Flexible Screw Conveyors

Flexible Screw Conveyors

Flexible screw conveyors consist of a large archimedian screw contained inside housing. When a motor turns the screw, the material rotates along while being transported down the length of the screw. In this sense, the screw fulfills the same purpose as traditional belt conveyors. Unlike traditional belt conveyors, however, screw conveyors are capable of transporting liquid products.

Flexible screw conveyors are especially useful in transporting powders and materials composed of small granules, such as grain. Screw conveyors are also used to feed plastic pellets used in injection molding to a hopper.

Depending on the application, flexible screw conveyors may be fitted with a variable rate feeder to control the amount of product distributed at a time. Although they retain the ability to transport liquids, they are not as efficient as other fluid moving methods. They are, however, capable of bending to some degree.

Screw conveyors were originally designed by Archimedes for the transport of water from a lower elevation to a higher elevation. In his time, conveyors were turned by windmills or manual power. Now, flexible screw conveyors are usually powered by electric motors, although they can also run on alternative power sources.