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• Introduction,
• Types of Bucket Elevator,
• Design of Bucket Elevator- loading
and bucket arrangements,
• Cage elevators, shaft way, guides,
counter weights
Design of Bucket Elevator & Cage Elevator

Bucket conveyors consist of
endless chains or belts to
which are attached buckets
to convey bulk material in
horizontal, inclined, and
vertical paths.
Bucket Elevator
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Purpose: Used to transport bulk materials vertically or
at an incline.
Components: Consist of a series of buckets attached to
a continuous belt or chain.
Operation: The buckets move in a continuous loop,
scooping material at one end and discharging it at the
other.
Common Uses:
• Agriculture: Transporting grains.
• Mining: Handling coal.
• Manufacturing: Moving granular
• or powdery substances.
Benefits:
• Efficient material transport.
• Controlled movement reduces spillage and dust
MHE: Bucket Elevator: Introduction
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Bucket conveyors can be configured in different ways,
including centrifugal or continuous, and with belt or
chain options.
The configuration is based on the material,
application, required horsepower, and elevator height
Centrifugal and Continuous Bucket Elevator
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Operation:
Uses centrifugal force to throw materials
out of the buckets as they pass over the
head pulley.
Application:
Suitable for handling free-flowing, dry
materials such as grains, seeds, or sand.
Features:
• High speed.
• Buckets are spaced apart.
• Efficient for lifting materials vertically.
Centrifugal Bucket Elevator is a high-
speed material handling system
designed to transport free-flowing
materials
Centrifugal Bucket Elevator

Operation:
• Material is gently discharged by gravity from
the buckets, often without causing much
damage.
Application:
• Used for handling fragile materials such as
grains or powders where gentle handling is
required.
Features:
• Lower speed than centrifugal types.
• Buckets are closely spaced, ensuring a
continuous flow.
• Suitable for material prone to degradation.
Continuous Bucket Elevator
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Operation:
The buckets are forced to discharge at
a specific point, usually via a
mechanism at the top of the elevator.
Application:
Useful for sticky materials or materials
that may not easily discharge from a
centrifugal or continuous elevator.
Features:
• Ensures full emptying of each
bucket.
• Ideal for damp, sticky, or sluggish
materials
Positive Discharge Bucket Elevator
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Operation:
• The buckets travel in a Z-shaped
pattern, ideal for horizontal as
well as vertical material
handling.
Application:
• Commonly used in food
processing and packaging
industries.
Features:
• Allows horizontal and vertical
material movement.
• Gentle on materials, making it
ideal for delicate products.
Z-Type Bucket Elevator
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• Head Section: Discharges material at the top.
Components of Bucket Elevator
• Buckets: Carry the material.
• Belt or Chain: Moves the buckets.

• Drive Mechanism: Powers the system.
• Casing: Protects the conveyor and prevents spillage.
• Tensioning Device: Keeps the belt or chain tight.
• Guiding Rollers: Support and guide the belt or chain.
• These components work together to transport materials
efficiently.
Boot Section: Loads material at the bottom.
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Terminology
d=Gap between two buckets (m)
( )
n ( . ) /sec
v=belt speed (m/s)
Elevator Speed n
no of bulkets

(m/s)
Belt Speed
v n d
 
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3
Bucket capacity, q Lit m
   
, ( /sec)( )
Volumetric Capacity Q Number of Buckets Bucket capacity

3 3
( )( )
(../ sec)( ) .. /sec
Q n q
Q m m
 
 
, /
Mass Capcity M Q Kg Sec

 
Power Required to convey,Po Mgh

Motor Power, Power required to run the conveyor, Pi=
Po

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Problem1: A bucket conveyor is used to lift sand from a lower level to a
higher level in a construction site. The conveyor has 20 buckets, each with a
capacity of 10 liters. The conveyor operates at a speed of 60 buckets per
minute. How much sand (in liters) can the conveyor transport in 10 minutes?
1 10
Capacity of Bucket Lit

:60 /
Conveyor Speed Bucket Min
In 10 min ?
How many buckets
In 10 min ?
Time
60 10
600
How many buckets
Total buckets Conveyor speed
Buckets
Total buckets Min
Min
 
 

600 10 6000
Total sand Transported Lit
  
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Problem2: A bucket conveyor is used to lift sand from ground level to a storage bin
15 meters high. The conveyor is inclined at an angle of 30° to the horizontal. Each
bucket has a capacity of 10 liters and is spaced 0.5 meters apart. The conveyor runs
at a speed of 1 meter per second. The bulk density of the sand is 1600 kg/m³.
Calculate:
The volumetric capacity of the conveyor in liters per second.
The mass capacity of the conveyor in kg per second.
The power required to drive the conveyor if the efficiency is 85%.
n=(Number of Buckets passing) per sec
3
3
1 / sec Bucket capacity, 10 0.01
1600 /
v m q Lit m
Kg m

