10/10/18 Types of Screw Conveyors | Engineering Guide

Conveying Knowledge
Workmanship Solutions

Types of Screw Conveyors

Horizontal Screw Conveyors Inclined Screw Conveyors
EngGuide Index

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Shaftless Screw Conveyors Vertical Screw Conveyors

Horizontal Screw Conveyors

Horizontal screw conveyors are the most widely used type of screw conveyor

Used to convey bulk materials from one part of a process to another horizontal

screw conveyors are available in a wide range of sizes lengths configurations

and materials of construction

Screw conveyors are typically designed to convey bulk materials at 15  30 or 45 :

percent trough loading depending upon material characteristics of the specific

bulk materialAs a general rule trough loading of 45 :percent can be used for

light free:flowing and non:abrasive bulk materialsTrough loadings of 15 and 30:

percent are typically used for denser sluggish and more abrasive bulk materials

The inlet of a screw conveyor is always control fed by

another device such as:
Screw Conveyor

Screw Feeder

Belt Conveyor

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Rotary Airlock

Volumetric or Gravimetric Feeder

The recommended location for the drive unit is on the discharge end of a screw

conveyor which pulls the bulk material to the drive endWith this arrangement

each screw section is put in tension as the bulk material is conveyed toward the

discharge of a screw conveyor reducing wear and fatigue on the conveyor

components

Advantages of Using Screw Conveyors

Ideal for conveying dry to semi:fluid bulk materials = free flowing to sluggish

Cost:effective when compared to other conveying devices such as belt

pneumatic or aeromechanical

Efficiently distributes bulk materials to various locations using multiple inlet

and discharge points

Totally enclosed for dusty corrosive or hazardous environments

Inclined Screw Conveyors

Inclined screw conveyors typically operate from slightly above the horizontal

position to 45 :degrees from the horizontal positionAbove 45 :degrees an

inclined screw conveyor is considered a vertical screw conveyor and must be

designed in accordance with the KWS Engineering Guide for Vertical Screw

ConveyorsAs the degree of incline increases conveying efficiency is reduced

and horsepower requirements increase due to the effects of gravity and bulk

material fall back

Conveying efficiency is affected by angle of incline characteristics of the specific

bulk material type of screw conveyor trough and screw pitchKWS recommends

designing screw conveyors using the lowest possible degree of incline for

maximum efficiency

The following are design and construction features to

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consider when designing an inclined screw conveyor:

