Noria 20 t/h (NC-20) + NC5 - NC100

Bucket Elevator 20 t/h (NC-20)

The NC-20 bucket elevator (with a capacity of 20 t/h) is a fundamental element of vertical transport, designed specifically for farms and enterprises with medium grain processing volumes. Thanks to its balanced power and dimension characteristics, the 20 t/h bucket elevator is the most sought-after solution for automating the loading of grain cleaning separators, storage hoppers, and small flat-bottom or hopper-bottom silos.

The kinematic parameters of the NC-20 model are designed for full synchronization with facilities using popular grain cleaning machines (such as OVS-25, BSH, SM-4, and their modern analogs). Using a 20 t/h bucket elevator within ZAV-20 complexes also allows for a continuous technological cycle without the risk of blockages or drive station overload. The unit ensures stable lifting of grain, leguminous, and oilseed crops to a height of up to 30 meters, while preserving the integrity of the seed material thanks to the verified speed of the traction organ.

The design of the NC-20 by Zavod Moroza takes into account real operating conditions, where the compact cross-section of the elevator pipes allows for easy integration into existing spaces with limited room. This makes the 20 t/h bucket elevator an ideal option for modernizing old grain currents, where it is important to achieve maximum productivity with minimal installation and energy consumption costs.

Technical Parameters of the NC-20 Bucket Elevator by Zavod Moroza

The efficiency of the 20 t/h bucket elevator directly depends on the configuration of its working elements, where primarily the traction organ of the NC-20 model is designed to provide the declared throughput with minimum energy consumption and careful product handling.

The main components of the traction system of the "twenty" (NC-20) are:

• Elevator Belt For the configuration of the NC-20 bucket elevator, a multi-ply rubber-fabric belt (BKNL-65 or equivalent in strength) with a width of 175 mm is used. This width is the optimal standard for stable centering within the shaft and prevents the belt edges from rubbing against the inner walls of the casing even at lifting heights exceeding 20 meters.
• Elevator Buckets Buckets with a working width of 160 mm are installed on the belt. Depending on the type of cargo, the 20 t/h bucket elevator can be equipped with metal welded, deep-drawn, or "envelope" type buckets (for grain and heavy fractions) or polymer buckets (for seed material). Polymer buckets on the NC-20 significantly reduce the weight of the traction organ, which decreases the load on the bearing units and the drive shaft.
• Kinematic Pitch Calculation To achieve a stable capacity of 20 t/h, Zavod Moroza designers calculate the exact fastening pitch of the buckets — this ensures a maximum bucket fill factor during scooping and guarantees a uniform mass distribution along the entire length of the belt without breaks in the product flow.

The belt speed in the NC-20 bucket elevator is selected so that the centrifugal force in the upper head ensures full grain discharge into the outlet without back-spill. This is especially important for maintaining variety purity when switching to another crop and prevents grain damage inside the shaft. Thanks to this approach, our 20 t/h bucket elevator demonstrates high efficiency even when working with wet or heavily contaminated raw materials.

Design Features of the NC-20 Housing and Shaft

The housing of the 20 t/h bucket elevator is designed for maximum rigidity with minimum external dimensions, allowing the NC-20 to be installed in narrow technological openings and integrated into existing grain cleaning lines without fundamental reconstruction of the premises. The geometric precision of the sections (trunks) is ensured by using cold-rolled steel with a thickness of 1.5-2 mm. Thanks to the high linear precision of this metal, each section has perfect alignment, guaranteeing strictly axial belt movement when assembling a column over 20 meters high without the risk of hitting the inner walls.

High airtightness of the flange connections is achieved through precision bending and cutting of the flanges, ensuring tight fit and the total absence of internal protrusions. This joint design reduces dusting during operation and protects the grain from damage against metal edges inside the shaft. Despite its compact dimensions, the self-supporting capacity of the NC-20 structure has a sufficient margin of spatial rigidity for installation as a standalone unit without complex additional supports after the shaft reinforcement, which significantly simplifies the erection of metal structures on-site. For maintenance convenience, inspection hatches with quick-release covers are provided on the intermediate sections, allowing for rapid bucket checks and belt tension control without long technological process shutdowns.

