Bucket elevators are economical vertical lifting devices that continuously convey bulk materials to elevated heights. They offer advantages such as wide applicability, long service life, high transportation capacity, strong customizability, and small footprint. As highly versatile conveying systems, they are widely used in industries such as mining, metallurgy, cement, food, chemical engineering, and power generation.
There are many types of bucket elevators. Bucket elevators are divided into belt bucket elevators and chain bucket elevators according to the traction components; they are divided into centrifugal unloading, gravity unloading, and mixed unloading according to the unloading method; they are divided into vertical bucket elevators, inclined bucket elevators, and Z-type bucket elevators according to the casing structure; they are divided into deep bucket type, shallow bucket type, and triangular bucket according to the bucket form; special types of bucket elevators include explosion-proof bucket elevators and high temperature resistant bucket elevators.
Below is a detailed introduction to four types of bucket elevators provided by our company: Belt Bucket Elevator, Chain Bucket Elevator, Z Type Bucket Elevator, and Central Chain Bucket Elevator.
I. Belt and Chain Bucket Elevators
Bucket elevators are divided into Belt Bucket Elevators and Chain Bucket Elevators based on the traction component, using belts and chains respectively. Both are suitable for conveying powdery, granular, and small lumpy non-abrasive materials, employing mixed or gravity discharge and scoop feeding. They are ideal for transporting bulk materials with high bulk density, such as powdery, granular, and small lumpy materials with low abrasiveness. Compared to Chain Bucket Elevators (which have higher operating noise), Belt Bucket Elevators run smoothly with lower noise.

Key Advantages of Belt and Chain Bucket Elevators:
1. Large-Capacity Vertical Conveyance:
o Inflow feeding and induced discharge, with densely arranged large-capacity hoppers, minimize material backflow and scooping, reducing reactive power consumption.
2. Ultra-Heavy Design:
o Suitable for various materials, including those with high abrasiveness. Excellent sealing reduces environmental pollution.
3. High Reliability and Durability:
o Reliable operation, with advanced design and processing ensuring a trouble-free service life of over 20,000 hours. Capable of achieving high lifting heights with stable operation.
4. Long Service Life:
o Inflow feeding eliminates the need for shovel-like scooping, reducing material extrusion and collision. The design minimizes material spillage during feeding and discharging, lowering mechanical wear.
Chain Bucket Elevator:
Introduced by our company based on advanced foreign technology, it is suitable for vertically conveying powdery, granular, and lumpy materials, including those with high abrasiveness (e.g., fly ash, slag, limestone, cement raw meal, clinker, coal, dry clay). It can handle materials with temperatures generally not exceeding 250°C. The working principle involves hoppers fixed on high-strength chains as the traction component. Deep hoppers are suitable for dry, loose, and free-flowing powdery/granular/lumpy materials, while shallow hoppers are ideal for slightly wet, caking-prone, and low-flowability powdery/granular materials. II. Z Type Bucket Elevator
The Z Type Bucket Elevator features a multi-segment vertical+horizontal combination forming a "Z" shaped path, suitable for gently transporting various free-flowing bulk materials under dry, semi-dry, and wet conditions. The device is highly adaptable, it can deliver materials from single or multiple supply sources to multiple locations through various discharge positions and stations.

Working Principle:
Hoppers are suspended on continuous hollow chains driven by a gear motor installed on the top horizontal arm outside the steel plate. The material inlet is located at the lower horizontal arm, equipped with a vibration feeder and brush device to ensure a steady material flow into the hoppers. The equipment includes maintenance access openings for easy upkeep and a drawer at the bottom for convenient cleaning.

Key Features:
• Full series with enlarged ultra-high molecular weight guide rails and chain friction blocks, equipped with backstop devices, electronic detection devices, chain breakage protection, and automatic chain tensioning for higher lifting heights, ensuring safety and reliability.
• High-strength lifting chains, with food-grade plastic hoppers as standard. Special stainless steel hoppers are developed for anti-corrosion and high-temperature resistance.
• Segmented modular design, with optional horizontal length and lifting height. Flexible layout, small footprint, saving factory space and reducing pit depth.
• Bearing jacking bolts for shaft alignment, hinged maintenance doors with quick-release latches, safe and reliable operation, low noise, minimal dust, easy access, and maintenance—an ideal new-type material conveying equipment.
III. Central Chain Bucket Elevator
Our company provides high-performance Central Chain Bucket Elevators with central chains, enabling high conveying capacity and large center distances. All elevators feature close hopper spacing, allowing bulk materials to be directly fed into the hoppers and minimizing scooping from the elevator base. Discharge of bulk materials at the elevator head is influenced by centrifugal force. Friction transmission between segmented drive rings and central chains provides torque and allows for variable speeds.

Key Features:
• Tightly arranged hoppers with minimal material spillage during flow.
• Suitable for abrasive, hot, rough, and fine materials, including heat-resistant, wear-resistant, and highly abrasive materials.
• Gearless friction drive for the driving wheel ensures smooth operation.
• The structure adopts clamp-shaped hardened steel bearings and tail weight structure, with low investment, convenient maintenance and replacement, high equipment reliability, reliable and stable operation, low noise and good sealing performance.
IV. Conclusion
Our company's Belt Bucket Elevators, Chain Bucket Elevators, Z Type Bucket Elevators, and Central Chain Bucket Elevators are manufactured with excellent craftsmanship. You can choose based on your needs:
• For smooth operation and low noise, select our Belt Bucket Elevator.
• For handling heat-resistant, wear-resistant, and abrasive materials, choose our Central Chain Bucket Elevator, with precise manufacturing processes ensuring high accuracy for all chain components.
With over 30 years of experience in bucket elevator design and manufacturing, EXCT can provide Belt and Chain Bucket Elevators, Z Type Bucket Elevators, and Central Chain Bucket Elevators tailored to material characteristics, application scenarios, and local conditions, along with professional design services to meet customer needs.