There are many operations using tubular drag conveyors, like the cablevey brand, however, I personally do not see them as sanitary enough for finished product (after a kill step). It just seems like it would be difficult to effectively clean the system if an issue were to occur. I have read the literature on vendors' websites but would rather hear about personal experiences.
I'd appreciate if anyone could provide some insight on how you like the conveyor, if you have foreign material associated with them, and if you find them difficult to clean. If you do have this conveyor with CIP capability, how well does it dry? Curious if there could still be water in the system upon start-up. Thanks!
Examples of designs I have seen used for both raw materials and finished product are attached.