Coperion: Pneumatic conveying - Increased Performance and Productivity
At the end of October 2003 Coperion Waeschle GmbH & Co. KG, Weingarten, staged a very successful pneumatic conveying in-house seminar with company trade fair – around 60 attendees from all branches of industry met at Baienfurt-Niederbiegen, the manufacturing and test centre site of Coperion Waeschle, to be informed on increased capacity and productivity during dilute-phase, strand and plug conveying. The lectures at the seminars focused on
• The different types of pneumatic conveying and the selection of the conveying mode which is most suitable for the respective bulk solid. During plug conveying, which is very gentle to the product, the new self-optimising INTACON® air control system fully automatically adjusts the maximum conveying capacity for each product and then reliably runs with the lowest possible air quantity in the stable range.
• Rotary valves, diverter valves and slide valves as function-critical components in conveying systems. Emphasis was placed on the description of the design and principle of operation of the new ZXQ rotary valve, the first blow-through valve suitable for powder conveying with a differential pressure of up to 3.5 bar. This valve increases the capacity of an existing conveying system considerably without any major modification.
• Measures for plant optimisation with which existing conveying systems can be adapted to suit current and future tasks and demands. These include scraper systems for efficient and inexpensive plant cleaning when the product is changed, product cleaning systems with mobile separators for removing fines, high-standard service in conjunction with thorough training of plant operators and the leasing service.
The presentations at the test centre were a real highlight at the event. At the test centre conveying pipes with various diameters and a total length of more than 2,000 m as well as all facilities necessary for the operation of conveying systems are installed, so that seminar attendees were able to experience ‘hands-on conveying technology’. Dr. Hans Hoppe, Head of Technology at Coperion Waeschle, explained: ‘In our test centre we are able to examine the conveying properties of bulk solids under practical conditions on an industrial scale. We achieve conveying capacities of up to approximately 110 t/h with polyolefins and even 230 t/h with PTA, pipe lengths of up to 800 m and system pressures of up to 6 bar – these values are a world record for test centre performance’.
At the company trade fair Coperion Waeschle exhibited the widest range of rotary valves, diverter valves, slide valves and air control systems in its 103-year history. ‘The exhibits are on show to answer the question why our components are so reliable“, explains Nils Bannat, Head of Component Sales. ‘At the same time they show the experts the important details which make a decisive difference’. The new pillar of the company, Coperion Trading, was also introduced at the company fair. Due to its cooperation with trading partners Coperion is able to supply conveying and compounding systems from one source as overall plants all over the world. Five of the numerous renowned partner companies took the opportunity to present their products.