The Screw Conveyor: What It Is And What It Does

by | Apr 21, 2016 | Industrial Supplier

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If you have a business in Louisiana that moves many loose materials, you may be thinking of purchasing a conveyor. You have several options available to you. These include a belt conveyor, pneumatic conveyor, and aeromechanical conveyor. Yet, there is also one more choice. This is a screw conveyor.

What Is a Screw Conveyor?

Screw conveyors, also known as auger, helical, spiral or worm conveyors, are devices employed to move work materials. They consist of the following components:

 * Central Shaft (except for centerless screw conveyors)
 * Wide, helical wound blade
 * Tube, casing, trough or compartment
 * The screw element rotates around the central shaft. This drives the material in the direction dictated by the orientation and design of the screw.
Screw conveyors effectively move dry to semi-fluid material from one point to another in your plant.

Types of Screw Conveyors

It is possible to purchase any of several types of screw conveyors. Several models and types are currently available on the market. Among them are the following:

 * Bottom Conveyors: This type employs multiple screws in an open trough
 * Centerless Screw Conveyors: This type does not have a central shaft. Instead, there is an empty helix
 * Flexible Screw Conveyors: The auger and outer tubing are flexible in this model
 * Modular Plastic Screw Conveyors: These consist of plastic modules of a helical flight spiraling singularly around a square, hollow center
 * Vertical Screw Conveyors: This type uses less space than other conveyors do. Its purpose is to convey material vertically upward
 * Ribbon Screw Conveyors: They are employed in the conveying of material that is gummy, sticky or viscous substances

These do not comprise a complete list of the types of screw conveyors available for companies in Louisiana. Other options include pressurized and heat transfer screw conveyors. Companies can also work with manufacturers to order a customized version for their production facilities.

What Is the Purpose of Screw Conveyors?

Screw conveyors perform one major task. As the name indicates, they “convey” material from one point to another. In agricultural applications, the devices move such things as:

 * Flakes
 * Grains
 * Granules
 * Powders
 * Seeds

In agriculture, screw conveyors are the power source for many different types of farm equipment, including balers and threshers. Other industries find them useful in transporting materials that are prone to caking. They also are an excellent solution for conveying wet and non-flowing material. Alternatively, a company can employ screw conveyors to agitate, blend or mix wet or sticky material.

Why Use a Screw Conveyor?

Companies turn to screw conveyors for any of several reasons. Two, in particular, are prominent. A screw conveyor is one of the most cost- effective and efficient means of transporting dry to semi-fluid material currently available for many American companies, including those in Louisiana.