Belt conveyors are core equipment for the continuous conveying of bulk materials in industries like mining and ports. Their traditional advantages are long-distance, high-capacity, and low-energy transportation. However, with industrial development, conveying distances and lifting heights are becoming increasingly stringent. Conventional conveyors face challenges such as insufficient friction, slippage, and material slippage due to excessive inclinations.
Coreal Machinery has compiled some information for your reference.
I: Solutions for Long-Distance Conveyance
1. High-Strength Conveyor Belt Technology
Steel Cord Conveyor Belts (ST) utilize high-strength steel wire ropes as the longitudinal framework, replacing traditional fabric canvas layers. These belts offer exceptionally high tensile strength, excellent troughing properties, and strong impact resistance, providing the core material support for ultra-long-distance conveyance.
2. Soft Start and Power Balancing Technology
Soft start devices such as variable frequency drives (VFDs), hydraulic couplings, or CSTs are used to ensure smooth belt start and stop, minimizing impact on the power grid and mechanical structure. Power is evenly distributed across multiple drive units, ensuring uniform motor output and preventing problems like belt breakage and belt overlap.
3. Intermediate Drive Technology
Principle
Abandoning the "full-head drive" model, additional drive units are added to the middle of the conveyor line, reducing the maximum belt tension through a "segmented relay" system.
Common Forms
Intermediate Friction Drive: For example, the Roller Unloading Intermediate Drive (DSI) utilizes a drive station in the middle, utilizing friction between multiple drive rollers and the conveyor belt to provide power.
Linear Drive Technology: For example, the linear friction drive utilizes parallel auxiliary drive belts below the load-bearing section. The friction between the two belts drives the main conveyor belt, virtually eliminating tension on the main belt and making it suitable for ultra-long distances.
4. Low Resistance Technology
By utilizing low-rolling resistance rollers and optimizing roller spacing and trough angles, frictional resistance during conveying is reduced, thereby reducing overall drive power consumption.
II: Solutions for High-Angle Conveying
1. Deep-Trough Roller Assembly + High-Pressure Head Technology
By increasing the number of rollers to create a deeper trough, the conveyor belt tightly wraps the material, increasing positive pressure and internal friction between the material. This is the simplest and most common method for increasing the inclination angle, typically increasing the conveyor angle to around 28°.
2. Patterned/Sidewall Conveyor Belt Technology
Patterned conveyor belts
A pattern such as a herringbone or diamond pattern is molded or vulcanized into the conveyor belt cover to increase friction between the material and the belt, preventing slippage. These belts are suitable for conveying bulk materials at angles below 35° to 40°.
Sidewall Conveyor Belts
This is a revolutionary technology for high-angle conveying (30°-90°) and vertical lift: Flexible corrugated sidewalls are bonded to both sides of a conventional conveyor belt, with a crossbar added in the middle. The sidewalls prevent material leakage, while the crossbars contain the material, mechanically achieving near-vertical conveying. They are suitable for applications where space is limited and a high lift height is required, such as ship unloading and mine shafts.
3. Tubular Belt Conveyor Technology
After the conveyor's head transition section, rollers wind the flat belt into a closed circular tube, completely enveloping the material.
Advantages: Full material envelopment creates significant friction, enabling conveying angles exceeding 30°. Fully enclosed conveyor prevents spillage and contamination. Horizontal and vertical bending is possible, allowing for flexible routing around obstacles.
Applications: Suitable for applications with stringent environmental requirements, complex routes, and the need for high-angle conveying.
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