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The choice of conveyor for a feed or fertilizer plant can impact the quality of your product, as well as maintenance costs. Two widely used options are screw conveyors and belt conveyors. Both offer unique benefits based on the material you're transporting and the setup of your facility. Shanghai Yuanyuda International Trade Co., Ltd. compares the pros and cons of both systems to assist you in choosing the appropriate system for your operation.
How Screw Conveyors Work
In a screw conveyor, a rotating helical screw blade is situated in a stationary trough. The screw propels the material through the length of the trough as it rotates. The design is simple and has minimal moving parts. Each end of the screw has bearings, and sometimes also hanger bearings in the middle, for longer lengths. Fully enclosed, screw conveyors are ideal for dusty or friable materials. They can be installed horizontally, at an incline, or even vertically, depending on the screw design.
How Belt Conveyors Work
A belt conveyor uses an endless cloth or rubber belt looped between two pulleys. The belt travels on idler rollers which bear the load of the material being conveyed. One pulley is used to drive the belt and the object lying on it to move. Belt conveyors are generally open and trough-shaped for the material to be conveyed. They work best for long-distance,heavy load applications. The smooth, soft belt surface protects delicate products.
When to Choose a Screw Conveyor
There are certain conditions where screw conveyors are more suitable. When the fine feed mash or pulverized fertilizer is dusty, the enclosed trough contains dust, preventing workplace emissions. This safeguards worker health and decreases load on the pulse dust collector. Screw conveyors also handle sticky, cohesive or high moisture content materials. A scraper action is provided by the screw, which helps to keep the trough clean. The other benefit is that the material can be metered accurately by controlling the screw speed. adjusting screw speed delivers consistent flow for feeding into hammer mills and mixing equipment.
When to Choose a Belt Conveyor
Belt conveyors are very efficient for transporting large quantities of material over long distances, in a low-energy manner. The length of a single belt conveyor can be hundreds of meters from point to point. This helps to minimize the number of equipment pieces and maintenance requirements. Additionally, fragile products are better protected when transported on belt conveyors. finished pellets, aquatic feed, and extruded pet food retain their shape better on belts than in screws. What's more, belt conveyors are more easily cleaned between product changeovers. The smooth surface of the belt is wiped clean easily.
Material Characteristics That Influence Choice
Sometimes the correct conveyor is determined by the physical characteristics of the material to be transported. screw conveyors wear faster than belts when dealing with abrasive materials such as mineral fertilizers. The rotating helical blade acts like a grinder against hard particles. For abrasive duties, a belt conveyor with a wear resistant surface lasts longer. However, sticky or wet materials tend to stick to the belt and cause tracking issues. In contrast, sticky materials are pushed forward by a screw conveyor without sticking. A screw conveyor must be enclosed to contain friable, dusty materials and maintain a clean workshop. Either works for free flowing grains or dry pellets.
Integration with Complete Feed Lines
Both conveyor types serve as bin discharge feeders for use as feeders under bins and are also used for transferring material between steps in the process under Shanghai Yuanyuda International Trade Co., Ltd. They can be easily connected to hammer mills, mixers and pellet mills. Belt conveyors are typically used in receiving areas, for warehouse storage, and for loading finished product. Both could be utilized in a complete feed line in different capacities. Screw conveyors are ideal for accurate metering and dusty transfers, while belt conveyors excel at high capacity transportation of finished pellets.
Summary
There is no one-size-fits-all choice between screw and belt conveyors. The right one is dependent on the material, distance, layout and budget. Screw conveyors are best suited for short distance, dusty materials, sticky products and precise metering. Belt conveyors are suited for long distance, high capacity, fragile products, and energy efficiency. offers TLSU/TLSG screw conveyors, TGSU and TGSS series chain conveyor and belt conveyor choices. Call us to determine the best material handling solution for your feed or fertilizer plant and get an evaluation of your particular application.
