Auger Conveyors
An auger conveyor is one of countless different types of materials handling machines. More specifically, it is a type of machine that transports material from one point to one or more others. Auger conveyors, also sometimes known as screw conveyors, work using a large screw inside their tubular housing known as an Archimedean screw. The screw rotates per the indication of the motor, and in turn, the screw rotates the housing in which material is being held as it moves along the length of the conveyor.
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Application of Auger Conveyors
Auger conveyors are particularly helpful in the transportation of materials composed of small granules, like grain, and powder materials. Industrial applications that fit this description and can therefore be assisted by auger conveyors are quite varied. Just a few of these many industries include: agriculture, bulk handling, chemical processing, food processing, machining, material handling, plastic processing and waste and wastewater control.
They are, for instance, relied upon to complete the conveyance of raw plastic material, such as pellets, during thermoforming processes like extrusion and injection molding. If this is the case, the auger conveyor is aiding the process by drawing the raw plastic pellets into pellet hoppers found suspended above processing equipment.
Auger conveyors are also used in snow blowers, where they transport snow to an impeller so that it can be discharged. Ice resurfacers use auger conveyors to remove loose ice particles from ice surfaces, such as those of ice rinks. In addition, they are essential to the efficient and effective transportation of all sorts of very small materials and powdery substances such as carbon black. This is because, unlike most traditional belt conveyors, auger conveyors completely contain the material they move, thereby significantly decreasing the likelihood of equipment damage or product loss. Traditional belt conveyors, on the other hand, do not, and thus material often escapes the surface of the belt and accumulates beneath or somewhere else on it, or it becomes ground in the belt. Some other materials that auger conveyors commonly handle include municipal solid waste, boiler ash, cereal grains, wood chips, meat and bone meat, animal feed and aggregates.
Design of Auger Conveyors
A customer searching for an auger conveyor has many options, as auger conveyors are offered in a wide variety of different standard and custom designs. Most auger conveyors consist of a tube or channel and a spiral or helical screw blade. Some contain a blade that is wrapped around a shaft, while others are shaftless. The spiral blades of shaft conveyors are driven at one end and held at the other, while the spiral blades of shaftless conveyors are driven at one end and free at the other.
Types of Auger Conveyors
The two most common auger conveyor types include inclined auger conveyors and vertical auger conveyors.
- Inclined Auger Conveyor
- Works at a slight angle, featuring a channel that is situated on an incline in the ground. Inside this channel is a rotating auger, or helical screw blade. As the auger rotates, it forces material up through the system. At the bottom of the channel is an inlet, which is generally located inside a small vessel from which the channel draws up materials to be transported. Meanwhile, located at the top of the channel is an outlet. From here, the transported material exits the channel and enters the aforementioned storage space. An inclined auger conveyor may be used in agriculture as well as food processing and manufacturing, among other industries.
- Vertical Auger Conveyor
- Much the same, except that it features a long, vertical channel that is attached to a sturdy structure, typically the storage structure into which the conveyor directs materials. Vertical auger conveyors are the preferred conveyor of agricultural endeavors, especially for the movement of agricultural products into storage silos. All auger conveyors, whether inclined or vertical, can be powered either by electric motor power or by alternative energy sources, such as diesel engines. In addition, should an application call for it, auger conveyors can be equipped with a variable rate feeder. A variable rate feeder controls the amount of a product distributed at one time.
Things to Consider When Choosing Auger Conveyors
Auger conveyors provide their users with a highly economical way to convey and elevate all kinds of material. To find out how an auger conveyor could serve your application, contact an experienced conveyor manufacturer and discuss your requirements and specifications with them. For the very best in the business, check out the list of manufacturers listed here on this page, and reach out to one or more of them today.