Conveyor Belting

TAKEUPS the Ins-and-Outs

Outside of the drive and belt considerations, no aspect or decision is more important to a successful conveyor or elevator operation than that of the takeup. The type of takeup, its weight (or tension inducement ), location, and movement all contribute heavily to a reliable and efficient material handling outcome. Note: Although various takeup aspects discussed in this document apply to elevators and package handling conveyors, the primary focus of this writing is on bulk material handling conveyors.

Purpose
Takeups are mechanis ms that provide a predetermined tension to the conveyor belt at a fixed location along the conveyor path. In doing so, the takeup provides three primary functions vital to the overall success of any bulk material handling conveyor: Accommodate changes in belt length compensates for variations in belt length (ie, both stretch and shrinkage) resulting from inherent tension fluctuations (reflecting the elongation characteristics of the belt itself including permanent, elastic/dynamic, and constructional) Slip control maintains necessary tension at the slack side of the drive (KTE) to prevent the belt from slipping at the drive pulley (ie, belt slip) Sag control maintains proper belt tension (TSAG), all along the conveyor path, to prevent excessive belt sag between adjacent idlers (which minimizes unwanted power losses, excessive tension spikes, and possible material spillage issues) Besides those three main functions, the conveyor takeup can also provide for: Live storage accommodating additional belt length, for immediate resplicing needs and/or for any anticipated conveyor extensions Shock absorption minimizing belt stress spikes during startup or braking (in some extreme and demanding applications)

Types
Fundamentally, there are two basic types of takeup s designs: Fixed or manual These takeups are typically tensioned either through a simple mechanical screw arrangement (as in sketch below), or through winch activation. By far, the most common fixed takeup is the screw variety with the takeup pulley bearings mounted on guides, and moved manually by simple screw adjustment s. In a winch takeup, the takeup pulley is activated or positioned by a pre-tensioned cable possibly through a ratchet or gear/rack arrangement. Winches tend to accommodate more takeup travel than screws. Being fixed in the conveyor profile, such takeups must be positioned to sufficiently overtension the belt. Doing so will allow for proper conveyance while accommodating expected belt elongations both permanent and elastic. Due to inherent mechanical and practical aspects, fixed takeups are typically limited to the shorter-centered and lower tension (and horsepower) conveyor applications often those having no more than 300 centers, or 75 HP motors. Fixed/manual takeups are also found on conveyors with space limitations. Note: The higher stresses necessary to properly accommodate fixed takeups can contribute as much as 60% or more belt tension than required with an equivalent automatic takeup. However, these additional tension influences are seldom of any consequence (to the belt, splice, or conveyor components) due to the limited tension and horsepower demands of the smaller conveyors that typically utilize such simple takeups. Automatic These takeups maintain proper tension, throughout the entire belt (for slip and sag control), by automatically applying a predetermined tensile force to the belt (as from mass W in the adjacent sketch) at the designated takeup location. By design, these minimum belt tension limits are maintained at all times regardless of any fluctuations in belt length (stretch or shrinkage), operating modes (startup, shutdown, and steady-state), or changes in load conditions (empty, partial, and fully loaded). As such, automatic takeups are the preferred takeup design and are typically utilized whenever it is possible and practical to do so. Automatic takeup pulleys, themselves, are most often activated by gravity. Although vertically-acting gravity takeups is a most common design, horizontal gravity takeups are also used. 2

Besides the more common passive gravity-type takeup arrangements, there are also a number of active takeup configurations to choose from. These more complicated arrangements most of which rely on either hydraulic, electric, power-winch, and even pneumatic (for smaller conveyors) activation can be practical takeup choices when confronting space limitations, and frequent extension or relocation possibilities (common in underground mining). They can also be an ideal design choice when there is a need to control or program differing takeup tensions at various times throughout the conveyor operating cycle. In so doing, overall belt tensions (and possibly the belt rating) are often reduced.