Incline Up to 10:Degrees = Loss in conveying efficiency is minimal on

inclines up to 10:degreesA screw conveyor with U :trough and full pitch

screw is sufficient for most applicationsLoss in efficiency can be overcome

by increasing the speed of the screw conveyor increasing the diameter of

the screw conveyor or reducing the pitch of the screw

Incline Between 10 and 20:Degrees = Loss in conveying efficiency is

typically between 10 and 40:percent on inclines up to 20:degreesA screw

conveyor with U :trough and 2 T3:pitch screw is sufficient for most

applicationsLoss in efficiency can also be overcome by increasing the

speed or the diameter of the screw conveyorAdditional horsepower is

required to overcome gravity and bulk material fall back

Incline Between 20 and 30:Degrees = Loss in conveying efficiency is

typically between 10 and 70:percent on inclines up to 30:degreesA screw

conveyor with tubular housing and reduced pitch screw 1T2 or 2 T3 is

recommended for most applicationsLoss in efficiency can also be

overcome by increasing the speed or the diameter of the screw conveyor

Additional horsepower is required to overcome gravity and bulk material fall

back

Incline Between 30 and 45:Degrees = Loss in conveying efficiency is

typically between 30 and 90:percent on inclines up to 45 :degreesA screw

conveyor with tubular housing and reduced pitch screw 1T2 or 2 T3 and

larger diameter is recommended for most applicationsIncreasing the speed

of the screw conveyor is also requiredAdditional horsepower is required to

overcome gravity and bulk material fall back

Pitch Efficiency

The Pitch Efficiency chart shows the relative conveying efficiency at different

degrees of incline and pitch configurationsAs the degree of incline increases

reduced pitch screws 1T2 and 2 T3 are more efficient than full pitch screwsThe

combination of reduced pitch screws 1T2 and 2 T3 and tubular housings provide

the highest conveying efficiency

Pitch Efficiencies

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Horsepower Requirements

The horsepower requirements for inclined screw conveyors increase with the

degree of inclineThe Horsepower Factor Fi is incorporated into the standard

screw conveyor horsepower calculations to compensate for the additional

horsepower required to overcome gravity and bulk material fall back

TSHP i ` Total Shaft HP for Inclined Screw Conveyor

MHP ` Material HP HP required to move the material

FHP ` Friction HP HP required to drive the conveyor empty

Fi ` Incline Factor

e ` Drive Efficiency Typical value of 0

88 is used for a shaft mount

reducerTmotor

 If calculated Material Horsepower is less than 5HP it should be corrected for

potential overloadUse the Corrected Material HP Chart

Upset Conditions

Screw conveyors located on inclines over 10:degrees must be designed to start

and operate under upset conditionsAn upset condition is caused when normal

flow in an inclined screw conveyor is interrupted and the bulk material inside the

conveyor slips back to the lower end filling up the conveyorAdditional

horsepower is required to restart and convey the bulk material because the

conveyor will temporarily experience 100:percent trough loadingPlease consult

KWS Engineering for the proper design of inclined screw conveyors for upset

conditions

Shaftless Screw Conveyors

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Bulk materials discharged from centrifuges filter presses or mixers can easily be

conveyed using a KWS Shaftless Screw ConveyorOur shaftless design provides

a non:clogging conveying surface that allows difficult:to:convey materials to

become easy:to:conveyThe perfect solution for handling bulk materials with

high moisture content is the KWS Shaftless Screw Conveyor

Advantages of Shaftless Screw Conveyors

Ideal for handling sticky and sluggish bulk materials

Improved conveying efficiency when compared to other types of conveyors

Allows greater flexibility for plant layout due to configurations available

Internal bearings are eliminated

KWS Shaftless Screw Conveyors are successfully used throughout the chemical

food minerals processing and wastewater treatment industries for conveying

everything from catalysts to dewatered biosolids

KWS developed the industry standards for shaftless screw conveyors and

continues to create new and improved design standardsOur high strength alloy

spirals are the hardest strongest and toughest in the industryFor more

information regarding shaftless screw conveyors consult the KWS Shaftless

Screw Conveyor Engineering Guide located on our website

Vertical Screw Conveyors

Vertical screw conveyors are a very efficient method for elevating a variety of

bulk materials at very steep inclines or completely verticalKWS considers any

screw conveyor located on an incline over 45 :degrees to be a vertical screw

conveyor

The compact design allows for the vertical screw conveyor to fit into almost any

plant layoutWith a minimum number of moving parts the vertical screw

conveyor is a cost:effective and dependable component of any bulk material

handling process

Advantages of Vertical Screw Conveyors

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Ideal for handling dry to semi:fluid materials

Capacities up to 6 000 cubic feet per hour

Ability to elevate bulk materials up to 30:feet without use of internal

bearings

Totally enclosed design for dust and vapor:tight requirements

KWS designs and supplies vertical screw conveyors to meet the needs of many

industries such as chemical minerals processing food wood products and

wastewater treatmentFor example our unique shaftless vertical screw conveyor

design is used in many wastewater treatment facilities for elevating dewatered

biosolids

KWS Vertical Screw Conveyors are available in many configurationsInlet

sections can be offset to either side or can be in:lineHorizontal feed conveyors

are required to accurately meter bulk materials directly to the vertical conveyor/s

inlet for maximum efficiency

For more information regarding vertical screw conveyors consult the KWS

Vertical Screw Conveyor Engineering Guide located on our website

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