Chapter 15: Pneumatic Conveying

Rules of Thumb for Chemical Engineers, 5th Edition

by Stephen Hall

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Problem Statement:
Estimate the pressure drop for dilute phase pneumatic conveying

Inputs
Conveying Fluid
Conveying gas
Temperature
Assumed supply
Discharge pressure
Minimum velocity
Solids
Solids rate
Mean particle diameter
Mass loading ratio
Slip factor
Solids friction factor
Solids density
Pipeline
Horizontal lengths
Vertical - up
Vertical - down
Hose
Divert valves
Bends

Intermediate Values
Temperature
Molecular weight
Viscosity
Density
Gas flow rate

US Units
F
psia
psia
ft/s
lb/h
ft

lb/ft3

Air
70
24.1
14.7
40

C
kPa
kPa
m/s

1,800
0.00025
5
0.8
0.02
155

kg/h
m

kg/m3

ft
ft
ft
ft

100
30
2

m
m
m
m

294
29.0
0.01842
0.122
360

cP
lb/ft3
lb/h

mPa-s
kg/m3
kg/h

Pipe diameter at Vmin

in

1.94

mm

Nominal diameter
Inside diameter
Roughness

in
in
ft

1.50
1.500
0.00050

DN
mm
m

Actual velocity
Equivalent length

ft/s
ft

67
168

m/s
m/s

Pipe

Calculations - Output
Gas Pressure Drop
Reynolds number
Friction factor
Calc'd discharge P
Gas pressure drop
Solids Acceleration

psia
psi

82,277
0.030
14.7
2.4

(0.00)

kPa
kPa

Acceleration pressure
Conveying Solids
Solids conveyance
Lifting through vertical
Through elbows
Total pressure drop

psi

0.47

kPa

psi
psi
psi

6.08
0.16
0.35

kPa
kPa
kPa

psi

9.4

kPa

SI Units
Air
15.0
101.5
101.4
12.2
816
0.00008
5
0.8
0.02
2,483

30.5
9.1
2

288
29.0
0.01812
1.23
163
62.02

50
49.25
0.0001524
19
52

64,714
0.029
72.2
6.9

1.84
18.52
0.69
1.38
29.3

Conveying Fluids
Name
MW
Air
29
Nitrogen
28.013

Pipe
Size
0.125
0.250
0.375
0.500
0.750
1.000
1.500
2.000
3.000
4.000
6.000
8.000
10.000
12.000
14.000
16.000
18.000
20.000
24.000
30.000

Schedule
80
80
80
80
80
80
80
80
40
40
40
40
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
20

C
120
111

O.D.
0.405
0.540
0.675
0.840
1.050
1.315
1.900
2.375
3.500
4.500
6.625
8.625
10.750
12.750
14.000
16.000
18.000
20.000
24.000
30.000

muo
To
291.15 0.00001827
300.55 0.00001781

Thickness
0.095
0.119
0.126
0.147
0.154
0.179
0.200
0.218
0.216
0.237
0.280
0.322
0.307
0.330
0.375
0.375
0.438
0.500
0.562
0.500

I.D.
0.215
0.302
0.423
0.546
0.742
0.957
1.500
1.939
3.068
4.026
6.065
7.981
10.136
12.090
13.250
15.250
17.124
19.000
22.876
29.000

DN
6
8
10
15
20
25
40
50
80
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
600
750

Wall Thickness for Schedule

10
20
30
0.049
sched?
sched?
0.065
sched?
sched?
0.065
sched?
sched?
0.083
sched?
sched?
0.083
sched?
sched?
0.109
sched?
sched?
0.109
sched?
sched?
0.109
sched?
sched?
0.120
sched?
sched?
0.120
sched?
sched?
0.134
sched?
sched?
0.148
0.250
0.277
0.165
0.250
0.307
0.180
0.250
0.330
0.188
0.312
0.375
0.188
0.312
0.375
0.188
0.312
0.438
0.218
0.375
0.500
0.250
0.375
0.562
0.312
0.500
0.625

2
40
0.068
0.088
0.091
0.109
0.113
0.133
0.145
0.154
0.216
0.237
0.280
0.322
0.365
0.406
0.438
0.500
0.562
0.594
0.688
sched?

80
0.095
0.119
0.126
0.147
0.154
0.179
0.200
0.218
0.300
0.337
0.432
0.500
0.594
0.688
0.750
0.844
0.938
1.031
1.219
sched?