Your conveyor system plays a vital role in the success and profitability of your plant. With an increasing number of options available for engineers and integrators to enhance their handling of powders and granules, there also comes a level of risk. Each conveying system’s effectiveness is influenced by material properties and operational demands, making it difficult to determine a one-size-fits-all solution.
To choose the right conveyor for your bulk material handling needs, it is essential to balance efficiency, safety, and cost, while considering the complexity and future growth of your process line. This guide offers valuable insights to help you make an informed decision between the various types of conveyors available, including belt conveyors, screw conveyors, drag chain conveyors, pneumatic conveyors, bucket elevators, and aero-mechanical conveyors.
Maximize efficiency, minimize risk. To ensure optimal results for your bulk material handling, it’s crucial to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each conveyor type. Take into account material properties and operational demands to find the most efficient, safe, and cost-effective solution for your process line. With a wide range of options, including belt conveyors, screw conveyors, drag chain conveyors, pneumatic conveyors, bucket elevators, and aero-mechanical conveyors, this guide provides valuable information to help you make an informed decision.
1. Understand your material
1.1 Material characteristics
Powders and granules can vary in size and properties. Knowing the inherent traits of your materials is crucial for successful conveying, whether they flow easily, cling together, or separate easily. The size of particles affects conveyor speed, capacity, and machinery used. When conveying, take into consideration factors like material abrasiveness, fluidity, moisture content, and potential for clumping. Make sure your equipment is resistant to wear and tear, has precise speed controls and barriers, and is able to handle hygroscopic and cohesive materials.
Fragile materials require special attention, and precautions must be taken to prevent dust contamination and moisture build-up. Handling blended mixes also requires a specific approach to maintain consistency and integrity during the conveying process. Achieve optimal conveying with precision and care.
Consider key factors such as material traits and equipment specifications. Ensure conveyor speed and machinery are suited to material properties, and prevent issues such as abrasiveness or moisture build-up. Maintain consistency and integrity for blended mixes and fragile materials – it’s crucial for success.
2. Define your operational requirements
2.1 Throughput volume
When considering a conveyor system for your production process, it is important to determine the necessary transfer speed in order to meet your target throughputs. Before making a selection, assess the volume of dry powder or granules that will be moved within a specific time frame. This includes hourly, daily, or weekly units in order to avoid potential bottlenecks or under-utilization. Since each facility has a unique spatial layout, it is crucial to choose a conveyor that can operate within your limitations, whether that be tight spaces or the need for a mobile unit.
When dealing with limited horizontal space, a vertical conveyor like a bucket elevator may be more suitable, while longer, horizontal conveyors like tubular drag conveyors are better suited for sprawling spaces. It is essential to also consider other infrastructure, such as hoppers, silos, and machines that the conveyor will integrate with. Depending on the distance and required throughput, horizontal conveying typically has more options, while vertical conveying presents its own set of challenges.
Maximize efficiency and productivity with a customized conveyor system tailored to your unique production needs. Our expertly crafted conveyors are designed to meet your specific target throughputs based on hourly, daily, or weekly units. Avoid bottlenecks and under-utilization by choosing the perfect conveyor for your facility, whether it’s a compact vertical elevator or a sprawling tubular drag conveyor.
With options available for both short and long distance conveying, as well as seamless integration with other infrastructure, our conveyors are equipped to handle any spatial limitations or throughput demands. Trust the expertise of our industry professionals to provide a tailored solution for your production process.
3. Environmental and safety considerations
For your bulk material powder handling operation, it is crucial to consider environmental and safety factors. Failing to do so can lead to serious consequences, such as jeopardizing worker safety and increasing operational costs. Given the growing focus on ESG, it is likely that your plant’s environmental impact will be closely examined.
To ensure a safe working environment and comply with regulations, it is important to proactively address these concerns through strategies such as implementing effective dust collection and air filtration systems, maintaining well-sealed conveyor systems, and prioritizing worker safety.
It is also important to conduct a thorough risk assessment before choosing a conveyor system and ensure compliance with recognized standards to prevent explosion hazards. Lastly, as ESG initiatives become increasingly important, it is essential to consider the impact of the conveyor system’s OEM on your supply chain’s ESG goals.
