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A screw conveyor, sometimes referred to as an auger conveyor due to its shape and movement, is a type of mechanism that is commonly used in agricultural and other industries. Its name is derived from its shape, which resembles a common drill bit helix. The mechanism itself contains a rotating helical blade that is typically contained within a tube or cylindrical casing, and is used to transport liquid or solid materials in bulk.
Much like a drill winds in and out, the helical blades that hold the items during transport can rotate in either direction and either send materials in a horizontal or vertical fashion. This is the main reason that this type of instrument has been utilized since the early days of waste management in sewer systems of the past. Additionally, this type of mechanism has found uses in many other industries, including the transport of grains, irrigated water and food waste.
The compact nature in the design of a screw conveyor is the main appeal of the mechanism, allowing manufacturers to efficiently move large amounts of product or waste without investing in a large amount of space. The overall design of the mechanism is also non-complex, letting the operator easily change the rate at which the helix spirals in and out. This is tremendously helpful to industries that need a specific speed adapted to their particular needs so that only a specific amount of product is processed at a certain interval of time. The fixture that allows the controller to change the speed of the rotation is known as a variable rate feeder.
There are several variations of the screw conveyor. Some can drastically change their function. The main differing type is known as the shaftless spiral, which is very similar to the original design sans the shaft, or tube that incases the material. In each case, the efficiency of the device alters in direct relation to the angle in which it is set. The greater the angle of inclination, the smaller the capacity of the mechanism is, and therefore, able to efficiently process.
The part of the mechanism that rotates and transports the materials is referred to as an auger. An auger, of course, is simply a drilling device or drill bit that usually involves a helix-type blade as well. This blade is known as a flighting - the purpose of which is to act as a screw conveyor in itself to remove the material that the drill bit has dug into. The same mechanics of these simple drills are the exact functions of the titular mechanism and further illustrates the compact and efficient design in which these devices can be utilized.
One of the most common uses of the screw conveyor is in the agricultural industry. It is utilized on vehicles that use the auger to move grain from either the trucks that are carrying the material, or from grain carts and into storage containers. Snow blowers use this technology to push vast amounts of snow into an impeller where it is discarded through a chute. Ice resurfacers and combine harvesters are just a couple other examples of industries that also utilize this simple but efficient mechanism.
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