Part 1.: Vacuum Conveying and the applications for bulk materials in thechemical-, pharma-, and food-industries

Suction/Aspiration, conveying and loading with dust s, powders & granules

Dipl.-Ing. B.Eng.(Hons) Thomas Ramme, Soest

Table of Contents

* Pneumatic Conveying in comparison to mechanical conveying

* Vacuum Conveying in comparison to positive pressure conveying

* Flexible Configurations and diverse applications of Vacuum Conveying Systems

* Powder Transfer Solution Examples, integration into all solids process systems

* Silo Loading, big-bag discharging, drum filling, reactor loading, hopper discharging etc.

* Examples of materials to be conveyed and powder transfer parameters

* Dilute-phase, dense-phase and plug-flow with Vacuum Conveying

* Analysis of components (Vacuum pump, receiver vessel, filter systems)

* Cyclic powder transfer with Multiple-Jet-Vacuum-Pumps versus electrical mechanical pumps

* How to adapt the Vacuum Conveyors to the wide variety of applications

VOLKMANN GmbH Vakuumtechnik Schloitweg 17 D-59494 Soest Germany

Phone: ++ 49 (0) 29 21 / 96 04 – 0 Fax: – 900 mail@Volkmann.info www.Volkmann .info

How do you transfer your bulk materials?

Mechanical Transport

Hopefully not like that!

Back-falling material

Flammable materials

Conveying Screw

High friction

Open rotating parts

EX-risk powder

layers (cloud

building)

EX-risk overheating

EX-risk electric sparks

Wear

Cross contamination because large

residuals remain in screw

Blockages

Not dust-freeTEL +97235464578 fax: +97235464569 mblinfo@mbl.co.il

Example Positive Pressure Conveying

Transfer of bulk materials - pneumatic

Pressure rated sending vessel

Receiving vessel

Filter

I

Discharging valve

Loading vessel

- Pressure rated vessel necessary

- Powder has to be loaded into a pressure rated vessel

- Complex installation

- Tends to block at higher pressures and longer distances (esp. on fibres..)

- Often bypass system necessary

- Pressurised system, small leakages lead to large dust clouds

- Accumulation of electrostatic charges / blowing into large volumes

- For small/medium conveying rates more expensive than Vacuum Conveying

- Possible heating of powder at the feeding point

TEL +97235464578 fax: +97235464569 mblinfo@mbl.co.il

Material flow in a Vacuum Conveying System with fee ding and discharging locations

Various pick-up and loading options

Suction / Emptying of:

• Hoppers

• Big-Bags / FIBCs

• Silos

• Sacks

• Drums

• Trays

• Dryers

• Sieves

• Mills

• …

Powder supply to /

Loading

• Reactors

• Stirring vessels

• Weighing containers

• Tablet presses

• Mills

• Mixers

• IBCs

• Capsule filling ma.

• Dosing units

• Packaging ma.

• Centrifuges

• …

Powder Transfer Solutions

Vacuum Transport System

Vacuum Conveyors in the pharmaceutical industries

Vacuum Conveyor for the discharging of drums (various powder-like raw materials) and loading of a mixer.

Discharging of Fluidised-bed-dryer andloading of drums with the same, mobileVacuum Conveyor.

Powder Transfer Solutions

Vacuum Conveyor for

dust-free loading of drums with

Palladium-oven ash

(Catalyst-Recycling)

Powder Transfer SolutionsTEL +97235464578 fax: +97235464569 mblinfo@mbl.co.il

Loading of a Toner powder-

filling machine

Discharging of Big-Bags in

the room next door

Capacity: 1,100 kg/h

Toner powder for photocopiers

with fine content up to app.

0.1 µm, sensitive against

mechanical loads, aggressive to

special plastics

Powder Transfer Solutions TEL +97235464578 fax: +97235464569 mblinfo@mbl.co.il

Silo loading in general bulk industry

Conveying of iron sulphate powder

Total distance: 20 m

Height: 12 m

Capacity: 3000 kg/h

Conveyor: VR 450

Vacuum Transport System

Discharging location

Powder Transfer Solutions

Silo loading in general bulk industry

Powder feeding station / hopper

Replacement of mechanical conveying system

Feeding location

Vacuum Pick-up point

Powder Transfer Solutions

Big-Bag (partial)unloading, loss in

weight dosing & silo loading

Load cell

Feeding Point

Powder Transfer Solutions

API‘s (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients)

