Non-Invasive Size-Control of Pneumatically Conveyed Particles

Investigations on the size control of pneumatically conveyed coarse particles were carried out using a microphone which detects the structure‐borne sound caused by the impact of the particles on the pipe wall. Modes of eigenvibrations of the pipes are excited up to a maximum frequency, which decreases with increasing particle size. In an assembly of different sized particles, the lower frequencies are more stimulated as the fraction of larger particles increases. Changes in the particle size distribution are detected by analysing the intensities of the vibration modes which are set up in the walls of the tube by particle impact. One application is the monitoring of the upper range of a particle size distribution.