A combined approach to material selection, where the most loaded zones — the boot and the head — are made of hot-rolled steel with a thickness from 3 mm, ensures the 20 t/h bucket elevator a long service life even when working with abrasive crops. The kinematic strength margin of the housing and friction units is designed for intensive 24/7 operation throughout the harvest season, minimizing the risk of emergency stops due to critical wear of the metal structures.

Drive Section and Safety Systems of the NC-20 Bucket Elevator

Stable operation of the 20 t/h bucket elevator is ensured by the use of industrial drive stations, the power of which is precisely calculated depending on the lifting height and the bulk density of the product. For the NC-20 configuration, we utilize both classic counter-drive schemes and modern options with gear motors from leading manufacturers. High transmission efficiency is achieved through direct shaft coupling via an elastic pin-bushing coupling (MUVP), which effectively dampens startup jerks and compensates for micro-vibrations, protecting the motor from premature wear.

Outboard bearing units, which are standard for our modified NC-20 elevators, physically separate friction zones from the working space of the shaft — this reliably protects the bearings from fine dust and completely eliminates the heating of the elevator's internal environment, which is a critical explosion and fire safety requirement for elevator facilities. To prevent reverse movement of the traction organ during a sudden stop under load, the 20 t/h bucket elevator is necessarily equipped with an automatic backstop device (check valve or gear motor brake), preventing boot blockage and belt rupture.

The NC-20 control and monitoring system can be expanded by installing belt misalignment sensors, speed sensors, and product backup sensors. This allows for the integration of our "twenty" into a general automated process control system (PCS), providing full remote monitoring of the equipment's condition. Additionally, the working surface of the drive pulley is subjected to lining with friction rubber as needed, guaranteeing reliable belt traction even when working with wet grain or in difficult operational conditions.

Operational Advantages and Modifications of the NC-20

The economic efficiency of the 20 t/h bucket elevator is driven by a precise balance between energy consumption and productivity. One of the key performance indicators of the NC-20 is the linear belt speed, which in the basic design is 2.2–2.8 m/s. This speed mode ensures confident centrifugal grain discharge without back-spill, while maintaining low specific energy consumption per ton of transferred cargo.

Speed setting flexibility allows the unit to be adapted to specific operating conditions. Upon customer request, the NC-20 can be manufactured in a low-speed version (with a reduced belt speed of 1.5–1.8 m/s). This technical solution is a priority for seed plants and processing lines for soybeans or corn, where it is critical to minimize mechanical damage (cracking) of the seed material. Speed adjustment is achieved through the individual selection of the gear ratio or even by installing a frequency inverter, giving the operator full control over flow dynamics.

Mobile and specialized modifications of our NC-20 elevators significantly expand the equipment's scope of application. If the technological scheme requires moving the unit between warehouses or temporary sites, the 20 t/h bucket elevator can be mounted on a reinforced wheeled chassis with an adjustable tilt angle or additional receiving hoppers. Furthermore, the modular design allows for the modernization of existing models without total housing replacement — for example, replacing metal buckets with polymer ones or installing automation sensors.

Service support and spare parts availability act as decisive reliability factors, which becomes critical especially during the peak harvest season. Zavod Moroza provides a full cycle of support for its machinery, including professional consulting guidance during installation and rapid supply of components. Since all units of the NC-20 elevator are unified, traction organ parts, housing elements, and bearing supports are constantly maintained in stock across Ukraine, allowing the owner to avoid long downtimes and rely on the uninterrupted operation of the entire grain cleaning complex for many years.

For a detailed calculation of the NC-20 configuration for your facility or to receive technical consultation regarding the modernization of an existing line, contact our engineering department. We will help design an optimal vertical transportation scheme that ensures fast equipment payback due to low operational costs and reduced grain losses. Such a rational approach to the choice of machinery and equipment will allow you to effectively manage your budget, obtaining reliable tools for the stable development of your business for many seasons to come.