Along with mechanical handling systems KMG specialise in the air transport of friable snack food products such as dry pellets and extruded collets. Product is placed into a venturi and carried in ducting in a mass of air pushed by a blower.
All stainless steel construction pipework, cyclone defusers and air filtration units coupled with powerful stainless steel construction fans gently handle product over great distances. These systems involve single or multiple lines depending on customer requirements and typically feed a drier via KMG EMC2 machines.
KMG medium phase pneumatic conveying systems transfer bulk materials through an enclosed conveying pipeline. The system provides transportation of product and removal of dust particles. It consists of a variable speed fan, venturi, cyclone and reverse jet cleaned baghouse.
A flow of air is initiated at the fan. The air travels through the venturi with high pressure causing a vacuum above the venturi. The venturi draws product from the process into the travelling air, whilst maintaining a high pressure gradient in the forward direction of travel.
Any dust particles generated by the process will be drawn out of the cyclone by a secondary air stream that is created by a negative pressure gradient from the baghouse. Dust particles have a lower inertia than the product and will not travel around the wall of the cyclone. The particles will travel close to the centre of the cyclone and will be drawn out through the Cyclone’s outlet thimble to the baghouse.
Specific to the food industry KMG air conveying systems are individually tailored to our customers requirements and are manufactured from stainless steel for all food contact parts. Pipe work, cyclones and filters are also all stainless steel construction.
Focussed on the snack food sector our air conveying systems are commonly used in extrusion lines for transporting raw pellets from extruders to bulk or box off stations. They are also commonly used for transporting extruded snacks immediately from the cutter head of the extruder to the next process, usually a drier.
FAQs about Air Conveying
Air conveying uses a stream of air to move snack products through ducting, allowing gentle, contactless transport between machines or across heights.
It works best for lightweight, robust products such as pellets where airflow can carry the product without damage.
Systems use controlled air velocity, venturi injectors, and large radius bends to reduce impact damage and maintain stable flow. Duct diameter and blower capacity are tuned for your production rates.
Yes, they are often used to bridge gaps between vibratory conveyors, distribution systems, or packaging areas—offering a flexible link in multi‑mode lines.
Designed with smooth stainless steel ducts, easy access inspection covers, and dust containment systems, air conveying solutions are built for cleanability and minimal downtime.
