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The selection of an effective conveying system is a decision that is vital to any feed mill or fertilizer plant. The inappropriate choices can lead to multiple failures, material leakages and higher costs. The Shanghai Yuanyuda International Trade Co., Ltd. provides a chain conveyor as well as a belt conveyor, yet they are used in various applications. Being aware of their advantages and disadvantages will help you make a good investment.
Understanding the Basic Differences
Chain conveyor refers to ability to use one or more chains to transport material through a trough. The scrapers or flights are pulled by the chain onto bulk materials. A belt conveyor is a continuous round of fabric or rubber, and functions on a flat or troughed conveyor. Even though they both carry feed ingredients or finished pellets, a significant disparity does exist between their performance, depending on the nature of the material that they are transporting, distance and the environment they are operating in.
When a Chain Conveyor is the Better Choice
Important factors like durability and containment are also very beneficial when it comes to chain conveyors. When carrying abrasive items such as fertilizers with mineral contents or any feeds with sharp particles, chain conveyors would hold their own for longer compared to a belt conveyor. Its trough can catch dust particles without releasing them which is vital for facilities with pulse dust collector for prevention of air contamination.
The other important function where a chain conveyor will shine is when dealing with materials that can reach high temperatures. Warm feed coming out from one of the SKLN counterflow coolers, for example; would cause a belt conveyor to have a much higher wear rate. Chain conveyors,however, can operate at much higher temperatures without such difficulties. The chain conveyors can also be implemented at much steeper angles compared to standard belt systems. A row of chains provided by TGSU or TGSS do not slip when material is to be conveyed upwards to a steep angle at a certain place in your plant layout.
Finally, sticky and cohesive materials can be easily conveyed by chain conveyors. Molasses-coated or wet mash feeds are liable to cause belt conveyors to go out of tracking and will only stick to their surfaces. Chain conveyors however will be able to move these feeds in all directions with no problems of adhesion. Such a characteristic will surely be precious for places which manufacture molasses-coated fertilizers for drip irrigation or compound fertilizers.
When a Belt Conveyor is the Better Choice
Belt conveyors excel in applications requiring high-speed movement over long distances with minimal product degradation. In the case where delicate completed pellets are involved, especially aquatic food (or pet food), a belt conveyor will reduce breakage when compared to chain system. The smooth rolling of the belt preserves pellet integrity resulting in fewer fines, and a higher level of customer satisfaction.
The other benefit of the belt conveyor is that it is efficient in use of energy. It is not as powerful to move a belt compared to dragging a chain through bulk material. This energy cost-reduction is impressive and increasing with time in factories with large volumes of livestock and poultry feed units (more than 100 tons/hour) where the facilities are large. Belt conveyors also produce less noise, hence they supply better working environment to the workers.
No need to grease chains or adjust sprockets. Simple belt tracking adjustments guarantee smooth system operation. A belt conveyor will serve well in plants that have clean and dry and non abrasive products such as in grain or soybean meal.
Key Factors to Consider Before Deciding
You should decide based on four key criteria. First of all, we will discuss material abrasiveness. Chain conveyors are highly resistant to sharp or gritty surfaces and a belt surface would be destroyed in the short term. Second, operational temperature of the test. Chain systems are favourable in constant temperatures that are over 80 degrees Celsius. Third, note the length of the conveyor and its inclination. Horizontal long runs, as opposed to belt patterns are desirable; short, inclined or vertical chains. Fourth, degradation tolerance of the test products. Belts are usually preferred where maintaining pellet quality is crucial.
Integration with Complete Feed Lines
The two conveyors can be used in conjunction with other Shanghai Yuanyuda International Trade Co., Ltd. Gadgets. The rest of your material handling system has to finish what you select and also not cause bottlenecks.
A belt conveyor is most suitable for feed mills that manufacture the conventional livestock and poultry feed due to its efficiency and relatively gentle material handling. Should there be, however, the necessity to employ abrasive raw material, hot pellets, steep slopes, or smeary fertilizers, a chain conveyor of the TGSU or TGSS type will prove to be more reliable. The tip of advice that the Shanghai Yuanyuda International Trade Co., Ltd. can give you is to take into consideration your material properties as well as the plan of a factory and come to final decision. These two can be tailored to suit your specifications by having clamps, spindles and hollow shafts which can meet your requirements.
