Can't keep pressure in pneumatic

Discussion in 'Tanker, Bulk and Dump Trucking Forum' started by Dave1837, Feb 3, 2020.

  1. Dave1837

    Dave1837 Road Train Member

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    So the past few times I've hauled dry bulk I haven't been able to keep pressure in the line. I'll build the tank up to 12-13 and do everything like I always have done and the line pressure gradually falls to around 5 PSI and stays there. I had all 3 compartments opened up all the way and still the same result. I've tried all aerators, no tank, all tank no aerators, everything I could think of. The blower air cleaner is fairly new (less than 50 hrs) and my blower operates perfect. This has happened with two completely different trucks as well. What am I doing wrong? The material is limestone and CE32
     
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  3. REO6205

    REO6205 Road Train Member

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    Go someplace quiet with the trailer empty, air it up, shut off the truck engine, and walk around the trailer. If you're losing air that fast you should be able to hear it.
    If your domes are leaking, don't open them until the air bleeds off completely
     
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  4. Dave1837

    Dave1837 Road Train Member

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    Thank I'll give that a try. This trailer is fairly new and so was the last one I hauled but I know those seals up top dry rot quite a bit
     
  5. REO6205

    REO6205 Road Train Member

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    If that isn't the problem your air could be going out the discharge hose. Sometimes valve handles are put on backwards and you can't see it until you're unloaded, depressurized, and look up into the valve with a flashlite.
    Sometimes valves don't seal well, either.
     
  6. Dave1837

    Dave1837 Road Train Member

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    That very well could be the problem. That and these trailers very rarely get washed out. When you close the product valves you can sometimes hear the limestone crushing inside. This stuff destroys trailers
     
  7. REO6205

    REO6205 Road Train Member

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    Yes it does. We haul what they call popcorn lime sometimes and it can be a PITA.
    Give this thread a day or two and there should be more members posting, There are some pretty sharp people on here and they'll probably have more ideas about your problem
    Get back to us if you find the problem and let us know what it was.
     
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  8. Dave1837

    Dave1837 Road Train Member

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    I will thank you
     
  9. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    If you fill a bulk tanker to 12-13 or whatever value below limits, and kept the product discharge line off and all pots closed when empty walk around quickly listen for leaks. HOPEFULLY its not up top in the hatches. (DO NOT whatever you do go up there.)

    You mentioned unloading with all pots open. Erm I don't do that. The only time I have all pots open is when pot one and two are empty and the third is just about down to empty, shes singing at this point and there isnt much left going up to silo anyway being essentially empty. Pressures do fall across the board and if you leave it hooked to say a export silo complex you will start to parasite air away from the other 20 tankers unloading off plant air and plug all of them up. Might cost you a gallon of blood.

    What I do generally is fill a tank to 14 or so. Open one pot. Unload that pot. Line pressure should be moving product to silo briskly. IF there is a leak somewhere in the discharge line it's going to show itself pretty well which leads me to the original thought of bad seals up top which is possible. That is what the 5 gallon bucket of water is for (In cement) vs discharge line leaks.

    You also have a screw driver of both types there are those rings with bolts on them that work loose now and then. Thats where the majority of the leaks happen.

    Once that pot is empty, it's closed. Air built back to 14. Open middle pot. Repeat. Empty, close and blow the discharge line good clean air all the way to silo. (Check top of silo for excessive dust particularly in small ones in precast) build tank pressure up to 14, reopen discharge line then last pot. Empty it.

    Once that pot is empty and discharge line is empty, leave last pot open, open number two tank pressure should start falling already, then open last pot pull the tank all the way down as you can. If its singing alls well. And you know you are empty. (They really hate it when you leave product unloaded) This last is a bit excessive for some but its a routine I follow as a check against leaving product in tank.

    Dump tank air via emergency discharge line after checking to be sure no souls are walking on that side near that outlet.

    When everything is zero on gauges you are ready to go after wrapping hoses etc.

    The only picky thought I have here with OP is running all three pots at once. It's not what I do and I don't think you can support tank pressure feeding all three pots creating a risk for plugging somewhere. On plant air maybe. But not on blower exhaust air.
     
  10. Dave1837

    Dave1837 Road Train Member

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    Running it with all 3 open was the only way to keep any sort of line pressure whatsoever. I don't LIKE doing that but at the time it seemed like my only option. It's almost like the product just isn't coming out of the tank
     
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  11. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    What are you unloading?

    Your complaint that the product does not want to come out leads me back to hatch seals again.

    If your tank pressure is say 14 pounds and you have all the discharge line pressure in the world to unload product to Heaven far above us, does your tank pressure stay at 14?
     
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