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June 2021 / 25 DO YOU NEED A LUMP BREAKER FOR YOUR PNEUMATIC CONVEYING SYSTEM? If the material flowing through your pneumatic conveying system is agglomerated or lumpy and jamming up the process, you may want to consider incorporating a lump breaker into your system. A lump breaker reduces the material's particle size, eliminating agglomeration and ensuring a smooth material flow. This article details the benefits of a lump breaker and how to determine if you need a lump breaker in your pneumatic conveying system. Lisa A. Little, Progressive Products Lump breakers come in a range of sizes, with 12- and 24-inch-square openings being the most common. They're generally made from either carbon steel or Type 304 or 316 stainless steel, but cast iron or more heavy-duty steel options are also available, depending on the equipment supplier. Factors to consider The ability to predict a material's flowrate through a lump breaker is impacted by the material's character- istics and the feeding method into the lump breaker. Mounting a lump breaker directly below a hopper or bin can cause the material to flow into the lump breaker too quickly and may result in bridging. Bridg- ing is when agglomerated material in a hopper forms a stable arch just above the hopper outlet, stopping P neumatic conveying is an excellent method of transporting bulk solid materials, but if your material has agglomerations or clumps or if the material's particles are just too big, you may expe- rience flow problems or clogging. Variables such as humidity, material transportation conditions, and material storage time can cause unwanted agglomer- ation in powders and other bulk solid materials. The resulting clumps may affect the material's ability to flow through a pneumatic conveying system. Mate- rials that are prone to agglomeration can reduce a conveying system's performance and may require an operator to stand on guard, watching the system for clumps that could block the line. Clumping can also cause problems in processes that combine multiple ingredients according to a specific recipe. A lump breaker can prepare such materials for pneumatic conveying and ensure adequate flow. Various industries from foods to chemicals use lump breakers to deagglomerate materials and ensure smooth, efficient conveying while maintaining product quality. Lump breaker operation A lump breaker is usually equipped with two or more motor-driven rotating shafts mounted parallel to each other within a rectangular frame, as shown in Figure 1. The shafts are equipped with cutting teeth, also called breakers, that draw in material fed from above, breaking down lumpy or oversized particles as they pass between the shafts with minimal dust generation. The desired particle size is determined by the space between the teeth and the shafts. The material then discharges by gravity through a screen below the shafts. FIGURE 1 A lump breaker breaks down material to smaller and more uniform particle sizes.