Drains and Flushing Ports for Screw Conveyors

Screw conveyors are totally enclosed to contain dusty, corrosive, or hazardous bulk materials from contact with personnel and the environment. However, it is often needed for a screw conveyor to be cleaned or have gases pulled away from the interior without having to remove covers. KWS regularly provides screw conveyors with drains and flushing ports for these purposes.

Drains can be added to the bottom or side of a trough, typically at the lower end, if the conveyor is inclined. Drains are normally located on the non-carrying side away from bulk material flow to reduce the chance of plugging. Please see Figure 1 below.

Flushing ports can be located on the covers, in the side of the troughs or even drain locations to clean out the interior of a screw conveyor. Please see Figure 2 below. In certain applications, screw conveyors must be cleaned out at a certain time interval to prevent odors or because the device must be completely sterilized before changing batches. A common problem with screw conveyors is bulk material build up on the interior surfaces of the trough and outside of the screw. High pressure spray nozzles can be located along the length of a screw conveyor to keep the interior surfaces clean. The wash fluid is then removed by the drain.

Features

Simple Design – Drain connections are typically NPT or ANSI standard flanged connections. Flushing port and spray nozzles systems are available off-the-shelf for assembly.

Manual or Automated Design – Valves can be operated manually or by use of automated controls.

Benefits

Maximum Uptime – Drains and flushing ports with spray nozzles can be designed to wash, inject, or take away liquids on regular time intervals. A clean screw conveyor transfers bulk materials more efficiently and reduces downtime.

Operator Safety – Screw conveyors can be completely cleaned without having to remove any covers. Maintenance personnel are kept safe from rotating machinery and potentially hazardous areas.

---