Pipe Conveyor Systems Overview

FACULTY MECHANICAL, MARITIME AND
MATERIALS ENGINEERING
Delft University of Technology Department Maritime and Transport Technology
Mekelweg 2
2628 CD Delft
the Netherlands
Phone +31 (0)15-2782889
Fax +31 (0)15-2781397
www.mtt.tudelft.nl
Specialization: Transport Engineering and Logistics
Report number: 2017.TEL.8162
Title: Pipe conveyor systems - an

overview of its characteristics and
current developments in research
Author: W.P.J. Vreeburg
Title (in Dutch) Pijp-transportband systemen - een overzicht van eigenschappen en huidige
ontwikkelingen in onderzoek
Assignment: Literature assignment
Confidential: No
Supervisor: Dr. ir. Y. Pang
Date: September 8, 2017
This report consists of 42 pages and 0 appendices. It may only be reproduced literally and as a whole. For
commercial purposes only with written authorization of Delft University of Technology. Requests for consult are
only taken into consideration under the condition that the applicant denies all legal rights on liabilities concerning
the contents of the advice.
FACULTY MECHANICAL, MARITIME AND
MATERIALS ENGINEERING
Delft University of Technology Department Maritime and Transport Technology
Mekelweg 2
2628 CD Delft
the Netherlands
Phone +31 (0)15-2782889
Fax +31 (0)15-2781397
www.mtt.tudelft.nl
W.P.J. Vreeburg Assignment type: Literature assignment

Student:
Supervisor (TUD): dr. ir. Y. Pang (TU Delft) Creditpoints (EC): 10
Specialization: TEL
Report number: 2017.TEL.8162
Confidential: No
Subject: Overview of Characteristics and Current Developments in Research of Pipe

Conveyor Systems
Belt conveyor systems find applications all over the world. In the past decade the development of
conveyor technology has enabled the design and application of longer, faster and more efficient
conveyors with higher capacity and less environmental impact. Pipe conveyors are more and more used
in various industrial production fields.
This assignment is to provide an overview of the current developments in research and the characteristics
and applications of pipe conveyor systems based on worldwide literature sources. Both existing and the
most recent under-construction projects will be surveyed. The survey of this literature assignment should
cover the following:
 An overview of the working principles and components of pipe conveyor systems

