In pneumatic conveying and dust-handling systems, particle velocity and changes in direction govern where erosion concentrates. Elbows, tees, reducers, fan inlets, scroll housings, outlet transitions and duct turns can wear much faster than straight sections. Deposits, turbulence and uneven particle distribution can also create unexpected local attack.
Equipment application guide · 05
Wear protection for pneumatic conveying, fans and ducts
Trace particle-laden flow through bends, transitions, fan housings and ducts while keeping pressure, temperature, balance and access constraints explicit.
Operating context01 02
Wear problem
Understand how material flow, equipment geometry and service constraints combine before selecting the lining.
Stationary pipe, duct and housing surfaces can be assessed for ceramic protection, but rotating components require separate machine engineering. Added mass, clearances, rotor dynamics and balance cannot be inferred from a stationary lining detail. Gas temperature, chemistry, pressure or vacuum, dust hazards and cleaning practice must also be included in the equipment review.
Record the equipment and the questions that change the design
Photographs and a dimensioned drawing should accompany operating data whenever possible.
Equipment concerned
Inspect the components where trajectory, local geometry and maintenance access change.
- Pneumatic conveying pipes and elbows
- Fan inlet boxes and stationary housings
- Dust, ash and powder ductwork
- Reducers, tees and branch transitions
- Classifier and separator connections
- Cyclone inlet and outlet ducting
Questions to answer
These inputs help distinguish abrasion, impact, erosion, movement and environmental constraints.
- 01What powder or particulate is conveyed, at what loading, size and hardness?
- 02What gas flow, velocity, pressure or vacuum and temperature define the service?
- 03Where do direction, area or particle distribution change?
- 04Is the component stationary, or does it affect a rotor, impeller or balance-critical assembly?
- 05What pressure, dust, fire, electrical or regulatory requirements apply to the equipment?
- 06How will deposits be cleaned and the protected surface inspected?
Design ceramic, geometry and retention as one construction
Each principle must be checked against the selected product grade, equipment owner requirements and installation conditions.
- 01
Trace the particle path
Combine process data and wear evidence to locate outer bends, impingement faces, transitions, recirculation and areas affected by deposits.
- 02
Choose geometry for the surface
Use lined spools for controlled pipe geometry, tiles or segments for accessible stationary housings and custom parts where curvature or tolerances demand them.
- 03
Keep machine duties separate
Have the responsible machine engineer approve any work affecting rotating parts, balance, clearances, shaft loads, vibration or manufacturer requirements.
- 04
Design for environment and access
Confirm gas temperature, chemistry, pressure, dust requirements, cleaning and inspection openings for ceramic, attachment and steel together.
Product candidates for this application
These ranges are relevant entry points, not an automatic specification. Final selection follows the diagnostic and exact product data.
02IC PIPE
Ceramic-lined steel pipes, elbows and fittings
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01IC TILE
Alumina ceramic wear tiles and linings
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06IC CUSTOM
Engineered-to-order ceramic wear parts
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04IC BOND
Adhesives and fixing systems for ceramic wear linings
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05IC IMPACT
ZTA high-impact ceramic composites
Open technical product pageSelection boundaries
Conditions that can change or exclude the proposed construction
These points should be resolved before quotation, drawing approval or installation planning.
- 01
No change to a rotating or balance-critical component should be made without machine-engineering approval and the required balance verification.
- 02
Pressure, vacuum, explosion, electrical and dust-safety requirements remain equipment-level obligations and are not provided by ceramic alone.
- 03
High gas temperature or chemical exposure must be checked against the exact ceramic, adhesive, grout, backing and steel construction.
- 04
Added liner thickness and roughness must be reviewed where pressure loss, capacity, fouling or cleanability are sensitive.
Sector context
Industries where this equipment is commonly encountered
Technical preparation
Guides that support the review
Abrasion, impact or erosion: identify the wear mechanism first
A field method for distinguishing sliding abrasion, impact and particle erosion before selecting a ceramic lining.
Read the guideCeramic-lined pipe specification checklist
The operating, mechanical and inspection data needed before ordering ceramic-lined pipe, elbows and fittings.
Read the guideCeramic lining inspection checklist: receipt, installation and service
Inspection hold points for substrate readiness, materials, layout, attachment, cure, handover and in-service follow-up.
Read the guidePractical answers
Questions before specifying the lining
Can ceramic protect a fan?
Stationary housings, inlet boxes and selected ducts can be evaluated for ceramic protection. Work on an impeller or other rotating part requires separate engineering for mass, balance, clearances, attachment and operating speed.
Which locations should be inspected first?
Start with outer elbow radii, tees, reducers, injection points, fan inlets, scroll cut-offs, outlet transitions and any location with a previous leak or patch.
What data are needed for a pneumatic line review?
Provide material and particle data, solids loading, carrier-gas flow, velocity if known, pressure or vacuum, temperature, line size, bend geometry, operating modes, wear history, isometrics and photographs.
Does a ceramic liner change system capacity?
It changes internal dimensions and surface condition, so bore, transitions and pressure-loss sensitivity must be reviewed. No capacity effect should be assumed without the responsible process calculation.
Continue by equipment
Adjacent application paths
02
Wear diagnosis for abrasive slurry pipes and elbows
Control concentrated erosion at bends, reducers and branches while preserving bore continuity, pressure design and maintainable spool geometry.
Open solution03
Ceramic lining for cyclones and hydrocyclones
Protect inlet, barrel, cone, vortex finder and apex without losing the internal geometry that governs separation and flow.
Open solution06
Installation and fixing of ceramic wear linings
Treat substrate preparation, adhesive, mechanical retention, joints, curing and inspection as one controlled installation system.
Open solutionApplication review
Prepare the application emailSend the service data for a technically relevant response
Include the handled material, operating envelope, photographs, wear history and a dimensioned drawing. You review and send the email yourself.