Pneumatic conveying of bulk products

Bulk processes generally include :

• drying ;

• granulation ;

• grinding ;

• sieving ;

• dosage ;

• mix ;

• homogenization ;

• storage ;

• bagging...

These operations are interconnected by pneumatic handling systems. These systems involve conveying operations using equipment based on the principle of driving a solid bulk product through a gaseous stream in a sealed pipe.

The development of this technology has followed the tremendous evolution of inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, food processing and pharmaceuticals.

In the field of inorganic chemistry, all products in powder or granular form are nowadays transported using this technique:

• cement ;

• sand ;

• ores and minerals ;

• ash from combustion ;

• uranium ores ;

• titanium dioxide ;

• constituents of detergent products...

In organic chemistry, we mainly find plastics in powder or granulated form (PP, PE, PVC, PS, PET, PC, PA...), but also biomass in many forms.

In the food industry, the most striking development has been the move towards fast food. To supply the various machines used to manufacture these products, we had to imagine all the logistics and flow management operations. These included the following positions:

• transport of raw materials from production sites to processing and storage sites;

• distribution, dosing and mixing of these different materials to produce finished products;

• packaging and delivery to distribution outlets.

In the pharmaceutical sector, hygiene and safety regulations, as well as increased production capacity, have made this technology the preferred choice in many cases.

Who could have imagined, back in 1900, that plastic pellets, breakfast cereals, strawberries, ice flakes, chocolate-coated peanuts, or even medicine tablets could be transported pneumatically at material flow rates of over 50 t/h, over distances of up to several hundred meters?

Today, it is customary to distinguish between three main pneumatic handling families:

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