A tubular chain conveyor is a closed-loop mechanical conveying system that moves powders, granules and small bulk materials inside an enclosed tube, pushed by discs mounted on a chain or cable. The pipe can be routed horizontally, vertically and on inclines in one continuous run, which suits complex plant layouts and multi-point feeding. Single units typically cover about 10 to 100 m of conveying distance and roughly 1 to 50 m3/h depending on tube diameter and material, confirmed at enquiry.
This is a mechanical, closed-tube conveying method, not an air-stream system. A chain or cable with spaced discs travels inside a circular pipe, and each disc pushes a small plug of material forward as it moves. Because the tube stays closed along the whole route, powder stays inside and the material moves gently, which matters for PVC powder, masterbatch granules and fine chemicals that are easy to damage or easy to lose in dust.Typical features at a glance:
Fully enclosed conveying, dust free along the run
Flexible routing with horizontal, vertical and incline sections combined
Multi-point feeding and multi-point discharge in one unit
Gentle pushing action that reduces material breakage
Compact footprint for tight plant areas
Many plants pair this conveyor with a vacuum powder suction machine for unloading and a continuous powder suction machine for transfer, but the two principles are different. A suction machine moves material by negative air pressure, while the tubular chain conveyor moves it by mechanical disc push. The chain version keeps a steadier flow on long or shaped routes and can drop material at several points along the way. It is one of the auxiliary machines that Chenxing offers around extrusion and compounding lines.
A drive unit at one end turns a drive sprocket, which pulls the chain or cable inside the pipe. Discs are fixed to the chain at set spacing, so material sits in the spaces between discs and gets carried along. The pipe can combine horizontal runs, vertical lifts and incline sections through standard bends, usually at 45 or 90 degrees. An inlet hopper with a skirt feeds material in, a discharge flap or port lets it out, and a chain tensioning device keeps the chain tight so the disc spacing stays even over the whole loop.
The values below are typical industry reference figures for this type of conveyor, not committed Chenxing model data. Final numbers are confirmed at enquiry.
| Item | Typical Industry Reference |
|---|---|
| Conveying distance per unit | about 10 to 100 m, depending on drive configuration |
| Tube diameter | about 100 to 300 mm |
| Conveying capacity | about 1 to 50 m3/h, depending on tube diameter and material |
| Chain speed | about 0.1 to 0.5 m/s |
| Drive power | small units about 1.5 to 5.5 kW, medium about 7.5 to 15 kW, large about 18.5 to 30 kW |
| Pipe material | carbon steel, SS304 or SS316 for food and chemical duty |
| Bend angles | commonly 45 or 90 degrees |
| Power supply | 380V 50Hz 3 phase, other voltages available on request |
All figures above are typical industry reference values and are subject to confirmation at enquiry.
Selection starts with the required capacity in m3/h or t/h, then the route. Long distances need more drive power and sometimes a second tensioning point. Material bulk density changes the plug weight between discs, so dense powders pull more load. The number of bends matters too, because each 45 or 90 degree bend adds drag, and sharp bends can cause material bridging at the transition. Pipe diameter is chosen so the discs keep a stable plug without overloading the chain. Bend radius and wear lining are reviewed with the plant layout in mind. Chenxing engineers check these points before quoting, and nothing is treated as a fixed standard size until the enquiry is confirmed. The conveyor is sized to work beside a plastic extruder or a complete pipe extrusion line, with the discharge position agreed first.
This conveyor shows up in plants where powder has to travel a non-straight route without dust escaping. The table lists the common application areas.
