The Pneumatic Conveyor

Easy to Use – High Rates – Low Maintenance

Pneumatic conveying is an elegant, efficient solution for moving dry bulk material.

However, applying an off-the-shelf solution can – but usually does not – give customers the best value so we custom-design our systems around your specific application and material.

Carrying tons of dry bulk material through a pipe with air molecules requires tons of air molecules operating under a given amount of pressure. Each component of a system acts on the air and materials in ways specific to the properties of the air and materials and to the air-to-material ratio itself.

Our unique design concept provides for limited maintenance and prevents premature wear on components. Savings in the use of horsepower translates into less system heat and product degradation.

There are many advantages to pneumatic railcar unloading compared to mechanical conveying. Fewer moving parts mean fewer headaches, and an enclosed system means easy dust control. Another important advantage is flexibility in routing – we can convey material to places others can’t.

3D Model of a basic pneumatic conveying system for railcar unloading. — 3D Model of a basic pneumatic conveying system for pneumatic railcar or truck unloading.

A pneumatic conveying system with a “Pot” sucks dry bulk material through a pipe or tube from one location (railcar, truck trailer, silo, etc.) into the temporary ‘Pot’, and then blows the material from the Pot in a pipe to a destination (silo, bulk bag, process etc.).

These pot-based cyclic loading systems are simple to operate, long-lasting, and low-maintenance compared with mechanical conveyors.

High Rates

These high-rate systems employ either diesel or electric-driven motors that can range from 10 to 200 horsepower and can move material at a rate of one to one-hundred tons per hour.

Pneumatic Conveying Railcar Unloading Salt — USS Pneumatic Conveying System for Unloading Railcars of Salt. This unit replaced another USS system used for decades.

FEATURES AND OPTIONS:

Powerful industrial-duty motor
Powerful blower to move material suspended in air
V-Belt and DirectDrive options
Pulse-Jet Filtration technology
Industrial-duty gauges
Pressure/Vacuum Relief Valves for protection
Easy tool-less access hatches & doors
Stainless product contact areas available
Easy filter removal and replacement
Available in a variety of sizes for any application
Sturdy construction for stability and long blower life
Easy product flow
Flexible hoses available for inlet and discharge connections
Can be engineered with or without rotary valves
Pickup manifolds available
Simple check valves used to control air flow

BENEFITS:

Custom-designed for your material
Flexibility in destination routing
Durable design for decades of use
Expensive components are protected
Safe and easy for operators to use
Less moving parts means less headaches
Long-lasting industrial-duty components
Enclosed system = easy dust control
The few wear-parts are easily swapped
Material flows easily, avoiding “bin rash”
Easy removal of filtration media (if utilized)
Automated cycling of conveyor
Easy to use
Easy to clean
Easy to maintain

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A US Systems Pneumatic Railcar Unloading Station with boot lift next to train tracks and an industrial plant in the background. — No Pit? No Problem.

Rotary Valves:

Selling, maintaining, fixing, and refurbishing rotary valves are up to 30% of our competitors’ revenue, so they have a vested interest in selling as many as possible. US Systems is more discerning in their use because we want to serve our customer’s needs not just our own.

Rotary valves have their place, but depending on the application and required rate, we can often avoid the use of rotary valves altogether, saving on installation and maintenance costs and eliminating these issues:

Blow-by Air
Worn Shaft Seals
Bent Rotors
Holes in Elbows
Wasted Horsepower and Energy
Worn Out Housings
Chain Drive Maintenance
Valves with Inherent Leaks

We Provide Choices:

Depending on the application, proven solutions could include header systems for multiple tracks and car spots, choices of vacuum, pressure, or combination systems and portable and self-powered units.

Other Options Include:

Booster for Multiple Trailers
Choices of Vacuum, Pressure, or Combination Systems
Portable and Self-Powered Units

We Achieve High Rates with All Types of Trucks and Railcars:

Hopper
Airslide
Pressure Differential Cars

A blower package as part of a pneumatic conveying system unloading a railcar. — A USS Blower Package air mover.

Automation

Our systems feature industrial-duty NEMA-rated control panels that automate much of the process, allowing your system to run smoothly, with less downtime.

We build control panels to meet your application needs and may include:

NEMA-Rated Panels
Disconnect Switch
Primary Circuit Protection
Industrial-Duty Buttons, Selector Switches, and Door Devices
PLC – Programmable Logic Controller
Motor Starters
HMI – Human Machine Interface
LED Indicator Lights
Variable-Speed Controls
Touchscreen
Remote Networking Capability
Data Collection

Supporting Systems:

To match the environment of our customers operations, US Systems Pot, boosters, and supporting systems are designed to be especially rugged.

Each US Systems Pot features:

Stainless, Aluminum, or Carbon Steel Construction
Visual Inspection Sight Glasses
User-Friendly Access/Clean-Out Ports
Manual or Automatic Controls of Pneumatic and Electrical Functions
Premium Components Designed to Last
We Offer 12VDC, Pneumatic, or 120VAC Options for Controls

A US Systems Pot with header unloading a railcar.

A US Systems vacuum filter receiver used to pneumatically convey sodium sulfate from a railcar to a silo at a packaging plant in Louisiana.

Accessories:

Accessories that enable the operators to work safely and efficiently include easy to connect aluminum vacuum gate adapters with leak proof connections, manifolds, and flex hoses of stainless steel and food-grade rubber to mate railcars to systems.