Performance of a venturi eductor as a feeder in a pneumatic conveying system
The venturi eductor has long been used as a pipeline feeding device in pneumatic conveying systems. The early ejector patents of 1870 and 1936 even suggested, in nebulous language, their ability to "convey dusts and powders." No substantive analysis of a venturi eductor's ability to convey particulates was found in the technical literature. Consequently, a joint research project was undertaken in 1985 by Fox Valve, Dover, N.J., and Thames Polytechnic, London, to investigate the factors affecting the performance of a system fed by a venturi eductor.
To date, hundreds of test runs have been completed, yielding data regarding the influence of product type on conveying performance. Continuing work will include analyses of factors such as the influence of pipeline dimensions and energy consumption.