Drum Inlet Chute

Function

The inlet chute controls the point, angle, and spread of aggregate entry into the drum. An ill-fitting or perforated inlet chute allows cold ambient air infiltration, which cools the flame, reduces burner efficiency, and increases fuel consumption — studies on similar rotary dryers indicate a 5–8% additional fuel requirement per 10% excess air. It also prevents aggregate spillage and dust leakage to the surrounding work area. Maintaining wear liner integrity is therefore both a production efficiency and an environmental compliance matter at every project site.

Construction & quality

Outer shell fabricated from 8–10 mm mild steel (IS 2062 / ASTM A36) structural plate. All internal surfaces in the aggregate path are lined with replaceable wear plates in HARDOX 400 or HARDOX 500, 10–20 mm thick, bolted in sections to allow individual panel replacement without removing the full chute assembly. The seal face is machined to a flat seating surface and fitted with a multi-layer graphite-rope or ceramic-wool labyrinth seal compressed against the rotating drum end plate. Inlet opening dimensions match the drum internal diameter; the chute throat is profiled to distribute aggregate evenly across the drum cross-section. Body finish: grit-blasted Sa 2.5, epoxy primer, heat-resistant enamel topcoat.

When to replace

• Through-wear holes in liner plates causing aggregate spillage to the exterior of the chute
• Increased visible dust emission at the feed end during plant operation
• Higher than baseline fuel consumption at constant throughput, indicating cold air infiltration
• Damaged, compressed, or extrusion-failed seal rope allowing ambient air ingress
• Cracking or permanent distortion of the outer shell from repeated large-lump aggregate impact