Flexible Screw Conveyors vs. Other Mechanical Conveyors
It’s common to hear flexible screw conveyors referred to by various names. Whether you call them auger screws, screw augers, flexible augers, screw conveyors, flex conveyors, helix conveyors, helical conveyors, flexible spiral conveyors, or spiral screw conveyors, we’ll know exactly what you mean.
Flexible Screw Conveyors – How They Compare
Flexible screw conveyors truly live up to their name. These machines are incredibly versatile, capable of conveying materials in almost any direction – from horizontal to vertical. Their flexible design allows them to be routed around fixed obstacles and even between different rooms. Flexible screw conveyors are commonly used to feed filling machinery, convey products from hoppers to processes, provide controlled feeding and dosing from bulk bags, load silos, or fill bulk bags from multiple inlets.
Benefits of Flexible Screw Conveyors
Flexible screw conveyors are known for being low-cost, low-maintenance, dust-free, and energy-efficient. These systems can handle multiple inlets and outlets, offering significant flexibility in operation. An added benefit of screw conveyors is their ability to continuously remix product blends. As the spiral or screw rotates inside a sealed tube, the product is induced to rotate with the screw, creating a tumbling motion that ensures even distribution of particles – crucial for consistently feeding pre-mixed ingredients.
- Spiral speed: Typically up to 1,150 RPM, depending on the conveyor size.
- Capacity: Up to 29 ft³/min (0.82 m³/min).
- Variable conveying rate: Available depending on the material and system design.
Materials Best Moved With Flexible Screw Conveyors
Flexible screw conveyors are highly adaptable, able to convey materials ranging from fine powders to large pellets. Compared to other mechanical conveyor systems, they generally cause less material degradation. However, they are not suitable for moist materials, sludges, or slurries. Flexible screw conveyors can efficiently transport both hot and cold materials.
Aero Mechanical Conveyors – How They Compare
Aero mechanical conveyors feature a cable-and-disc assembly that moves at high speeds, creating a high-velocity airstream. This airstream fluidizes the material, allowing it to be conveyed to the outlet(s), where it is ejected centrifugally. The entire system operates in a dust-free environment.
Benefits of Aero Mechanical Conveyors
Aero mechanical conveyors offer high conveying capacity and total batch transfer. Like flexible screw conveyors, they are enclosed within a tubular system, providing a dust-tight operation. These systems are versatile, capable of operating at any angle and featuring multiple inlets and outlets. Aero mechanical conveyors are designed to be mobile, making them adaptable to various setups.
- Conveying speed: Up to 1,200 ft/min (366 m/min).
- Capacity: Up to 36 ft³/min (1 m³/min).
- Non-variable conveying rate: These systems operate at a fixed conveying rate.
Materials Best Moved With Aero Mechanical Conveyors
Aero mechanical conveyors can efficiently handle a wide variety of materials. They are particularly well-suited for conveying fragile, abrasive, hygroscopic, and fine particles – but successful conveying will depend on the material and system design. Hot materials above 300˚F (149˚C) and sludge-like materials are not recommended.
Tubular Drag Conveyors – How They Compare
Tubular drag conveyors utilize either a chain-and-disc or cable-and-disc assembly within a sequence of straight and curved tubes. This design encloses the material in a dust-tight system, enabling gentle conveying. Tubular drag conveyors operate in three planes, which eliminates the need for transfer points, enhancing their versatility. They also require only one drive.
- Speed: Cable drag conveyors operate up to 140 ft/min (43 m/min), while chain drag conveyors can reach 100 ft/min (30 m/min).
- Capacity: Cable drag conveyors typically handle 11 ft³/min (0.31 m³/min), while chain drag conveyors handle 6.2 ft³/min (0.18 m³/min).
Materials Best Moved With Tubular Drag Conveyors
Tubular drag conveyors are designed to handle a variety of bulk materials, but the choice between chain-and-disc or cable-and-disc assemblies will influence the materials they can convey. These conveyors are highly effective for gentle handling and dust-free material transport, making them suitable for sensitive and abrasive materials.
By understanding the differences and benefits of each type of mechanical conveyor system, you can choose the best option for your material handling needs, based on the type of material being conveyed, desired speed, capacity, and specific application requirements.