Production Problems It Solves
Open transfer between machines on the same floor
The tube circuit contains the carrying route and reduces exposed material between inlet and receiver.
Repeated bag or trolley movements across a fixed route
A dedicated horizontal circuit moves bulk material directly between connected process points.
Where It Fits in Your Plant
Chemical blending lines
Transfer suitable dry fillers or additives from a feed hopper to a mixer intake, keeping receiver discharge and residue access clear.
Packing feed
Move flour or plastic pellets from a buffer point to a receiving hopper at a similar elevation. Multiple outlets need coordinated operation; a level route still includes the return tube and any bends.
How the Horizontal Pipe Chain Conveyor Works
An endless chain carries conveying discs through a level tube circuit. Material enters at a feed interface, travels between the discs and leaves at the receiver. The return tube completes the chain path; drive placement and tensioning are arranged around the same-level route.
Selection Factors
- Route length: include the return tube and any direction changes in the full circuit.
- Feed points: controlled inlet loading prevents overfilling the space between conveying discs.
- Receiver position: outlet height and access determine how the transfer connects to a hopper or mixer.
Suitable Materials for Conveying
The examples below describe dry-solid conveying duties. Powder grade, moisture, contact materials and route loading determine the required configuration. Food and chemical duties need different contact and cleaning arrangements.
Chemical powders & additives 3 examples
Sodium bicarbonate & soda ash
- Material form
- Dry carbonate powders or crystals
- Typical application
- Feed chemical batching hoppers along a level enclosed route
- Handling considerations
- Keep moisture out of the inlet; hard lumps can restrict pickup. Select seals and contact surfaces for the actual chemical grade and cleaning method.
Titanium dioxide & iron oxide pigments
- Material form
- Fine pigment powders
- Typical application
- Move pigments from a bag-dump outlet to a same-level mixer
- Handling considerations
- Fine dust requires sealed feed and receiver connections. Retained pigment at outlets and bends can carry colour into the next batch; provide accessible cleanout points.
Detergent granules & sodium phosphate
- Material form
- Dry formulated granules or chemical powders
- Typical application
- Connect additive storage to a level blending or packing receiver
- Handling considerations
- Cohesive grades can bridge at the feed hopper. Product temperature and chemical contact govern seal and disc compatibility; enclosure does not remove inlet bridging.
Mineral fillers & building materials 2 examples
Calcium carbonate, talc, kaolin & bentonite
- Material form
- Dry mineral filler powders
- Typical application
- Supply a same-level filler batching hopper
- Handling considerations
- Different powder grades have different bulk density and cohesion. Use controlled inlet loading; inspect dust seals, deposits and wear at bends rather than assigning one rate to every filler.
Cement & dry mineral powder
- Material form
- Dry building-material powders
- Typical application
- Connect storage discharge to a horizontal dry-mix receiver
- Handling considerations
- Exclude wet lumps from the pickup. Abrasion and compacted residues affect the chain, discs and tube; access to the outlet and low points is needed for cleanout.
Plastics & resins 2 examples
PET & other plastic pellets
- Material form
- Free-flowing polymer pellets
- Typical application
- Move pellets between same-level storage and blending equipment
- Handling considerations
- Match disc clearance and inlet loading to pellet size. Bends can generate fines; keep grade-change residues out of the next pellet batch.
PVC & other resin powders
- Material form
- Dry polymer powders
- Typical application
- Supply a resin blender through an enclosed horizontal run
- Handling considerations
- Fine powder needs sealed connections and accessible residue removal. Cohesion, static behaviour and the product contact requirements determine the configured duty.
Grain & food ingredients 2 examples
Wheat, rice & corn
- Material form
- Dry cereal grains
- Typical application
- Connect grain storage and receiving points at similar elevations
- Handling considerations
- Foreign objects can interfere with discs and outlets. Control inlet loading and bend contact to limit broken grain; residual grain affects batch separation.
Flour, starch, sugar & salt
- Material form
- Dry ingredient powders or crystals
- Typical application
- Link ingredient bag dumping to a same-level mixer or packing hopper
- Handling considerations
- Keep ingredient-contact surfaces accessible for cleaning. Flour and starch deposits differ from sugar or salt crystals; moisture, corrosion and crystal breakage require material-specific choices.
Feed & fertilizer materials 2 examples
Animal feed pellets & dry feed ingredients
- Material form
- Formed feed pellets or dry ingredient particles
- Typical application
- Move feed ingredients along an enclosed level route
- Handling considerations
- Pellet friability and powder carryover affect usable output. Plan emptying and cleaning between formulations; a dust-tight tube alone does not prevent cross-contamination.
Urea & fertilizer granules
- Material form
- Dry prills or formed fertilizer granules
- Typical application
- Transfer dry fertilizer between same-level blending and packing points
- Handling considerations
- Moisture-related caking can obstruct the inlet. Limit impact at bends and discharge points to reduce new fines; contact-material compatibility follows the formulation.
Adsorbents & process additives 1 examples
Activated carbon powder & granules
- Material form
- Fine carbon powder or friable granules
- Typical application
- Connect adsorbent storage to a same-level dosing hopper
- Handling considerations
- Powder containment and granule breakage are separate duties. Keep residues accessible for removal; dust properties and area classification determine any required protection measures.
Horizontal Emptying and Residues
Same-level transfer needs a controlled inlet and an outlet that empties the circuit. Residues collect at receiver faces, bends and low points if discharge is incomplete.
Chemical Powder Conveying: What Changes the Duty
- Dust and colour carryover: seal the inlet and receiver, and keep outlet faces and bends accessible for residue removal. A closed tube does not eliminate pigment remaining from an earlier batch.
- Caking and bridging: moisture or cohesive powder can interrupt supply above the conveying inlet. Control hopper discharge before treating every low-flow problem as a drive problem.
- Contact compatibility: tube, chain, discs and seals all contact the product. Select their materials for the chemical grade, temperature and cleaning exposure; stainless steel alone does not establish compatibility with every chemical.
Common Issues & Checks
- Material retained after a batch: inspect receiver discharge and low points in the level route.
- Rising drive load: inspect inlet overfeeding, compacted product and worn discs after isolation.
GL-Series Catalogue Data
View the GL-series parameter table for catalogue capacities and motor ranges. The reference conditions are 1 t/m³ bulk density, 0.3 m/s chain speed and a 0.5 fill factor for conventional dry powders. These are family reference values, not a separately rated duty for this layout.
Useful answers
Frequently asked questions
Can one horizontal circuit serve several receivers?
Multiple outlets need coordinated opening and closing so material reaches the intended receiver. Outlet order and residual product affect batch separation.
Why is the return tube included in the layout?
It completes the chain circuit and adds length, resistance and inspection locations even where it carries little product.