| Application | What The Conveyor Does |
|---|---|
| PVC powder conveying | Moves PVC powder from storage or mixer to extrusion lines in a dust free closed tube |
| Plastic compounding and mixing lines | Feeds additives, fillers and base resin into compounding and mixing equipment |
| Chemical and fine powder handling | Carries fine chemical powders that are sensitive to dust and contamination |
| Food and grain transport | Transfers grain, flour and small bulk food materials with gentle handling |
| Additives and masterbatch feeding | Delivers masterbatch granules and additives to multiple dosing points |
For PVC pipe makers, the conveyor fits in front of a PVC pipe extrusion line solution, and on compounding duty it works with the automatic compounding system and the automatic compounding system solution. Mixing plants run it from the mixing unit to downstream dosing points. Recycling plants use it to move ground material between the plastic agglomerator, the two stage recycling machine and the pelletizing stage of a plastic pelletizing line. It also appears in washing lines, where the washing and recycling production line feeds dried flakes onward, and it suits the layout of a PE PP film recycling washing line or a PET bottle crushing washing line. Food plants often place it after a SMF series grinding machine or between silos and packaging, while profile plants run it beside a profile extrusion line and sheet plants use it on a board and sheet extrusion line. Pipe plants add it to lines for HDPE pipe production, PPR pipe extrusion or corrugated pipe extrusion.
Chenxing can adjust most of the mechanical details to fit an existing plant layout:
Pipe diameter and material: carbon steel, SS304 or SS316
Conveying distance and route: horizontal, vertical, incline, or any combination
Bend angles and bend radius to suit clearances around equipment
Number and position of inlet and discharge points for multi-point feeding
Chain or cable type, with disc spacing adjusted to the material
Drive power and drive position
Inlet hopper skirt, discharge flap and cleaning access covers
Interface and interlocks with a compounding line or an automatic compounding system
Fixed items keep the design predictable: the conveying principle stays closed-tube mechanical disc push, and the disc or scraper structure stays as the pushing element. Everything else is open to the plant layout. Related feeding machines such as the crushing material suction machine handle a different job, so the tubular conveyor is specified as its own unit rather than a replacement for suction feeding.
Chenxing Machinery has built plastic machinery since 2002 and runs an ISO9001 management system. The conveyor is checked at the factory before shipment:
Pipe weld and joint airtightness check
Sprocket alignment and drive assembly check
Chain tensioning and disc spacing verification
Bend transition and pipe alignment inspection
Trial run with the actual material class where possible
Each unit comes with an inspection report and a certificate of conformity. A one year warranty covers manufacturing defects. Installation, commissioning and operator training are available, and the Chenxing service team supports global installation sites. More about the company history and workshop can be found on the about Chenxing Machinery page, and machine documentation downloads are kept on the download page.
MOQ: 1 set
Lead time: confirmed at enquiry, based on configuration and workload
Packing: export wooden case, pipe sections fixed and separated inside
Trade terms: FOB, EXW, CFR, CIF or CIP
Payment: T/T or L/C
The conveyor is usually shipped in sections, so the pipe sections, drive unit and spare discs are packed so they stay aligned in transit. For line builders, the delivery schedule is coordinated with the pipe extrusion line and related auxiliary machines on the same project.
It is a closed-loop mechanical conveyor that moves powders, granules and small bulk materials inside an enclosed tube, pushed by discs mounted on a chain or cable.
It handles powders, granules and small bulk materials such as PVC powder, chemical fine powder, grain, flour, additives and masterbatch. The material should be free-flowing enough to sit between the discs.
A drive sprocket pulls the chain inside the pipe, and discs fixed to the chain push material forward as the chain travels, so the material moves as plugs between the discs.
Yes. The pipe can combine horizontal runs, vertical lifts and incline sections through standard bends, usually at 45 or 90 degrees, in one continuous run.
A single unit typically covers about 10 to 100 m of conveying distance depending on the drive configuration. The exact figure is confirmed at enquiry.
Yes. The tube stays closed along the whole route, so powder stays inside and the process is dust free during conveying.
Yes. It supports multi-point feeding and multi-point discharge, so one unit can collect from several inlets and drop material at several outlets.
The pipe is available in carbon steel, SS304 or SS316, and the chain or cable is selected for the material and duty. Food and chemical plants usually choose stainless steel.
Capacity is about 1 to 50 m3/h depending on tube diameter and material. The rated value for a specific duty is confirmed at enquiry.
MOQ is 1 set. Lead time depends on the configuration and is confirmed at enquiry.
To get a correct quote, please send the following details together:
Material type, bulk density and particle size
Required capacity in m3/h or t/h
Conveying route: horizontal, vertical or incline, and the distance
Number of inlet and discharge points
Pipe and chain material requirement: carbon steel, SS304 or SS316
Voltage, frequency and phase
Destination port and preferred trade terms
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