Frequently Asked Questions

Some of the advantages of choosing a pneumatic conveying system over a mechanical transport system are adaptability to virtually any site configuration, ease of maintenance, and faster ROI. Pneumatic conveying systems can also move dry bulk materials farther than conventional mechanical systems, at a lower cost.

Pneumatic conveying systems can be used to transport bulk material products from a single source to multiple destinations, or from multiple locations to a single destination. By contrast, most mechanical transport systems can only move material from one source to one destination.

Yes, pneumatic conveying systems are highly adaptable to fit existing facility floor plans, typically taking up less real estate than mechanical, straight line/run systems. Conveying lines are easily routed in and around existing ceiling zones (trusses, conduit, etc.).

Yes, pneumatic conveying systems typically cost less to operate, use less energy and are easier to maintain. Pneumatic conveying systems for moving bulk material can be designed so that all system components may be taken apart for cleaning and put back again in a short amount of time. Mechanical transport equipment is generally a single-piece design and presents more cleaning challenges than pneumatic systems.

Our pneumatic conveying systems and equipment are durable, and are designed for long life. Periodic replacement of filters and oil changes are usually the only ongoing maintenance required, and will keep your system performing at its best.

Both types of systems can convey many tons of bulk material per hour. The choice comes down to overall system costs, equipment life span and installation parameters. Pneumatic systems are typically more versatile, easier to clean, and are faster to change over to move other types of materials.

Typically, Central-Powered pneumatic conveying systems have much fewer moving parts, requiring less operator interface, and are usually controlled from a single-point system-wide control panel.

Pneumatic conveying systems have no moving parts as air (or inert gas medium) does the conveying. By contrast, mechanical transport equipment will have rotating / vibrating components with some components exposed to the product and may need regular maintenance. With fewer moving parts involved, pneumatic conveying systems inherently require less maintenance over complicated mechanical equipment; should a belt/bucket conveyor system break there is considerable potential for product loss and product clean-up, as well as equipment repair and downtime.

Yes, since bulk material product is transferred through tubing or piping, a pneumatic conveying system can move product from one floor to another, as well as from room-to-room or to another building, including over great distances up to hundreds of feet away, with multiple directional and elevation changes.

Pneumatic conveying systems can be designed with conditioned and precisely controlled air so that properties of the final product are not affected. Mechanical Transport Systems, e.g. screw conveyors, may cause attrition or damage to the fragile products especially over long distances. We can engineer a bulk material conveyance system to reduce or even eliminate product degradation. Send us a material sample, or detailed description of the material, so that we may analyze the material and offer the best possible solution.

Pneumatic conveying systems can be designed for bulk material applications requiring sanitary equipment. Pneumatic conveying systems are suitable to avoid cross-contamination, especially allergens, as the conveyance lines can be purged and cleaned efficiently to facilitate easy change-over, and cleaning validation acceptable by USDA OR EHEDG. Mechanical equipment can be difficult to clean and in most cases, manual cleaning is mandatory. Pneumatic conveying systems do not have internal metal parts so there is no risk of ferrous or metal contamination to the conveyed product. Mechanical equipment (e.g. screw conveyors) has internal metal parts and therefore, has the possibility of introducing metal contamination into product material.

A pneumatic conveying system can be reconfigured to allow system expansion and/or to fit facility floor plans; some cases may require a minor modification of the blower package (re-tune) to fit the new configuration by swapping out blower sheaves and drive belts.

Yes. Pneumatic conveying equipment does not generate heat or have ignition sources which might trigger an explosion of combustible dusts or powders. Mechanical equipment has the risk of generating heat or sparks created by rotating parts, which may pose as ignition sources for combustible dusts and powders.

Not necessarily. Pneu-Con will carefully assess your bulk material characteristics and processing application, and advise accordingly.

Pricing for a pneumatic conveying system varies from project to project, and from application to application. We treat every customer’s project as a custom design, but can often put together a bulk material handling solution using standard parts. This approach can save the customer time and reduce overall costs. We can also design and engineer a complete custom pneumatic conveying system based on a customer’s specifications, and for those bulk material applications which have unique requirements.

You can reach the Pneu-Con sales team by calling 1 (800) 655-4481 from 7:00am - 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. Outside of regular business hours, you can send an online message to sales for email delivery. Our sales team will get back with you during regular business hours.

To request a quote, please complete our online RFQ form and submit it with your project information and contact details. Your request will be sent to one of our team members who will contact you during regular business hours with a quote, or to discuss your project.

Pneu-Con is located in Ontario, California. We provide service throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Pneu-Con can design, engineer and manufacture a pneumatic conveying system for moving most types of dry bulk material or powder. Our portfolio of bulk material handling systems can solve issues for challenging materials including those which are abrasive, corrosive, flaky, fluidizable, free-flowing, granular, oily, pellets, powdery, spherical or sticky.

Types of materials our systems can handle include dry bulk food & ingredients, coffee beans and grounds, grains, nuts, seeds, protein powders, salt, sugar, spices, candy, dry bulk feed and pet food, as well as dry chemicals, minerals, cosmetics, pigments, plastics, toners, pharmaceutical ingredients and fine powders. View a sample list of materials

Contact us to ask about specific dry bulk materials, to discuss material characteristics or to discover options for the transfer and movement of bulk materials in your production line.

Pneu-Con can design and engineer any type of bulk material handling system for most applications. We engineer and manufacture pneumatic conveying systems and can integrate our systems with components and controls from other manufacturers.

Our full range of services includes design, engineering, integration, commissioning, startup, repair, parts, maintenance and staff training of complete bulk material processing systems and solutions.

Call Pneu-Con at 1 (800) 655-4481 during regular busines hours and ask to speak to our sales team to discuss your bulk material handling process and discover solutions and upgrade options for your specific needs. After-hours, send an online message to sales for email delivery. Our sales team will get back with you during business hours.