Ceramic coated elbows are essential to many pneumatic conveying systems as they mitigate the need for maintenance and replacement of parts and reduce system downtime. As a result, optimal productivity is maintained and costs are also reduced.
The same thing, of course, is true for other ceramic coated line-fittings such as ceramic coated laterals, tees, wyes, chutes, cyclones, as well as straight pipes or tubes. The longevity of all of these components is directly related to the longevity of your pneumatic conveying system, but it’s easy to overlook smaller components as less important.
What does Ceramic Coating do?
Ceramic coating is an external layer of protection, while ceramic lining is an internal layer. The ceramic coating or lining resists wear, thereby extending the lifespan of your components.
Ceramic coating protects components of pneumatic conveying systems against two main types of wear:
- Impact – wear caused by the direct hit of the material being conveyed. Impact wear is commonly found at or just off the tangential line, especially on short radius elbows. An impact hole may gradually appear
- Sliding abrasion – typically appears as a long, even pattern.
Why might you need Ceramic Coating?
Some components in your pneumatic conveying system might be vulnerable to wear because of the abrasive action of the materials you’re conveying and their placement in the system. This means you may need to replace them more frequently than other parts of the system. If you have a ceramic coating, once the metal has worn out under the ceramic the material will abrate against the much harder ceramic coating. This can help to minimize the need for frequent replacements.
Various factors affect the extent of abrasion, including:
- The type of material being conveyed
- Velocity of the particles
- Amount of friction
- Directional change of the particles
- The type of tube, pipe or fittings
- The type of protective layer
Since ceramic coating is hand-applied and self-hardens, it can be applied to nearly any shape and size of elbow and line fitting. Laterals, tees and wyes can be coated with a 360-degree coating, with special attention given to the high wear areas to extend the overall life of these components. Cones and chutes can also be coated internally to extend their life, without the need for special tile kits. The ceramic coating really is as customizable as your parts.
Adding ceramic coating not only helps ensure longevity, but it’s also cost-effective as you won’t have to replace components as frequently. You’ll also have greater certainty the material you’re conveying won’t escape from your system if you have this extra protection.
If you’re a system engineer or the purchasing agent for your company, you are probably looking for components that are both a great value and high quality, and it’s sometimes difficult to find replacement components that have both of these characteristics.
If you need help in selecting the right elbows and line fittings for your pneumatic conveying system, it’s best to talk with an expert so you can ensure you get the correct components for your needs.
At Progressive Products, we won’t sell you anything you don’t need – contact us today to find the right solution for you.
