Andrew

Pneumatic conveying has been used very successfully to convey coal in many sizes, both larger and smaller than the 5 mm you have referenced.

Systems have been furnished to do many tasks such as:

a. transfer the coal from place to place

b. fuel feeding to burners and tuyeres in kilns , flash calciners and boilers

c. feeding of beds in fluid bed boilers

Design conditions such as conveying velocities and phase of conveying are based on the application and care must be taken so as to not have places where dust can build up and create an explosion threat.

Air can be used as the conveying media however inert gases are used as well.

Depending on locations and insurance underwriter requirements, equipment may have to be designed and built to certain standards such as NFPA.

Hope this helps. ■

Andrew

The simple answer is yes, the pneumatic system can be designed to handle the rates and distances you mention. In reality, it is not a simple solution and consideration to the type of equipment selected is very critical to the success of the system.

In general, the pneumatic system will have a lower installation cost but a higher operating cost because of the energy requirements being so much greater than a belt conveyor.

Maintenance is a function of useage and preventive care but typically, belts will require more maintenance than a pneumatic system.

You will find unlimited articles and information about pneumatic conveying on the internet.

There are companies who sell the systems and may be interested in a rent to own arrangement. You may also be able to develop a system and work through a commercial lease organization to meet your needs as well.

If you are interested in a comparative study, our firm can help. Please send me an e-mail to my address shown below and we can describe how we may be able to help you. ■