Reactor Loading

in the pharmaceutical & chemical industries

INEX

Inert System for the Loading in zone 0

Pressure rated Vacuum Conveyors

Powder Transfer Solutions

Stirring vessel loading

in the paint & dye industries

INEX

Inert System for the Loading in zone 1

Pressure rated powder locks

Double valve powder locks

TEL +97235464578 fax: +97235464569 mblinfo@mbl.co.il

Vacuum Conveyors

in OEL relevant

applications

Filling of IBC

through split valve

to maintain OEL

level during container

handling

Powder Transfer Solutions

Mixer loading

Tablet press

feeding

Mixer loadingVessel loadingPowder (raw materials)

dosing and charging

into IBC (with in-line safety

sieving (cone-mill)).

Chemie Pharma Food Diverse

TiO2 Laxative granule Icing sugar Toner powder

Flame soot Paracetamol powder Cocoa Aluminium dust

Sulphur Pharma capsules Garlic powder Blood powder

SiO2 St. John's wort (drug) Apple sauce Al2O3-Powder

Talcum Acetylsalicylic acid Cream-fat-powder Magnesium swarfs

Zinc oxide Ascorbic acid Bacon pieces Casting powder

Silicon carbide Sterile caps "Milk" Mussel shell

Bentonite Cellulose powder Wheat starch PE-granule

Activated carbon Plant drugs Desiccated coconut Stront ium Ferrite powder

Resin granule Barium sulphate Mixed spices Colour pigm ents

Sodium cyanate Magnesium powder Chanterelles Palladium ashes

Ethylene-Poly. Tablets Gelee granule Electro waste (sh redered)

Powder Transfer Solutions

Chemical Pharmaceutical Food Divers

Influences on the design of a pneumatic Vacuum Conv eying System

Powder Transfer Solutions

2. Basic Theory 2.1 General Pressure drop for air flow ∆pL

(2):

2

2w

d

lp L

LL ∗∗∆∗=∆ ρλ [Equation 1]

λL = pipe friction coefficient for air flow ∆l = pipe length in m d = pipe diameter in mm ρL = density of air in kg/dm3

w = air velocity in m/s

υdw ∗=Re

[Eq. 2] υ = kinematic viscosity

of air in m2/s Suspense velocity vS from equation 3. gravity force = lifting force + resistance force

−∗∗∗= 1

3

4

L

K

wKS c

gdv

ρρ

[Eq. 3]

dK = corn diameter in mm g = gravity acceleration in m/s2

cw = drag coefficient ρK = corn density in kg/dm3

Powder Transfer Solutions

Conveying conditions

Dilute phase conveyingw = 18 up to 35 m/s

v/w < 1

µ = 10 (...30)

Dense phase conveyingw < 20 m/s

v1 (top) > v2 (bottom)

v/w < 0,7

Plug conveyingw = 3 up to 10 m/s

v/w < 0,5

µ = 10 – 100

w = air velocity

v = product velocity

Qs = product mass flow

Ql = air mass flow

µ = product load = Qs / QLPowder Transfer Solutions

3. Principle design of a

modular

dense phase / plug flow

Vacuum Conveyor

Conveying cycles:

1. Suction / Vacuum

2. Filling

3. Aspiration / Filter cleaning

4. Discharging

Vacuum generator

Filter

Discharge system

Separator container

Powder Transfer Solutions

Vacuum generation

* Side channel blower (in suction operation)

* Oil sealed rotary vane pumps

* Multiple stage, compressed air driven vacuum pumps

* Liquid ring vacuum pumps

* Roots vacuum pumps

* Ejectors.

The multiple stage, compressed air driven vacuum-jet pumps offer a wide application

range because high amounts of suction-air for dilute phase conveying and also big

pressure differences for plug flow conveying can be achieved.

Separator container systems

* one-piece containers

* one-piece containers in pressure rated design

* containers consisting of several parts

* modular containers consisting of several parts

(modular construction system)

* separator containers made of special materials:

e.g. stainless steels in different qualities and alloys,

coatings or special linings, glass containers

Filter systems

* Deep filtration:

e.g. sintered candle filters, plastics, stainless steel,

cellulose, bag filters, tube filters

* Surface filtration:

