Trommel Screen

A trommel screen separates material by size in a rotating cylindrical drum: feed tumbles inside the inclined drum while undersize falls through perforations and oversize discharges from the far end. Trommels are the standard screen for topsoil, compost, mulch and waste streams — sticky, fibrous, variable feeds that blind flat vibrating decks.

Modèles

4.9–6.6 ft (1.5–2 m)

Drum diameter

Marques

Fonctionnement

A feed hopper and conveyor deliver material into the elevated end of the drum — catalog drums run 1.5-2.0 m diameter and 4.6-7.9 m long — which rotates on trunnion wheels at a shallow incline. Lifting bars tumble the load as it migrates downhill, repeatedly presenting fresh material to the screen surface; fines pass through the mesh onto a collection conveyor while oversize travels the drum's length and exits the end. The tumbling action breaks up clods and separates fibrous material gently, which is why trommels handle damp soil and compost that would blind a vibrating screen. Brush cleaners sweep the drum exterior, interchangeable drums change the cut size, and folding stockpile conveyors carry both fractions — the whole plant powered by a diesel engine on a towable or tracked chassis.

Types et variantes

Towable trommels: Road-towable chassis plants for topsoil, compost and landscape material yards.
Tracked trommels: Self-propelled crawler units repositioning around waste and organics sites.
Interchangeable-drum machines: Plants swapping drums or drum panels to change the cut size between products.

Spécifications clés

Spécification	Plage typique	Signification
Drum diameter	4.9–6.6 ft (1.5–2 m)	From catalog records — with drum length, sets screening area and residence time.
Drum length	15.1–25.9 ft (4.6–7.9 m)	Longer drums give material more passes over the mesh, raising cut accuracy and capacity.
Operating weight	30,200–67,000 lb (13,698–30,391 kg)	From catalog records of 13,700-30,390 kg — the transport-planning figure for the plant.
Engine power	60-150 hp	From records of 44.7-112 kW driving drum rotation, feeder and conveyors.
Hopper capacity	4.2-5.0 m³	Feed surge capacity that sets how loaders batch-feed the plant.
Conveyor belt width	35.8–42.1 in (91–107 cm)	From records of 91.4-106.7 cm — governs stockpile conveyor throughput.

Comment l'industrie le dimensionne

Trommels are sized by drum diameter and length — catalog records run 1.5-2.0 m by 4.6-7.9 m — which together set screening area, residence time and throughput. Larger drums handle higher tonnage and wetter feeds; hopper capacity (4.2-5.0 m³ in catalog records) is matched to the loader feeding the plant. Plant weight, 13,700-30,390 kg across the records, separates towable machines from tracked units and sets the transport class between sites.

Applications

Screening topsoil and fill to landscape and specification products
Compost and organics processing at green-waste facilities
Mulch and biomass sizing
Construction and demolition waste separation
Reclaiming soil from excavation spoil and site strippings

Sécurité et opération

Lock out before entering the drum or clearing wrapped material — drum rotation under power is the machine's fatal hazard.
Guard conveyor nips and the drum drive; belts and trunnions catch clothing and tools.
Feed with the loader from the designated side, keeping the hopper edge and operator sight lines clear.
Manage dust and bioaerosols on compost and waste feeds — respiratory protection per the material handled.
Set up level on firm ground; a loaded rotating drum destabilizes a poorly founded plant.

Normes et certifications

OSHA · 29 CFR 1910.212: Machine guarding requirements for drum, drives and conveyors.
OSHA · 29 CFR 1926.555: Conveyor requirements where trommels run on construction sites.
EPA · Tier 4 (40 CFR Part 1039): Emissions rules for the plants' diesel engines.

Questions fréquentes

Trommel or vibrating screen — when does the drum win?

On sticky, damp, fibrous feeds — topsoil, compost, waste — where tumbling keeps the mesh clear; vibrating screens win on dry aggregate where sheer throughput per footprint matters.

What sizes are trommel drums?

Catalog records run 1.5-2.0 m in diameter and 4.6-7.9 m long, with the combination setting capacity and cut accuracy.

How is the cut size changed?

By swapping the drum or its screen panels for a different mesh — machines with interchangeable drums switch between products in the same yard.

How do trommels move between sites?

As towed or tracked plants of 30,200-67,000 lb per catalog records — heavy-trailer freight, with folding conveyors bringing the plant inside transport envelope.

Comparer les modèles populaires

Chercher par spécification →

Normalisé aux mêmes unités. Un tiret signifie que la valeur n'a pas été publiée.

Modèle	Poids en service	Profondeur d’excavation max	Portée max	Puissance moteur
Vermeer TR5300 Trommel Screen	32,000 lb (14,515 kg)	-	-	74 hp
Vermeer TR5300EM Trommel Screen	32,000 lb (14,515 kg)	-	-	60 hp
Vermeer TR626 Trommel Screen	49,701 lb (22,544 kg)	-	-	134 hp
Vermeer TR626EM Trommel Screen	49,701 lb (22,544 kg)	-	-	150 hp
Vermeer TR6400 Trommel Screen	41,888 lb (19,000 kg)	-	-	101 hp
Vermeer TR6450 Trommel Screen	39,000 lb (17,690 kg)	-	-	121 hp