Lecture No 03

Belt conveyors
 Definition / Description
• A belt conveyor consists of an endless flat and
flexible belt of sufficient strength, made of
fabric, rubber, plastic, leather or metal, which
is laid over two metallic flat pulleys at two
ends, and driven in one direction by driving
one of the two end pulleys.
• Material is placed on this moving belt for
transportation. The active half of the belt is
supported by idler rollers or slider bed. The
return half of the belt may or may not be
supported, as it generally does not carry any
additional load other than its own weight. The
endless belt is kept tight by a belt tensioning
arrangement.
 General Characteristics
• Belt conveyors operate in one vertical plane,
horizontally or with an inclination (up or down)
depending on the frictional property of the load
conveyed.
• For changing direction of the materials being
conveyed, in the horizontal plane, more than
one belt conveyors are needed.
• Conveying capacity of a conveyor can be
controlled by changing belt speed.
• Belt conveyors are generally employed for
continuous flow of materials.
• Metal/special belts can carry hot, abrasive or
reactive materials.
 Types of Belt Conveyors
• Flat Belt Conveyor:
In this conveyor, the active side of belt
remains flat supported by cylindrical rollers or
flat slider bed. The conveyor is generally short in
length and suitable for conveying unit loads like
crates, boxes, packages, bundles etc. in
manufacturing, shipping, warehousing and
assembly operations
A flat belt conveyor with drive control
 Types of Belt Conveyors
• Troughed Belt Conveyor:
In this conveyor, comparatively wide flat belt
is supported on troughed carrying rollers or
shaped supporting surface so that the two edges
of the active side of the belt are elevated from
the middle part to form a trough. This provides a
greater carrying capacity than a flat belt of equal
width for conveying bulk materials or those
materials which would slide off flat belts.
 Types of Belt Conveyors
• Closed Belt Conveyor:
In a closed belt conveyor, the specially
fabricated belt, after being loaded with the
material, can be wrapped completely around the
load. It essentially forms a closed tube moving
along with the material.
The advantages of a closed belt conveyor are:
• It can handle fragile materials safely and without
breaking by reducing inter particle collision.
• It can handle fine bulk materials without being
swept by air (however, it is not really air tight at
loading and unloading points).
• Ability to handle corrosive and reactive materials
without contamination .
• Portable Conveyor:
Short length flat conveyors carried on a
wheeled structure is termed portable conveyor.
These are particularly useful for loading and
unloading of trucks / transport vehicles. The
inclination of the conveyor can generally be
adjusted to suit application.
• Chain or Rope Driven Belt Conveyor:
In which the specially designed belt is driven
by a moving chain or rope, where belt only
serves as load carrier, and motion is by a chain
or rope conveyor.
• Submerged Belt Conveyor:
In which a portion of the belt moves through
a metallic trough (casing) which is filled with
free flowing, powdered material at the loading
end. The moving belt with holes, makes the
material flow to the unloading end of the
trough.
 Parts of a Belt Conveyor
1.Conveyor Belts:
Belt, which supports and conveys the load, is the
essential and most important component of any belt
conveyor. Most common type of conveyor belting is
rubber/ plastics covered textile belting - the internal
carcass of woven fabric gives the longitudinal strength
of pulling the loaded belt and transverse strength for
supporting the load, and the cover of rubber and/or
plastics protects the carcass from damage.
• Belt Width:
Unless otherwise agreed between the
manufacturer and buyer, the standard widths of
belting as per IS specification are: 300, 400, 500,
600, 650, 800, 1000, 1200, 1400, 1500, 1600,
1800 and 2000 mm with a tolerance of plus
minus 5mm up to 500mm width and ±1% of belt
width for widths higher than 500 mm.
• Belt Splicing:
Two ends of a belt may be joined either by metallic belt
fasteners or by vulcanization. Metal fastener joining is
easier and acceptable for flat belt conveyors. Vulcanized
belt splicing is a superior technique suitable for troughed
belt conveyors. The later is a stepped, lapped splice in
which several plies of two ends of the belt are vulcanized
together to make a joint of strength almost equal to the
solid belt. Skilled operator and vulcanizing equipment are
necessary for such splicing at conveyor site.
2. Idlers:
The rollers used at certain spacing for
supporting the active as well as return side of
the belt are called idlers. Accurately made,
rigidly installed and well maintained idlers are
vital for smooth and efficient running of a belt
conveyor.
• There are two types of idlers used in belt
conveyors:
1. straight carrying and return idlers
2. troughing idler
3. Conveyor Pulleys:
At each of the two ends of a belt conveyor,
one large diameter pulley is installed against
which the belt turns and changes direction.
These pulleys are called terminal or bend pulley.
Drive is imparted to the belt through friction by
one of the terminal pulleys called drive pulley.
4. Drives for Belt Conveyors:
The belt conveyors are generally driven at the
head end pulley, where material is discharged.
The drive pulley is connected to the drive motor
through suitable speed reduction gear box and
flexible shaft couplings. Drive of an inclined
conveyor necessarily includes a braking device
which prevents downward movement of the
loaded belt in case of power failure of the motor.
5. Take-ups or Belt Tensioning Devices:
Endless conveyor belt after being threaded
through the entire length of the conveyor need
to be tightened so that sufficient frictional force
is developed between the drive pulley and the
belt, to make the belt move. Belts working
under tension invariably gets elongated with
time, which needs to be taken-up to maintain
the desired tension in the belt. A belt conveyor
generally have a screw-type (mechanical) or a
gravity-type counterweighted take-up unit, also
termed as belt tensioning device.
6. Belt Cleaners:
For cleaning the outer surface of the belt a
wiper or scraper blade is used for dry particles
adhering to the belt. A rotary brush type cleaner
is used for wet and sticky materials. To clean the
inner surface of belt, if warranted, a scraper is
placed near the end of return run before the tail
end pulley.
7. Training idlers:
For various reasons like eccentric loading,
sticking of material to belt or idlers etc.,
particularly for a long-center conveyor, the belt
may tend to move out of center line. To prevent
this tendency, belt training idlers are used which
automatically maintain belt alignment.
8. Conveyor structure:
The structure supporting the pulleys and
idlers consists of suitable sized channel stringers,
with supporting legs to the main structure or
floor. For long conveyors, lightweight truss
sections are used that permit longer spans
between supporting legs, and economical
structural cost.
 For long center conveyors, sidewalk ways are
provided for inspection and adjustment to
idlers. The structures are often covered by tin
plate at the top and sides to protect the
materials being conveyed under the sky outside
the plant.