Conveying - with no moving parts - August 2005 - SA Instrumentation & Control

Pneumatics & Hydraulics

Conveying - with no moving parts

August 2005 Pneumatics & Hydraulics Conferences & Events

Exair's compressed air operated Line Vac connects to standard hose or tube to create a powerful in-line conveyor. The compact design features large throat diameters for maximum throughput capability. Nine sizes are offered in aluminium, and eight in stainless steel, address a wide variety of transfer applications.

Line Vac conveyors are ideal for moving large volumes of material over long distances. A small amount of compressed air is injected through directed nozzles to produce a vacuum on one end and a high output flow on the other, with instant response. The material flow rate is easily controlled with a pressure regulator. An optional bracket permits easy mounting. No moving parts or electricity assures maintenance free operation. The units are available in a number of styles, materials and sizes. Kits include a pressure regulator that is sized properly for flow.

Conveying rate is affected by the size, mass and geometry of the material to be conveyed, along with the length, lift and number of bends in the hose or pipe. These variables make it difficult to determine the exact conveying rate for any product; however, ETEST can assist by comparing the material needing to be conveyed with something that has already been tested.

Aluminium is the economical choice for general purpose conveying. The standard stainless steel models offer good corrosion resistance and are suitable for food service, abrasive or corrosive applications. For critical applications including certain foods and pharmaceutical products, type 316 stainless steel models provide excellent corrosion resistance.

Other uses

The high temperature Line Vac models are suited for temperatures up to 482°C. frequently used for sampling hot flue gases, this High Temperature Line Vac can resist backpressure from long pipes with numerous bends.

Exair manufactures special Line Vacs suited to special application requirements. Configurations and materials can vary according to the application requirements. They can be engineered to retrofit existing machinery. For example, filling small packets with fine powders or granulated materials such as salt or sugar is done using small tubes that are gravity feed from a hopper. This works very well when the material is dry, however, moist materials would often pack the tube, blocking the flow. The special funnel shaped Line Vac (shown) created suction on the existing tube to permit continuous product flow.

A special miniature Line Vac was designed for a manufacturer of integrated circuit chips. It was used to remove microscopic debris during the chip making process. This small Line Vac generated high vacuum and was a handy configuration for use in confined spaces. It has also been used by another manufacturer to vacuum liquid and chips from small drilled holes.

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Pneumatics & Hydraulics

Conveying - with no moving parts

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