Material Handling and Pneumatic Conveying Blowers

Material handling and pneumatic conveying blowers move air through an enclosed system to transport materials. They generate tremendous air flow in a tube (often by a vacuum) to pull granular materials, papers, powders, or pellets from one location to another. Material handling and pneumatic conveying blowers are contained systems that are maximized for efficiency and sealed to prevent the escape of transported materials. Industrial systems are used to move pellets, grains, and powders. Commercial systems are used by banks, hospitals and other institutions to move paper and paperwork. Both types of material handling and pneumatic conveying blowers are made of materials such as aluminum, cast iron, steel, stainless steel, plastics, and composites.  

Material handling and pneumatic conveying blowers carry performance specifications such as air flow rate, static pressure, media temperature, and maximum diameter of the fan or blower wheel. Choices for design configuration include axial, bi-lobal or tri-lobal, and centrifugal. There are two common drive options: direct drive and belt drive. Direct drive material handling and pneumatic conveying blowers are so named because they directly couple an electric motor to the blower shaft for direct power transmission. Belt drive blowers are powered by belts and sheaves or pulleys. Typically, one sheave is mounted on an electric motor and the other on the fan or blower. The two sheaves are then connected by belts. 

Features are also important to consider when selecting material handling and pneumatic conveying blowers.  Explosion-proof devices are designed to withstand the explosion of a specified gas or vapor within the motor housing and/or machine casing. Sometimes, these products are designated as as TEFC-XP (Totally Enclosed Fan Cooled, Explosion Proof). Material handling and pneumatic conveying blowers may also be equipped with access doors, wheels, or hardware for wall-mounting. 

Material handling and pneumatic conveying blowers differ in terms of environmental capabilities and construction class. Choices for environmental capabilities include clean air supply; corrosive gases; dirty air or gases; light solids, powder, and dust; and smoke.    Some material handling and pneumatic conveying blowers have an AMCA class that describes the device’s compliance with requirements from the Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA). Typically, products with a larger class number provide greater minimum performance but cost more. 

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