Production Problems It Solves
A mixer or bin inlet above the feed point
Discs support material through the rising tube rather than requiring manual lifting or a long inclined route.
Dust released at an open lifting transfer
The vertical carrying path remains inside the tube, with containment completed at the inlet and receiver.
Where It Fits in Your Plant
Upper-level mixer charging
Lift compatible chemical powders or ingredients from a ground-level feed station to the receiving hopper. Bulk density and lift height determine the loaded duty.
Elevated pellet storage
Move suitable plastic granules upward where the tube route fits the available space. Retained material at restart and upper discharge resistance must be included in drive selection.
How the Vertical Pipe Chain Conveyor Works
Conveying discs mounted on a circulating chain move bulk solids upward inside the tube. Material enters the lower section and exits at the upper receiver. The vertical conveying run, return path and drive form one circuit whose loading depends on lift and material density.
Selection Factors
- Lift duty: elevation and loose bulk density affect the load carried through the rising section.
- Full circuit: supports, upper bends and the return path are part of the lift arrangement.
- Restart condition: the drive duty must account for whether material remains in the vertical section.
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
- Lift dry additives into an elevated batching hopper
- 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
- Raise pigment powder to an upper blending receiver
- 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
- Supply an elevated additive mixing or packing hopper
- 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
- Lift filler powder from a lower feed point to an upper mixer
- 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
- Raise dry building ingredients to an elevated 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
- Feed an elevated pellet blending or process hopper
- 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
- Lift resin powder into an upper blending receiver
- 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
- Transfer grain from a lower inlet to an upper receiving hopper
- 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
- Raise dry ingredients to an elevated mixing 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
- Lift feed pellets or ingredients to an upper receiver
- 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
- Supply an elevated dry-fertilizer blending or packing point
- 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
- Raise adsorbent to an elevated dosing receiver
- 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.
Vertical Loading and Product Fallback
Vertical loading depends on bulk density, lift and product fallback. Controlled filling and an unobstructed upper outlet matter more than copying a horizontal capacity figure.
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
- Poor upper discharge: inspect the receiving outlet and retained material at the head of the route.
- Drive overload: isolate the circuit and inspect blocked discharge or excessive inlet loading before restarting.
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
Why does bulk density matter in a vertical conveyor?
For the same occupied tube volume, a denser material creates a higher lifted mass and changes the drive load.
Can the vertical route include horizontal sections?
A combined circuit can include level runs and bends. Their length and resistance contribute to the same drive duty.
