Basic Parameters Of Conveyor Belt Cleaning PDF Download

The focus of this study was to determine the effectiveness of practical conveyor belt cleaning devices in removing the material that carries back past the normal discharge point from the return strand belt so that it cannot fall off. The material that falls off becomes part of the spillage that requires manual cleanup and increases miner exposure to hazards. The belt cleaning problem was found to be much more complex than simply the removal of this material. The material becomes spillage by an interaction of the belt with the return roller that is governed by the characteristics of the carry-back material and is dependent upon moisture content and particle size distribution. The results of laboratory tests show that practically any type of blade held in intimate contact with the belting will reduce the amount of material carried back. Effective cleaning, however, requires high pressure on a blade material compatible with the carried back material in that it is not cut and grooved by the particles. Selection of cleaning methods is largely controlled by site-specific conditions at the installations and the end use of the product. This report defines engineering criteria that will increase the effectiveness of belt cleaning devices and methods and suggests a method to predict the costs of cleaning.