Plastic granule bucket elevator

What is Plastic granule bucket elevator?

A plastic granule bucket elevator is a specialized material handling system designed to vertically transport plastic granules or pellets efficiently and gently.  It's a type of conveyor that uses a series of buckets attached to a rotating belt or chain to lift the plastic granules. These elevators are crucial in various industries that process or utilize plastic materials.  

Plastic Granule Bucket Elevator Application

Plastic granule bucket elevators find applications across a wide range of industries, including:

Plastics Manufacturing: Moving raw materials (plastic resins/pellets) to mixers, extruders, or storage silos.  

Recycling: Transporting recycled plastic granules for reprocessing.

Packaging: Feeding plastic pellets into packaging machines.

Compounding: Moving blended plastic materials to storage or further processing.

Chemical Processing: Handling plastic-based chemicals in granular form.

Food Processing: While less common, some food products might use similar elevators if they are granular and non-sticky.  

Plastic Granule Bucket Elevator Customer Case

Case Study: Plastic Manufacturing Plant

Client: A large plastic extrusion company

Problem:

The company was facing inefficiencies in transporting plastic granules to their injection molding machines, leading to material loss and inconsistent feed rates.

Solution:

A high-efficiency Z-type bucket elevator was installed to automate the granule transfer with controlled material flow.

Results:

30% improvement in production efficiency

Reduced material spillage and waste

Consistent granule feed rate for stable operation

How Does a Plastic Granule Bucket Elevator Work?

Loading: Plastic granules are fed into a hopper at the base of the elevator.

Pickup: Buckets attached to the belt or chain scoop up the granules as they pass through the hopper.  

Lifting: The belt or chain, driven by a motor, carries the filled buckets vertically.  

Discharge: At the top of the elevator, the buckets are inverted, releasing the granules into a discharge chute or hopper. This is often aided by gravity or a mechanical tripping mechanism.  

Return: The empty buckets continue along the belt or chain back down to the bottom to repeat the cycle.  

Plastic Granule Bucket Elevator Features

Gentle Handling: Designed to minimize damage to the plastic granules.

Vertical Conveying: Efficiently lifts materials to significant heights.  

Continuous Operation: Provides a consistent flow of material.  

Customizable: Can be tailored to specific capacity and height requirements.

Enclosed Design: Often enclosed to prevent dust and spillage.  

Various Materials: Can be constructed from different materials (e.g., stainless steel, carbon steel) depending on the application.  

Plastic Granule Bucket Elevator Structure

Head Section: Contains the drive motor, pulley/sprocket, and discharge point.  

Boot Section: Located at the bottom, includes the loading hopper and take-up pulley/sprocket.  

Leg Casings: Enclose the belt or chain and buckets.

Buckets: Attached to the belt or chain, these hold the plastic granules.  

Belt or Chain: Provides the means of moving the buckets.  

Drive Unit: Motor and gearbox to power the elevator.  

Plastic Granule Bucket Elevator Parameters

Capacity: The amount of material the elevator can handle per hour (e.g., kg/h or tons/h).

Lift Height: The vertical distance the material is lifted.  

Bucket Size: The volume of each bucket.

Belt or Chain Speed: The speed at which the belt or chain moves.

Motor Power: The power of the drive motor.

Material Properties: Characteristics of the plastic granules (e.g., size, density, flowability).

How to select Plastic granule bucket elevator?

Choosing the right bucket elevator involves considering several factors:

Material Characteristics: The type of plastic, its size, density, and flow properties.

Capacity Requirements: How much material needs to be moved per hour.

Lift Height: The vertical distance the material needs to be conveyed.

Space Constraints: The available space for the elevator.

Environmental Conditions: Temperature, humidity, and other environmental factors.

Budget: The cost of the elevator and installation.

Consulting with a reputable material handling equipment supplier is crucial for proper selection and ensuring the elevator meets the specific needs of the application. They can help with calculations, customization, and installation.