Bucket Elevators

A bucket elevator operates by continuously rotating buckets — fixed onto a chain or rubber belt running between bottom and top drums — driven by a motor-gearbox group. Material is fed to the elevator from the bottom; it is picked up by the buckets, conveyed vertically and discharged at the top drum.

Feeding is done in two ways depending on the material's characteristics: small-particle materials with low scoop resistance are usually fed from the base; large-particle, abrasive and scoop-resistant materials are fed directly into the elevator. This choice also determines the bucket shape and housing design.

TMD GRUP produces bucket elevators in two main types based on the material's properties, capacity, target height and operating conditions:

• Chain elevators are typically preferred for heavy, abrasive and high-temperature materials. The chain provides mechanical robustness; the bucket-to-chain connection withstands repeated loading.

• Belt elevators come to the fore in applications with lighter, less abrasive materials and where higher speed is required. The rubber belt enables quieter operation and lower drive energy.

Which type is selected is determined through a project-specific engineering review.

Housings and buckets are selected based on the physical and chemical abrasion characteristics of the material. Standard steel is sufficient for general use, while for highly abrasive materials such as ore or clinker, HB450-grade abrasion-resistant steel is preferred. In food and chemical sectors, stainless steel (AISI 304 / 316) is used.

For specialised applications, polymer alternatives for buckets or internal coatings for the housing (wear plates, ceramic linings) can be applied. For every project, TMD GRUP reviews the customer's material data (density, particle size, moisture, temperature, chemical properties) to determine the appropriate material combination.

In cement plants, bucket elevators are the most widely used vertical handling solution. They are deployed at many critical points — from preheater feed lines to clinker silo inlets, from post-mill cement transfer to packaging and dispatch lines. The enclosed housing prevents cement dust from escaping and ensures quiet operation.

For high-temperature clinker, the chain type and abrasion-resistant bucket materials are preferred. Drawing on its cement-sector experience, TMD GRUP custom-sizes the feed point, bucket dimensions and drive power of each clinker or cement elevator.

In addition to cement, bucket elevators are heavily used in the following sectors:

• Mining and metallurgy: vertical conveying of ores, coal and abrasive bulk materials; HB450 buckets and reinforced housings are preferred.

• Grain and food: hygienic conveying of flour, wheat, corn, animal feed materials and sugar via stainless-steel elevators.

• Chemical and recycling: conveying of granular materials such as soda, fertiliser and sand via corrosion-resistant, specially manufactured elevators.

In each sector, material type, particle size and hygiene requirements are evaluated at the TMD GRUP engineering office; the appropriate bucket, housing and lining combination is selected.

Bucket elevators offer three fundamental advantages over alternative vertical handling systems:

Bucket elevator projects at TMD GRUP follow these steps: material analysis and site survey → type selection (chain/belt, bucket shape and width, housing material) → engineering design (SolidWorks/Inventor 3D model, FEA if required) → manufacturing at our Başkent OSB facility (CNC cutting, welding, NDT inspection, powder coating) → in-house pre-assembly and testing → site installation and laser alignment by certified crew → commissioning, performance testing, operator training and handover of as-built documentation.