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Pneumatic Conveying

Pneumatic Conveying

Pneumatic Conveying transfers powders and granules in a closed pipeline with air flow for safe, clean industrial material handling.

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Pneumatic Conveying

Pneumatic Conveying

DUCON

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Pneumatic Conveying

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Pneumatic Conveying
Pneumatic Conveying
Pneumatic Conveying

What is a Pneumatic Conveying System?

A pneumatic conveying system is an industrial bulk material transfer technology that transports dry bulk materials (like cement, fly ash, flour, plastic granules) from one point to another through pipelines safely and in a closed circuit using compressed air or vacuum.

  • Working Principle: Materials are pushed or vacuumed through the pipeline by the kinetic energy of pressurized air supplied by blowers or compressors.
  • Dense Phase Conveying (Denseveyor): Transports material in plugs through the pipe at low air velocity and high pressure, minimizing wear and dust generation. Ideal for fly ash and cement.
  • Dilute Phase Conveying: Efficiently transfers light particles in a continuous suspended flow using high air velocity and low pressure.
  • Advantages: Ensures zero dust emission and product loss due to its entirely enclosed design. Offers virtually zero maintenance costs compared to mechanical conveyors.

Pneumatic Conveying

Pneumatic conveying is a process of transferring bulk materials from one location to another in a pipeline by means of gas such as compressed air or nitrogen.

Pneumatic Conveying was developed as an alternative to mechanical systems such as belt conveyors, screw conveyors, drag conveyors etc., and offers such advantages as: Lower maintenance costs

Environmentally friendly and clean due to being a completely enclosed system eliminating dust and spillage of material Smaller foot print and adaptability; pipeline can easily be moved and expanded

There are two primary pneumatic conveying methods:

*Dilute phase

*Dense phase

Each method takes a different approach to transferring dry bulk powders. Both dilute phase and dense phase regimes can be either positive or negative pressure (vacuum).In the dilute phase of conveying, the material in the pipeline travels at a high velocity in a homogeneous mixture with the air. The dense phase, on the other hand, is a high pressure, low-velocity regime where material flows in a bed flow regime (continuous flow), controlled series of slugs (discontinuous flow), or the pipeline is filled with material (solid flow).

1. Dilute phase systems keep material air-suspended by high velocity, low pressure, and low material to air ratio.Dilute Phase Pneumatic Conveying Regime

2. Dense phase introduces a pulse of compressed gas to move a slug of material along the pipeline and is characterized by low velocity, high pressure, and high material to air ratio. Depending on the application, the material can be conveyed in various conveying regimes

Dense Phase vs Dilute Phase Comparison

  • Dense Phase - air velocity 3-8 m/s, high material/air ratio, ideal for abrasive and fragile materials; low energy use.
  • Dilute Phase - air velocity 18-30 m/s, low material/air ratio, for free-flowing non-abrasive materials; simpler equipment, easier maintenance.
  • Dense phase delivers 60-80% less wear on abrasive materials (alumina, silica sand, iron ore).
  • Dilute phase has lower initial cost; dense phase has lower operating cost.
  • As distance increases, dense phase becomes more advantageous (lower pressure loss); dilute phase wins at short distances.

Technical Specifications and Capacity Range

  • Capacity: 1 - 200 tons/hour (up to 500 tons/h with parallel modular lines).
  • Distance: 10 - 500 m horizontal, up to 100 m vertical (combined routes up to 800 m total).
  • Operating pressure: dense phase 1-6 bar, dilute phase 0.5-1 bar (vacuum -0.3 to -0.8 bar).
  • Particle size: 0.1 mm - 20 mm (special applications up to 50 mm).
  • Temperature: ambient to +200°C (up to +400°C with refractory lining in special apps).
  • Air velocity: dense phase 3-8 m/s, dilute phase 18-30 m/s.
  • Pipeline: carbon steel, stainless steel (304/316L), ceramic or basalt lined (for abrasive materials).

Industries Served

  • Cement - clinker, raw meal, finished cement, gypsum, lime dust transfer; silo-to-silo, packing, loading.
  • Iron-steel and Foundry - pulverized coal injection, coke, alumina, ferro-alloys, flux material.
  • Power Plant - ash transfer (DUCON Ashveyor / Denseveyor), fly ash and bottom ash silo transfer.
  • Food and Flour - flour, sugar, cocoa, spices, animal feed, grain; ATEX-compliant closed line.
  • Chemical and Plastic - PVC, PE, PP granules, pigment, filler, chemical powders.
  • Glass and Ceramic - silica sand, soda ash, batch material, frit.
  • Mining and Mineral - bauxite, alumina, gypsum, calcite, talc, mica.
  • Pharma and Cosmetic - sensitive powder transfer, GMP-compliant lines, cross-contamination prevention.

System Components

  • Feed equipment: Rotary valve (airlock), screw feeder, denseveyor / vessel sender.
  • Air source: Blower (dilute phase), compressor (dense phase), pulsed-air system.
  • Pipeline: correct diameter selection, bend design (long radius), ceramic / basalt lining for wear conditions.
  • Divert valve: routing to multiple silos or lines.
  • Receiving equipment: jet pulse filter (dust separator), cyclone, silo.
  • Control: PLC-based automation with flow-based process management.

