Rotating Cylindrical Screen

A rotating cylindrical screen – also referred to as a trommel screen drum or rotary drum screen – is a cylindrical screening component manufactured from stainless steel wedge wire or woven mesh. The cylinder is mounted on a rotating shaft and driven by a motor, causing the entire drum to rotate slowly. Material is fed into the upper end of the inclined drum. As the drum rotates, the tumbling action lifts and drops the material, allowing fine particles to pass through the slots while oversize material moves along the drum's length to the discharge end. The rotating action provides continuous screening with high throughput capacity.

The wedge wire construction provides high open area, typically between 15% and 55%. The V-shaped slots – narrow on the outside and wider internally – allow particles to pass through without becoming wedged. This design minimizes blinding and reduces the frequency of cleaning. The continuous slot construction provides consistent screening performance across the entire drum surface. Slot openings range from 0.025 mm to 3.0 mm, with common applications using 0.1 to 1.0 mm slots. For coarser screening applications such as aggregate or municipal solid waste, larger slot openings can be specified. The rotating action also helps to dislodge any particles that approach the slot size, further reducing the risk of plugging.

The drum is constructed from V-shaped profile wires wound around and resistance-welded to longitudinal support rods. The all-welded construction creates a rigid, one-piece structure that maintains its cylindrical shape under the weight of the material being processed. For heavy-duty applications involving large rocks, ore, or abrasive materials, profile wire sizes of 1.5×3 mm or 2×4 mm are recommended. The support rods are spaced to provide adequate structural strength, with additional circumferential stiffener rings added for larger diameter drums. Materials include stainless steel 304 and 316L for corrosion resistance, with 2205 duplex steel, Hastelloy, and titanium available for more demanding environments.