What's the difference between a centrifugal and a continuous bucket elevator?

The short version: it comes down to how fast the elevator runs and how material leaves the bucket at the top.

A centrifugal bucket elevator runs fast and throws material out of the bucket by centrifugal force as it rounds the head pulley. That makes it the high-capacity workhorse ideal for durable, free-flowing products like whole grain, aggregate, and pellets that don't mind being tossed around.

A continuous bucket elevator runs slower and lets material flow gently over the back of the bucket ahead of it, so the product is guided down instead of thrown. You want this for fragile, friable, or dusty materials malt, processed foods, light powders where breakage or dusting is a problem.

The rule of thumb I use: if your product breaks, degrades, or dusts when it's handled roughly, go continuous even though you give up some raw throughput. If it's tough and free-flowing and you need volume, go centrifugal.

There's a second choice that rides alongside this one belt vs. chain for the carrier which depends on how heavy, hot, or abrasive the material is. Belt is quiet and fast for dry grain; chain handles heavier, more abrasive loads like ore.