📋 Case Study

Australian Bulk Wheat Terminal Pneumatic Line Blockage Elimination

Intermittent dense-phase blockages near 3rd booster station causing 2–4 hr delays

🏗️ Project Overview

Port of Brisbane export terminal handling 5.7M tons/year wheat via 12 km pneumatic line

🎯 Challenge

Intermittent dense-phase blockages near 3rd booster station causing 2–4 hr delays

🔧 Design Approach

Installed inline pressure gradient sensors + adaptive air injection valves; recalibrated minimum transport velocity using DEM-simulated particle drag coefficients

📐 Design Diagram

AI-generated project design illustration

📐 Key Calculations

Minimum Transport Velocity

U_min = 0.125 × d_p^0.33 × √(g × d_p × (ρ_p−ρ_a)/ρ_a)

Result: 11.2 m/s

Below this, saltation-to-dune transition occurs

Pressure Gradient Spike Threshold

ΔP/L > 1.8 kPa/m

Result: 2.1 kPa/m

Indicates incipient dune formation

📊 Results

Zero blockages over 14 months; line availability increased from 82% to 99.1%; energy use reduced 19%

💡 Lessons Learned

• •Fixed velocity setpoints fail under seasonal moisture shifts
• •Pressure gradient slope—not absolute value—is the true early-warning signal

✅ Key Takeaways

• 1Fixed velocity setpoints fail under seasonal moisture shifts
• 2Pressure gradient slope—not absolute value—is the true early-warning signal