Can You Solve the Pickleball Puzzle?
Kyle, Anna, and Neil got together for a round-robin pickleball tournament. The winner stays on after each game to play the person who sat out that game.

At the end of their pickleball afternoon, Anna is exhausted, having played the last seven straight games. Kyle, who is less winded, tallies up the games played:
  • Kyle played eight games
  • Anna played 12 games
  • Neil played 14 games
Who won the fourth game? Against whom?
Hint:How many total games were played?
QUOTE OF THE DAY

"The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot."
--Michael Altshuler
Pneumatic Conveying Systems
Avoid Common Mistakes
with these Design Considerations

Opting for a pneumatic conveying system is the easy part. Advantages include energy and product efficiency, increased safety, low maintenance and the ability to customize the design for your specific application.

Though operating a pneumatic conveying system is straightforward, designing one is complex. We can help you avoid common mistakes and the resulting consequences that could disrupt your process.
  1. Pressure Drop – Calculate the pressure drop over the length of the line. Variables include pipe size, line layout, product density, particle size and more.
  2. Low Pick-up Velocity – The air velocity at one end may differ by 1,000's ft/min from the air velocity at the other end. Account for the pressure drop through the system or the pick-up velocity may not be enough to fluidize the product, even causing the pick-up to plug.
  3. Flow Rate – Production rates often vary. Don't just design the feeding system for an average flow rate. Designing for average flow puts you at a disadvantage when you need the system to perform at peak capacity.
  4. Piping Design – Eliminate common problems with correct pipe design. Elbows too close together may plug. Sizing pipe too small can lead to a high pressure drop. If particle size or breakage is a concern, consider wide sweep elbows that are gentler on the product.
  5. Venting – After rotary valves transfer product into the blowline, the airlocks' pockets fill with pressurized air. That air has to go somewhere. Spec and install proper venting on the feed end.
  6. Air Flow Diversion – Generally, airflow is only designed to pick-up from one point and deliver to one point. If your system has multiple pick-up points and multiple destinations, utilize air tight diverters to isolate each conveying pathway from multiple pick-ups points to multiple destinations.
  7. Proper Filtering – Don't rely on the silo's vent filter. It is designed for the air displacement inside the bin, not conveying air. Your baghouse should be big enough to handle the conveying air flow, in addition to the small vent filter on the silo.
  8. Environmental Discharge – Unless you have a closed-loop system, you may have an environmental discharge point down the line. Check state and local compliance requirements.
  9. Corrosion – Product that’s corrosive or or acidic can damage carbon steel on vacuum and closed-loop systems. Make contact parts stainless.
TEC Engineering, along with conveyance specialist Cyclonaire, can determine which conveying phase - dense; semi-dense or dilute - is best suited for your process, and design and engineer a complete system to improve safety, efficiency and productivity. Variables include:
  • Particle size
  • Bulk density
  • Moisture content
  • Friability
  • Cohesiveness
  • Hydroscopicity
CB Series Blend-Veyor
Blend and Convey two or more materials in one unit for greater efficiency and less product degradation. Ideal for powdered friable materials from multiple sources.
The vacuum-loaded, semi-dense phase blend-veyor has a capacity up to 80 TPH. A single 15 PSI positive displacement blower for vacuum pressure conveying at low line velocities (<2000–5000 fpm) and high material to- air ratios (50–20), reduces material degradation and abrasive line wear.
Dense Phase Gravity (DPG) Loaded Conveyor
High pressure air achieves high material-to-air ratios, minimizing degradation and abrasive wear. Ideal for transferring powdered, granular or pelletized products over long distances. Handles highly abrasive and friable materials.
Dense Phase Vacuum (DPV) Loaded Conveyor
Unload bulk bags, trucks and railcars with Cyclonaire's dense phase vacuum loaded conveyor. A single unit can pull from multiple sources and convey to multiple destinations. System purge or multiple convey lines prevent material cross-contamination.
GF Series Conveyor
For simple transfer without the use of a rotary valve, the semi-dense GF Series conveyor features flow enhancing and anti-plugging modulation. This high capacity, gravity loaded material feed device offers a range of capacities up to 150 TPH.
HC Series Conveyor
The high capacity, side inlet, vacuum loaded HC Series conveyor has an 80+ TPH capacity. The semi-dense unit uses medium pressure blower air to convey abrasive and/or fluidizable powders at intermediate line velocities for less abrasive wear and particle degradation.
For more information on on pneumatic conveying solutions, contact your TEC representative or visit Cycloniare.
Technical Resources
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Birmingham, AL
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Covington, LA
Harvey Kinsey
Atlanta, GA
Lance Steed
Mobile, AL
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