Experimental Pressure Drop of Cowpea Beans in a Pilot Pneumatic Transport Unit Luis Felipe Collacio Messias, Felipe Bertelli, Nelize Maria de Almeida Coelho, Vitor da Silva Rosa, Deovaldo Moraes Júnior

Abstract

Brazil produced over 3.3 million tons of beans for domestic consumption in 2023/2024 (Conab). The transportation of this important grain can often be carried out by pneumatic units. Designing a pneumatic conveyor requires understanding the solid's pressure drop concerning air velocity and mass flow rate. This study experimentally quantified the pressure drop of cowpea beans in a straight section of a pilot pneumatic transport unit in a dilute phase, with velocities above saltation. The air velocity ranged from 18.1 m/s to 21.7 m/s, and the solid flow rates from 80.58 g/s to 148.7 g/s, the limit of the experimental unit, resulting in a pressure drop of 3 to 10 mmH₂O.