Membrane filters, e.g. PTFE coated filters

* Primary / secondary filters

Classification of vacuum pumps acc. to DIN 28400, part 2

Hubkolben-Vakuumpumpe

Membran-Vakuumpumpe

Oszillationsverdränger-Vakuumpumpe

Vielzellen-Vakuumpumpe

Drehschieber-Vakuumpumpe

Sperrschieber-Vakuumpumpe

Wälzkolben-Vakuumpumpe

Kreiskolben-Vakuumpumpe

Flüssigkeitsring-Vakuumpumpe

Rotationsverdränger-Vakuumpumpe

Verdränger-Vakuumpumpe

Molekular-Vakuumpumpe

Turbo-Vakuumpumpe

Gasring-Vakuumpumpe

Mechanisch-kinetischeVakuumpumpe

fraktionierendeDiffusionspumpe

selbstreinigendeDiffussionspumpe

Diffusions-Pumpe

einstufigeEjektorpumpe

MULTIJECTORVakuumpumpe

mehrstufigeEjektorpumpe

Gasstrahl-Vakuumpumpe

Dampfstrahl-Vakuumpumpe

FlüssigkeitsstrahlVakuumpumpe

Treibmittelstrahl-Vakuumpumpe

Diffusions-Ejektorpumpe

TreibmittelVakuumpumpe

Ionentransfer-Pumpe

KinetischeVakuumpumpe

Gastransfer-Vakuumpumpe

Kondensator

Kyropumpe

Getterpumpe

Adsorptions-Pumpe

Gasbindende-Vakuumpumpe

VAKUUMPUMPEN(Funktionsprinzip)

TEL +97235464578 fax: +97235464569 mblinfo@mbl.co.il

Principle design of a multiple-stage, gas-jet driven Vacuum Pump

Compressed air

Suction air

Exhaust air

Powder Transfer Solutions

The Laval nozzle

Sonic speed

Supersonic speedSubsonic speedNorm nozzle Diffusor

Applications for

Multijector

Vacuum pumps

MULTIJECTOR©

Vacuum Pumps

M-RVA / M-RVAC

• multiple stage

• compressed air driven

• completely made out of

stainless steel

• Viton / EPDM gaskets

• max. Vacuum -96 kPa

• CIP-able

Vacuum Conveyor with electric-driven, oil-sealed ro tary vane Vacuum Pump

continuous energy consumption…Powder Transfer Solutions

Comparison:

- electric - mechanical

Vacuum Pumps

(here two dry running pumps)

- Multijector Vacuum Pump

jet-pump (type G 4500)

Receiver- and collecting containers for Vacuum Conveyo rs

Throughputs

from 10 kg/h

to up to

8000 kg/h

All ATEX certified by TÜV

Pneumatic Pharma Conveyors (PPC):

+ GMP-suitable, smooth, polished, gap-free, WIP / CIP

Modular container design:1. Highest flexibility by modular construction system

2. Different flow conditions during suction

Loading of a can-filling machine

Dependency of transfer throughput from bulk density

For approx. 10 m conveying distance. Attention: Each bulk material may show different behaviour.

Bulk density in kg/dm³

Thr

ough

put i

n t/h

Conveyors:

Vacuum Conveyor in one-piece design, Pneumatic Pharma Conv. (PPC):+ GMP-suitable, smooth, polished, gap-free, WIP-suitable

Manual drum discharging by suction -lance and loading of a mixer

ETFE (FDA)-coating

Qualification of Vacuum Conveyors

Steps of a Qualification / Validationprocess:

1. User requirement specification (URS)

2. Functional Specification3. Design qualification(DQ)4. Installation qualification (IQ)5. Operation qualification (OQ)6. Performance qualification (PQ)7. Validation

PPC 315 acc. to FDA

Washing in Place:

1. Wetting cycle

Washing in Place:

2. CIP cycle

Modules for CIP Cleaning of a

PPC 170 K

on top of a tablet press

Loading of tablet pressesIndependent institutes, tablet manufactures and contractors confirmed that there is norelevant separation/segregation if VR and PPC Vacuum Conveyors are used.

