. The particle size is generally determined by the valve design used and by the performance of the system; however, most modern conveying systems employ a valve with a very fine pupil to minimize the amount of dust being released.
There are some other mechanical limitations of the pneumatic conveying system. A great deal of the dust is produced by the suction of the vacuum bag at the end of the pipe connecting the dust collector to the hose orificer. If the system does not provide for efficient suction and if the hose orificer is less than ten feet long, the dust may be expelled in the form of mist instead of being blown away in the prescribed direction. The lack of a powerful fan to blow the dust away also causes a reduction in the overall efficiency of the system, although the presence of the fan can help reduce the time the system will take to start and keep the dust flowing smoothly.
