There are various factors that one should consider before purchasing bucket elevators. A production engineer or other related professional can assist in determining the ideal type of bucket elevator system to go for and the design to have for the elevator. Some elevators are manufactured in standard sizes while others may require customised designing and construction. Some of the factors to consider when sourcing for the bucket elevators are discussed below;
Material to be transported
Fine grains can be carried on a wide range of bucket material types. On the other hand, some course materials may damage lighter material buckets and in this case, tougher and heavier buckets needs to be used.
Weight
The weight of the material will in effect also affect the quantity of materials being transported. Light materials can be transported in bulk and therefore will require larger buckets to do this. By transporting the material in larger buckets, you optimize on the power and efficiency of the system. On the other hand, heavier materials can be transported in smaller buckets and in lesser quantities as transporting bulk can overload the system
The Source
The way that the material is placed at the source before transportation determines whether a centrifugal force bucket elevator can be used. If the material is piled into a heap and can be scooped by the buckets, a centrifugal elevator may be more efficient.
Distance
The distance to be covered by the elevator is yet another consideration. Larger distances will require more power to effect the lift and may also require a tougher chain or belt to run the system.
Energy
The energy sources available at the mining plant and the cost of such energy will determine whether it is more efficient to go for an electric powered, diesel powered or any other alternative power sources
Scope
The scope of the operation is yet another consideration. Smaller operation may operate on standard bucket systems that are sold by dealers while larger operations may require custom bucket elevator system that can be custom designed and constructed at the site.