Pneumatic Conveying Spotlight - April 2010

Compact Vacuum Pneumatic Conveyor
Booth 3533 - The MiniVac pneumatic system includes an internal filter that offers an efficient, effective, dust-free way to convey for a multitude of applications. Additional benefits of the simple, compact design include: longer filter life and quick material changeovers with reverse-pulse cleaning system; reduced labor costs for filter changes with standard side-access door; reduced energy costs (up to 30%) with integral, regenerative blower; and it is available for standard industrial, food grade, sanitary, and pharmaceutical applications. Hapman, Kalamazoo, MI  800-427-6260 www.hapman.com

Vacuum Conveyors
Booth 1064 - Featuring the patented COAX multistage ejector technology, the IC Series consumes less energy other compressed-air driven technologies. Designed for safely conveying virtually all types of materials, the IC Series is ideal for transporting flakes, pellets, and powders in a variety of applications, such as painting, textile coloring, water purification, rubber mixing, and tile molding. The units are completely enclosed, protecting users from inhaling potentially harmful ingredients and preventing materials from damage due to external elements.  PIAB USA Inc., Hingham, MA 781-337-7309  www.piab.com

Wye Line Diverter
Booth 3645 - The patented Quantum Series 4-Way Wye Line Diverter directs powder, pellets, or granules from one source to four destinations, or converges from four sources to one destination. It is engineered to handle dry bulk solids in pneumatic conveying systems with vacuum or positive pressures up to 15 psig. Available in 2- to 6-in. pipe or tube, the diverter can be constructed of stainless steel, aluminum, or carbon steel. Customizing the diverter to meet system requirements is easy with a wide selection of actuators, position indication switches, flanges, and tube stubs. The unit also offers a wide variety of modifications to accommodate high or low temperatures, corrosive, humid, and hazardous environments.  Vortex Valves North America, Salina, KS 866-596-7177 www.vortexvalves.com

Pneumatic Conveying Systems
Booth 1234 – Smoot engineers and manufactures dilute- and dense-phase pneumatic transfer systems, including vacuum, pressure, and vacuum-pressure systems and equipment. The selection of the correct style of transfer system is critical to ensure reliable plant operations. System design is always engineered to the specific material and transfer layout properties.  Smoot Co. Inc.,  Kansas City, KS 800-748-7000  www.magnumsystems.com

Dense-Phase Pneumatic Conveying System
The Dense Flow System differs from competitive models with the absence of air boosters along the pipeline. This system is able to achieve equal or greater results in many instances without the use of boosters. Some of the advantages to not having boosters are: lower air consumption; lower installation costs; less maintenance; less wear and tear on the system; and less spare parts inventory. J.D.B Dense Flow, Palm Harbor, FL 800-822-3569 www.jdbdenseflow.com

Vacuum Conveyors
Booth 2237 - When used with a level-controlled buffer hopper, Multijector vacuum conveyors safely transport powders, granules, pellets, capsules, tablets, and other bulk materials under vacuum, optimizing material flow from the supply side to the downstream packaging operation. Their cyclic vacuum plug flow conveying arrangement avoids product separation or segregation, making them ideal for the transfer of difficult and sensitive powders. ATEX certification makes them ideal for explosionproof areas. These conveyors work seamlessly in a multitude of product transfer situations to supply packaging lines, mixers, filling machines, tablet presses, or any other kind of process equipment or vessel (containers, silos, etc.) on demand.  Volkmann Inc., Hainesport, NJ 609-265-0101 www.volkmann.info/en

Pneumatic Conveying Concepts
Booth 1304 - Dynamic Air offers 16 different pneumatic conveying concepts. Each concept has its own unique set of operating characteristics for pressure, conveying line velocity, efficiency, and performance. Because every material to be conveyed reacts differently under a given set of operating conditions, it is critical to match the system operating characteristics to the material to be conveyed. The 16 concepts have the ability to convey at almost any conveying velocity desired to suit a given material to be conveyed. Materials with conveying velocities as low as 50 ft/min can be conveyed using the HDP 6000 dense-phase pneumatic conveying system and, using the LDP 2000 dilute-phase pneumatic conveying system, conveying can be accomplished at velocities well over 7000 ft/min.  Dynamic Air Inc., St. Paul, MN 651-484-2900 www.dynamicair.com

Sanitary Bag Dump Station
Booth 1005 – This sanitary bag dump station for pneumatic conveying systems collects dust created during manual dumping of bulk materials from bags, boxes, drums, and other containers, and allows rapid, tool-free washdown. Optional rocker arms support the hood assembly above the hopper rim, eliminating the need for operators to lift and remove the hood during cleaning and inspection. A stainless rotary airlock valve with integral support rails allows the rotor assembly to separate from the valve body for sanitizing of material contact surfaces, also without tools. A high-velocity vacuum fan draws airborne dust from the operator’s atmosphere onto two cartridge filters. Automatic reverse-pulse filter cleaning allows continuous, efficient operation; timed blasts of compressed plant air inside cartridge filters causes dust buildup on outer filter surfaces to fall into the hopper.  Flexicon Corp., Bethlehem, PA 888-353-9426 www.flexicon.com

Pneumatic and Industrial Vacuum Components
Booth 1745 - Pneumatic and industrial vacuum components include: pipe and tube bends, straight pipe and tubing, extended wear bends, welded fabrications, flexible hose, installation components, quick-on and gripper couplings, cam and groove couplings, and the original Morris compression couplings.  Morris Coupling Co., Erie, PA 800-426-1579  www.morriscoupling.com

Dust-Tight Conveyor
The patented Stinger conveyor works best on fine, cohesive products such as TIO2, pigments, carbon black, clays, and similar materials. The conveyor uses TransFlow technology to precisely control the conveying air and condition the product. TransFlow conditioning enables difficult-to-handle products to move in the conveyor pipe. A bulk bag unloading frame using this conveyor can unload and transfer at rates up to 80,000 lb/hr.  Young Industries Inc., Muncy, PA 800-546-3165  www.younginds.com

Rotary Airlock Feeders
These rotary airlock feeders are available in heavy-duty, standard-duty, sanitary valve, and custom valve series to meet most pneumatic conveying application needs. The heavy-duty HD series airlocks are designed for rugged applications and engineered for high-pressure, high-temperature service conditions requiring an outboard bearing style unit. The HDPV heavy-duty pellet valve and the HDSE heavy-duty side-entry models are specially designed with offset inlet and discharge opening to reduce product shearing. The standard duty series is ideal for low-pressure conveying and dust collection applications. The sanitary valve SV series features the Kwik-Klean and Klean-In-Place models. Both are designed for use in USDA-approved plants and are designed for fast disassembly, cleaning, and reassembly without tools and removal from service. The CV custom valve series is designed to handle oversized large materials, high pressures, or extreme temperatures. Wm. W. Meyer & Sons Inc., Libertyville, IL 800-963-4458

www.rotaryvalve.com

Sanitary Vacuum Conveying Systems
These dense-phase systems are best suited for conveying large amounts of material short to medium distances. Materials are conveyed in a fluidized state, and at a low velocity, to minimize friction and pressure drop. These systems are ideal for friable and fragile agglomerated powders. Lean-phase systems are more appropriate for conveying small to medium amounts of material. The systems convey materials at a higher velocity, but at lower pressures, which can provide savings in capital and operating costs.  Nu-Con Equipment, Chanhassen, MN 952-279-5210 www.nucon.com