Comparison of blower types used in pneumatic conveying systems
At the heart of every pneumatic conveying system is the air-moving device or blower. This article compares two basic blowers used in dilute-phase pneumatic conveying systems: the positive displacement blower and the fan-type turbo blower. By applying a few basic principles of pneumatic conveying and analyzing the relationship between the characteristics of each blower and the conveying line, some general guidelines for selecting the proper blower for an application can be established.
Both positive displacement blowers and single-stage or multi-stage fan-type turbo blowers must perform two basic functions: [1] they must develop a pressure difference within the conveying system that is equal to the total resistance of the complete system in order to convey material; and [2] they must displace a sufficient volume of air to facilitate material acceleration and to maintain the required air velocities to convey material. These functions will hold true regardless of whether the system is vacuum only, combination vacuum/pressure, or pressure only.