A screw conveyor (also known as an auger conveyor) has a screw which is turned with a drive motor, moving product up one pitch for every revolution. Material is fed into the screw conveyor’s inlet and is passes through the conveyor via the turning auger where it is then discharged out the outlet.

A tube or “U” shaped trough surrounds the auger. Optional covers for the trough conveyors are used to keep materials cleaner and more contained. There are four types of screw conveyors: horizontal, incline, shaftless, and vertical.

Horizontal screw conveyors can convey materials at 15-45% trough loading (maximum depth at which materials will flow through a screw conveyor).  Viscous, sluggish materials require a lower trough load, while lighter free-flowing materials can be fed at a higher load. Typically the drive unit is at the discharge end pulling material towards the discharge end, putting the auger sections in tension, reducing fatigue and wear on the conveyor. They are perfect for homogenizing mixtures and can be left open for inspection or totally enclosed, depending upon the environment.

Inclined screw conveyors are functionally the same as most augers but are used at an incline between 0-45 degrees from horizontal. Each degree of incline reduces the efficiency of the conveyor and how much material flows through it. As the degree of incline increases, more torque and/or RPM is required to pull material through the conveyor. Typical applications for inclined screw conveyors are: cement, feed, and sugar

Shaftless screw conveyor (also known as a ribbon screw conveyor) allow material to flow “through” the auger as well as around it. This increases efficiency and flexibility for a wide range of materials. They are inherently non-clogging and can transport materials with high moisture content or are non-flowing. Typical applications include food, chemical processing, wastewater and mining.

Vertical screw conveyor is capable of elevating large volumes of bulk product and includes all screw conveyors with inclination angles greater than 45 degrees. They are best for dry to semi-fluid materials, and they take up a small footprint. Common applications for vertical screw conveyors are in wastewater facilities, wood production, chemical, food, and mining operations. information on debearders, select one of the products below.

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