Chainflow Drag Chain Conveyors

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.

Check out our Conveyor Comparison Chart. 

This document compares our conveyor offerings based on application suitability, configurations, specifications, options & cleanability. Our engineers will assess your application needs & recommend the optimal conveyor system.

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.

* Throughput rates vary depending on the bulk density and flow characteristics as well as the layout of the conveyor.

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.

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!

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 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.

Chainflow drag chain conveyors can gently transport a multitude of non-cohesive dry powders and granules.  Here is a list of materials generally considered for this type of conveyor.  Our engineers will carefully assess the properties of your material and likely perform a material test to ensure your drag chain conveyor performs exactly to your expectations.