  

( ) 1 /sec
n=
( ) 0.5
Speed v m
Spacing d m

n=2 /sec
Buckets
Power Required to convey,
( /sec)( )( )
Po Mgh
Kg g m Watt

 
(m/s)
Belt Speed
v n d
 

, /
Mass Capcity M Q Kg Sec

 
=
, 0.02 1600 32 /
Mass Capcity M Kg Sec
 
Power Required to convey,Po Mgh

32(9.81)15 4708.8
Po W
  32(9.81)15 4708.8
Po W
 
Motor Power, Power required to run the conveyor, Pi= 5540.94
Po
W


So, the power required to drive the conveyor is approximately 5.54 kW.
, ( /sec)( )
Volumetric Capacity Q Number of Buckets Bucket capacity

3
( )( ) 2 0.01 0.02 /sec
Q n q m
   

Problem3: A centrifugal bucket elevator is designed to handle 50 tons of sand per
hour. The sand has a bulk density of 1600 kg/m³. Each bucket has a capacity of 12
liters, and the buckets are spaced 0.45 meters apart. The elevator is inclined at an
angle of 30°.
Calculate:
The required belt speed in meters per second.
The number of buckets required per meter of belt length.
The total number of buckets required if the total length of the elevator is 20 meters.
, 15 /
Mass Capcity M Ton Hr
 13.88 /
M Kg Sec

/
M Q Kg Sec

 
3
1600 /
Kg m
 
3
0.008680 /
Volumetric Capacity Q m s

( )( )
Q n q
 3
12 0.012
q Lit m
 
0.723 /sec
n buckets

Belt Speed
v n d
  0.45 0.3255 /sec
v n m
  

.
Noof Buckets per m
1m n d
 
Number of Buckets per Meter of Belt Length
1 0.45
2.22
m n
buckets
n
m
 

Total Number of Buckets:
Length of Elevator (L): 20 meters
1 0.45
2.22 20 44.44
m n
Total Buckets
 
  
Rounding to the nearest whole number, the
total number of buckets required is 44.
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4.0Calculate the capacity of a bucket elevator
• Bucket dimensions: width = 300 mm, depth = 200 mm, height = 250 mm
• Bucket spacing (pitch): 500 mm
• Elevator belt speed: 1.5 m/s
• Number of buckets on the belt: 20 buckets per meter of elevator length
• Material density: 800 kg/m³
• Bucket fill efficiency: 80%
Bucket volume
3
0.3 0.2 0.25
0.015
q
m
  

Bucket volume
(Considering fill efficiency)
3
0.8 0.015
0.012
q
m
 

3
0.5
20 /
800 /
d m
Buckets m
kg m



3
( ) /
Volumetric Capacity Q n q m s
 
3
(30 0.012) =0.36 /
Q m s
 
/sec
v=
/
1.5
20
30 / sec
Buckets
Buckets m
n
n Bukets


/
M Q Kg Sec

 
288 /
M Kg Sec

1036.8 /
M Ton Hr

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Cage Elevator
• A cage elevator, also known as a cage lift or mine
cage elevator, used in mining operations or
construction sites to transport people, equipment, or
materials vertically.
• It consists of an enclosed or semi-enclosed cage or
platform that moves within a shaft, guided by rails, and
powered by an electric or hydraulic mechanism.
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Key Features:
• Cage Structure: Enclosed for safety, made of
durable materials.
• Applications: Used in mining, construction,
industrial sites, and rescue operations.
• Operation: Guided by rails and powered by a
motorized system.
• Types: Can be single-cage or double-cage for
increased efficiency.
• Safety: Equipped with overload protection,
emergency stop, and fall arrest systems.
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Advantages:
• Designed for heavy load handling.
• Highly durable with advanced safety
features.
Disadvantages:
• Slower than modern passenger elevators.
• Requires significant space for the shaft.
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Type of Elevator Description Applications
Freight Elevator
Designed for transporting heavy loads such
as goods and materials.
Warehouses, factories,
shopping malls, etc.
Service Elevator
Used for transporting goods and personnel
(maintenance staff).
Hotels, hospitals, commercial
buildings.
Construction Elevator
Temporary elevators for moving materials
and personnel on construction sites.
High-rise building construction
sites.
Inclined Elevator
Travels at an angle, typically used for
moving goods up slopes or hills.
Ski resorts, hilly terrains,
specific industries.
Hydraulic Elevator
Uses hydraulic systems to lift loads,
suitable for low-rise buildings.
Warehouses, low-rise industrial
facilities.
Electric Traction Elevator
Uses electric motors and pulleys, efficient
for larger loads and heights.
Multi-story buildings and
commercial spaces.
Pneumatic Elevator
Utilizes air pressure to lift loads, usually
smaller and for lighter loads.
Residential buildings and small-
scale applications.
Scissor Lifts
Provides a platform that raises and lowers
vertically; not a traditional elevator.
Warehouses, factories,
construction sites.
Vertical Reciprocating
Conveyor
Moves goods vertically without an
enclosed cage.
Industrial settings, warehouses,
distribution centers.
Counterweight Elevator
Uses counterweights to balance loads and
reduce energy needed for lifting.
Industrial facilities with high
lifting requirements.
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A cage elevator is used to lift a load of 500 kg to a height of 25 meters. The
elevator takes 20 seconds to reach the top. Assuming there is no friction or
air resistance, calculate:
• The power required to lift the elevator.
• The velocity of the elevator.
500
25
20
?
?
m Kg
h m
t s
P
Velocity





