Bucket Elevator Belt – Working, Uses, Features, Types, and Advantages
Industries and commercial plants dealing in flow-able materials in bulk need a productive and dependable method for transferring the materials from one point to another. This is where a Bucket Elevator Belt or grain conveyer comes into action. It is a machine capable of moving materials vertically. It consists of a belt, buckets fixed on the belt, a mechanism to drive the belt, and accessories to collect the material being moved.
Depending upon its intended use, it can be designed with varying weight, size, capacity, and design. The weight lifting mechanism used in these belts can be electric, hydraulic, mechanical, and even manually operated.
Most common uses of the elevator belt
Bucket Elevator Belt is an essential part of industries such as oil mills, manufacturing plants, mines, smelters, and similar industries dealing in the processing of bulk materials. These can be seen working successfully in industries dealing in food production, grains, metal ore, liquid processing, and alike.
How they work
There is a revolving belt that is installed in a way that it comes in direct contact with a pile or other machinery to load or unload materials. Bulk carrying buckets are affixed over this belt. The belt revolves with the help of a mechanism, mostly located in the center of the loop. The buckets are filled at one side and emptied at the other side.
Bucket elevators are very commonly used in sites where bulk material is to be elevated. The inherent simplicity of the gear makes it easy to maintain with a cost-effective operation. With the passage of time, there has been a gradual improvement in the bucket shape, size, belt durability, and motor capacity to aid typical industry processes.
Types Centrifugal discharge elevator
This particular type of elevator belt uses centrifugal force for its operation. This force drives the elevator at a relatively high speed refilling the buckets at one side and emptying them on the other side. It can be a vertically moving belt or an inclined one. The buckets may have any shape or size which can easily pick up materials from a pile, pit, or boot.
These days, Bucket Elevator Belts are available in various other types as well. Some of these come with lightweight plastic buckets, unlike the previous type that used metal buckets. The belt is generally a heavy strap made from heavy fabric or metal sheets. The gear can be designed as per its application. For lifting heavy materials, a metal belt with metal buckets is suitable while for carrying lightweight components, a plastic bucket belt can be used.
Advantages
These belts offer the following advantages to industrial operations:
- Speed up the lifting process
- No or very little human labor required
- Smooth and dependable transportation
- Low maintenance gear
- Longer service life
- Customizable as per requirement
These belts are efficient gear that can change the way a plant works enhancing its productivity by regulating its operations.
