Drag Conveyor Engineering Guide: Horsepower Calculation

The KWS Dragon-Flite conveyor is an efficient, high performance alternative to

conventional means of material handling. Because the material is moved En-Masse,
horsepower requirements can be as much as half of that of alternative means of
conveyance.

The Horsepower (HP) requirements of a Dragon-Flite conveyor can be calculated as

the sum of the three contributing factors to the HP requirements. The total HP
requirement is the sum of the HP to move the chain/flights and sprockets called the
"Empty HP" + the HP to move the material in the conveyor called the "Live HP" + the
HP to lift the material in an inclined situation called the "Lift HP".

Empty HP

The Empty Horsepower is the power required to overcome the friction in the power
transmission system, chain/sprockets, and the flights dragging on the bottom of the
trough. Empty HP can be calculated using the following formula.

HPE = Empty Horsepower Requirement

Wc = Weight per foot of Chain and Flight (Lb/ft)

L = Length of the Conveyor (ft)

S = Speed of the Chain (ft/min)

Fc = Friction Factor of the Flights on the Bottom Housing

Note:

Frictional factor used in the above formula vary depending on the specific applications
and products being conveyed. Testing may be required to determine the exact values
to be used.

Live HP
The Live Horsepower is the power required to overcome the friction of the material
sliding along the bottom of the housing over the length of the conveyor. Live HP can be
calculated using the following formula.

HPL = Live Horsepower Requirement

Wm = Weight per foot of Material Being Conveyed (Lb/ft)

L = Length of the Conveyor (ft)

S = Speed of the Chain (ft/min)

Fm = Friction Factor of the Material on the Bottom Housing

Note:

Frictional factor used in the above formula vary depending on the specific applications
and products being conveyed. Testing may be required to determine the exact values
to be used.

Lift HP

The Lift Horsepower is the power required to lift the material the required height of an
inclined or bent leg conveyor. Lift HP can be calculated using the following formula.

HPH = Lift Horsepower Requirement

R = Rate of Material Being Conveyed (Lb/hr)

H = Vertical Height the Material is to be Conveyed (ft)

Total HP

Using the Empty HP, Live HP, and Lift HP, the total Horsepower required to convey the
material can be calculated using the following formula.
HPTotal = Total System Horsepower Requirement

HPE = Empty Horsepower Requirement

HPL = Live Horsepower Requirement

HPH = Lift Horsepower Requirement

E = Drive Efficiency

Chain Pull

Although a preliminary chain selection is required to calculate the Total HP, the actual
maximum design chain pull is required in order to accurately select the appropriate
chain for the conveying application. The design chain pull is calculated using the actual
drive and motor selected and doing so will ensure the chain does not fail under upset
conditions. Additional factors for design chain pull include the Speed Factor and
Service Conditions. The design chain pull can be calculated using the following
formula.

P = Design Chain Pull (LB)

HPTotal = Total System Horsepower Requirement (HP)

S = Speed of the Chain (ft/min)

Sf = Speed Factor (Table 1)

SF = Product of Service Factors (Table 2)

Number

of

Teeth Conveyor Speed (FPM)

10 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200

6 0.917 1.09 1.37 1.66 2 2.4 2.97 3.57 4.41

7 0.855 0.971 1.13 1.27 1.44 1.61 1.31 2.04 2.29

8 0.813 0.909 1.04 1.16 1.26 1.37 1.49 1.63 1.76

9 0.794 0.87 0.98 1.07 1.17 1.26 1.36 1.45 1.55

10 0.775 0.84 0.943 1.02 1.09 1.16 1.24 1.31 1.37

11 0.758 0.82 0.901 0.971 1.03 1.09 1.15 1.22 1.28

12 0.741 0.787 0.862 0.926 0.99 1.05 1.1 1.16 1.21

14 0.735 0.769 0.833 0.885 0.935 0.98 1.02 1.07 1.11

16 0.725 0.763 0.813 0.855 0.893 0.935 0.971 1.01 1.05

Table 1 – Speed Factor (Sf)

Vs Vl Vo Vt Factor

Frequency of Shocks Character of Loading Operating Conditions Daily Operating

Times

Infrequent Uniform or Steady Clean and Moderate Temperature 8-10 Hr

1.0

Frequent Moderate Dusty 24 Hr 1.2

Unprotected or Harsh 1.4

Heavy 1.5

Table 2 – Service Factors (SF)

The above information and formulas are a conservative approach to drag conveyor
horsepower and chain pull design. More detailed information can be found in the
Standard Handbook of Chains by the American Chain Association.