Long-DistancePneumaticConveyingofCathodePowder,Vietnam

Long-Distance Pneumatic Conveying of Cathode Powder, Vietnam is the title of this project case study. Headpowder, also written as headpowder, is the company shorthand; its full name is Shandong Headpowder Engineering Co., Ltd. The project took place in Quy Nhon, Vietnam, and focused on the long-distance pneumatic conveying of lithium battery cathode powder. This successful application has become an important pneumatic conveying case in Southeast Asia, showing how advanced powder handling technology can overcome real industrial challenges.

Headpowder is headquartered in Shandong, China, and specializes in the design and supply of complete powder handling systems. The company’s main technologies include pneumatic conveying, storage and discharge silos, dust collection, weighing and batching, and process automation. For this Vietnam project, Headpowder acted as the main engineering supplier, providing process design, equipment manufacturing, installation supervision, commissioning, and operator training. The goal was to deliver a reliable, safe, and efficient conveying solution for a material that is both expensive and sensitive to improper handling.

Lithium battery cathode powder is a fine, high-value raw material used in the production of lithium-ion batteries. It must be protected from moisture, contamination, and excessive mechanical impact. If the powder is conveyed at too high a velocity or through poorly designed pipelines, the particles can break, causing changes in product performance and yield loss. Because of these requirements, the handling process must be completely enclosed and carefully controlled. Long-distance pneumatic conveying was selected as the ideal solution because it offers a sealed transport path and flexible pipeline routing around existing plant equipment.

The main technical challenge of this project was the distance. The cathode powder had to be transferred from the receiving and storage area to several production points located far away. The conveying route included vertical lifting sections, horizontal runs, and multiple bends, which increased pressure loss and the risk of material segregation. A conventional dilute-phase system would have needed very high gas velocity and high energy consumption, and it could easily damage the powder. Therefore, Headpowder designed a dense-phase pneumatic conveying system that operates at low velocity and high pressure. This method pushes a stable plug of powder through the pipe, reducing friction, wear, and energy use, while keeping the cathode powder intact.

The complete system included a pressure vessel feeder, high-pressure air supply unit, abrasion-resistant pipeline, long-radius wear-resistant bends, reverse-pulse dust collector, discharge valves, pressure sensors, and a central PLC control cabinet. The PLC system monitored pipeline pressure, airflow, material level, and valve status in real time. If an abnormal pressure change was detected, the control logic automatically adjusted the conveying parameters to prevent plugging. This intelligent control made the long-distance operation stable and repeatable, and it allowed a single operator to supervise the entire process from a central HMI screen.

Safety was another critical part of the design. Lithium battery cathode powder can be combustible when suspended in air under certain conditions. To minimize risk, Headpowder used explosion-proof electrical equipment, reliable earthing, carefully designed venting, and efficient dust removal. The system also supported the use of nitrogen as the conveying gas when additional protection was required against oxidation or dust explosion. These measures were aligned with international safety standards and met the strict requirements of battery material production in Southeast Asia.

After commissioning, the system achieved the expected conveying capacity and ran smoothly. The customer appreciated the low maintenance costs, low energy consumption, and stable material quality. Because the pipeline was fully closed, dust emissions were almost zero, which greatly improved factory hygiene and reduced cleaning time. The project has become a valuable reference for Headpowder’s further development in Vietnam and confirms the company’s ability to handle demanding long-distance pneumatic conveying projects across Southeast Asia.

Keywords: pneumatic conveying case, Southeast Asia pneumatic conveying, long-distance pneumatic conveying. For more information, please contact Manager Zhang at Shandong Headpowder Engineering Co., Ltd., located in Shandong, China. WeChat: 15662777102. Headpowder is ready to help solve your powder conveying challenges and deliver reliable, high-quality systems for your plant.