What are the best materials for drag chain conveyors? Running the proper materials decreases downtime and increases productivity because the conveyor is operating at its full potential. We’ll talk more about that in this blog.
There are two types of drag chain conveyors out there – structural and non-structural. At Spiroflow we manufacture both. In order to keep things simple, we will only talk about heavy-duty non-structural drag chain conveyors such as our Chainflow conveyor. We talk about ultra-heavy-duty structural drag conveyors in other posts.
What is a Drag Chain Conveyor?
A tubular drag chain conveyor is a heavy-duty conveyor because it is designed to run 24/7/365. Tubes and discs are made of stainless steel with UHMWPE discs. Multiple inlets and outlets are possible for this machine. An automatic chain tensioner is always included. Other basic components of a drag chain conveyor include a 90˚ idler housing, chain vibrator, pneumatic inlet baffle, static grounding, sight glass, and controls.
Drag Chain Conveyor Options
Like most mechanical conveyors there are a variety of drag chain conveyor design features to choose from. A reputable manufacturer can make drag chain conveyor recommendations based on your application requirements and budget.
- Sanitary finish
- Inlet support base
- Corner sprockets (90˚ Idler Housing)
- Hinged access covers
- Hinged inlet chute access covers
- Inlet vibration – electric or pneumatic
- Tube mounted inlets & outlets
- Tube valve with chute (a pneumatically actuated inline discharge valve)
- Extended capacity chute (dust hood, splash guard, lid)
- Manual or pneumatic inlet baffle
- Rotation sensor
- Air purge
- Chain vibrator
- Level probes – NEMA 4 or 7
- Mobile base (layout/length restrictions)
- Controls (with or without VFD)
- Sight glass
- Static grounding
- 90˚ & custom angle sweeps
- Explosion & hygienic options (application dependent)
Material Matters – Are Drag Chain Conveyors Right For Your Material?
What you’re planning on conveying inside a drag chain conveyor is a prime factor in determining the suitability of this (or any) conveying method. We always recommend a test of your exact material in the conveyor. That’s the best way to ensure the conveyor will perform to your expectations. Be advised that sometimes even a subtle change to the material can change how your conveyor operates.
What Should Go In A Drag Chain Conveyor
Drag chain conveyors are ideal for conveying dry, cold, hot (up to 180°F/82°C), powders, and granules. They are particularly suited for conveying fragile materials such as cereals, nuts, coffee beans, food ingredients, pet food, animal feed, a wide variety of chemicals and plastics.
Food Industry Materials
Non-cohesive dry powders & granules, Coffee, Pet Food, Nuts, Cereal, Hops, Grains, Recycled products, Barley, Cocoa, Beans, Coffee (ground & whole bean), Grains/Seeds, Hops, Oats (rolled), Pepper, Sodium Bicarbonate, Soybeans, Tea & Wheat
Other Food Industry Materials are application & layout dependent
Artificial sweetener, cashews, cereal, cheese powder, cookie crumbs, crackers, fish food, flour (reg/wheat), frozen vegetables, fruit (dried), hard candy, jelly beans, malt/meal/nuts, oilseeds, peanuts, pet food/animal feed, powdered vitamins, rice (dry & puffed), snack foods, soup mix, spices, sugar beet pellets, and more.
Plastic & Rubber Industry Materials
Latex, PET, plastics, recycled plastics, and more.
Timber Industry Materials
Sawdust, wood chips, wood pellets, and more.
Recycling & Environmental Industry Materials
Recycled plastics and other re-processed materials subject to product testing.
Other Materials
Bottle caps, buttons, detergent, granules, litter, pellets, polyurethane foam, sintered dust, soluble corn fiber, talcum powder, tobacco, urea, wax flakes, and more.
What Should Stay Out Of Drag Chain Conveyors
Sludges, slurries, moist, cohesive materials are not recommended for this type of conveyor. These materials are better conveyed in a structural ultra heavy-duty conveyor like our Dynaflow drag chain conveyor:
Metals, Mineral & Mining Industry Materials
Bentonite clay, brown coal, clay, coal, coke, dried Coal, graphite, limestone, etc.
Power Industry Materials
Bio-mass (torrefied), activated coal ash, ash, and other similar materials.
Drag Chain Conveyor Cleanability
These conveyors have crevice-free chain and disc assemblies. This stops material from getting stuck inside, as a result, makes the conveyor easier to clean.
Non-sanitary Applications
- This conveyor can be cleaned by dry scouring (running an abrasive product) or air purging.
- Scavenged dust is directed out through the discharge outlet(s).
- The conveyor can also be wet washed (clean-in-place).
- The chain and disc assembly can be removed for cleaning/drying remotely.
Sanitary Applications
- Food products are common applications requiring a very low microbial count.
- The chain can be removed for cleaning/drying remotely.
Other Conveying Options
When a non-structural drag chain conveyor isn’t the right choice to convey your material, there are other options. Based on your application requirements those alternative solutions might include ultra-heavy duty structural drag chain conveyors, tubular cable drag conveyors, aero mechanical conveyors, or flexible screw conveyors.
Test, Test, Test!
If you are considering a tubular drag chain conveyor, or really any conveyor, we always recommend material testing in one of our test labs. There are quite literally hundreds of materials that can successfully be conveyed in a tubular drag chain conveyor. Some suppliers will furnish a list of ‘can do’ materials but we always prefer to err on the side of caution. That is why we reference many materials as ‘application dependent.’ This ensures that you receive a conveying solution that meets all of your requirements. It also prevents problems down the road.
Want more information?
Thanks for visiting our blog and reading this article. Give us a call if you have any questions! We have been in the bulk material handling industry for more than 45 years. We’ll do everything we can to help you determine the right bulk material handling solution for your process.
We don’t just make drag chain conveyors so feel free to check out our complete product line. We also offer complete control systems integration services. If you’re interested in that, click here for more information.
