Application
Pneumatic Conveying in Building Materials Plants
Answer in brief
With cement, lime and ash the conveying velocity is the wear bill.
These powders are fine and abrasive, and a dilute phase line at full velocity eats bends within months.
- Choose dense phase where distance and rate allow it.
- Dry the air; these materials react with moisture.
- Deaerate before any feeder downstream.
Reviewed October 21, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026
The problem
Fine abrasive mineral erodes bends and valve seats, and moisture in the conveying air starts hydration in cement and lime.
Desired outcome
A line that delivers the rate over the distance with a predictable wear life, and that does not introduce moisture into a hydraulic binder.
Process approach
Dense phase conveying at low velocity is the normal choice for distance and wear reasons, with dilute phase reserved for short transfers.
Air drying is a process requirement rather than a comfort: moisture causes build-up in the line and hydration in the silo.
Downstream of the receiver, a deaeration volume prevents the aerated powder from flooding the next feeder.
- Velocity set from the wear target.
- Air dried to a specified dew point.
- Deaeration volume before any feeder.
Selection factors
- Distance, rate and available air pressure.
- Particle hardness and the wear budget.
- Dew point required for the material.
- Receiver and filter sizing for surges.
- Downstream feeder requirements.
Common failure modes
- Dilute phase chosen for a long abrasive line
- Moist conveying air causing build-up and hydration
- Feeder flooding on aerated powder from the receiver
- Bend wear discovered through a line failure
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