Bulk Material Transport & Clean-Air Supply
Industrial Pneumatic Conveying Air System
An industrial pneumatic conveying air system uses controlled airflow to transport powder or granular material through a pipeline. The fan must provide sufficient clean-air volume and pressure to maintain conveying velocity through the complete route.
Selection focus: material type, bulk density, particle size, hardness, moisture, feed rate, pipeline length, vertical lift, number of bends, conveying velocity, separator resistance and system leakage.
Typical Positive-Pressure Conveying Route
↓
CLEAN AIR
Air intake
→
◎
AIR FAN
Create airflow
→
▼
FEED POINT
Material injection
→
PIPELINE
Air + material flow
→
▼
CYCLONE
Separate material
→
|||
FILTERED AIR
Final exhaust
Clean conveying air Air and material mixture
Primary Objective
Maintain Conveying Velocity
System Duty
Transport Powder or Granules
Selection Basis
Airflow + Pressure Loss
Application Route
System Overview
What a Pneumatic Conveying Air System Must Do
The air system must maintain enough velocity to suspend and transport the material without excessive settling, blockage or product damage.
The fan must overcome pressure loss from the intake, pipeline, bends, vertical lift, material pickup, separator, receiver and final filtration equipment.
The fan should preferably handle clean air. When material or dust passes through the impeller, wear, buildup, imbalance and maintenance requirements can rise significantly.
01
Generate Conveying Airflow
Provide the air volume needed to carry material through the pipeline.
02
Overcome Total Pipeline Resistance
Maintain pressure through bends, vertical lifts, valves and separation equipment.
03
Prevent Settling and Blockage
Keep velocity above the project requirement throughout the conveying route.
04
Protect Fan and Product
Keep abrasive material away from the fan where possible and control conveying velocity.
Conveying Arrangement
Positive-Pressure and Negative-Pressure Systems
The fan position changes the leakage direction, material pickup method and whether the fan handles clean or contaminated air.
◎
Positive-Pressure Conveying
The fan supplies clean air before the material feeding point and pushes the air-material mixture toward the receiver.
● Fan remains on the clean-air side
● Suitable for delivery to one or more receiving points
● Feeding device must prevent excessive air leakage
◎
Negative-Pressure Conveying
The system pulls material toward a separator or receiver. The fan should be located after effective separation and filtration whenever possible.
● Useful for collecting material from multiple pickup points
● Leakage tends to draw air inward
● Separator and filter must protect the fan
Pressure Selection
Why Pipeline Length, Bends and Material Loading Matter
Pressure loss rises with pipeline length, vertical lift, bends, valves, pickup devices and material loading. The separator, receiver and final filter also add resistance.
Fan selection should be based on the full conveying route at the required feed rate. Selecting only by pipe diameter can result in low capacity, blockage or excessive energy use.
Required fan pressure = clean-air entry loss + pipeline friction + bend loss + material acceleration + vertical lift + separator or filter resistance + project margin
Pipeline LengthFriction loss
Material LoadingTwo-phase loss
Bends / ValvesLocal loss
Vertical LiftElevation demand
Separator / FilterTerminal loss
The bars illustrate typical resistance influences only and are not project calculation values.
Pressure & Operating Point Guides
Material Characteristics
The Material Determines Velocity, Wear and Blockage Risk
Material properties affect the air volume, conveying velocity, pipe diameter, separator design and whether direct contact with the fan is acceptable.
01
Bulk Density
Heavier material generally requires greater conveying energy and may reduce system capacity.
02
Particle Size
Particle distribution influences suspension velocity, separator efficiency and pipe wear.
03
Hardness and Abrasion
Abrasive particles increase wear at bends, valves, separators and any fan exposed to the material.
04
Moisture and Stickiness
Moist or sticky material can build up in pipelines, feeders, separators and fan inlets.
Application Boundary
Centrifugal Fans Suit Specific Conveying Pressure Ranges
This page covers clean-air centrifugal-fan directions for low-pressure and some medium-pressure dilute-phase systems.
Suitable Project Direction
● Low-pressure dilute-phase conveying
● Clean-air positive-pressure supply
● Clean-side suction after separator and filter
● Powder or granular material with confirmed pipeline loss
Requires Different Equipment Review
● Dense-phase high-pressure conveying
● Very long-distance heavy material transport
● High compression-ratio or pulsed conveying
● Direct passage of highly abrasive material through the fan
Selection Input
Parameters Required for Pneumatic Conveying Fan Selection
Complete material, pipeline and operating information helps determine fan series, airflow, pressure, motor power and system arrangement.
