Vibrating Screens Or Tumbler Screens?

Which screening equipment is best? Would you use a vibrating screen or a tumbler screen (trommel screen) for sand and gravel separation?

This article will explain the difference between tumbler screens and vibrating screens and how to choose the method that is best for you.

What is a trommel?

A trommel screen, also known as a rotary screen, is a mechanical screening machine used to separate materials, mainly in the mineral and solid-waste processing industries. It consists of a perforated cylindrical drum that is normally elevated at an angle at the feed end.

What is a vibrating screen?

Also called simply screens, a vibrating screen is formed by a vibrant chassis that supports in its interior one or several surfaces or elements of screening. The screens serve to classify the different particles by size, starting from a bulk product in a continuous process.

In the mineral processing area, the trommel screens(aka. Rotary drum screens) and vibrating screens are both widely used screening & classification equipment.

 Large Linear Vibrating Screen

The difference between the tumbler screen and the vibrating screen.

1.Different screening methods

Vibrating screen and tumbler screen are both screening equipment, but they use two different screening methods. A vibrating screen is the use of a vibration motor generated by the excitation force for screening, which belongs to the vibrating screen. Commonly used mining vibrating screens are circular vibrating screens and linear screens.

The tumbler screen is another form of screening. During the screening process, the equipment does not vibrate, but generally, the motor and reducer drive the drum to rotate through the bearings. Due to the rotation of the drum, the material inside the drum passes through the screen from high to low. And smoothly screened out, so the trommel screen belongs to a kind of rolling screening.

2.Different application fields

Due to the different screening methods of vibrating screen and tumbler screen, they are good at screening different materials. Tumbler screen has a better effect on dust and small particles.

Widely used in alumina plant, power plant, coking plant, cement, mining, metallurgy, building materials, coal chemical industry, such as raw coal, gravel, and other materials screening, is the key screening equipment industry in coal chemical industry.

 Large Linear Vibrating Screen

3. The output is different, the application of different occasions

Tumbler screen output, long life, suitable for large output requirements.

Linear vibrating screen output is small, suitable for fine-grain material screening.

A circular vibrating screen has a large output, suitable for large production lines. Due to the different screening methods of vibrating screen and tumbler screen, they are good at screening different materials.

In the case of more rocks and larger rocks, the more viscous materials will be more effective because the vibrating screen is vibrating.

Screening of dust and small particles is the weakness of the vibrating screen. Tumbler screens will be more effective in screening.

For the screening of dry materials, the vibrating screen is not easy to block the holes, and the screening effect is better.

Conclusion: Vibrating screen or tumbler screen?

Different sand and gravel separation equipment have their own advantages and disadvantages. We recommend you to use them reasonably according to different material requirements.

1. If it is only general sand and gravel separation, it is better to choose a vibrating screen. Not only the capacity is guaranteed, but also the screening efficiency is very high.

2.When the sand and gravel material you want to separate contains more stone powder, it is more recommended to use a tumbler screen. For dust and small materials, the vibrating screen is not as effective as the tumbler screen.

3. When you want to sort some sand and gravel materials with high water content, such as gangue, etc., it is more reliable to use a trommel screen to ensure the output and prevent the screen hole from clogging.

Let us help you find the best vibrating screen for your project, welcome to contact us today or visit our website to learn more about vibrating screens.