Minimum conveying velocity in horizontal pneumatic transport and the pickup and saltation mechanisms of solid particles

Over the past years, experimental research on both pickup and sanitation mechanisms has been conducted in our laboratory. Both pickup and saltation mechanisms of solid particles have been examined in relation to the prediction of the minimum conveying velocity required in horizontal pneumatic transport systems that operate in dilute-phase. Several experiments have been carried out to determine pickup, saltation, and particle velocity of a wide variety of materials. The use of dimensional analysis and the experimental findings led to simple correlations useful to predict pickup and saltation velocity of coarse particles (above 100 μm). Noteworthy is the effect of pipe diameter on the pickup mechanism, an important result to be considered in scale-up procedures. The pickup and saltation mechanisms of solid particles have been related with the aid of a novel diagram, opening new avenues to fully understand the complex behavior of gas-solids suspensions flowing inside pipes.