design, construction and evaluation of a canola seed pneumatic conveyor in the dilute phase

a canola seed pneumatic conveyor was designed and constructed to convey canola seed at a 90 g/hr mass flow rate through a 58 mm diameter pipe. physical and aerodynamic properties of the canola seed that are critical to the design process were measured. system pressure drop, comprising air pressure drop and solid pressure drop and which is the most important aspect of pneumatic conveyor design, was calculated. after pressure drop calculation and selection of a suitable centrifugal blower, rotary feeder, power transport mechanism, pressure drop measurement station and frame were constructed. these sections were combined and the conveyor was completed. the ventilation velocity of the seeds was 11.47 m/s practically, which was greater than the value predicted by theoretical equations. the changing internal air velocity of the blower (13.03, 14.11, 14.83, 15.18, 15.29 m/s), the mass flow rate (50, 70, 90 kg/hr) and the length of the transport pipe (2, 4 m) were measured and the horizontal pressure drop of the system was measured using a pitot tube and oblique monometer. the effects of these parameters were evaluated and a regression model of variable parameters for horizontal pressure drop is presented.