Application
Dense Phase Conveying in Feed and Grain Plants
Answer in brief
Feed and grain plants use dense phase where breakage matters and mechanical transfer does not fit.
Kernels and pellets survive a low velocity line far better than a dilute phase one, and the blend stays mixed.
- Use it where breakage or segregation is the cost.
- Compare honestly against mechanical conveying on energy.
- Keep the air dry, since feed ingredients are hygroscopic.
Reviewed October 21, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026
The problem
Dilute phase conveying breaks kernels and pellets and generates dust that then has to be collected and protected.
Pre-blended feed also segregates in a long high velocity line.
Desired outcome
A conveying line that reaches the rate over the required distance while keeping the product and the pipework in the condition the process needs.
Process approach
Dense phase moves the material as a bed, which keeps breakage and segregation low.
The honest comparison is against a chain or belt conveyor, which uses far less energy over the same distance; dense phase wins where the route is awkward or the transfer must be enclosed.
Air dryness matters because most feed ingredients take up moisture.
- Breakage and segregation targets agreed before sizing.
- Energy comparison against mechanical alternatives.
- Dried conveying air for hygroscopic ingredients.
Selection factors
- Product fragility and the breakage limit.
- Blend composition and segregation risk.
- Route geometry and whether mechanical transfer is possible.
- Air dryness and its effect on the product.
- Dust explosion characteristics of the generated fines.
Common failure modes
- Dense phase chosen where a chain conveyor would have been cheaper
- Moist conveying air causing caking in the receiver
- Blend segregating despite low velocity because of the discharge
- Fines from breakage overloading the filter
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