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Vacuum Conveyance System

The Rheo Vacuum Conveyance System [VCS] provides a safe, efficient, and contained means for transferring material using a vacuum source instead of relying on gravity. The VCS is ideal for transferring highly toxic or potentially explosive powders that are present in the pharmaceutical, food, and chemical industries. Safety, containment, and productivity are all addressed with this simple to use machine.

Safety: The Rheo Vacuum Conveyance System addresses the ergonomic risk factors of manually transferring material. The vacuum receiver can be positioned above any receiving vessel, including those that are out of an operator’s or machine’s reach. For products that are potentially explosive with a low MIE, nitrogen can be injected into the VCS to ensure the product is flooded with nitrogen before being discharged to the receiving vessel.

Containment: The Rheo Vacuum Conveyance System is a closed transfer system that can achieve containment levels of less than 1 µg/m3. Additionally, the VCS can operate independently so that operators do not need to be near the system during the product transfer process.

Productivity: The Rheo Vacuum Conveyance System can be used to continuously transfer material without operator involvement, which can completely eliminate one step of the manual material transfer process. The VCS comes in several standard sizes to achieve the desired product flow rates.

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Features

The Vacuum Conveyance System has several benefits when implemented in the manufacturing process:

  • Ergonomic Product Transfer
  • Efficient Product Transfer
  • Easy to Clean
  • Simple Controls
  • Containment (<1 µg/m3)
  • Small Footprint

HEPA Filter:

used as a secondary filter to ensure that no airborne particles contaminate the Vacuum Pump or hose.

Internal Filter Access Lid:

internal filter can easily be replaced while all the valves and hoses remain in place.

Controls:

touch-screen HMI allows for easy setup to change automated valve sequence for different products and vessels.

Vacuum Receiver:

provides for a closed transfer for the product as it is pulled by the Vacuum Pump; can be sized to deliver the desired product transfer rate.

Vacuum Pump:

used to pull product into the Vacuum Receiver. An electric or pneumatic vacuum pump can be provided or an alternative vacuum source can be used.

CIP Pop-Up Spray Nozzles (Option):

spray nozzles automatically retract when not in use and extend when pressure is added to clean the Vacuum Receiver in place.

Mobile Cart (Option):

holds the Vacuum Receiver (when not in use), Controls, and Vacuum Pump for easy mobility between vessels.

Nitrogen Connection:

used for products with low MIE to flood the Vacuum Receiver with nitrogen before transferring product into the vessel.

Product Conveying Capacity

The conveying rates noted in the table below are highly dependent on the material properties and hose configuration and should only be used as a benchmark for comparing size options. Specific flow rates can only be determined from testing the actual product.

Vacuum Conveyance System VCS100 VCS150 VCS200 VCS250 VCS300
Conveying Capacity [kg/h] 900 1800 3100 4400 5700
Diameter [mm] 100 150 200 250 300
Max Charge Volume [I] 3 10 20 30 50

Product Testing

Rheo has extensive experience with the vacuum conveyance of numerous types of bulk solids, however every product is unique and needs to be tested using application-specific conditions to confirm the transfer rate. Rheo offers two options for product testing:

  • Testing at your Facility Rheo can provide a demo Vacuum Conveyance System to be tested at your facility with your specific materials. Testing at your facility provides the most accurate results as the temperature, humidity, and hose runs will all significantly impact how the material conveys.
  • Testing at Rheo Facility The Rheo Testing Lab provides a controlled environment where products can be tested to verify performance. Send your materials to our testing lab in Peoria, IL and we will work with you to ensure our testing setup is as similar to your facility’s environment as is possible. You can come on site to observe the testing or we can send video and/or a detailed report after the tests are complete.

Common Specifications [customized per application]

Material of Construction 304 stainless steel non-product contact surfaces, 316 stainless steel product contact surfaces
Surface Finish Product Contact Area: 25 µin [0.64 µm] Ra with ground and polished welds
Non-Product Contact Area: 35 µin [0.89 µm] Ra with smooth welds as laid
Utility Compressed Air Supply: 90 psig [6.2 bar] clean air
Electric (for Controls): 120 VAC, 60 Hz [220 VAC, 50Hz]
Electric (for Vacuum Pump): 480 VAC, 3 PH, 60 Hz [400 VAC, 3 PH, 50 Hz]
Nitrogen (Optional): 60 psig [4.1 bar]
Pneumatic and Electric (Battery) Utility Options Available
Controls touch-screen HMI
Hazardous Rating configurable for use in Hazardous Locations: Class I Divisions 1 and 2 [ATEX Zones 1 and 2] or Class II Divisions 1 and 2 [ATEX Zones 21 and 22]

Customizable

The Rheo design library and fast track design services allow our team to efficiently tailor our products to meet the specific requirements of each application. During the design phase, the Rheo engineering team analyzes the application to develop a custom and comprehensive material handling solution. By using standard options as well as custom-designed features, a GMP operator-centric design can be achieved. Material flow rate, valve size, receiver diameter, and overall height are all easily customized to fit a specific application.


Power Configurations

The Rheo Vacuum Conveyance System has two power configuration options available.

  • Pneumatic and Electric: This option is the most common configuration if both compressed air and electric utilities are available for use. Compressed air, or nitrogen, is used to run all the valves on the vacuum receiver while the control system uses electric. The electric controls allows for use of a touch-screen HMI which makes everything easy to control and adjust as necessary. An electric vacuum pump can provide the highest flow rates and lowest vacuum pressures.
  • Fully Pneumatic: The Vacuum Conveyance System can be designed to be fully pneumatic if electric utility is not available or if the system is being used in a Division 1 [Zone 1/21] environment. The control system would use pneumatic timers to operate the valve sequencing. A pneumatic vacuum pump can be operated using compressed air.

Options

A variety of options are available for the Rheo Vacuum Conveyance System to ensure the final product meets the application needs.

The following are a small selection of the options available:

  • Mounting Configuration [including Sanitary Tri-Clamp Ferrule, ANSI Flange, Mobile Cart]
  • Discharge Valve Type [Butterfly Valve, Split Valve, Rotary Valve, Dosing Valve]
  • Hose Material [PVC, Polyurethane, PTFE; all hoses can be FDA compliant and/or have a grounding wire]

Cleanability

All exposed surfaces on the Vacuum Conveyance System can be fully washed-down for cleaning. The Vacuum Receiver can be equipped with a WIP spray-ball to wash the product contact surfaces.


Surface Finish

Rheo offers several different surface finish options to fit your application needs.

Visit our GMP Compliance page to learn more.


Common Applications

  • Material Transfer Station
  • Bulk Bag Unloading Station
  • Vessel Charging
  • Milling
  • Blending
  • Weigh and Dispense
  • Drying

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