Overview of Pipe Conveyor – How Does Pipe Conveyor Work?

What is the Pipe Conveyor? A pipe conveyor is a type of conveyor that transports materials in a completely enclosed tube-like structure. Unlike traditional conveyors that have open belts, tube conveyors wrap the conveyor belt into a tube shape, effectively sealing the materials being transported inside. This design offers many advantages, including weather protection, reduced material spillage, and the ability to handle slopes and curves with minimal space requirements.

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In this article, we will explore how tube conveyors work, their key specifications, prices, common applications, and tips for finding the most reputable supplier.

How does a pipe conveyor work?

Since this is a conveyor with a rather unique structure, its operation process is also unique compared to a conventional conveyor. Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how it works:

• Loading point: Materials are loaded onto the flat conveyor at the loading zone, similar to a standard conveyor.
• Transition zone: As the conveyor moves forward, a series of guide rollers gradually fold the flat conveyor into a U-shape and eventually form a circular tube. This action completely encloses the material inside the conveyor.
• Transportation section: The tubular conveyor moves over a series of guide rollers arranged in a hexagonal or octagonal pattern to maintain its tubular shape. The enclosed design prevents material from spilling out, reduces dust emissions, and allows for both vertical and horizontal curves.
• Unloading point: When the conveyor reaches the discharge point, another set of rollers slowly opens the conveyor from the tube shape back to the flat shape, allowing for unloading.
• Return Path: The empty conveyor then returns flat to the loading point for another cycle.

This closed-loop conveying method makes tube conveyors ideal for transporting fine, dusty, or hazardous materials over long distances or through difficult terrain.

Pipe conveyor specifications

Pipe conveyor specifications may vary depending on each company’s application and specific requirements. Here are some basic specifications:

• Conveyor size: 5m x 50m (Width x length), can be designed according to requirements
• Material: Galvanized steel or black steel, Stainless steel 304 or 316 (for food and pharmaceutical industries)
• Maximum load per roller: 70kg – 400kg, depending on the size and material of the roller.
• Total load of conveyor belt: 500kg – kg/m (or more, depending on requirements)
• Travel speed: 0.5m/s – 1.5m/s.
• Warranty: 12 months

How much does a pipe conveyor cost?

Whether a pipe Conveyor expensive or cheap? That is one of the most common questions people ask. But it is difficult to give a fixed price for manufacturing equipment, as it depends on the needs of the user and the scale of their production. However, we can still estimate the price of this equipment because, compared to fixed conveyor systems, pipe conveyors are often more affordable from the start. They do not require extensive installation, and their modular design often reduces maintenance costs.

Price range:

• Small/light models: $2,000 – $4,000
• Medium-duty conveyors: $4,000 – $8,000
• Heavy-duty industrial systems: $9,000 and up

If you need a temporary or flexible solution, pipe conveyors can be a smart investment that will save you time and labor costs in the long run. For small businesses or short-term projects, renting is also an economical option.

In what fields are pipe conveyors applied?

Thanks to their innovative closed-loop design and flexible routing capabilities, pipe conveyors have become an increasingly popular solution in a variety of industries, including:

• Mining and Minerals, pipe conveyors are widely used to transport bulk materials such as coal, iron ore, copper, bauxite, and aggregates over long distances.
• Cement and Building Materials, cement plants, and building materials manufacturers rely on pipe conveyors to efficiently move raw materials such as limestone, clay, gypsum, fly ash, and clinker between processing areas.
• Power plants, coal-fired power plants, and biomass plants use pipe conveyors to handle coal, bottom ash, and fly ash. These materials are often fine, dusty, and potentially hazardous if released into the environment.
• In the chemical and petrochemical industries, pipe conveyors play an important role in transporting powders, granules, and sensitive chemical compounds. These materials can be hazardous, toxic, or reactive to moisture and air.
• Fertilizer manufacturing, fertilizer plants handle a variety of bulk materials, including urea, ammonium nitrate, phosphate rock, and potash. These materials can be corrosive, dusty, and sensitive to moisture. Pipe conveyors provide a dust and moisture-resistant solution that maintains product integrity while reducing emissions to the environment.
• Environmental and waste management in the waste management and recycling industry, pipe conveyors are used to transport municipal waste, industrial by-products, and recyclable materials such as plastics, glass, and metals. The fully enclosed system prevents unpleasant odors and transports materials efficiently.

Where to buy the most reputable pipe conveyor?

There are many reputable conveyor solution providers in Malaysia, but here are 4 reasons why you should prioritize choosing lifter conveyor solutions at DNC ​​Automation:

• We have a team of technicians with extensive experience in the conveyor and machinery automation industry.
• We always aim to invest and develop conveyor lines in a modern, environmentally friendly, energy-saving direction.
• Commit to 100% genuine products, with clear certificates and origins, fast delivery time, ensuring your production line operates stably and smoothly.
• We are ready to support and help you find the conveyor solution that suits your scale and needs and is within your budget.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with us via the hotline below. We are happy to serve you!

Pipe conveyor belt is similar to conventional conveyor belt at material receiving and discharge area. In intermediate section, belt gradually takes on a pipe formation with the help of special idlers. This type of belts is widely used in mining, coal, cement, metallurgical and other industries.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Nylon Conveyor Belt.

Components & Working of Pipe Conveyor Belt

The pipe conveyor design comprises a loading or tail end section, intermediate section, head or discharge section and drive assembly.

1. Loading or Tail End Section

On the carrying side in tail end, skirts are provided to prevent spillage of the loaded material. During belt moving in the direction of travel, the belt is troughed via transition idlers. From the loading point, the conveyor belt is further gradually to the full pipe form. Adjustable troughing idlers along the section guide the belt into the formation of the pipe shape. The overlap in belt is at the top of the pipe formation and finger rolls are used to guide the belt in pipe formation.

Proper alignment of tail pulley, idlers and the centralized loading of the conveyor are all important to correct formation of pipe and positioning of belt overlap.

On the return side in tail end, the tubular form of belt is gradually opened from the point where the belt exits at the last idler support panel to the tail pulley. An adjustable return belt scrapper is provided prior to the tail pulley to remove any residual material from the belt before it passes through the tail pulley.

2. Intermediate Section

A position in between the point where the belt is formed into the tube and where the tube is reopened at the discharge point is termed the intermediate section of the pipe conveyor.

Once the tube shape is formed, this form is maintained on both the carrying and return side of the conveyor by means of idlers. These idler panels are spaced at a uniform interval along the conveyor length.

3. Head or Discharge Section

At head or discharge area, the pipe is gradually opened from the point of the last idler panel to the head pulley. The belt is supported throughout this transition section by a series of idlers. In this way the pipe conveyor is opened and the material being conveyed remains in the center of the opened belt.

The head pulley is at point of the discharge of the pipe conveyor and the entire conveyed product is discharged through the discharge chute onto the subsequent conveyors or equipment.

The idlers supported the belt through the transition section at head end are similar to those at the loading area. The idler frames allow the idlers to be adjusted.

4. Drive Assembly

It is used to drive the belt conveyor. It consists of:

• Motor
• Gearbox
• Coupling
• Brake

Safety switches like zero speed switch, pull cord switches, Belt sway switches and chute block switches are installed along the conveyor for safely operation of belt conveyor.

Advantages of Pipe Conveyor Belt

1. Close transport of bulk material
2. Curved arrangement of conveying lines
3. The conveyor machine width is small
4. Can increase the conveying inclination
5. Protecting bulk materials from the sun, rain, wind and protecting the environment at the same time
6. Overall savings in space requirement, structural and foundation cost.

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