Main Functions of Double Channel Bucket Elevator

   Bucket elevator has two types, one is single channel, another is double channel. Double channel bucket elevator is the machine that has two channels, feeding on one side, and hopper descending after discharging on the other side. Double channel improves the strength of the middle section of bucket elevator, the ascending and descending of single channel bucket elevator are in one casing channel.

Lifting capacity of double channel bucket elevator is 30% higher than single channel under the same condition. If the lifting capacity of the standard bucket elevator is same to customers’ requirements after getting lifting capacity and height from customers, choosing double channel bucket elevator, which can not only reduce cost but meet customers’ requirements. For example, capacity customer required is 15 CBM/hr, and if uses TD160 single channel belt bucket elevator, it can be only 13CBM/hr. And the capacity of TD250 double channel bucket elevator can reach 25CBM/hr and meet customers’ requirements. The price of TD250 is much higher than TD160 and more energy consumption. However, efficiency of TD160 double channel bucket elevator is 30% higher than TD160 single channel bucket elevator, and less cost than TD250. So TD160 double channel bucket elevator can meet customers’ requirements better. 

The Reasons for Bucket Elevator Head and Tail Wheel Wears Seriously

1.Serious wear problem is caused by the lack of lubricating oil in head to tail wheel, lubricating oil is used to reduce the effect of friction between the components, the working load of bucket elevator is focused on the two wheels, if lacks of lubricating oil, the friction will become greater, the hole that connect sprocket and main axis will be worn seriously, the head wheel and tail wheel will work in unstable condition, the lifted material will also fall down, so the head wheel and tail wheel must be well lubricated.

2. Material particles that conveyed by the bucket elevator is relatively large, the hardness is relatively higher, there will be few materials falling off from equipment during operation, since the sprocket is bigger, the material is very easy to hit the head wheel and tail wheel, after a long period of time the wheels will be deformed, so the material size of conveying material must match with selected bucket elevator. 

3. Unsuitable construction material selection of tail wheel and head wheel, processing quality is not qualified, it is sure to have some troubles when use it, in addition, the strength for head wheel and tail wheel of the bucket elevator to bear is very large, low quality will surely has serious wear and tear with faster rate, so we must accurately calculate the pressure of sprockets to bear when the choosing head wheel and tail wheel and select appropriate metal material for processing technology to produce durable sprockets.

Features and Notes of Steel Cord Belt Bucket Elevators(1)

1. Operation component: Special structure design that has been used in this part includes the high intensity tear-resistant steel cord belt with a customized belt joint and bucket fastener which enables the longer lasting of steel cord belt, the design and layout of bucket are reasonable with different arrangement to ensure the materials can loading and unloading continuously. The steel cord belt bucket elevator should be checked regularly to prevent abnormal noise or vibration.

 2. Operation parts: The decelerator with hard tooth surface orthogonal shaft connected directly with the elevator shaft, with the help of hydraulic coupling to overhaul the machine and non-return device, structure of transmission device is compact which can achieve the flexible starting. The inspection must be done regularly to check whether the discharging of material flow of chute is normal, accumulated or blockage or not, and check whether the pressure in bucket elevators are negative or not.

3. Upper part device: The pulley is designed with automatic centering device. The material used for pulley is rubber capsule with high performance which has longer life span, the frictional force will be larger. The step to check whether any leakage occur in the elevator and decelerator, and the condition of lubricate oil level should be done regularly.

The Traction Components and Tensioning Methods of Bucket Elevators (2)

This article is the continuation of previous one which is more knowledge about traction components and tensioning methods of bucket elevators.

3.Heavy hammer tensioning, heavy hammer directly putting the force on the part of lower bearing housing via its supportive stand, This resulted with the lower part is tied up with the respective components throughout its sprocket. By comparing to the hammer lever tensioning method, it has the same tensioning achievement, but it is heavier. Therefore, it has often been used at the plate chain elevator which has heavier components. Occupied smaller space and it is an automatic tensioning method.

