DEFINE THE MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS
Use the actual material data and operating conditions to establish containment, compatibility and hazard-control needs.
Combustible & Hazardous Materials
CONVEYING BUILT AROUND YOUR MATERIAL AND HAZARD
Coordinate containment, material compatibility and hazardous-area requirements.
Combustible and hazardous materials require a conveying design matched to the installation. UniTrak combines application-specific construction, containment and appropriately rated components around your material and process. Define the relevant hazard data, area classification and equipment interfaces early so the conveying specification addresses the project requirements.
Materials
UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGE
SPECIFY THE INSTALLATION
Area classification and project requirements guide component selection. ATEX and North American hazardous-location terminology are distinct.
COORDINATE THE COMPLETE TRANSFER
Review the conveyor, inlet, discharge and surrounding equipment together. Individual rated components form part of the wider process design.
Materials
COMMON MATERIALS & APPLICATIONS
Hazardous characteristics occur across many material types.
Whether a material requires specialized conveying equipment depends on its physical properties, particle size, concentration, process conditions and installation environment.
CHEMICAL POWDERS & GRANULES
Applications where containment, material compatibility or hazardous-area requirements may influence conveyor design.
Examples include:
- Ammonium nitrate
- Sodium azide
- Sodium borohydride
- Agricultural chemicals
- Detergent powders
- Pigments
- Catalysts
- Specialty chemical powders
- Reactive compounds
- Corrosive materials
COMBUSTIBLE DUSTS
Many common dry bulk solids can form combustible dust clouds when sufficiently fine and dispersed.
Examples may include:
- Food powders
- Grain and agricultural dusts
- Sugar and starch-based products
- Plastic powders
- Polymer additives
- Carbon black
- Wood-derived powders
- Specialty organic powders
Combustibility must be determined from appropriate material data and testing rather than assumed from the product name alone.
METAL & BATTERY MATERIALS
Metal powders can also be combustible, and some battery-material applications may introduce additional requirements around containment, material compatibility and hazardous-area design.
Examples include:
- Aluminum powders
- Iron and steel powders
- Metal oxide powders
- Conductive additives
- Battery-material blends
- Specialty metal powders
- Fine metal granules
Not every metal or battery material is combustible. Final equipment requirements depend on the actual material and process.
TOXIC, REACTIVE & HIGH-CONTAINMENT MATERIALS
Some applications require specialized conveying because exposure, leakage or contamination must be minimized.
Examples include:
- Toxic powders
- Irritating materials
- High-value chemical products
- Sensitive reactive compounds
- Specialty additives
- Hazardous blended products
The required level of containment should be defined by the process rather than assumed.
Materials
EQUIPMENT SELECTION
Match the conveying technology to the material and hazard.
No single conveyor is appropriate for every combustible or hazardous application. Equipment selection should consider the material, required containment, area classification, process layout, cleaning requirements and overall risk-control strategy.
TIPTRAK® BUCKET ELEVATOR
TipTrak Monocoque provides sealed, dust-tight conveying with application-specific purge, grounding, bucket-material and electrical options. Its interlocking buckets support gentle horizontal and vertical transfer with fewer intermediate connections.
POWDERFLIGHT AEROMECHANICAL CONVEYOR
Powderflight provides enclosed aeromechanical conveying for compatible powders and granules. Confirm the material, construction, rated components and process interfaces against the hazardous-area requirements of the installation.
UNIFLEX FLEXIBLE SCREW CONVEYOR
UniFlex provides compact enclosed screw conveying from a charged hopper. Material compatibility, contact conditions and the specified hazardous-area configuration determine application fit.
KLEANTRAK® SANITARY BELT CONVEYOR
KleanTrak prioritizes supported belt movement and cleaning access. Select it where those features match the application; it does not provide the sealed conveying path required for some containment-sensitive materials.
For additional guidance on containing powders throughout the transfer path, explore our dusty and fine powder conveying guidance.
Materials
MATERIAL-SPECIFIC APPLICATION CONSIDERATIONS
Hazardous applications require more than a rated motor.
MATERIAL HAZARD DATA
Equipment selection starts with understanding the actual material.
Relevant information may include:
- SDS
- Particle size
- Bulk density
- Moisture content
- Dust characteristics
- Combustibility or explosibility data
- Minimum ignition energy where applicable
- Corrosivity
- Toxicity
- Reactivity
- Operating temperature
Do not assume a material is safe or hazardous solely from its commercial name.
AREA CLASSIFICATION
Electrical and mechanical requirements depend on where the equipment will operate.
Projects may involve:
- ATEX-classified installations
- North American hazardous locations
- Explosion-proof electrical requirements
- Dust-rated electrical equipment
- Application-specific motors, sensors and controls
ATEX terminology and North American hazardous-area classifications are not interchangeable. The required equipment configuration must be based on the actual project specification.
STATIC & IGNITION CONTROL
Dry materials moving through equipment can generate static electricity.
