What are pneumatic tubes?
Pneumatic tube systems use pressurized air to transport small items through pipes, offering a fast and efficient solution for short-distance delivery. While installation costs are high, the systems are valued for their speed and low maintenance requirements in environments like hospitals.
Why it matters
This technology remains a niche but critical component of logistics in specialized facilities, demonstrating the enduring utility of mechanical transport systems.
Pneumatic tubes are pressurised air transport systems that move carriers through a network of pipes using partial vacuum or compressed air. They carry items like cash, documents, medicines, and mail, and send them from one end of the pipe to another, usually ideal for short distance delivery.
A pneumatic tube system consists of the following things:
Now let’s look at the mechanism step-by-step. First, an item is placed inside the carrier. The carrier is then inserted into a station, and the destination is selected via the computerised system. The tube will seal tight so that air will not escape. The blowers or the vacuum pumps turn on, either to push or pull the package, depending on layout and direction of travel. Finally, when the package is about to arrive, the airflow slows down for the package to land safely at its destination.
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