Advantages

  • Closed line - no dust leakage, clean operation, safe environmental compliance.
  • Flexible geometry - reaches long distances and multiple turns where mechanical conveyors cannot go.
  • Multi source/destination - one line can route to multiple silos via divert valves.
  • Low maintenance - few moving parts (pipeline is passive); maintenance focuses on feed and air source.
  • Hygiene and food safety - GMP, HACCP, FDA compliant line construction possible.
  • ATEX compliant - certified installation for explosive dust lines.

Selection Criteria

  • Particle size, bulk density, abrasiveness, and fragility are core design inputs.
  • Line length, bend count, air velocity, and pressure regime must be assessed together.
  • The choice between dense and dilute phase should balance energy, wear, and product integrity.
  • For explosive dust (flour, sugar, aluminum, magnesium), ATEX compliance must be planned early.

Operation and Maintenance Notes

  • Feed stability, airlock selection, and line build-up behavior should be monitored routinely.
  • Bend wear, plugging tendency, and blower/compressor loading are the main maintenance themes.
  • If velocity is too high, wear rises; if too low, build-up and plugging become more likely.
  • 1 major + 2-4 intermediate maintenance cycles per year, plus bend wear inspection, is standard.

Why DUCON Pneumatic Conveying, Why MDSJ Process?

  • Owner of the DUCON trademark in Europe, Asia, and Turkey — MDSJ Process is the DUCON pneumatic conveying manufacturer in this geography.
  • Designing and manufacturing DUCON pneumatic conveying systems in Turkey since 1986 — 40 years of field experience.
  • DUCON Denseveyor / Ashveyor — the reference architecture for power-plant ash transfer; field-proven dense-phase technology for abrasive materials.
  • Three-product single-supplier advantage — pneumatic conveying + filtration + scrubber integrated from one engineering team; on combined projects, accountability stays in one place.
  • Direct trilingual engineering support (TR / EN / DE) — international operator training, commissioning, and documentation.
  • Turnkey: material flow testing, line design, manufacturing, site installation, commissioning, performance testing, and operator training — all in one place.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is pneumatic conveying?

Pneumatic conveying is an industrial system that transports dust, granules, or powder materials inside a closed pipeline using pressurized air flow. It is a closed, hygienic, flexible alternative to mechanical conveyors.

What is the difference between dense phase and dilute phase?

Dense phase runs at low velocity (3-8 m/s) with high material/air ratio - ideal for abrasive and fragile materials, low energy. Dilute phase runs at high velocity (18-30 m/s) with low material/air ratio - for free-flowing materials, simpler equipment.

Which industries use pneumatic conveying?

Cement, iron-steel, power plant (ash), food (flour, sugar, feed), chemical, plastic (PVC/PE/PP granule), glass, ceramic, mining, pharma, and cosmetic.

What is the capacity range?

DUCON pneumatic conveying systems range from 1 ton/hour to 200 tons/hour on single line, up to 500 tons/h with parallel lines.

What is the distance limit?

Standard 10-500 m horizontal, up to 100 m vertical. With dense-phase architecture, combined routes can reach 800 m total.

Can abrasive materials be pneumatically conveyed?

Yes — with dense-phase design and ceramic/basalt-lined pipe and bends, abrasive materials like alumina, silica sand, and iron ore can be transported safely.

Which system is best for ash transfer?

For power plant ash transfer, DUCON Denseveyor (dense phase) and Ashveyor systems are used. They are the standard solution for both fly ash and bottom ash silo transfer.

Is ATEX required for pneumatic conveying?

In lines with explosive dust (flour, sugar, aluminum, magnesium, organic) ATEX zone classification and compliant equipment are mandatory. DUCON systems are optionally ATEX certified.

What is the energy consumption?

Typical consumption is 1-3 kWh/ton (dense phase) and 2-5 kWh/ton (dilute phase). Varies with distance, pressure, and material properties.

Which materials are not suitable for pneumatic conveying?

Sticky, moist, very large (>50 mm), or strongly agglomerating materials are not suitable. Mechanical conveyors or screw feeders are better for these cases.

Who manufactures pneumatic conveying systems in Turkey?

MDSJ Process designs, manufactures, installs, and commissions industrial pneumatic conveying systems (Dense Phase, Dilute Phase, Denseveyor, Ashveyor) in Turkey under the DUCON brand (MDSJ owns the DUCON trademark rights for Europe, Asia, and Turkey). Active since 1986.

How long does installation take?

Standard project: design + manufacturing 10-14 weeks, site installation 3-6 weeks (depending on line length), commissioning 1-2 weeks. Total typical project 4-6 months.

Quick Info

Dense & dilute phase - closed transfer for dust, granules, ash, minerals
50 - 200 tons/h capacity, up to 500 m distance
Sector-specific design for cement, iron-steel, food, chemical, and power plants

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