DESIGN EXAMPLE DILUTE PHASE PNEUMATIC

CONVEYING
A plastics production plant wants to increase the capacity through an existing conveying
system. The existing system has 6 inch ID pipes and is configured as shown in the
diagram below.

The High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) particles have an average size of 4 mm. The
conveying gas is at 68oF. The existing blower can produce 1375 SCFM.

The desired capacity increase is from 20,000 lbm/hr to 30,000 lbm/hr. Can the existing
blower and pipe system meet this increase in capacity?

Assume the pressure drop across the cyclone is 5 inches of water. The pressure drop
across the blower inlet pipe and silencers is 0.3 psi. The pipe bends have R/D = 6. Pipe
roughness is k = 0.00015 ft. The particles have density p = 59 lbm/ft3. Terminal
velocity of the particles is U t = 30.6 ft/s.
a
c b
HOPPER CYCLONE
d
325 ft
50 ft (vertical rise)
BLOWER e
g f
100 ft

1
SOLUTION

Push conveying systems are conveniently calculated from Gas density at point afrom ideal
exit to inlet (the exit pressure boundary condition is gas law
known). Hence, on the figure the points at which the pipe lbm
line is segmented are labeled a through g from exit to 29
PM 14.7 psi lbmol
inlet. g = = 3
RT psi ft 528 o R
10.73
a-b Cyclone lbmol oR
= 0.0753 lbm / ft 3
Pa = 14.7 psia (exit atmospheric pressure)
1 psi
Pb-Pa = Pcyclone = 5 inches water (given) 5" water = 0.18 psi
27.68inches

Pb = Pa + Pcyclone = ____________ Pb = 0.18 + 14.7 = 14.88 psi

b-c Horizontal Pipe

L = 325 ft
Use density and velocity values at point b
L gV g
2

Phoriz = (4 f + z ) D 2 (0.5 ft ) 2
D 2gc A= = = 0.1963 ft 2
4 4
Velocity at point b
QSTP PSTP 1375 ft 3 / min 14.7 psi min 1375 14.7
Vg = = = _________ Vg = = 6920 ft / min
A Pb 0.1963 ft 2 Pb 60 s 0.1963 14.88
= 115.3 ft / s
Gas friction factor, from Churchills equation
1 / 12
8 12 1
f = 2 +
Re ( A + B )3 / 2 Viscosity is insensitive to pressure
At 68oF
16
lbm
g = 0.017cP = 0.0000114
ft s

A = 2.457 ln
1
0. 9 Gas density at point b

+ 0.27
7 k P 14.88
g = gSTP b = 0.0753
Re D PSTP 14.7
= 0.0762lbm / ft 3
16
37530
B=
Re

k = 0.00015ft, Re = 363,037 0.0762lbm / ft 3 115.3 ft / s 0.5 ft

Re =
0.000014lbm / ft / s
f = 0.00419
= 363,037

2
Solids mass to air mass ratio
= 4.833
ws 30000lbm / hr hr
= =
gSTP QSTP 0.0752lbm / ft 1375 ft / min 60 min
3 3

= ___________

z for particles with dp > 500 microns dp = 4mm = 0.01312 ft

0.1 D = 0.5 ft
D
z = 0.082 0.3 Fr 0.86 Frs0.25

d
p
Fr =
(115.3 ft / s )2 = 826.3
2 32.174 ft / s 2 0.5 ft
V
Fr =
g

gD = _________
Frp =
(30.6 ft / s )2 = 2218
U2 32.174 ft / s 2 0.01312 ft
Frp = t = _________
gd p

z = 0.001564
z = ____________

Pbc = (4 0.00419 + 0.001564 4.833)

Hence
Pbc = __________
325 0.0762lbm / ft 3 (115.3 ft / s )
2

x
0.5 lbm ft
2 32.774
lbf s 2
ft 2
x
144in 2
= 1.729 psi

At point c
At point c
Pc = Pb + Pbc = _________
Pc = 14.88 + 1.729 = 16.61 psi
3
Q STP PSTP 1375 ft / min 14.7 psi min
Vg = = = _________ V g = 101.3 ft/s
A Pc 0.1963 ft 2 Pc 60 s

Pc P
g = gSTP = 0.0753 c = ________
PSTP 14.7
g = 0.0850 lbm/ft3

3
c-d Pipe Bend
Pcd = ___________ = 4.833 from previous page
(loading is constant)
gVg2
Pbend = B(1 + )
2gc
R B = 0.5 for this R/D
For > 6 B = ________
D
Pcd = 0.5(1 + 4.833)
Pcd = ___________ 0.0850(103.3) 1 ft 2
2
x
2 32.174 144in 2
At point d = 0.286 psi
Pd = ___________ Pd = 16.61 + 0.286 = 16.89 psia
Q STP PSTP 1375 ft 3 / min 14.7 psi min
Vg = = = _________
A Pd 0.1963 ft 2 Pd 60 s V g = 101.55 ft/s

