When entering the production floor of a food processing plant, visitors may be overwhelmed by the maze of conveyor tubes weaving in and out of machinery. These tubes may seem like something from a Dr. Seuss story or Willy Wonka movie to the untrained eye. Even industry veterans may struggle to identify the type of conveyor they are seeing, as there are many variations such as screw, pneumatic, vacuum, aeromechanical, tubular drag chain, and disc or tubular drag cable and disc.
Without hands-on experience, many professionals, including specifiers, architects, and engineers, may not fully understand the capabilities of these conveyors, leading to potentially disastrous consequences when dealing with delicate materials or precise blends. In this assessment, we will address six common misconceptions about tubular drag cables and disc conveyors, highlighting their ability to gently and reliably transport various food types in various layouts and configurations.
It’s crucial for professionals, including specifiers, architects, and engineers, to fully comprehend the range of conveyor types available in the food processing industry. With multiple variations, such as screw, pneumatic, and vacuum conveyors, it’s easy for even seasoned veterans to overlook the gentle and reliable capabilities of tubular drag cable and disc conveyors. This assessment’ll debunk six misconceptions about these conveyors, showcasing their ability to effectively transport delicate materials and precise blends in various layouts and configurations.
Misconception 1: These Conveyors are the Same as a Screw System
While some may believe that tubular drag cable and screw conveyors are the same, they are actually quite different. Screw systems, also referred to as auger conveyors, use a helical blade within a tube to transport granular materials. However, this can cause damage to products and affect blends. Therefore, they are best suited for non-critical materials, like food waste. The key distinguishing factor is that screw conveyors use a helical screw to move materials, and their speed is related to the rotation of the screw.
In contrast, tubular drag cable conveyors use a sealed cable to pull materials between two discs, making them ideal for delicate products and blends. Tubular drag cable conveyors provide a gentler alternative to screw systems, making them a safer option for handling delicate products and blends.
The key distinguishing factor is the use of a sealed cable rather than a helical screw, allowing for a slower, more controlled transport. This is especially beneficial for critical materials, such as food products, where damage and blending can have a significant impact on quality. With tubular drag cable conveyors, you can trust that your materials will be transported safely and efficiently.
Misconception #2: Conveyors Are Not Designed to Protect Blends and Mixes
It is crucial to maintain a consistent blend ratio when using conveyor systems to transport a mix of products, regardless of whether the materials are fine, coarse, or varying in weight and shape. Unfortunately, conventional conveyors are not specifically designed for this purpose and can lead to shifts and restructuring of the blend during transport, especially with open systems like bucket conveyors or vacuum and pneumatic systems.
This can cause major issues for professionals in the food industry, such as nutritionists and livestock farmers. To overcome this, a completely enclosed, compartmentalized tubular conveyor system has been created. Similar to a train with endless cars, each space between solid circular discs contains a specific volume of product, allowing for precise blend ratios. By calculating the optimal speed, tube angles, and construction design, engineers can ensure that the blended product remains consistent from input to discharge, even when dealing with high volumes.
Increase efficiency and accuracy with a completely enclosed, compartmentalized tubular conveyor system designed specifically for maintaining a consistent blend ratio. Similar to a train, each space between solid circular discs can contain a specific volume of product, providing precise blending ability regardless of volume or material type. With optimized speed, angles, and construction, this system is ideal for maintaining product quality during transport and discharge.
Misconception #3: Conveyors Cannot Carry Moist, Hot, or Frozen Material
Tubular drag cable systems are versatile in conveying various forms and states of food materials, such as powdered, pureed, chopped, moist, hot, and frozen, with a maximum throughput of 80,000 pounds per hour. These systems are capable of conveying high-moisture content materials, like soaked beans and chickpeas, with the presence of water in the product. While the conveyors are made of plastic components, the standard units are constructed to withstand temperatures of up to 180° F (82° C), with an option for high temperatures of up to 230° F (110° C), making them suitable for receiving products from ovens, fryers, or dryers.
Even frozen products can be conveyed, as long as the temperature is controlled along the path to prevent melting or freezing of water later in the system. Safely and efficiently transport a wide range of food materials with a maximum throughput of 80,000 pounds per hour. These tubular drag cable systems can handle varying forms and states of food, including high-moisture content materials like soaked beans and chickpeas.
They are also designed to withstand high temperatures up to 230° F (110° C), making them perfect for receiving products from ovens, fryers, or dryers while maintaining the integrity of the product. Even frozen products can be conveyed, ensuring their quality remains intact throughout the entire process.
Misconception #4: Conveyor Footprint and Expansion Limitations
While some in the food industry may dismiss tubular conveyors due to perceived space limitations, this is not necessarily the case. With modular systems like tubular drag cable conveyors, there are options for accommodating complex layouts and obstacles such as curves, angles, and changes in direction.
These conveyors can also be installed at various angles, allowing them to fit within existing facilities without the need for major modifications. Additionally, tubular conveyors are highly efficient in terms of space usage. For maximum space conservation, the conveyor turnaround and inlet can be vertically oriented, reducing the required width to just one foot. If gravity discharge is preferred, the tubing can even be run through walls and out of the building’s roof, further saving interior space.
Misconception #5: Cleaning Requires Dismantling and Extended Downtime
When it comes to product changeovers, traditional conveyor systems require disassembly, cleaning or soaking, and reassembly, which can be a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. However, with tubular conveyors, this is not necessary.
These conveyors offer dry, wet, and in-line cleaning options, such as brush boxes and air knives for cleaning the cable, brushes and wipers for washing the tubes, and a sponge soaked in sanitizer for sanitizing without fully wetting the system. For a thorough cleanse, the cable conveyor utilizes a multi-step wet cleaning process that includes water rinsing, foaming, sanitizing, and final rinsing. To dry the system, urethane wipers attached to the tubular conveyor discs act as a “squeegee” to remove any remaining water.
Misconception #6: Conveyors are Indoor Installation Only
One common misconception is that tubular conveyors are exclusively used indoors, however, it is actually quite common for certain portions of the equipment to extend outdoors. This is often seen when transporting products from outside to inside, such as unloading raw materials from a truck or railcar, or loading finished products into similar transportation methods.
In addition, materials may also be conveyed from a feed mill to a production or packaging room, which could be as close as ten feet or even as far as one hundred feet away.