4.Compound tensioning, it is a combination of heavy hammer and mechanical spring, the pressure is applying on the bearing at the lower part of the machine. And this causes the lower drive wheel to tie up. A set of compression spring is added in the between of heavy hammer and lower bearing, so that the tail part wheel axis contains certain buffering effect to overcome the pressure when it is overload. However, please remind that both sides of the hammer block have to be equal weight to prevent imbalance.

The Traction Components and Tensioning Methods of Bucket Elevators (1)

The components of bucket elevator traction include rubber belt, ring chain, plate chain etc. In respect to TD rubberbelt bucket elevator, TH ring chain bucket elevator, and NE plate chain bucket elevator, the selected tensioning methods are different. This is due to the function of each bucket elevator is different. Currently, the common uses of tensioning methods are screw tensioning, heavy hammer lever tensioning, heavy hammer tensioning, compound tensioning etc.

1.Screw tensioning, the screw rod is installed at the bottom of machine, the nuts are fixed on the U-shaped slot of the supporting plate, the supporting plate can be adjusted horizontally by rotating the screw rod, the lower mechanical bearing is fixed on the supporting plate which can cause the lower pulley to tie up the component. This tensioning method is suitable for rubber belt bucket elevator, the rubber belt has certain elasticity which can adjust the tensioning screw rod to ensure the stability of rubber belt after being stretched.

2.The force of the heavy hammer lever tensioning is applied on the supporting plate, the lower bearing is fixed on the supporting plate, so that the lower part of the sprocket is tied up with the respective components. This is an automatic tensioning device. Since heavy hammer lever contains certain degree of mobility, therefore it must always maintain the tension of the compartment for good operation. Usually it is applied to the chain drive of the elevator. In order to have an efficient result, chain skidding and slipping off have to be avoided.

What Problems Will be in the Material Lifting Process of Bucket Elevator?

In the material lifting process of bucket elevator, there may be such problems: insufficient material lifting rate, insufficient material discharging rate and material leakage phenomenon, only they are resolved timely ,the bucket elevator can have best effects .The reasons and solutions are as follows: 

(1) insufficient lifting rate:

The material is likely to be caked on the bucket or chute, clean and remove the materials regularly according to caking condition. There is also possibility that the storage capacity of bucket elevator upstream equipment is insufficient which causes less feeding material, as result, the bucket elevator can not reach the design capacity, so we should try to improve the production capacity of upstream equipment. If the speed is slow, we have to change the speed ratio of the sprocket. Or it is caused by improper or wrong material calculation, check the calculator and material proportion, calculate again.

(2) insufficient material discharging rate:
The capacity of bucket elevator downstream equipment is small, make the discharge chute block, so we should improve the capacity of the downstream equipment of bucket elevator. It may also cause by small chute size or inappropriate chute angle ,so adjust the discharging chute. There is also a possibility that the material is caked on the chain bucket or inside the chute, so we need to remove material and maintain the bucket elevator periodically.

(3) material leakage phenomenon:
If the material leaks from the gap of head section and bottom section, please add the sealing gasket or glue with sealant . Replace new sealing gasket ,glue with sealant and tight the flange bolts if there gasket of bucket elevator flange is broken. If it is caused by large material feeding height difference and feeding pressure, please change the material feeding method and add the feeding buffer device.

How to Trouble Shoot Bucket Elevator Belt Problems

As a continuous conveying machinery for loose materials conveying equipment, bucket elevator has been widely used in food, feed, chemical and other industries, it is applicable to vertical conveying for powder, granular and small lump materials. The advantages of bucket elevator are: simple structure, high efficiency, low malfunction, etc. However, failure always happens in our daily operation which will affect the working performance. Here we will talk about the failures and troubleshooting of bucket elevator.
1.bucket belt deviation
A. Failure cause : the main reason of bucket belt deviation is that when bucket belt is stretched, the adjustment is not timely or not appropriate .
B. Troubleshooting: adjust the tensioning device or gravity tensioning device at the bottom of the elevator, make the hopper with appropriate tightness and keep two axis of bucket elevator under parallel.

2. bucket belt slip
A. Failure cause: bucket belt is too long or balance weight is too light.
B. Troubleshooting :if the bucket belt is too long, you can cut a section of belt and hang it well; If the balance weight is too light, you should add balance weight until you belt slip phenomenon is eliminated.