Material Handling: Dense-Phase Pneumatic Conveying Offers Gentler Material Movement

Gericke USA says its new Pulse-Flow PTA dense-phase pneumatic conveying system is ideal for moving fragile, free-flowing and cohesive powders, granulates, and coarse-grained products, including plastics. The Pulse-Flow PTA directs the air or nitrogen into the pressure vessel and pipeline in timed pulses, creating a gentle conveying action at high pressures with low gas velocities to safely convey sensitive products in mass flow up to 500 feet.

Gericke told Plastics Technology that pressure in the system varies depending on the conveying distance and number of bends in the line. As an example, Gericke says if you assume a total line length of 50 m with 5 bends, then the expected conveying pressure will be around 1 to 1.5 bar. In terms of how the Pulse-Flow PTA dense-phase differentiates itself from similar technologies, Gericke says the product plug is initiated at the starting point and no further external air injectors along the pipeline are required. Gericke also uses a

controlled air flow system to maintain the correct conveying speed. The system’s capacity or throughput depends on several factors, including conveying distance, conveying velocity and pipe diameter. Achievable instantaneous conveying capacities are between 20 to 40 tons/hr.

Gericke says the system can be custom engineered for each application, matching the product design to the desired throughput rates, conveying distances, and other requirements in either batch or continuous operation.