OGA SISTEMVAC

Differences between a pneumatic conveying system and a mechanical system – A clear choice!

oganetco — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 15:43:58 +0000

A clear choice!

Differences between a pneumatic conveying system and a mechanical system.

1. Energy Efficiency:

Pneumatic: Pneumatic conveying systems harness the power of compressed air to move materials, resulting in higher energy efficiency compared to mechanical systems, which often require powerful electric motors.

Mechanical: Mechanical systems rely on electric motors or internal combustion engines, leading to higher energy consumption and operational costs.

2. Material Versatility:

Pneumatic: They can transport a wide variety of materials, from fine powders to large granules, viscous liquids, and bulk products.

Mechanical: They may have limitations in terms of the types of materials they can effectively transport.

3. Noise and Vibration Reduction:

Pneumatic: Pneumatic conveying systems are generally quieter and generate fewer vibrations compared to mechanical systems, improving the working environment and reducing operator fatigue.

Mechanical: Mechanical systems often generate significant noise and vibrations, impacting worker comfort and safety.

4. Simplified Maintenance:

Pneumatic: They tend to require less maintenance than mechanical systems due to their simple design and fewer moving parts.

Mechanical: They may require more frequent and complex maintenance due to the greater number of moving components and wear.

5. Space and Plant Design:

Pneumatic: Pneumatic conveying systems take up less physical space and offer greater flexibility in plant design, allowing for more efficient distribution of machinery and equipment.

Mechanical: They may require more space and detailed planning in plant design.

6. Contaminant Control:

Pneumatic: Operating in a closed system, pneumatic systems minimize the release of dust and contaminants into the environment, crucial in industries with sensitive or hazardous materials.

Mechanical: They may generate more dust and contaminants, requiring additional measures for pollution control.

Ultimately, pneumatic conveying systems stand out for their energy efficiency, material versatility, and simplified maintenance. Additionally, they offer additional advantages in terms of noise reduction, space savings, and contaminant control.

La entrada Differences between a pneumatic conveying system and a mechanical system – A clear choice! se publicó primero en OGA SISTEMVAC.

Four indispensable factors in the selection of pneumatic transport systems.

oganetco — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 21:09:55 +0000

Four indispensable factors in the selection of pneumatic transport systems.

Choosing the right pneumatic transport systems for your company involves a series of considerations, including the type of materials to be transported, storage process, packaging, and supervision and control of industrial processes.

Understanding these aspects will enable you to make a comprehensive selection of a transport system that ensures safety and quality in the productive outcomes of your company. With over 26 years of expertise in the design, manufacturing, and installation of pneumatic transport systems worldwide, we would like to share some important factors that should be validated when selecting a suitable system for your company’s objectives.

1. Project Justification

At times, this factor is not very clear at the beginning of the assessment for the implementation of a MATERIALS HANDLING system. It is crucial to define the justification for considering a pneumatic system, understanding its benefits in the production process to be intervened (savings, flexibility, hermeticity, contamination elimination, ergonomics, industrial safety, etc.). With this clarity, the solution can be focused on addressing the needs that will ultimately justify a potential investment. The question that must always be answered for the decision-makers is: What is the direct benefit of this implementation, and what savings does it generate for the company in terms of installation and operation?

2. Definition of Scope

Once the previous item is defined, the system to consider for SOLIDS HANDLING, it is equally important to focus the system on covering the essential need and then evaluate complementary alternatives as optional. In this type of application, it is easy to lose sight of what is intended to be covered with the PNEUMATIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM, leading to the inclusion of subprocesses in the development of a proposal that are not necessarily essential to fulfill the project justification. A typical example of this situation is the easy projection of SILOS, even if the process in essence does not require them. There are solutions that only require transitioning from bag handling to BIG BAG to achieve a return on investment in an OGA system.

