Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for operating a conveyor pipeline with pneumatic compact-flow conveying, and to an apparatus for performing the method. In this compact-flow conveying, a shunt line is disposed in a bypass around a conveyor pipeline; feed lines branch off from the shunt line and discharge into the conveyor pipeline at regular intervals via associated spill valves. With the aid of Laval ball valves, the apparatus makes a method possible in which by preventive, temporary increasing of pressure by associating and varying certain bypass air quantities at predetermined time intervals, air is additionally blown out into the conveyor pipeline via a determinable number of overpressure valves, so that even during bulk material conveying, the development of plugs can be avoided.