Olds vs. Pneumatic Handling

Pneumatic conveying of bulk materials can accomplished by one of two basic methods: Dilute Phase or Dense Phase. In dilute phase the material is conveyed in suspension in a gas, usually air. The particles of the bulk material are aerated and moved through the conveyor pipeline until the discharge point. The conveying air must be handled, along with dust, by a filter / receiver at the discharge point.

Pneumatic conveying has many advantages over mechanical conveying, namely the ability to convey vertically, horizontally, inclined and around corners with the same system. Disadvantages include high power consumption, wear of the conveying lines (particularly the elbows) and the need for air and dust handling systems at material discharge points. Dense Phase pneumatic conveying does not aerate the material but moves the material in “slugs” through the conveyor pipeline. Dense phase conveying is considered to be less harmful to fragile material than dilute phase conveying. Most materials that are conveyed pneumatically can be elevated in an OLDS ELEVATOR™. The power consumption to vertically elevate material is generally much less in an OLDS ELEVATOR™ than a pneumatic conveyor, particularly with dense materials (100 - 300 lbs./cu/ft/). OLDS ELEVATORS™ do not need to have dust and air handling systems attached to their discharge points.