Pipe chain conveyor is a widely used equipment for conveying powdery, granular, and small block materials. Its core feature is the use of a conveying structure composed of chains and discs, which transports animal materials in a closed pipeline through the cyclic motion of the chain. Due to the fact that chain conveyors typically need to operate in complex spatial layouts, the design of their steering structure is crucial. The steering structure not only needs to ensure that materials can pass smoothly through the turning area, but also needs to minimize material residue as much as possible to improve conveying efficiency and reduce maintenance costs. The following will explore in detail the principle of the steering structure of the pipe chain conveyor and methods to reduce material residue.

1、 The principle of the steering structure of the pipe chain conveyor

The steering structure of the pipe chain conveyor mainly relies on chain wheels and guiding devices. The basic principle is to drive the chain and disc to move inside the pipeline through the rotation of the sprocket, and at the same time, change the direction of movement of the chain and disc through a guiding device at the turning point. Specifically, the steering structure includes the following key components:

1. Chain wheel design

Chain wheel is the core component of the steering structure of a pipe chain conveyor, usually installed at the turning point. The diameter and number of teeth of the sprocket need to be designed according to the characteristics of the conveyed material and the turning angle. A larger sprocket diameter can reduce the bending stress of the chain, thereby extending its service life; A reasonable number of teeth can ensure smooth meshing between the chain and sprocket, reducing vibration and noise.

2. Guiding device

The function of the guiding device is to guide the chain and disc to smoothly transition at the turning point. Usually, the guiding device is made of wear-resistant materials to reduce friction loss with the chain. At the turning point, the guiding device will be arranged according to the movement trajectory of the chain, ensuring that the chain and disc can smoothly pass through the turning point without getting stuck or offset.

3. Disc design

The disc is a component that directly contacts the material, and its shape and size have a significant impact on the efficiency of material transportation. At the turning point, the disc needs to have a certain degree of flexibility to adapt to the bending motion of the chain. Meanwhile, the edges of the disc are usually designed with smooth transitions to reduce friction and residue of materials at corners.

4. Pipeline design

The turning radius of the pipeline is one of the key factors affecting the turning effect. A larger turning radius can reduce the bending stress of chains and discs, while also helping to reduce material residue. However, a larger turning radius will increase the footprint of the equipment, so a trade-off needs to be made in the design.

2、 Methods to reduce material residue

At the turning point of the pipe chain conveyor, due to the centrifugal and frictional forces acting on the material, it is easy to leave residue on the inner wall of the pipeline and the disc. This not only reduces conveying efficiency, but may also lead to material clumping or blockage. To address this issue, the following measures can be taken:

1. Optimize disc design

The design of the disc is crucial for reducing material residue. A disc with a scraping edge can be used, which can scrape the material off the inner wall of the pipeline at turns and reduce residue. In addition, the surface of the disc can be designed to be smooth or have a certain inclination angle to promote the flow of materials.

2. Increase the wear resistance and smoothness of the inner wall of the pipeline

The material and surface treatment of the inner wall of the pipeline have an impact on the flow performance of the material. Using wear-resistant and smooth materials (such as stainless steel or polymer materials) can reduce friction between the material and the inner wall of the pipeline, thereby reducing residue. In addition, wear-resistant coating or polishing treatment can be applied to the inner wall of the pipeline to further improve its smoothness.

3. Control the conveying speed

Excessive conveying speed can cause materials to experience significant centrifugal force at turning points, thereby increasing the risk of residue. Therefore, the conveying speed can be appropriately reduced at the turning point to minimize the centrifugal effect of the material. Meanwhile, a lower conveying speed also helps the disc to scrape off residual materials more effectively.

4. Install cleaning device

A cleaning device, such as a scraper or brush, can be installed at the turning point to regularly clean the residual materials on the inner wall of the pipeline and the disc. This device can be operated manually or automatically to ensure that the turning area is always kept clean.

5. Adjust the turning angle and radius

A larger turning radius can reduce the centrifugal effect of materials, thereby reducing residue. In addition, the design of the turning angle should also be as gentle as possible to avoid sharp turns. If space permits, multiple small angle turns can be used instead of a sharp turn to further reduce material residue.

6. Use auxiliary airflow

For certain lightweight materials, auxiliary airflow can be introduced at turns to help the materials pass smoothly. The direction and intensity of the airflow need to be adjusted according to the characteristics of the material to ensure that it can promote material flow without causing dust or material loss.

3. Summary

The turning structure of the pipe chain conveyor is the key to its operation, and its design needs to comprehensively consider multiple factors such as sprockets, guide devices, discs, and pipelines. By optimizing the design of these components, it is possible to ensure smooth passage of materials at corners and reduce residue. In addition, using cleaning devices, controlling conveying speed, adjusting turning angles and radii, and other methods can further reduce the risk of material residue, improve conveying efficiency, and extend the service life of equipment. In practical applications, targeted design is needed based on the characteristics of the material and the conveying requirements to achieve the desired conveying effect.