3. Definition of the Type of Transport

Although virtually any solid product is feasible for mobilization through PNEUMATIC TRANSPORT SYSTEMS, it is essential to correctly select the type of pneumatic transport, whether it is VACUUM TRANSPORT, BLOWING TRANSPORT, or in DENSE PHASE or DILUTE PHASE. In the case of products that have already been mixed or have high hardness, making them abrasive, it is advisable to use DENSE PHASE TRANSPORT SYSTEMS. This is because the velocity inside the dense phase transport pipeline is between 5 to 10% of the speed of a dilute phase system, preventing segregation or wear of the pipeline in the system. The transport distance should also be considered, with DENSE PHASE systems being suitable for covering long distances or high flows of transferred material.

4. Manufacturer's Experience

The proper design of pneumatic transport systems involves a high degree of complexity, with more than 23 variables at play in this process. However, the success of a system is defined by two crucial variables:

The theory and mathematical model of selection (50%)
The manufacturer’s experience with similar installed products and systems (50%)

OGA currently boasts a track record of over 2,000 installed and operational pneumatic transport systems, managing distances exceeding 250m horizontally, 50 meters vertically, and flows up to 180 tons/hour. This experience solidly supports the success of new applications.

La entrada Four indispensable factors in the selection of pneumatic transport systems. se publicó primero en OGA SISTEMVAC.

ATEX Concept in Powder Handling Systems

oganetco — Thu, 20 May 2021 21:08:11 +0000

ATEX Systems Protection

Due to increasingly strict monitoring, documentation, and controls in industrial settings for the prevention of explosions in plants, the classification of potentially explosive areas and preventive measures to avoid and/or contain incidents resulting from mishandling of powders and grains in PNEUMATIC TRANSPORT SYSTEMS has gained greater significance.

There has been a misconception that system protection is solely related to the selection of classified electrical components in the system’s elements. However, the ATEX concept goes beyond this. The proper sizing of an ATEX system includes everything from classifying the environment where the system will be installed to defining paths for an explosion or flame in the event of an occurrence.

In many cases, it is not possible to limit some of the 5 elements of the explosion pentagon, so systems must be designed with mechanical equipment and fuses in case of an event:

What is an Explosive Atmosphere?

It is an atmosphere susceptible to explode (the danger exists potentially) as a result of installation failures: leaks, breaks in pipelines, thermal variations, etc.

Some combustible raw materials.

Hazard Zone Classification

The zones are classified based on escape sources, which are points or locations where the combustible substance can escape and form an explosive mixture with the air.

Zona 20

Explosive atmosphere present frequently.

Location where, during normal operation, combustible dust, in the form of a cloud, is permanently or frequently present in sufficient quantity to be capable of producing an explosive concentration of combustible dust mixed with air, and/or where layers of excessively thick and uncontrollable dust can form.

Zona 21

Occasional formation of explosive atmosphere.

Location not classified as zone 20 where, during normal operation, combustible dust in the form of a cloud is likely to appear in sufficient quantity to be capable of producing an explosive concentration of combustible dust mixed with air.

Zona 22

Formation of explosive atmosphere under abnormal conditions, only for a brief time.

Locations where dust clouds may rarely appear and persist only for short periods, or where accumulations or layers of combustible dust may be present under abnormal conditions, leading to an increase in flammable mixtures of dust in the air.

Ignition Sources according to DIN 1127-1

Hot surfaces
Fire and hot gases
Mechanical sparks
Electric sparks •
Electrostatic discharges
Cathodic voltage •
Lightning (electrical storm)
Frequency radiation
Electromagnetic radiation
Ionizing radiation
Ultrasonic waves
Adiabatic compression and shock waves
Exothermic reaction (auto-ignition of organic matter)

Explosion Risk Equipment

Dust Collectors
Storage Silos
Mixers
Mills
Blenders
Bucket Elevators
Chain/Screw Conveyors
Dryers
Screens/Sieves
Unloading Stations

La entrada ATEX Concept in Powder Handling Systems se publicó primero en OGA SISTEMVAC.