Location
With bulk material conveyors (with troughed carry idlers, etc), takeups are simply not practical along the carrying strand. Therefore, these takeups must be either located at either one of the terminal regions (load or discharge points) which tend to be convenient choices or somewhere intermediate along the return strand. The more likely options for a takeup location are detailed below: Immediately following the drive With automatic takeups, particularly when the drive is at the head/discharge pulley (as illustrated in the drawing below), this is the preferred location and clearly is the most common. Having such close proximity to the drive, the takeup is ideally positioned to maintain the required tension in the belt exiting the drive fast enough and sufficient enough to properly address all possible drive slip and belt sag concerns. At (or near) the tail pulley On conveyors with fixed takeups, or with some regenerative/downhill conveyors, or for suitable structural reasons, or for simply more maintenance access, this takeup location may be chosen. On a high demand slope belt, a tail takeup location will typically result in lower counterweight requirements (a bonus feature when securing the takeup mass for splicing purposes). At (or near) the head/discharge pulley With regenerative/downhill conveyors, and the drive most likely in the tail/loading region, this takeup location requires the least overall takeup mass (either running empty or loaded) and will sometimes provide a more accessible/maintenance location. Intermediate Takeups are sometimes located along the return belt strand, somewhere intermediate between the terminal (head/tail) regions. Besides possibly fulfilling some unusual slip or sag requirement, takeups in these locations may also possibly be satisfying some accessibility/maintenance or structural concerns.

Counterweight (or mass) Requirement

The takeup, regardless of its location, must provide enough pounds-weight or mass to accomodate the calculated belt tensions (pounds- force) at that location. Although belt tensions are virtually unaffected, each different takeup location and configuration will likely have a different counterweight mass requirement. Startup and shutdown/braking forces also need to be addressed assuring that the primary slip and sag requirements, along with available takeup movement, is not in any way compromised throughout these critical operating modes. FDAs coveted Belt Wizard computer program, in its Take-Up routine, makes these counterweight/mass calculations. In the adjacent application example, minimum slip (9431 lbs) and sag (4889 lbs) tensions are noted. Belt Wizard then applies the greater of these two values to the takeup location (along with an estimated weight for the takeup itself), resulting in the counterweight value (19,850 lbs of mass ) as shown. Note: As with most every calculation in Belt Wizard, takeup counterweight values are based on the CEMA model. For the automatic takeup calculations, a standard three-pulley, vertical gravity takeup configuration is assumed. Differing takeup arrangements and locations (eg, horizontal, return strand, etc), and alternative methods of delivering the required counterweight (eg, deadweight, wire rope and multiple sheave designs, etc) will surely require different mass values. Because of these major modeling assumptions, caution must be used whenever referencing the cwt/mass values in Belt Wizard outside of FDA! CEMA is a conservative belt calculation model. Having slightly less counterweight mass than Belt Wizard calculates will probably not cause any operational (slip or sag) issues. Having more cwt/mass than actually calculated is most likely wasteful usually adding unwanted additional tension and hardship to the belt, the splices, and to all the conveying hardware components. Such excess takeup/system tension can also lead to potentially hazardous safety issues! Bottom Line Any temptation to increase a calculated or existing takeup weight should not be arbitrary one. It should only be done after careful scrutiny, having explored all other available options!!

Recommended Mo vement/ Tra vel

The recommended takeup movement, which reflects a minimum acceptable value, is based on a number of criterions. Critical amongst those are: Average belt operating tension Belt modulus specifically addressing the belt length changes due to inherent elastic stretch (from dynamic cycling), permanent stretch (non-recoverable ), and constructional stretch (from weave or cord design) characteristics 4

 Acceleration (startup) and deceleration (shutdown) forces Takeup location Once again When referencing Belt Wizards Take-Up routine, we find that this computer program addresses each of the above contributors as it provides an estimate of the Minimum Recommended Takeup Travel required. Note : Using the same application example as on the previous page, the minimum recommended Total travel value was calculated to be 22 ft. There are also other influences that might contribute to any takeup travel consideration. These, as listed below, are not directly addressed by Belt Wizard: Position of the takeup pulley during the final splice or whether there is a run-in period planned after initial startup Thermal expansion/contraction influences on the belt carcass which can be considerable with steel cord belts on long-centered overland conveyors (as was true in the adjacent application) Frequency of loaded belt startups and shutdowns a high frequency might add to belt stretch estimates and splice concerns Any live-storage of additional belting for emergency, resplicing possibilities With automatic takeups, and situations where there simply is not enough room to accommodate the minimum travel needed, either of the two following options might provide a possible solution: 1. Double-Reeving the takeup This variation of the standard single-reeved takeup utilizes TWO takeup pulleys rather than one. In so doing, only half as much takeup movement or travel is required. Although belt tensions do not change, the actual takeup weight (or mass) needs to be doubled in this two-takeup pulley configuration! 2. Incorporating a fixed takeup In addition to an automatic takeup, a fixed/manual takeup could also be utilized. Employing such a fixed takeup, often involving moveable tail or head pulleys, could considerably increase belt storage capacity (eg, for lengthy permanent belt elongation, emergency/splicing needs). Utilizing two separate takeup arrangements has also been a proven solution on long overland conveyors where spacerestrictions inhibit adequate takeup accommodation.