Depending on the application, the design may need to consider:
- Grounding
- Bonding
- Conductive components
- Anti-static materials
- Electrical component selection
- Mechanical ignition sources
- Operating speed
- Material buildup
These measures form part of a broader hazard-control strategy and should not be treated as a complete solution on their own.
CONTAINMENT
Hazardous products may require greater control over material escaping from or entering the conveyor.
Potential requirements include:
- Enclosed conveying
- Dust-tight construction
- Sealed conveying
- Purge capability
- Positive or negative pressure operation
- Controlled inlet and discharge interfaces
- Dust collection connections
Containment requirements should be coordinated with the surrounding process.
MATERIAL COMPATIBILITY
Equipment materials must be compatible with the product being conveyed.
Considerations can include:
- Corrosion
- Chemical attack
- Abrasion
- Temperature
- Conductivity
- Product-contact materials
- Cleaning chemicals
Carbon steel, stainless steel and specialized polymer components can be selected where appropriate for the application.
FEED CONTROL
TipTrak and KleanTrak require controlled feeding into the conveyor.
An uncontrolled head load can overfill the conveying system, increase spillage and place unnecessary load on components.
The correct feeder should be selected around the material and process. Depending on the application, this may include vibratory feeders, rotary valves or other controlled-discharge equipment.
Powderflight can receive material directly from a suitable hopper where the application permits and does not inherently require a separate metering feeder.
UniFlex is normally supplied from a charged hopper, with the screw drawing material from the available product supply.
Materials
HAZARDOUS-MATERIAL CONVEYING GUIDANCE
SEALED MONOCOQUE CONVEYING
TipTrak Monocoque supports sealed conveying and application-specific inert-gas fill or purge arrangements. Coordinate the enclosure, process connections and specified controls around the material and installation.
Read Application GuidanceMaterials
REVIEW THE MATERIAL BEFORE ARRANGING A TRIAL
Following SDS and safety review, accepted materials can be assessed for conveying behaviour, discharge, retention and buildup using suitable available equipment. Contact UniTrak before sending samples.
Materials
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What makes a bulk material combustible or hazardous?
A bulk solid may present additional risk because of combustibility, explosibility, toxicity, chemical reactivity, corrosivity or other properties. Fine powders can behave differently from the same material in larger particle form, so equipment selection should be based on actual material and process data.
Can metal powders be combustible?
Yes. Some metal powders can form combustible or explosible dust clouds depending on the material, particle size, concentration and operating conditions. Combustibility should be determined from appropriate material data or testing rather than assumed.
Can UniTrak supply ATEX-certified equipment?
UniTrak can engineer and supply equipment for applications requiring ATEX certification where applicable. The required configuration depends on the material, installation, equipment category and project requirements.
Can UniTrak supply explosion-proof equipment?
Application-specific equipment can be configured with explosion-proof or appropriately rated electrical components where required for North American hazardous locations. Final requirements must be based on the project's area classification and applicable standards.
Is ATEX the same as explosion-proof?
No. ATEX applies to equipment and protective systems used in potentially explosive atmospheres under the European regulatory framework. North American hazardous-location requirements use different classifications and certification systems. The correct equipment specification depends on where the system will be installed.
Does using explosion-proof equipment make a combustible-dust application safe?
No. Electrical classification is only one part of combustible-dust risk management. Material properties, containment, ignition sources, grounding, process interfaces, housekeeping and the overall facility hazard strategy must also be considered.
Which UniTrak conveyor is best for combustible powders?
TipTrak Monocoque is a strong option where sealed bucket conveying and application-specific hazardous-area construction are required. Powderflight and UniFlex provide enclosed alternatives for compatible materials. Selection depends on the material, containment requirements, area classification and process layout.
Can TipTrak operate in a sealed configuration?
Yes. TipTrak Monocoque provides a sealed, dust-tight enclosure and can be configured for purge operation and positive or negative pressure conditions where required by the application.
Can conductive or anti-static buckets be supplied?
Yes. TipTrak bucket options include conductive and anti-static materials for appropriate applications. The specific bucket material should be selected around the product, temperature and project requirements.
Can hazardous materials be tested?
UniTrak reviews hazardous-material samples using the SDS and relevant safety information before accepting a trial. Accepted materials can be evaluated using suitable available equipment. Contact the team before sending a sample.
Explore hazardous-material conveying resources.
RESOURCES
Controlling Dust when Conveying Chemical Powders
Learn how conveying-system design can influence dust control and containment in chemical applications.
Read resource
Bucket Conveyors: Five Common Conveyor Infeed Problems
Explore how controlled feeding can help prevent overfilling, spillage and unnecessary equipment loading.
Read resource
Why Material Testing Should Happen Before You Buy a Conveyor
Learn how material testing can reduce uncertainty before final equipment selection.
Read resourceDISCUSS YOUR APPLICATION
Tell us about your material and the result you need.
Share your material, required conveying rate, route and current handling problem. UniTrak will review the application and recommend equipment and configuration options around your process.
