What Is a Pneumatic Tank Trailer

When you’re involved in transporting granular or powdered materials, such as flour, sand, or gravel, you’ll need a specialized container.

This is what pneumatic trailers are primarily used for, and their main purpose (built-in tank) is to keep these dry materials fully sealed and clean from contamination. These tanks hold the cargo in an air pressure environment, and the trailers are responsible for delivering it safely.

This quick guide will answer the question of what a pneumatic tank trailer is, what makes it quite different than a dry bulk trailer, and why so many trucking companies need them.

In addition, we will review the main types of pneumatic tankers, their pros/cons, and learn how these bulk materials are precisely moved across the supply chain.

What Are Dry Bulk Trailers Used For

The dry bulk trailers are primarily used for the transportation of dry bulk materials that must be preserved dry and clean during the hauling process. These trailers are designed with a sealed tank, which is ultimately the perfect solution for this.

Most of the dry bulk trailers use an “air pressurization” system that pushes those raw materials into the storage tanks and then keeps them dust-free during transportation.

To understand how this type of bulk transportation works, here are a few examples:

What Is a Dry Bulk

A dry bulk is simply a dry, or “flowable” material that is often moved in extremely large quantities and requires special packaging and transportation mode.

A dry bulk involves:

• Cement
• Sand
• Gravel
• Pallets

So, with a special mode of transportation, instead of these dry bulk materials being shipped in bags or other sorts of containers, they are being loaded directly into the dry bulk tanks, and from here they are kept safe and secure until the destination is reached.

The main goal here is to keep the product dry from the very start to the finish. That is why the dry bulk tank trailers and bulk trucking chains are crafted to handle anything from powders to granules, while completely preventing any sort of contamination.

So, it does not matter whether it’s food-grade freight or any other kind of industrial material; dry bulk transportation is a seamless way to handle these products.

What is the Difference Between Pneumatic and Dry Bulk Tank Trailers

If you’re new to logistics, at first glance, the dry bulk trailer and pneumatic trailer might look familiar; some even think they are the same thing, but that’s not the case. While they share many similarities, they have very distinct functions in today’s bulk transportation supply chain.

Yes, they both move flowable materials, but the main difference lies in how the product is being loaded, secured, and unloaded.

Pneumatic Tank Trailer:

• The pneumatic tank uses compressed air to unload materials through hoses, which makes the process easier and safer.
• It’s ideal for bulk materials like cement, sand, and flour, where maintaining a sealed, dust-free environment is essential.

Dry Bulk Tank Trailer:

• The dry bulk tank is any enclosed trailer used to move non-liquid bulk and can be loaded in various ways.
• While some rely on gravity or tilt for unloading, pneumatic tankers specifically use air pressurization systems for faster discharge.

To better understand the main difference, here are a few features and how they compare:

Pneumatic Tank Trailers Categories

The pneumatic tank trailers vary by category when it comes to their specific purpose. What sets them apart is the design, the actual type of bulk materials they can transport, and the specific needs of the freight trucking company that uses them.

Hence, knowing the correct trailer for the job will not only keep the goods in a perfect condition from the start to the finish but also offer faster loading and unloading and much safer handling.

Here are the main types of pneumatic dry bulk trailers by category:

Large Cube Trailers

The large cube trailers are the highest-capacity pneumatic tankers that can carry up to ~1,650 cu. ft., making them just perfect for powders, including sugar and flour. These bulk tank designs are excellent for maximum efficiency during high-volume bulk freight transportation.

Small Cube Trailers

The small dry bulk tank trailers pretty much have the same purpose as the larger ones, but they only hold around 1,000–1,200 cu. ft. However, their design allows them to carry much heavier materials such as cement, sand, or lime, offering more stability.

Well, there are even more types, such as “food-grade pneumatic trailers”, “industrial or non-food grade trailers”, and “multi-compartment pneumatic trailers”, each offering a distinct feature that aligns with the needs of specific pneumatic trucking companies.

Advantages of Using a Pneumatic Dry Bulk Trailer

The pneumatic dry bulk trailers come with a lot of advantages, mainly because of their design and safety features. These trailers offer the cleanliness, versatility, and speed that is needed that many regular dry bulk trailers can’t always match.

Here are the standout advantages of pneumatic dry bulk truck trailers:

• Efficient Unloading: The loading and unloading process is extremely easy thanks to the pressurization, allowing rapid movement.
• Product Protection: The cargo protection is unmatched with pneumatic tanks, preventing any dust accumulation, contamination, and, of course, moisture.
• Transport Versatility: The pneumatic dry bulk tankers are excellent for a wide range of powders and are flexible to handle everything from cement sand to food-grade flour.
• Unmatched Durability: The pneumatic dry bulk tanker trailers are crafted to withstand weather, bulk freight weight, and the last years of bulk tracking transportation.

We hope you’ve learned what is a pneumatic trailer, what they are meant for, how they work, and how they complete today’s supply chains demands.