(121b) Experimental Analysis of Line Forces in Dense Phase Pneumatic Systems

Dense phase pneumatic convey systems have long been known to create substantial pipe forces due to the inherent nature of the system. Dense phase creates discreet slugs of product in the convey line. The kinetic energy of the moving mass of product can exert unusually large forces on the pipeline and its supports; most often focused on elbows where the change in direction creates a directional acceleration. While the existence of these forces has long been recognized, few attempts have been made to measure the forces at work. An experiment has been created that attempts to isolate and measure the specific forces experienced by the elbow and correlate to other measurable variables such as slug size, size speed and momentum. The eventual use of this work is create a model to simulate pipe forces so that pipe supports can be designed to properly absorb the forces specifically created by a designed pneumatic conveying system.