Design of atomized slip pneumatic conveying plant in ceramic industry by a simulator and experimental tests

Nowadays, in the ceramic industry, atomized slip is transferred mainly by belt conveyors. This kind of transport, also when the plant is equipped by specific powder confinement devices, spread out fine particles in the working environment, generating a serious risk for worker’s health. Atomized slip pneumatic conveying fully solves dust pollution problem in industrial environment, but some fluid-dynamic parameters need to be controlled to ensure that the atomized slip had the characteristics required by the following processing. This paper shows how to design the pipeline by a simulator (TPSimWin) able to evaluate, step-by-step, the characteristic parameters of the two-phase flow in every section of the piping, such as pressure losses, air and solid speed and gradient, voidage ratio. Moreover, several experimental tests have been carried on by means of a full scale layout facility. The first step consisted in the fluid dynamic characterization of the atomized slip particles and, afterword to define the best operating conditions for pneumatic conveying, in dense phase, in order to preserve particle integrity and humidity.