The average velocity (v) :
1.25 /
h
v m s
t
 
Power (P) required to lift the elevator
WD
P
t

122625
WD mgh
J


122625
3131.25
20
P W
 
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A cage elevator is designed to lift a load of 1,000 kg to a height of 40 meters.
The elevator uses a pulley system that provides a mechanical advantage of
4. The total weight of the elevator cage, including its components, is 200 kg.
The elevator operates with an efficiency of 90%.
Calculate:
• The force required to lift the load.
• The work done in lifting the load and the elevator cage.
• The total power required from the motor.
• The actual power output of the motor, considering efficiency.
.
1000
40
4
200
0.9
cage
m Kg
h m
MA
m Kg






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1000 200 1200
Total
m Kg
  
Force Required to Lift the Load (F):
( ) 11772
Total
F m g N
 
Elevator uses a pulley system with
a MA=4, the force required from
the motor is:
Motor
F
MA
F
 2943
Motor
F N

Power (P) required to lift the elevator
WD
P
t

470880
Total
WD m gh
J


9.42
P Kw

Actual Power (P) required
9.42
10.46
Motor
P Kw

 
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A freight elevator is designed to lift heavy goods in a
warehouse. The elevator has the following specifications:
Load Capacity: 2,000 kg
Height of Lift: 30 meters
Time to Lift Load: 45 seconds
Efficiency of the Motor: 85%
The elevator is used to lift crates, each weighing 250 kg.
Calculate:
The total weight of the load being lifted when the elevator is at maximum
capacity.
The work done in lifting the maximum load to the specified height.
The total power required from the motor to lift the maximum load.
The actual power output of the motor considering its efficiency.
The number of crates that can be loaded into the elevator when operating
at maximum capacity.
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2000
Total
W Kg

Elevator Load Capacity
Crates weight 250
Crate
W Kg

Number of Crates That Can Be
Loaded Into the Elevator (N) 8
Total
Crate
W
N
W
 
WD
P
t

Power Required :
( ) 588600
Total
WD W g h J
 
13.08
WD
P Kw
t
 
Motor Power
15.41
Motor
P
P Kw

 
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A counterweight elevator is designed to lift both passengers and
goods in a commercial building. The elevator has the following
specifications:
• Load Capacity: 1,000 kg (for passengers and goods combined)
• Counterweight: 600 kg
• Height of Lift: 25 meters
• Time to Lift Load: 40 seconds
• Efficiency of the Motor: 90%
• Each passenger weighs approximately 75 kg
Calculate:
• The total weight of the load being lifted when the elevator is at maximum
capacity.
• The effective weight the motor needs to lift, considering the counterweight.
• The work done in lifting the maximum load to the specified height.
• The total power required from the motor to lift the maximum load.
• The actual power output of the motor considering its efficiency.
• The maximum number of passengers that can be loaded into the elevator
when operating at maximum capacity.
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Maximum load capacity of the elevator
1000
Total
W Kg

Effective Weight the Motor Needs to Lift
1000 400 600
Effective Total Counterweght
W W W Kg
    
( ) 98100
Effectuve
WD W g h J
 
2.45
WD
P Kw
t
 
Total Power Required from the Motor Actual Motor Power
2.73
Motor
P
P Kw

 
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Maximum Number of Passengers That Can Be Loaded Into
the Elevator (N)
13.33
Total
Passenger
W
N
W
N
 

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Design of Bucket Elevator & Cage Elevator

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Design of Bucket Elevator & Cage Elevator