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A grain conveyor is the most efficient way to transport agricultural bulk material, like corn or soybeans. Before this material can be processed, it needs to be moved from the farm into trucks, and then from trucks into staging areas for processing. In some cases, a load of harvested material will need to be moved several times to get it to its final destination. Bulldozers and tractors can be used for this purpose, but they tend to be too slow and unable to keep up with larger loads of material. In most cases, an automated transport system is the only way to quickly organize agricultural bulk into manageable loads.
How does a grain conveyor work?
These systems can use a variety of technologies to transport material from one area to another. They are typically used to transport bulk from the base of a truck or bin into a staging area where huge piles of product are gathered. In general, it is more efficient to organize the material into a few large piles instead of many smaller piles. To ensure this efficiency, these machines are built with a dramatic incline, starting near the ground at one end and terminating many feet off the ground at the other end.
These systems typically use belts, augers or pneumatics to transport material. Vibratory systems are another option and use fast, but subtle vibrations to suspend the material and move it along. However, vibratory systems cannot be built with a steep incline, so they are usually only used for operations that are lower to the ground.
Belt systems are the simplest, consisting of a belt wrapped around a series of rotors. During operation, material is fed onto the belt, which moves at rapid speeds toward the machine’s terminus. Because the grain can easily escape off the sides of the belt, belt systems are usually built with collection systems to catch material that falls off. Cleated belts are built with raised edges to prevent bulk product from spilling over.
Auger systems are generally used for pulling material out of silos and use a corkscrew-like motion to pull or push material. They are similar in design to drag conveyors, which are commonly used to pull bulk material or liquids on level ground. Auger systems are naturally adept at preventing spillage, so they are highly efficient when transporting bulk product.
Pneumatic systems use powerful streams of pressurized air to push material through piping. Pneumatic systems do not use mechanical force to transport material, and are unlikely to cause damage to the product.
How is a grain conveyor different from other transport systems?
These machines are much larger than other transport systems and are almost always used outside. They can also be designed with mobility, moving from truck to truck or bin to bin, which is unlike most transport machines. Those are usually installed to handle integrated product channels. Like other transport technologies, though, they typically require little maintenance, as they operate using simple principles.
These machines are a mainstay for farmers and processing facilities, making it possible to efficiently transport tons of agricultural bulk wherever it is needed.
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