Project Overview
Zhongyu supplied a high-pressure pneumatic conveying system for a cement mixing facility located at approximately 3,000 meters above sea level.
The system is designed to convey cement at ≥40 t/h and fly ash at ≥30 t/h, connecting multiple storage silos with multiple receiving silos. The project was delivered as a turnkey pneumatic conveying solution, including pressure vessels, conveying pipelines, compressed-air equipment, control systems, and installation.
The Customer's Challenges
The customer faced three main challenges:
1. High-altitude operating conditions
The project site has a challenging high-altitude environment, with low temperatures, low atmospheric pressure, and significant seasonal weather variations. The conveying system therefore needed to be designed around the actual site conditions.
2. Multiple conveying destinations
The customer needed to transfer cement and fly ash from storage silos to different receiving silos. The system also needed to support future expansion without requiring a complete redesign.
3. Pipeline wear
Continuous pneumatic conveying of powder materials can place significant wear on elbows and tees, particularly at changes in flow direction. Long-term pipeline reliability was therefore an important consideration.
Zhongyu's Solution
Zhongyu designed a 4 × 4.0 m³ bottom-discharge pressure vessel system with automated pneumatic valves and flexible conveying routes.
Three cement storage silos share a conveying line with pneumatic switching valves, allowing cement from different storage points to be directed to designated receiving silos. The system was also designed with reserved interfaces for the second-phase expansion.
For key directional sections, the system uses ceramic-lined wear-resistant elbows and tees to improve protection in high-wear areas.
The conveying system includes a dedicated compressed-air package with:
- 2 × 132 kW air compressors
- 2 × 10 m³ air receivers
- 2 × refrigerated air dryers
- DN150 conveying pipeline
Automated Conveying Control
The system is controlled by a Siemens PLC and HMI, with pressure transmitters and level sensors monitoring the conveying process.
The automatic cycle includes:
Feeding → Pressurization → Conveying → Pipeline Purging → Next Cycle
Pressure and time interlocks help protect the system during abnormal conditions. The control system also coordinates the silo dust collector with the conveying process.
This allows the customer to operate the system with less manual intervention while maintaining controlled conveying conditions.
Project Value
The solution addresses the customer's requirements through four key improvements:
Flexible conveying: Multiple storage silos can supply designated receiving points.
Future-ready design: Interfaces are reserved for planned system expansion.
Wear protection: Ceramic-lined elbows and tees help protect critical pipeline sections.
Integrated operation: Conveying equipment, air supply, pipelines, and PLC control are delivered as one complete system.
Why Zhongyu?
This project demonstrates Zhongyu's approach to pneumatic conveying system design: solving the process problem first and selecting equipment around the customer's actual material, conveying route, capacity, and site conditions.
For cement, fly ash, mineral powders, and other bulk solids, Zhongyu provides complete pneumatic conveying solutions from engineering and equipment supply to installation and commissioning.
Planning a pneumatic conveying project? Contact Zhongyu with your material type, conveying capacity, distance, and silo layout for a tailored system solution.