Design/Maintenance Issues
Takeups provide unique conveyor challenges. Their original design and subsequent maintenance practices play an important role in the overall efficiency and success of a given bulk conveying application: Design During the conveyor design/engineering phase, much can be done to the takeup to make the belt more comfortable as it later cycle s around the conveyor profile: Minimize pulley-flexing Takeup arrangements require at least one pulley, and most likely180 degrees of belt wrap. Beyond that, minimizing both the number of additional pulleys and the degree of overall belt wrap can together enhance both belt life and splice efficiency. Size vertical curves accurately If the counterweight tension is of proper design, therell seldom ever be a need to adjust it later (eg, removing tension to reduce concave curve liftoff, increasing tension to reduce center-buckling in a convex curve, etc). Such counterweight corrections in the field produce unique hardships of their own, often challenging the belt and/or the conveyor components. Avoid using a drive snub pulley as a takeup bend pulley In service, this has proven to be a poor design practice (one that has resulted in belt- flexing and/or pulley maintenance issues). Maintenance The takeup pulley, by design, is a mobile conveyor component. As its relative position within the conveyor structure changes, the takeup pulley may not always remain square to belt travel. A resulting skewed or cocked pulley often spawns a troubling belt tracking outcome. Irregularly aligned takeup pulleys can also bind. The consequence here might restrict the available slack-side tension at the drive, possibly resulting in belt slip. Hence, its important to keep the takeup pulley square to belt travel and, at ALL times!! Here are some suggestions that might help in that regard: Properly yoke, or contain, the takeup pulley thereby minimizing pulley shaft deflections. Maintain sturdy and straight pulley guides. These beams, pipes or tracks that the takeup carriage moves along (and inherently touches) must not hinder the takeups freedom of movement . 6

 Maintain a clean and material- free environment for both the takeup components and
belt travel through the entire takeup region. Avoid storing long lengths of belting in the takeup. Excessively long (and subsequently unsupported) lengths of belting are more exposed and vulnerable to the many potential belt tracking aggravations that may exist (eg, belt camber, pulley misalignment, and even the wind). Pay close attention to any horizontal automatic takeup. (See example in the adjacent illustration.) Takeup pulleys in these arrangements are particularly troublesome to keep maintained and properly aligned.

Dyna mic Analysis

FDAs Belt Wizard program (again, based on the CEMA model) is an excellent tension calculation and belt selection tool. It is certainly useful for takeup design and problem analysis on a vast majority of conveyor applications. However, to keep the conveyor belt engineering analysis reasonable, numerous simplifying assumptions have been made in such models and computer programs. Foremost amongst these is the treatment of the belt as a rigid body during acceleration and deceleration. In reality, a conveyor belt is NOT rigid! Its an elastic body one that exhibits a non- uniform rate of travel along the conveyor path when the belt speed varies (typical in start/stop cycles). Such irregular stretch propagation stemming from both tension and compression transients produces buildups (or waves) within the belt. These waves are eventually dampened out once belt speed is equalized. For most conveyor applications, these waves are of little consequence to the takeup design or belt operation. However, with the more challenging conveyors, such wave patterns can easily lead to an inadequate or inappropriate takeup design when following a CEMA-based calculation model alone. Component life, system performance, and safety concerns are then most likely compromised and possibly threatened. 7

Dynamic analysis calculations, on the other hand, take into account the elasticity of the belt and its irregular propagation rate during various speed fluctuations. The focus is on the drive/takeup interface originally helping with conveyor design, and later troubleshooting any field performance issues. Such a calculation model is also likely to expand on the popular idler friction assumptions by exploring the idler component energy drains in more depth and thereby generating a more predictable outcome. (An example of a dynamic analysis output illustrating a conveyor startup situation is shown on the previous page.) Possible conveyor candidates for dynamic analysis evaluations might include any of the following: Centers greater than 2 miles Multiple drive and/or brake locations High lift, high motor torque conveyors Highly regenerative conveyors with large brakes High speed (over 800 fpm), high capacity (in excess of 8000 tph) Existing conveyors with system/dynamic problems At present, FDA does not provide dynamic analysis calculations or evaluations. However, there are several recognized organizations and/or individuals that do specialize in that expertise. If such a complex conveyor/belt analysis is deemed necessary, we would be more than happy to make an appropriate reference in that regard.

George Big G Frank Belt Engineering & Application Consultant February 2009