Description

U-Shaped Screw Conveyors for Bulk Material Transfer

U-Shaped Screw Conveyors move powders, granules and other compatible bulk materials through a trough containing a rotating screw assembly.

The U-shaped casing is closed by a removable upper cover during operation. After the conveyor has been safely stopped and isolated, the cover provides direct access to the screw and trough interior for inspection, clean-out and component access.

Available configurations cover conveying capacities from 5 to 200 t/h, conveying lengths below 30 m, screw diameters from 100 to 1000 mm, and multiple combinations of screw speed, motor power and reducer ratio.

The final conveyor configuration is selected around the material, required output, conveying distance, installation angle and connection layout rather than one individual specification.

U-Trough Construction with a Removable Cover

The U-shaped trough forms the main conveying body, while the screw shaft and flights rotate along the conveyor line to move material toward the discharge.

A complete assembly can include:

• U-shaped trough
• Removable upper cover
• Screw shaft and flights
• Material inlet
• Discharge section
• End support components
• Intermediate shaft support where required
• Gear reducer
• Electric motor
• Mounting and connection components

The removable cover is one of the practical differences of the U-trough structure.

Once the equipment has been isolated, the screw and trough interior can be reached without opening a fully tubular casing. This is useful where internal inspection, material removal or access to conveyor components is required after installation.

Technical Specifications

These figures represent the available configuration range rather than fixed combinations for every conveyor.

The screw diameter, rotational speed, motor power and reducer ratio are selected together for the required conveying duty.

Steep, vertical and high-temperature applications require a configuration matched specifically to the actual operating condition.

Inlet, Discharge and Drive Layout

A U-shaped screw conveyor normally works as part of a larger material-handling system.

The inlet may receive material from a hopper, storage bin, feeding device or upstream process, while the discharge connects with downstream mixing, storage, batching or conveying equipment.

For this reason, several physical dimensions should be established before manufacturing:

• Overall conveying length
• Inlet position
• Discharge position
• Installation angle
• Drive-end direction
• Connection height
• Mounting positions
• Available installation space

The surrounding equipment layout matters because a conveyor with the correct nominal capacity can still be unsuitable if its inlet, outlet or drive position does not correspond with the actual installation.

For replacement projects, existing connection points and mounting dimensions should be checked together with the conveyor size.

Screw, Trough and Drive Work as One Conveyor Assembly

A U-shaped screw conveyor is not defined by screw diameter alone.

The screw diameter, pitch, rotational speed, shaft arrangement, reducer ratio and motor power must work together within the trough and under the expected material load.

Different bulk materials can require different configurations even when the requested throughput is similar.

Factors such as bulk density, particle size, flowability, moisture condition, conveying distance and installation angle influence how the material moves through the trough.

This is why two conveyors with the same nominal screw diameter may use different screw speeds or drive arrangements.

The available specification range provides different combinations for different conveying duties rather than one fixed performance value for every machine size.

Where U-Shaped Screw Conveyors Fit in a Process

The U-trough structure can be incorporated into different transfer positions within an industrial material-handling line.

Typical duties include:

• Hopper discharge
• Process feeding
• Mixer feeding
• Powder transfer
• Granular material transfer
• Intermediate conveying between machines
• Bulk-material movement between production stages

The correct conveyor configuration depends on the actual material and process arrangement.

A material name alone is not enough to determine the machine. Bulk density, particle size, moisture, abrasiveness, flow characteristics and temperature can all affect the required screw and drive arrangement.

Replacement Projects Need the Existing Geometry

When replacing an existing U-shaped screw conveyor, the old machine should be checked as a complete assembly rather than identified only from its approximate trough width.

Useful measurements include:

• Trough width and profile
• Screw outside diameter
• Screw pitch
• Conveying length
• Shaft connection dimensions
• Inlet location
• Discharge location
• Mounting positions
• Drive arrangement

Existing motor and reducer information should also be recorded when the original drive position or connection needs to be retained.

This becomes especially important when the conveyor has already been repaired or modified. A locally replaced screw, shaft or trough section may no longer match the original configuration exactly.

Information Needed for Conveyor Selection

Bulk density and particle size should also be provided when available.

For replacement equipment, photographs of the complete conveyor, drive end and connection positions can help verify the existing arrangement.

Frequently Asked Questions About U-Shaped Screw Conveyors

Are the listed capacities, screw diameters and motor powers fixed combinations?

No.

The specification table represents the available configuration range. Screw diameter, speed, motor power and reducer ratio are selected according to the material, required capacity, conveying distance and installation angle.

A specific capacity should not automatically be assigned to one screw diameter or motor size without considering the complete operating condition.

Can an existing U-shaped screw conveyor be replaced if the original model is unknown?

Yes, replacement can be evaluated from the existing conveyor dimensions and arrangement.

Useful information includes the trough profile, screw diameter, screw pitch, conveying length, shaft connections, inlet and discharge positions and existing drive information.

Photographs with clear dimensional references are also useful when no readable model information remains.

Does a steep or vertical conveyor use the same configuration as a horizontal conveyor?

Not necessarily.

Increasing the installation angle changes the conveying condition, so the screw and drive arrangement must be selected for that duty.

A 90° installation should therefore be treated as a project-specific configuration rather than a horizontal U-trough conveyor simply installed vertically.

How should a high-temperature conveying requirement be specified?

Provide the actual material and operating temperature together with the required capacity, conveying length and installation arrangement.

Higher temperature ranges require the complete conveyor configuration to be checked for that condition rather than applying a standard-temperature arrangement unchanged.