Shaanxi Yulin Lithium Inorganic Salt Pneumatic Conveying Project

In the lithium battery supply chain, the efficient and safe handling of inorganic salt powders is a critical challenge. Headpowder recently delivered a customized pneumatic conveying solution for a major lithium production base in Shaanxi Yulin, addressing material degradation, dust pollution, and high operational costs.

Project Background

The client operates a lithium inorganic salt manufacturing facility in Yulin, Shaanxi. The production process involves transferring fine, abrasive powders from storage silos to mixing stations and packaging lines. Traditional mechanical conveying methods caused frequent equipment wear, product contamination, and significant dust emissions, leading to compliance risks and increased maintenance downtime.

Customer Pain Points

• High dust generation: Open conveying systems released fine particles into the workshop, endangering worker health and violating environmental regulations.
• Material loss and degradation: Mechanical handling damaged particle integrity, resulting in product quality inconsistency and yield loss of up to 3%.
• Excessive maintenance: Bearings, belts, and seals required weekly replacement, driving up operating expenses.
• Manual intervention: Operators manually monitored flow rates and adjusted valves, causing production bottlenecks and human error.

Headpowder Solution & Advantages

Headpowder designed and installed a dense-phase pneumatic conveying system specifically engineered for lithium inorganic salt powders. The solution included:

• Closed-loop pipeline design: Complete containment eliminated dust leakage and product contamination.
• Low-velocity dense-phase transport: Gentle material movement preserved particle shape and minimized attrition.
• PLC-based automated control: Real-time monitoring of pressure, flow, and material level enabled precise batch transfer without manual oversight.
• Wear-resistant components: Ceramic-lined elbows and hardened steel pipes extended service life by over 200% compared to standard steel.

After implementation, the client reported a 40% reduction in dust emissions, near-zero material loss, and a 60% decrease in maintenance frequency. The system operates 24/7 with no unplanned downtime during the first six months.

Key System Features

• Sealed conveying path: All joints and valves are gasket-sealed to meet strict IP65 standards for outdoor and indoor installations.
• Intelligent control interface: Touchscreen HMI with recipe management allows operators to switch between multiple material types instantly.
• Modular expandability: The system design supports future addition of conveying lines without significant structural changes.
• Self-diagnostic sensors: Built-in vibration and temperature sensors provide predictive maintenance alerts, reducing emergency repairs.

Typical Application Parameters

• Conveying capacity: 5 – 50 tons per hour, depending on pipeline length and material density.
• Working pressure: 0.1 – 0.5 MPa (dense-phase mode) to maintain low velocity while ensuring adequate throughput.
• Conveying distance: Up to 300 meters horizontally and 40 meters vertically, with minimal pressure drop.
• Material compatibility: Suitable for dry powders with particle size up to 2 mm and bulk density from 0.5 to 2.5 g/cm³.