Pd P
g = gSTP = 0.0753 d = ________ g = 0.0850 lbm/ft3
PSTP 14.7
Note g V g = constant
d-e Vertical Pipe
z = 50 ft Hence, Re does not change.
Since f = f(Re, k/D) then f does not
L gV g
2 change.
= (4 f + z )
g
Pvert + 0 z f = 0.00419
D 2gc gc = constant = 4.833
Frp = constant = 2218
f = _________
Fr =
(101.55 ft / s )2 = 641.05
Fr = _________ 32.174 ft / s 2 0.5 ft
0.1
D
z = ____________ z = 0.082 0.3
Fr 0.86
Fr 0.25
p d
p
= 0.001946
= g + (1 ) p
0
= ________
Vp
= 1 0.123(0.01312) 0.3 59 0.5
ws Vg
= 1 = ________ = 0.7425
A pV p
V p = 75.40 ft/s
Vp 30,000lbm / hr (1hr / 3600 s )
= 1 0.123d p0.3 0p.5 V p = _________ = 1
Vg 0.1963 ft 2 59lbm / ft 3 75.40 ft / s
=0.9905

4
 0 = 0.9905(0.0850) + (1 0.9905)59 =0.6485
3
lbm/ft
50 0.0850(101.55) 2
Pde = ( 4 0.00419 + 0.001946 4.833)
0.5 2 32.174
32.174
+ 0.6485 50
32.174
= 35.64 + 32.43 lbf / ft 2
= 0.465 psi

At point e Pe = 0.465+16.89 = 17.36psia

Pe = ___________

Q STP PSTP 1375 ft 3 / min 14.7 psi min

Vg = = = _________ V g = 98.83 ft/s
A Pe 0.1963 ft 2 Pe 60s

Pe P g = 0.0889 lbm/ft3
g = gSTP = 0.0753 e = ________
PSTP 14.7

e-f Pipe Bend

gVg2 Pef = 0.5(1 + 4.833)
Pbend = B(1 + )
2gc 0.0889(98.83) 1 ft 2
2
x
Pef = ___________ 2 32.174 144in 2
= 0.273 psi

At point f

Pf = ___________ Pf = 17.36 + 0.273 = 17.63 psia

Q STP PSTP 1375 ft 3 / min 14.7 psi min V g = 97.30 ft/s

Vg = = = _________
A Pf 0.1963 ft 2 Pf 60s

Pf Pf g = 0.0903 lbm/ft3
g = gSTP = 0.0753 = ________
PSTP 14.7

5
 This is the pressure increase
required by the blower.
f-g Horizontal Pipe
L = 100 ft plus has acceleration zone
Fr =
(97.30 ft / s )2 = 588.49
32.174 ft / s 2 0.5 ft
These calculations are similar to pipe section b-c plus the
0.1
addition of the acceleration D
z = 0.082 0.3
Fr 0.86
Fr 0.25
p d
Pfg = Phoriz + Paccel p
= 0.002095
L gV
2

Phoriz = (4 f + z ) = _________ Phoriz = (4 0.00419 + 0.002095 4.833)

g

D 2gc
100 0.0903 lbm / ft 3 (97.3 ft / s )
2

x
0.5 lbm ft
2 32.774
lbf s 2
Intermediate value for Pg (used for calculating Vg that is ft 2
x
used in calculating the Paccel 144in 2
= 0.473 psi
Pg ' = Pf + Phoriz =
Pg ' = 17.63 + 0.473 = 18.11psia

Q STP PSTP 1375 ft 3 / min 14.7 psi min

Vg = = = _________ V g = 94.76 ft/s
A Pg ' 0.1963 ft 2 Pg ' 60s

Pg ' Pg '
g = gSTP = 0.0753 = ________ g = 0.0927 lbm/ft3
PSTP 14.7

Vp/Vg = 0.7425 (from previous)

g V
2
Vp
Paccel =
g
1 + 2 = _________
2 g c V Paccel = 0.734 psi
g

Pg = _________ Pg = 18.84 psia

Pressure Drop Across Blower

Inlet pressure to blower

Pin = 14.7 0.3 = 14.4 psia

Pblower = Pg Pin = _____________

Pblower = 18.84 14.4
= 4.44 psi

6
Check Saltation Velocity

Use the Rizk Correlation

= 1.44d p + 1.96
= 1.1d p + 2.5
1

+1
w 10
V gs = s ( gD )

A g

Note, dp is in mm

From the Rizk equation, the largest saltation velocity

occurs at the smallest gas density (at the exit of the
cyclone). Use this condition to calculate the saltation
velocity.
= 1.44( 4mm) + 1.96 = 7.72
= _________
= 1.1( 4mm) + 2.5 = 6.90
= _________
1

lbm hr 6.9+1
30000 10 7.72 ft
6.9

V gs = hr 3600 s 32.174 2 0.5 ft

0.1964 ft 2 0.075 lbm
s
ft 3

= 71.2 ft/s

The smallest velocity in the pipeline occurs at point g

(94.76 ft/s) hence the velocity everywhere in the pipeline
exceeds the saltation velocity.

Assuming the blower is capable of the 4.44 psid pressure

increase, the velocity provided by the flow rate of 1375
SCFM exceeds the saltation velocity everywhere in the
pipe line, hence the blower and pipe system is capable of
conveying 30,000lbm/hr of solids.