4. Conveyor system technologies and suitability
In the world of handling bulk materials, it’s important to recognize that one size does not fit all. Different conveyor technologies offer unique advantages and limitations, which means understanding these nuances is crucial in finding the best fit for your specific needs. 4.1 Belt Conveyors are a popular choice due to their simplicity and versatility in various industries. There are two main types: Flat Belts, which have a smooth surface, and Cleated Belts, which feature raised sections to prevent material from rolling.
Flat Belts are ideal for larger granules, flakes, and fragile shapes, while Cleated Belts are best for inclines and cohesive materials. However, belt conveyors do have their limitations, such as dust emissions, exposure to operators, and risks for materials that absorb moisture or are prone to dust explosions. They also may not offer adequate protection for materials sensitive to external environmental factors, or be suitable for elevating materials vertically or navigating long routes.
Maximize efficiency and safety with the right conveyor technology for your bulk material handling needs. Belt conveyors are an industry favorite due to their versatility, with two main types – flat belts for larger materials, and cleated belts for inclines. However, keep in mind their limitations when handling materials prone to moisture or dust.
Screw conveyors, also called screw auger conveyors, use rotating helical screw blades to efficiently transport materials. They are compact, versatile, and can convey materials vertically before gravity feeding them into silos or hoppers. Screw conveyors can handle cohesive, slightly abrasive, and hazardous materials, and can also manage steep inclines.
However, concerns include material damage, segregation of blends, high residue levels, and breakdown delays, as well as significant power consumption due to internal wall friction. With screw conveyors, transporting materials is an efficient and compact process. This versatile tool can even manage steep inclines and handle a variety of materials, including hazardous ones. However, it’s important to note that some concerns may arise, such as material damage, segregation, and high power consumption.
Vibrating conveyors with a rating of 4.3 use vibration to efficiently transport materials with specific characteristics. They are designed for horizontal movement, making them ideal for linear routes without elevation changes. Vibrating conveyors are best suited for free-flowing granules, non-cohesive materials, and fragile or larger particles due to their gentle vibratory movement that minimizes breakage.
However, concerns may arise when transporting blended materials, as the vibratory motion may cause segregation, and they are not suitable for fine powders or longer distances. Maximize efficiency and reduce material breakage with gentle vibratory movement. Perfect for horizontal routes and transporting free-flowing granules, non-cohesive materials, and fragile particles. However, blended materials may experience segregation, and longer distances are not recommended.
The drag chain conveyor, also known as the drag conveyor, is a highly versatile option for handling bulk materials due to its unique operating method. A sealed tube design, either using chains or cables, allows for efficient movement of powders and granules, even if they are abrasive or of high density. With the capability to navigate complex routes and maintain cleanliness for food and hazardous materials, this conveyor is suitable for a variety of materials and situations.
However, it should be noted that wear and tear may occur when handling abrasive materials, cohesive or agglomerating materials may cause blockages, and there may be challenges in designing the proper system for specific needs. Additionally, concerns about noise, maintenance, and potential contamination from chain interactions may arise with larger conveyors used for high throughput.
Conclusion
The significance of selecting an appropriate conveyor system goes beyond just transporting materials from one point to another. It requires a careful assessment of material properties, operational requirements, and the intricacies of different conveyor technologies to ensure efficiency, safety, and product quality are not compromised. To make knowledgeable decisions that will have long-term impacts on operational effectiveness, safety, and financial outcomes, prioritize thorough evaluations and seek guidance from industry experts. Ultimately, the foundational choices made when dealing with powder and granule conveying operations determine their success.
When it comes to operating a successful powder and granule conveying system, choosing the right conveyor is crucial. By considering material properties, operational requirements, and various conveyor technologies, you can ensure maximum efficiency, safety, and product quality. To make the most informed decisions, it’s important to conduct thorough evaluations and seek guidance from industry experts. After all, the foundational choices made for this system will have a long-term impact on effectiveness, safety, and financial outcomes.