Filter systems

* Deep filtration:

e.g. sintered candle filters, plastics, stainless steel, cellulose,

bag filters, tube filters

* Surface filtration:

Membrane filters, e.g. PTFE coated filters

* Primary / secondary filters

Classification - particle air filterVOLKMANN GmbH -- Vakuumtechnik -- 59494 Soest -- www.volkmann.info

NORM Eurovent DIN 24185 DIN DINTest

aerosolFiltration

gradeIEC

average transmittance

grade

Test aerosol

BIATest

aerosol

average transmittance

grade

DIN 24184 EN 779EN

1822[ > % ]

60335-2-69 Annex AA

[ > % ] [ > % ]

EU 1 EU 1 G 1 <65

EU 2 EU 2 G 2 65-80

COARSE FILTERS EU 3 EU 3

G 3 80-90

EU 4 EU 4 G 4 ≥90

EU 5 EU 5 F 5 40-60

EU 6 EU 6 F 6 60-80

FINE FILTERS EU 7 EU 7 F 7 80-90

EU 8 EU 8 F 8 90-95

EU 9 EU 9 F 9 ≥95

EU 10 Q H 10 85

EU 11 R H 11 95

HEPA FILTERS EU 12 R H 12 99,5

EU 13 S H 13 99,95

EU 14 (T) H 14 99,995

EU 15 (U) U 15 99,9995

ULPA FILTERSEU 16 (U) U 16 99,99995

(ULPA = Ultra Low Penetrat ion Air Filter) EU 17 (U) U 17 99,999995

A direct reference from BIA- and IEC-classes to oth er

Attention! class systems is not possible!

* DEHS = Di-ethyl-hexyl-sebacat DOP = Di-octyl-phtalat

(HEPA = High Efficiency Part iculate

Air Filter) Par

affin

e oi

l mis

t

0,05

Qua

rtz

dust

U 5

1

0,5

0,1

S

G

C

DE

HS

alt.

DO

P *

Par

rafin

e oi

l mis

t

H

M

5

0,1

0,005 Paraffine oil mist

synt

hetic

dus

tat

mos

pher

ic d

ust

Qua

rtz

dust

L

Vacuum Conveyor VR 315 with primary filter

- secondary filter afterwards (left)

- then vacuum pump (middle)

- Vacuum control at secondary filter

- Replacement of a screw conveyor that often

caused production-breakdown

Continuous Vacuum Conveying

4. Application examplesMaterial to be

conveyedBulk

Density[kg/dm 3]

Con-veyingHeight

[m]

Con-veying

Distance[m]

Particle size MaterialCharacteristic

Transportingcapacity [kg/h]

Suction- andloading system

1. Dicyano-diamide powder

0,7 2 4 20 up to100 µm

bridging occurs 600 VR 315: Weight=19 kg∅ 345 mm, Height=955 mm

2. Activatedcarbon dust

0,4 3 3 fine dust,5 up to 80 µm

adherent 120 VR 170: Weight=6 kg∅ 180 mm, Height=450mm

3. Placebogranule

0,6 2 4 100 up to1000 µm

very goodflowing

5.000 VR 450: Weight=39 kg∅ 480 mm, H=1.160mm

4. Hexamethy-lenetetramine

0,7 - 0,8 4 12 > 5 µm hygroscopic 1.400 VR 315: Weight=19 kg∅ 345 mm, Height=955 mm

5. Par-acetamol powder

0,8 1,5 3 40 up to200 µm

adherent &bridging

1.000 VR 315: W=19 kg∅ 345 mm, H=955 mm

6. Ferricpowder

3,5 4 5 50 up to100 µm

sensitive,abrasive

180 VR 170: W=6 kg∅ 180 mm, H=450 mm

7. Flamesoot

0,2 5 15 0,1 up to44 µm

bridging,adherent

1.440 VR 450 Contivac(continuous conveying)

8. Titanium-dioxide& dyes

0,85 - 1,4 1,5 3 > 2 µm partial stronglyadherent

600 up to1.628

VR 315: W=19 kg∅ 345 mm, H=955 mm

9. shredded wheatpellets

0,98 5 12 dust content,∅ 2 x 8 mm

sensitive 3.600 VR 450: W=39 kg∅ 480 mm, H=1.160mm

10. Sand-lime-mixture

1,38 0,5 32 400 up to900 µm

badflowing

30,0 VR 170, W=6 kg∅ 180 mm, H=450 mm

11. Toner 0,2 - 0,8 4 5 very fine dust> 0,1 µm

aggressive 1.100 VR 315: W=19 kg∅ 345 mm, H=955 mm

12. Polyurethanegranule

0,9 10 12 1 up to3 mm

goodflowing

1.000 VR 315: W=19 kg∅ 345 mm, H=955 mm

13. Plasticcaps

- 0,5 10 ∅ 40 mm,H=25 mm

sensitive 17.100caps per h

VR 315: W=19 kg∅ 345 mm, H=955 mm

Thank you for your attention !

TEL +97235464578 fax: +97235464569 mblinfo@mbl.co.il