Material and Capacity Information
● Material name and composition
● Bulk density and feed rate
● Particle size distribution
● Particle hardness and abrasiveness
● Moisture, stickiness and temperature
● Required conveying capacity per hour
● Product fragility or contamination limits
Pipeline and Fan Information
● Pipeline diameter and total length
● Horizontal and vertical conveying distance
● Number and radius of bends
● Pickup, feeder and discharge arrangement
● Cyclone, receiver and filter resistance
● Required airflow and pressure if available
● Motor voltage, frequency, installation and quantity
Direct Product Entry
Pneumatic Conveying Fan Model Direction
Select a product below to open its individual page. Final selection must be confirmed according to conveying capacity, material characteristics, airflow, pressure and pipeline resistance.
Selection note: 9-19, 9-26, 8-09 and 9-12 are higher-pressure clean-air directions. 4-2×72 is a large-volume lower-pressure direction. Dense-phase or high-pressure conveying requires separate equipment review.
Related Material Handling Solution
Move From Conveying-System Review to Fan Direction
This page explains the pneumatic conveying route, clean-air supply and resistance inputs. For a practical fan direction covering material characteristics, abrasion risk, airflow, pressure and suitable centrifugal fan families, review our Material Handling Fans solution page.
Project Type
New Conveying Lines and Existing-System Upgrades
New System
Design Airflow Around Material and Pipeline
For a new system, material characteristics, capacity, pickup method, pipe route and receiving equipment should be evaluated before selecting the fan.
● Material test data and conveying rate
● Complete pipe route and elevation
● Feeder, separator and filter arrangement
● Fan duty, motor, control and redundancy
Upgrade
Correct Blockage, Low Capacity or Excessive Wear
For an existing system, compare the current fan duty with actual feed rate, pipe changes, blockage points, leakage, separator condition and product properties.
● Existing fan and motor nameplates
● Airflow, pressure, speed and power
● Pipeline, feeder and separator arrangement
● Current issue: blockage, low capacity, wear or product damage
Technical Questions
FAQ About Industrial Pneumatic Conveying Air Systems
01
What Type of Pneumatic Conveying Is This Page Intended For?
This page focuses on low-pressure or medium-pressure dilute-phase conveying where material is suspended in a moving air stream. Dense-phase and high-pressure conveying normally require different equipment such as positive-displacement blowers or compressors.
02
Should the Material Pass Through the Fan?
For abrasive, hard or valuable material, the fan should normally remain on the clean-air side. Direct material passage through the impeller can accelerate wear, create imbalance and damage the fan.
03
What Determines Conveying-Air Pressure?
Pressure depends on pipe length, pipe diameter, bends, vertical lift, pickup device, feeding rate, material loading, separator resistance and the required conveying velocity.
04
Why Is Material Information Important?
Bulk density, particle size, hardness, moisture, stickiness and fragility affect conveying velocity, pipe wear, blockage risk and product damage.
05
Can a Centrifugal Fan Replace a Positive-Displacement Blower?
Only when the required airflow and pressure fall within a suitable fan operating range. Dense-phase, high-pressure or long-distance heavy-duty conveying usually requires a different air source.
06
Which QIYUE FAN Model Is Suitable for My Conveying System?
9-19, 9-26, 8-09 and 9-12 are higher-pressure clean-air directions. 4-2×72 may suit large-volume lower-pressure air-supply duties after full operating-point review.
Pneumatic Conveying Fan RFQ
Send Your Pneumatic Conveying Parameters
QIYUE FAN can review the material, capacity, bulk density, particle size, pipeline length, vertical lift, bends, separator resistance, airflow, pressure and power standard before suggesting a suitable clean-air fan direction.
01
Material / Capacity
02
Bulk Density
03
Pipe Route / Bends
04
Airflow / Pressure
05
Voltage / Quantity
Project Contact
Manager Zhao
Industrial Ventilation Fan Supplier
SHANDONG QIYUE FAN CO., LTD.
Tel / WeChat / WhatsApp:
+86 15653305981
+86 15653305981
Email:
sales@qiyuefan.com
sales@qiyuefan.com
Dongchen Industrial Park, Zhoucun District, Zibo, Shandong, China