Why Energy Efficiency Matters More Than Ever
For manufacturers in plastics, food, chemicals, and beyond, bulk material handling is the lifeblood of production. Pneumatic conveying systems move powders, granulates, and additives with speed and precision but they also consume large amounts of energy.
In 2025, this challenge is sharper than ever. Rising energy costs, stricter CO₂ targets, and the push toward sustainability leave little room for inefficiency. The good news? Much of the energy currently wasted in conveying systems can be recovered and reused without compromising product safety or quality.
How Pneumatic Conveying Systems Work: From Silo to Extruder
To understand where energy savings come from, it helps to look at the process:
- Material intake into silos ensures safe storage of bulk solids.
- Cyclical recirculation prevents bridging (clumping of material that blocks product flow).
- Buffer containers feed material smoothly to the next stage.
- Differential dosing scales deliver continuous, gravimetric accuracy when feeding material into the extruder.
Each of these steps is essential for consistency. But together, they also create opportunities to rethink how energy is used and how much can be saved.
Turning Hot Air Into Savings with Heat Recovery
Every pneumatic conveying process produces heated exhaust air when the vacuum generator compresses air. Temperatures of 150°C to 280°C are typical, and for years, this heat simply disappeared into the atmosphere.
AZO’s heat recovery system captures that energy instead. Here’s how it works:
- Exhaust air is collected directly at the vacuum generator outlet.
- Insulated piping routes the warm air to a buffer container ahead of the dosing scale.
- The heated air flows countercurrent through the bulk material, gently preheating it before extrusion.
Key benefits:
- Lower load on the extruder drive (less heating required).
- More stable processing with fewer temperature fluctuations.
- Direct energy savings of 12–20%.
Safety comes first, as temperature and pressure sensors continuously monitor the process, eliminating risks of overheating or overpressure.
Why Bridging Prevention Matters
One overlooked source of waste in bulk solids handling is “bridging.” Over time, powders and granulates can settle and compact, forming bridges that block product flow.
Preventing bridging isn’t just about uptime; it also prevents energy waste. Clogged systems require more conveying pressure, downtime, and even manual intervention. By designing systems for cyclical recirculation, bridging is avoided, and conveying runs at optimal efficiency.
Pump Management: The Heart of Energy Efficiency
Pumps are among the largest energy consumers in pneumatic conveying systems. That’s why AZO has made pump management a core focus of optimization.
In real-world trials with a leading plastics manufacturer, AZO tested four conveying routes, including one stretching 200 meters with outputs up to 6,000 kg/h. By optimizing pump sizes and airflows, pipeline layouts, and frequency converters, the team uncovered dramatic savings:
- 50–70% reduction in energy use
- Lower wear and tear on components
- Improved process stability with fewer disruptions
And importantly, these optimizations didn’t require a new installation. Upgrading existing systems with smarter configurations delivered major improvements with minimal disruption.
The Economics: ROI That Speaks for Itself
Energy efficiency projects only work if the numbers add up. Here, they did—and quickly:
- At 4,000 operating hours per year, ROI was 15 months.
- At 6,000 hours per year, ROI dropped to just 10 months.
Once the payback period is over, the savings continue year after year.
A Transparent Path to Sustainable Manufacturing
Heat recovery, pump optimization, and bridging prevention may sound like small changes, but they add up to big impact:
- Reduced operating costs
- Lower CO₂ emissions
- Extended equipment life
- Less maintenance
- More predictable, stable processes
At a time when both regulators and customers demand measurable sustainability results, these steps show a clear, transparent path forward. Instead of overhauling infrastructure, manufacturers can optimize what they already have and gain both financial and environmental benefits.
In 2025, energy efficiency is no longer optional; it’s required for competitiveness, resilience, and long-term sustainability. By turning waste heat into a resource, preventing inefficiencies, and managing pumps more intelligently, manufacturers can unlock hidden savings once overlooked in their existing plant and process.
Ready to discover how energy optimization drives profitability and sustainability? Download Beyond ROI today.
