Descriptions:-  The tubular chain drag conveyor (also called a tubular drag link-chain conveyor ) provides gentle, enclosed continuous transfer of bulk solid materials, including fine powders, granules, pellets, and moist sludge’s, at any angle, in any plane, and around any obstacle. The chain links in the conveyor’s chain-and-disc conveying mechanism function like universal joints, enabling the conveyor to simultaneously move material in multiple directions and planes. The conveyor also has a low-profile, flexible design that allows it to fit into tight spaces around existing plant equipment.

Widely used in pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, Food, Snacks, Minerals, Dyestuff, Pesticides, Fertilizers, Plastics, Pint and other industries, the tubular drag chain conveyor can be equipped to handle highly abrasive or hot materials also, meet sanitary requirements for transferring foods and pharmaceuticals, and safely convey potentially explosive materials — all at a much lower operating cost than that of a comparable pneumatic conveyor.

How the conveyor works :-  Components : The tubular chain drag conveyor consists of a tubular housing enclosing a continuous chain mounted with solid circular discs (or flights), often called a chain-and- disc assembly, The housing can include straight and curved sections constructed of carbon steel or stainless steel pipe with a typical nominal diameter of 2 to 12 inches. The housing forms conveying and return lines that can be arranged in multiple configurations, including complex loops with several turns, to suit the application layout.

A drive sprocket engages the chain-and-disc assembly at the turn at the conveying line’s end. A shaft-mounted motor, often equipped with a variable-speed drive, powers the drive sprocket; the drive sprocket and motor form the drive assembly. An idler assembly (sometimes called an idler stationer tension station) is located at the end of the conveyor’s return line. The idler assembly consists of a housing enclosing an idler sprocket or other rotating mechanism and, in some cases, a chain-tensioning device. A conveyor with a complex loop arrangement can have a combination of several 90-degree turn assemblies (also called turn stations) and less-than-90-degree elbows, which allow the chain to turn and bend with minimal friction. Each turn assembly contains a sprocket or other rotating mechanism, which can be a powered or idler mechanism,  the elbows don’t require a rotating mechanism. Brushes or other devices can be located at the drive assembly and at various points inside the conveyor housing to clean material off the chain-and-disc assembly and prevent carry back in the return line. 

The conveyor can have one or multiple material inlets and outlets. When it has one inlet, the inlet is located near the idler assembly; additional inlets can be located along the conveying line. When the conveyor has one outlet, the outlet is located at the drive assembly; additional outlets can be located along the conveying line prior to this point.

where it falls by gravity out of the conveyor. As the drive assembly turns, the chain moves continuously through the housing, around the drive assembly, along the return line, and through the idler assembly and any turn assemblies. The powered or idler turn assemblies assist the chain movement through the bends, which reduces frictional drag and the conveyor’s power consumption. The close clearance between the discs and pipe walls prevents material from building up inside the conveyor.

Speed and capacity:- When the conveyor is equipped with a variable-speed drive, the chain speed can typically be adjusted over a range from 5 to 90 rpm. This allows the conveyor to handle a range of materials at various capacities without degradation or segregation. The conveyor can also start under full load after shutdowns. Conveyor capacity typically ranges from 85 to 2,800 cu.ft/h, depending on the material’s bulk density and the conveyor’s pipe diameter and chain speed.

Configurations:- One tubular chain drag conveyor can typically move material up to 180 feet horizontally and up to 120 feet vertically. Several conveyors can be arranged in series to provide longer horizontal and vertical conveying distances. Multiple conveyors are also commonly used to move materials from different sources, such as storage vessels, bulk bags, and manual bag dump stations, to one destination, Most tubular drag chain conveyors have modular construction with interchangeable components, allowing the conveyor to be expanded or modified to handle changing production requirements.

Power consumption:- The tubular chain drag conveyor consumes relatively little electrical power because it typically uses one low-horse power motor and doesn’t require ancillary equipment such as a filter-receiver and rotary valves, as a pneumatic conveyor does.