Chainflow Drag Chain Conveyors
Overview
Features
- Heavy-duty conveying of high loads 24/7/365
- Maximum layout versatility with multiple inlets, multiple outlets & complex 3-plane circuits
- Minimize material breakage & maintain consistent mixtures with gentle handling
- Maintain dust and contamination-free handling via the totally enclosed conveyor design
- Maximize chain, disc & tube life and minimize operator maintenance with built-in automatic chain tensioning
HOW IT WORKS & BENEFITS
Spiroflow’s Chainflow tubular chain drag conveyor is the newest mechanical conveying option in our extensive line of mechanical conveyors designed for the dry bulk solids and powder processing industry. The hygienic, heavy-duty, totally enclosed, dust-free Chainflow tubular chain drag conveyor economically conveys dry, hot (up to 180°F/82°C) or cold, powders and granules, particularly fragile materials such as cereals, nuts, coffee beans, food ingredients, pet food, animal feed, and a wide variety of chemicals and plastics. Processors can easily convey or batch ingredients with crevice free material contact chain with flexibility in layout options. They successfully convey any number of non-cohesive dry powders and granules.
Achieve fast, efficient conveying with capacities up to 370 ft3/hr. (10.5m3/hr.).
All conveying takes place in a totally sealed tubular system which ensures the dust-free transfer of material.
Material is fed into the pockets formed between the discs within the conveying tube. The chain and discs gently move through the enclosed circuit pulling the material along until it reaches the outlet. This type of gentle conveying action minimizes product degradation and also maintains blends.
Tubular drag conveyors are the only conveyors that can operate in three (3) planes. This layout flexibility enables our engineers to design complex circuits which eliminates transfer points while using a single drive.
The conveyor can accommodate applications with multiple outlets so that one conveyor can deliver material to multiple points. Multiple inlets are possible as long as only one is operational at a time.
Tubular drag conveyors can transfer hot, cold, wet, dry, hygroscopic or temperature sensitive materials.
Convey over long distances with maximum straight-line lengths of up to 250 ft (76m) per conveyor and link multiple conveyors for longer distances. Enjoy the operational flexibility to stop and start under load, and run empty with most materials. You can also flood or meter feed the conveyor based on your product flow characteristics. Maximize your use with a mobile design available for multiple in-plant applications or freight car and truck loading.
All chain used in our chain assembly is constructed from 304 or 316 stainless steel with one-piece USDA accepted polyurethane molded discs secured at fixed intervals. With proper tensioning, end users can expect a very long chain life and minimal chain replacement expenditures.
Our patented automatic chain tensioning system maintains ideal tension on the chain which minimizes operator maintenance and also ensures maximum chain life.
As a worldwide industry leader in mechanical conveying, Spiroflow is unique in that we offer three types of tubular drag conveyors – Cableflow cable drag conveyors as well as Chainflow and Dynaflow drag chain conveyors. Our engineers will carefully assess your application needs so that you can count on your conveyor to run 24/7/365.
No matter how great the volume, tubular drag conveyors are very energy efficient especially when compared to pneumatic conveying systems. Users benefit by their minimal power requirements and associated energy savings.
With tubular drag conveyors, no additional air is added to convey material so there is no excess air at the outlet to filter for dust. Any material that is not ejected at the outlet is simply carried around the enclosed system until it is ejected at the next outlet.
APPLICATIONS
CONFIGURATIONS
Because tubular drag conveyors can operate in three (3) planes there is an endless number of layout options. Our engineers will evaluate your application requirements and site restrictions to determine the optimal layout. Typical circuits include the layouts below, however, this is by no means a complete list.
MODELS & SPECIFICATIONS
Our Chainflow Drag Chain conveyor is offered in a 4” (100cm) size. Our engineers will access your application needs and recommend the optimal configuration and options.
Standard Construction & Components:
- Tubes: 304 Stainless Steel
- Chain: 304 Stainless Steel
- Discs: UHMWPE
- Drive assembly
- Automatic chain tensioner
- Sweeps at standard 90° angles
- Material feed inlet
- Material discharge outlet
Electrical Requirements:
- 3 -7.5 hp (2.2 – 5.6 kW) Motor
- The motor is sized to each application.
Pneumatic Requirements
- 60-80 psi
Inlets, Outlets & Feeding
- Multiple inlets & outlets are allowed.
- Material can be metered or flood fed. This is product dependent.
- Inlets can be fitted with baffles, lids, hoppers or agitators.
- Variable conveying rates. Custom designs are available.
COMPONENTS & OPTIONS
Spiroflow’s Chainflow tubular drag chain conveyor is designed to achieve gentle handling and low material degradation. A series of straight and curved tubes coupled to stainless steel housings form a circuit where the product can enter and exit through tube mounted chutes.
Conveying is achieved when material enters the space between discs molded to an endless chain that is contained within the circuit. The chain and discs are dragged through the circuit by a driven sprocket at one end. Additional sprockets can be added to the circuit to provide frictionless direction changes and reduce the load on the system. Continuous tension is applied to the chain via a patented pneumatically actuated tensioning assembly mounted in the 180° idler assembly included with the system.
Straight Tube Sections
Chain & Disc
Drive Housing & Outlet
Corner Housing in Production
Inlet Housing & Adjustable Baffle
Site Glass/Inspection Port
Return Housing & Tensioner
Tube Joiner & Tube Support
Chain in the Sprocket
CAPACITY & SELECTION
Chainflow Tubular Drag Conveyors can operate at rates up to 100 ft/min (30m/min) depending on material characteristics & layout. Capacities are typically up to 6.2 ft3/min (176 lpm)
The capacity charts below allow you to roughly estimate the size of the conveyor and the speed based on the throughput requirements in cubic feet/minute (cubic liters/min). The horizontal lines represent the velocity at which your product will pass through the conveyor. The vertical lines indicate the volumetric throughput rate in liters per minute. The diagonal lines are the sizes of the conveyors available.
But don’t think you have to figure out which conveyor will work best for your application. Our sales engineers can do that for you!
Tubular Drag Conveyor Capacity Charts
How to Use the Capacity Charts
- Based on your material’s bulk density, calculate the required conveying rate in feet/minute or liters/minute. Locate the amount required on the horizontal scale.
- Move up the vertical line and note where it intersects with one or more diagonal lines. Each intersection point indicates a possible conveyor size.
- From each intersection point, move left horizontally all the way to the vertical scale, indicating the conveyor cable speed.
There are many factors that enter into the tubular conveyor selection process. Beyond the mechanical selection described above, we carefully consider the physical characteristics of the material to be conveyed and the equipment duty cycle.
Tubular Drag Conveyor Selection Guidelines
- The Chainflow conveyor can operate at speeds up to 100 ft/min (30m/min).
- It is generally advisable to apply a larger conveyor at a slower speed if your material has sluggish flow characteristics, is sticky, abrasive or if the equipment operational duty cycle is extensive.
- Smaller conveyor sizes and faster speeds are usually selected when the material is free-flowing and non-abrasive and/or the equipment duty cycle is low.
- Future capacity requirements should be considered. It may be prudent to install a larger conveyor now at a lower speed. You can increase the speed later to accommodate a higher capacity. This can be done with the use of a variable frequency drive or gearing change.
- Surges and uneven feed conditions should be considered. Surge hoppers may provide more constant feeding and may enable the use of a smaller conveyor.
