Vertical Bulk Material Conveyor Standard Configurations
Each OLDS ELEVATOR™ Vertical Bulk Material Conveyor* is built to the customer's requirements. Components can be constructed from a variety of materials, including stainless steel, to suit the application.
The product intake can be located anywhere on the circumference of the cylinder, and as low as floor level (or below).
While the standard configuration is vertical, units can be configured in any inclined position between 45° and 90°.
Different materials move through the OLDS ELEVATOR™ Vertical Bulk Material Conveyor within a range of efficiencies. The tables below illustrate the predicted flow rate range, at various casing rotational speeds, for a common powder (synthetic gypsum), a common granular material (sand) and a common particulate (wood pellets
| Casing diam. in | RPM casing | Synthetic Gypsum Flow Rate (CFH) 71 lb/cu/ft | Sand Flow Rate (CFH) 100 lb/cu/ft | Wood Pellets Flow Rate (CFH) 38 lb/cu/ft |
| 3 | 0-180 | 0-25 | 0-30 | 0-45 |
| 4 | 0-160 | 0-60 | 0-75 | 0-110 |
| 6 | 0-140 | 0-200 | 0-245 | 0-365 |
| 8 | 0-120 | 0-405 | 0-500 | 0-750 |
| 10 | 0-100 | 0-725 | 0-885 | 0-1,350 |
| 12 | 0-80 | 0-820 | 0-995 | 0-1,515 |
| 14 | 0-60 | 0-1,050 | 0-1,300 | 0-1,900 |
| 16 | 0-40 | 0-1,110 | 0-1,380 | 0-2,000 |
Volumetric Feeder
OLDS ELEVATORS™ equipped with variable speed motors and controllers can be used as volumetric feeders. Flow rates can be precisely controlled from 0 to the maximum flow rate of the elevator. Eliminate overhead storage hoppers. Save valuable floor space. Use the OLDS ELEVATOR™ as a combination elevator / volumetric feeder.
Most materials exhibit volumetric flow rate accuracies in the 2% - 5% range.
Big Bag unloader
The Olds Elevator can also be used in a big bag ( Jumbobag, Supersack ) handling system, integrated in a plant or stand alone as truck / bin loader, very fast unloading, simple and low on maintenance
Heat Exchange with Olds Elevators
It has long been known that Olds elevators could be used as heat exchangers simply by circulating water through the static screw. Only minor modifications to a standard Olds elevator can produce a combination Elevator/Volumetric Feeder/Heat Exchanger, all in the same small footprint.
A recent application of this technology is the cooling of hot flake surfactants during elevation from a dryer to a screener.
Below are examples of the effectiveness of the elevator/heat exchanger at different flow rates handling hot foundry sand (Specific Heat 0.19):
| Sand Flow lb/min | Water Flow GPM | Water Temp In T°F | Sand Temp In T°F | Sand Temp Out T°F | Water Temp Out T°F | % Heat Reduction Sand |
| 63 | 2 | 47 | 187.5 | 140.2 | 61 | 25.4 |
| 96 | 2 | 47 | 189.5 | 146.0 | 63 | 22.9 |
In the case above, tap water was circulated through the hollow shaft of the screw of a 12 foot tall Olds elevator. The screw flighting was continuously welded to the shaft to improve thermal conductivity.
Screws can also be supplied with hollow flights as well as shafts to greatly expand the surface area and the efficiency of the heat exchanger. Residence time in the elevator can also be easily controlled with the Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) that allows precise control of the flow rate of bulk materials through the elevator.
Taller elevators improve the heat exchange rate by increasing residence time in contact with the screw.
Screws can also be supplied with hollow flights as well as shafts to greatly expand the surface area and the efficiency of the heat exchanger. Residence time in the elevator can also be easily controlled with the Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) that allows precise control of the flow rate of bulk materials through the elevator.
Taller elevators improve the heat exchange rate by increasing residence time in contact with the screw.