Heating & Cooling For Screw Conveyors
Innovative thermal processing conveying design.
S. Howes manufactures screw conveyors designed for thermal heating and cooling processes where indirect heat transfer is required or preferred. Heat transfer is accomplished through contact with an external jacket (bolt-on or integral) and/or through the transfer auger itself. The material is heated or cooled while being transferred down the length of the conveyor. A variety of heating or cooling media may be used.
Our multiple-independent jacket panel configuration is more efficient than traditional designs using a continuous jacket chamber. Traditional thermal conveyors utilize a single flow of heat transfer fluid that loses effectiveness as the material moves through it. With our unique independent jacket panel configuration, a parallel feed of fluid flows to each jacket panel so product is exposed to a fresh temperature cycle every time it passes from one panel to the next, consistently and efficiently cooling or heating the product throughout the entire conveyor length.
Specific industry case studies, lab testing, and rental units are available. Contact us for a quote.
Thermal Screw Conveying Equipment
Heating and cooling jackets for thermal processing can be integrated on Twin Screw, Tubular, and U-Trough Conveyors.
Features & Benefits
- Thermal treatment occurs in the conveyor during the conveying cycle to eliminate secondary process steps and unnecessary additonal equipment.
- Independent jacket configuration allows a parallel feed of fluid to each jacket panel where product is always exposed to a fresh temperature cycle.
- Indirect heat transfer design often does not require air filtration or exhaust permits like direct heating methods.
- Control of temperature during material transfer for maximum efficiency.
- Accurate control of thermal treatment time ensures precise requirements are met.
- Greater heat transfer surface area per unit of product than batch mixer systems.
- Proprietary design delivers increased efficiency with a smaller footprint as compared to traditional conveyor designs.
- High efficiency auger design features rotary unions to flow fluid through the auger itself to maximize the amount of product that has direct contact with the heat transfer surfaces and minimize the formation of deep, untreated product beds.
- Auger features a chain drive and adjustable speed design to economically achieve the slower speeds necessary for varying heating and cooling processes.
- Auger shaft seals are typically packing gland style seals that provide a wide range of temperature and chemical compatibility.
- Designs for high pressure applications that meet the requirements of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code.
Sample Applications
Heating and cooling screw conveyors are used around the globe for thermal processing in industries such as biomass conversion, paper and pulp, biofuels, food and dairy, chemicals, petrochemicals, minerals processing, and many more.
- Drying
- Polymerization
- Heat curing
- Cooling/freezing
- Microbial kill
- Sintering/calcining
- Dewatering
Options & Accessories
Heaters & Coolers
- Single and multiple zone configurations
- -50 to over 600 degrees F temperature control
- Recirculating designs available
- Designed for your needs
Jacket Types
- Cooling jackets
- Heating jackets
- Integral or bolt-on
- ASME “U” stamp
Auger Types
- Single, Twin, Multi Screw
- Heated or cooled shaft
- Stir tabs to promote product turnover
- Standard or cut flighting
Seal Types
- Rotating Mechanical
- Packing Gland
- Custom
Instrumentation
- Temperature in/out readout
- Flowmeters
- Variety of pressure gauges
- Customized control panels
Additional Customization
- Customizable covers
- Temperature sensors, level sensors, limit switches
- Explosion-proof motor design
- Inlet and outlet custom designs
- Built-to-order support stands
- Purge port for compressed air or inert gas
- Various insulation options
Downloads
Test Lab & Innovation Center
Your Material Product. Our Thermal Processing Equipment.
Make sure your new process equipment delivers your desired final material requirements.
Lab Testing
Leverage the CPEG Innovation Center and expertise in process engineering to test material product prior to the design or purchase of bulk solids and material handling equipment.
Testing With Rental Units
When material testing in the Innovation Center is not feasible, S. Howes provides rental equipment that can be shipped directly to your site for reliable testing of powder and bulk solids materials.
Heating & Cooling for Screw Conveyors – FAQs
What is a heated or cooled screw conveyor used for?
These conveyors are designed to transfer bulk materials while simultaneously heating, cooling, or maintaining product temperature during processing.
How does thermal control work in a screw conveyor?
Heat transfer media such as steam, hot oil, water, or refrigerants circulate through the conveyor jacket or screw assembly to control material temperature during conveying.
What materials are commonly processed in thermal screw conveyors?
They are commonly used for powders, sludge, chemicals, minerals, biomass, and temperature-sensitive bulk materials.
What are the benefits of combining conveying and thermal processing?
Combining both functions reduces the equipment footprint, improves process efficiency, and minimizes additional material-handling steps.
Can thermal screw conveyors be customized for specific applications?
Yes. S. Howes engineers custom systems based on material properties, temperature requirements, throughput, and plant layout.
Featured Industries
Biomass & Biofuels
Ethanol plants and biodiesel producers rely on S. Howes equipment to convey, mix, screen, and process grain and biomass feedstocks throughout production. Our mixers, conveyors, and screening systems are built for the wet, fibrous, and variable-density materials common in biofuel operations.
Chemicals & Plastics
Chemical and plastics manufacturers depend on precise, reliable processing equipment to handle powders, granules, and bulk solids through mixing, conveying, and screening operations. S. Howes builds heavy-duty equipment engineered for the demanding material characteristics and continuous throughput requirements of chemical processing.
Waste & Recycling
Waste processors and recyclers handle highly variable feedstocks that demand robust, wear-resistant equipment capable of continuous operation. S. Howes conveyors, lump breakers, screeners, and size-reduction systems are built to reliably process municipal, industrial, and specialty waste streams.
Oil & Gas
Oil and gas operations processing drilling muds, proppants, catalyst materials, and oilfield solids need equipment that performs reliably in demanding environments. S. Howes conveyors, screeners, and size reduction equipment are built for the abrasive, high-throughput conditions of oilfield material processing.