In the industrial production of pellets, oil press cake, and bulk materials, conveying is increasingly being integrated with thermal processing. The primary challenges in this process are to cool the hot product uniformly, prevent degradation, and fit the equipment into plants with limited headroom.
A definitive solution to these challenges is engineered by the German company ILCHMANN Fördertechnik GmbH. For over 30 years (since 1992), this family-owned brand has been a recognized leader in the conveying of complex bulk materials. ILCHMANN equipment serves as an industry standard for reliability, particularly in the oil extraction sector, where machinery operates continuously in 24/7 environments and complies with ATEX explosion-proof standards. Building upon this extensive experience, the company has developed its latest innovation — the horizontal cooler chain conveyor. This equipment combines gentle handling with efficient temperature reduction, making it an ideal alternative to bulky vertical cooling columns.
At the core of the ILCHMANN KKF series horizontal cooler conveyor is a design that pairs ultra-low conveying speeds with a cross-flow air draft. This configuration allows the product to cool thoroughly without undergoing any additional mechanical stress, which is typical for vertical cooling columns or drum systems.
The cooling process inside the conveyor is fully automated and operates continuously:
Product Feeding and Conveying: The hot bulk material (press cake, pellets, etc.) is fed into the upper section of the conveyor. A specialized chain mechanism smoothly and evenly distributes and moves the material across the full width of the housing.
Ultra-Low Speed: The conveying speed of the chain is kept extremely low, ranging between 5–20 mm/s. This ultra-low velocity is crucial, as it ensures a precisely defined residence time of the product in the cooling zone and completely eliminates friction or pellet breakage.
Air Supply Through Screens: Industrial wedge wire screens are utilized as intermediate bottoms — a proven technology adapted from high-efficiency extraction systems. Ambient cooling air is drawn in through specialized side openings in the lower section of the housing. The air passes through the gaps in the screen and flows directly upward through the hot product bed.
Heat Exhaust: As it moves through the material bed, the air accumulates heat and moisture. It then collects in the upper section of the conveyor and is efficiently discharged via extraction nozzles built into the housing covers.
The series of horizontal cooler chain conveyors by ILCHMANN is engineered for continuous-duty industrial operation under harsh manufacturing conditions. The primary engineering advantage of this lineup is its modular system design, which allows flexible adaptation of the equipment to any plant configuration and space constraints.
To meet the precise capacity requirements of various production lines, the company offers 5 basic modifications classified by the width of the moving section:
– KKF 500 – A compact variant for localized lines with lower throughput;
– KKF 800 and KKF 1000 – The most popular models for medium-scale industrial facilities;
– KKF 1200 and KKF 1600 – Heavy-duty, high-capacity conveyors built for high-performance complexes and large-scale oil extraction plants (OEPs).
The throughput of the system is not limited by rigid boundaries. Thanks to the modular principle, the cooling capacity can be scaled in two ways:
1. By increasing the working length of the machine (if floor space permits).
2. By expanding the housing width (to maximize performance within a shorter footprint).
Depending on the product type, bed depth, and aspiration parameters, KKF conveyors deliver an impressive thermal performance — temperature reduction of the material can reach up to 60 °C.
The conveyor housing is constructed from heavy-duty, thick-walled structural steel to withstand high mechanical loads and is equipped with specialized cleaning and inspection openings. These hatches grant quick and easy access to the interior components for cleaning and visual monitoring of the screens, thereby minimizing line downtime.
Integrating a horizontal cooler conveyor into a production chain allows enterprises to solve several critical engineering challenges simultaneously. Thanks to its unique design, the equipment does not merely move and cool the material; it directly protects the quality of the end product and improves overall plant efficiency.
The primary process advantages of the system include:
– Precise Tuning to Product Profiles: Airflow parameters, chain drive speed, and product bed depth are engineered specifically to match the thermophysical characteristics of your exact material, guaranteeing that the target output temperature is reliably met at the discharge.
– Compromise-Free, Gentle Product Handling: Unlike vertical cooling columns where material drops under gravity and suffers impact damage, the product in the ILCHMANN conveyor remains completely stationary on the screens while moving. The total absence of additional mechanical stress minimizes abrasion, product degradation, and dust generation. This is critical for preserving the premium presentation and integrity of the material.
– Process Uniformity and Consistency: Because of the constant low speed and uniform air distribution across the entire width of the chamber, every single kilogram of material undergoes identical thermal processing. This eliminates the risk of uneven moisture pockets or unevenly treated zones forming within the bulk volume.
– An Ideal Solution for Limited Space: Vertical coolers require substantial ceiling heights, which often makes it impossible to integrate them into existing facilities without major, costly structural renovations to the building. The horizontal ILCHMANN conveyor features a low-profile design, fitting easily into process lines with strict height limits.
– Flexible Adaptation to Site-Specific Factors: The cooling process is highly dependent on ambient environmental conditions. Company engineers custom-design each system to account for local parameters, including site elevation (atmospheric pressure), average relative humidity, and seasonal temperature fluctuations.
The horizontal cooler chain conveyor by ILCHMANN stands as a benchmark of advanced German engineering, successfully mastering a demanding manufacturing challenge: combining highly efficient, controlled cooling of hot bulk materials with the gentlest possible conveying method. Thanks to the innovative use of wedge wire screens, ultra-low operating speeds, and a compact horizontal footprint, this system provides the ultimate alternative to cumbersome vertical cooling columns, especially where plant space is at a premium. An investment in ILCHMANN technology delivers long-term returns by drastically reducing product waste, ensuring reliable 24/7 continuous operation, and maintaining low lifecycle costs.
As the official representative of ILCHMANN, the LLC “Quiplines” team provides a full range of services to seamlessly integrate these advanced engineering systems into your production facilities.
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