 The application field of pipe conveyor systems (as compared to conventional conveying)
 The standards/norms and design considerations of pipe conveyor systems
 The current developments in research in pipe conveyor design
This report should be arranged in such a way that all data is structurally presented in graphs, tables, and
lists with belonging descriptions and explanations in text.
The report should comply with the guidelines of the section. Details can be found on the website.
The mentor,
Dr. ir. Y. Pang
2
W.P.J. Vreeburg - 2017.TEL.8162
Abstract
This report made clear the potential pipe conveyor systems have to be a very powerful tool in bulk
material handling. Pipe conveyor systems can provide significant improvements in many aspects over
conventional conveyor systems, particularly in environmental protection and flexibility of route design.
Due to the pipe conveyors enclosed shape, elimination of environmental contamination due to spillage
and dust propagation can be accomplished. Its ability to negotiate tight corners and steep inclines can
negate the need for expensive and messy transfer points and additional conveyors. Pipe conveyors are
very compact in cross-sectional area, making the system also very suitable for application where space is
limited, such as tunnels.
Standardization in the pipe conveyor system design is severely lacking, with only specialized companies
offering design tools such as software applications. This can be disadvantageous for pipe conveyor
system design, which requires the study of complex design considerations to ensure proper
functionality. For instance, transverse belt stiffness needs to be carefully selected to ensure a proper
pipe shape of the belt. If the belt lacks transverse stiffness, the belt will collapse, causing alignment
problems and possible damage and spillage. When the stiffness is too high, the belt will exert too much
force on the idler rollers, causing extremely high power consumption of the system. Indentation rolling
resistance is another design parameter that is attempted to be kept at a minimum to ensure low friction
forces at the belt idler contact points.
A lot of research is performed in order to gain insight into these physical principles that govern the static
and dynamic behavior of pipe conveyor systems. This is done with mathematical and numerical
modeling through FEM and DEM analyses, used in conjunction with newly developed experimental
testing devices. This research and development will help in recovering its tarnished image as an
expensive and power hungry alternative to troughing conveyors. The range of the area of application for
pipe conveyors is already very high, given it has the capability to negotiate tight corners and steep
inclines, and will only increase with new developments that are announced as written in this report.
3
Contents
Abstract .................................................................................................................................................. 3
Chapter 1 - Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 6
1.1 Introduction to pipe conveyor systems..................................................................................... 6
1.2 Object of research and focus of report ..................................................................................... 6
1.3 Report structure....................................................................................................................... 6
Chapter 2 – Pipe conveyor system and operations ................................................................................ 8
2.1 Working principle ..................................................................................................................... 8
2.2 Components ............................................................................................................................ 9
Rollers ............................................................................................................................................. 9
Belt ................................................................................................................................................ 10
Idler sets ........................................................................................................................................ 11
2.3 Belt alignment........................................................................................................................ 11
Chapter 3 – Pipe conveyor applications, characteristics and historic design development .................. 13
3.1 Application field introduction ................................................................................................. 13
3.2 Application field through characteristics of pipe conveyor system vs. conventional conveyors14
Environmental protection .............................................................................................................. 14
Steep inclinations .......................................................................................................................... 14
Sharp turns .................................................................................................................................... 14
Space savings................................................................................................................................. 15
Cost savings ................................................................................................................................... 16
Drawbacks ..................................................................................................................................... 16
Overview table .............................................................................................................................. 18
Chapter 4 – Pipe conveyor standards and design ................................................................................ 19
4.1 Historic design development .................................................................................................. 19
4.2 Pipe conveyor standards and design considerations ............................................................... 21
Transverse belt stiffness ................................................................................................................ 21
Friction coefficient ......................................................................................................................... 23
Indentation rolling resistance ........................................................................................................ 24
4.3 Pipe conveyor design characteristics ...................................................................................... 24
Capacity......................................................................................................................................... 24
Idler selection ................................................................................................................................ 25
Belt speed...................................................................................................................................... 25
4
Lump size....................................................................................................................................... 26
Pipe opening and closing ............................................................................................................... 26
Loading and overfilling ................................................................................................................... 26
Idler panel spacing and curve analysis ............................................................................................ 26
Chapter 5 - Research methodology ..................................................................................................... 29
5.1 Test rigs ................................................................................................................................. 29
Six-point pipe belt stiffness testing device...................................................................................... 30
Static test rigs ................................................................................................................................ 30
Dynamic test rigs and field tests..................................................................................................... 33
Steep angle conveyor test rig ......................................................................................................... 34
5.2 Numerical modeling ............................................................................................................... 35
Finite element method (FEM) ........................................................................................................ 35
Discrete element method (DEM).................................................................................................... 35
Chapter 6 – Recent development and research .................................................................................. 36
6.1 Pipe troughability ................................................................................................................... 36
Mathematical model for contact forces ......................................................................................... 36
Universal numerical model ............................................................................................................ 37
6.2 Coupled FEM/DEM analysis .................................................................................................... 37
Contact forces in loaded pipe conveyor ......................................................................................... 37
Lateral pressure in a pipe belt ........................................................................................................ 38
6.3 Indentation rolling resistance ................................................................................................. 39
Calculation of indentation rolling resistance .................................................................................. 39
6.4 Belt material characteristics improvements............................................................................ 40
Confine pipe belt ........................................................................................................................... 40
Low rolling resistance belt technology (LRR) .................................................................................. 40
Weaving pattern in fabric belts ...................................................................................................... 40
Ribbed carrying side belt................................................................................................................ 40
Chapter 7 – Conclusions ..................................................................................................................... 41
References ............................................................................................................................................ 42
5
Chapter 1 - Introduction
For more than a hundred years belt conveyors have been widely used for the transportation of bulk
materials. Many advances in overland conveyor technology have improved its efficiency, investment and
operational costs, making it a cheaper and more reliable alternative to conventional trucking for
instance in many cases. The overall design of conveyor belts however have mostly stayed the same.
1.1 Introduction to pipe conveyor systems

Pipe conveyor systems are an alternative design to conventional troughing conveyors, where the
conveyor belt travels in a piped shape for most of its length. The design has been around since the
1980’s [2], but has remained far less implemented than conventional conveyors. Pipe conveyor systems
can provide significant advantages in certain applications, such as a very secure protection of the bulk
material due to its enclosed shape. It also has the ability to navigate much sharper turns and inclines,
making it severely more cost-effective in applications where this is required. Without large scale
implementation, the pipe conveyor system has no international industry standards for design.
1.2 Object of research and focus of report

In the past decade a lot of research has been performed on the design of pipe conveyor systems which
could potentially drive an introduction of pipe conveyor standardization. Many research papers are
published looking into improving the design to, for instance, increase the reliability, efficiency or
sustainability of the system. The goal of this report is to provide a clear overview of the following
aspects regarding pipe conveyor design:
 Characteristics
 Application
 Design
 Standards in design
 Recent development in research
The focus of the report lies on the design and recent developments in design and research on pipe
conveyor systems. It explains the design considerations and the experimental setups, analytical and
numerical tools used to research these design aspects. This research can ultimately improve the design
of the system to become more efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly.
1.3 Report structure

The report in structured in a way to guide the reader through the process from understanding the pipe
conveyor systems characteristics and working principles all the way to the recent research of detailed
design aspects. This is done as follows:
Chapter 2
This first chapter gives a brief introduction on the working principle, components and operation of pipe
conveyor systems. This chapter also provides an overview of the design historic development of the
system in order to give the reader a sense of the considerations in the design process.
6
Chapter 3
In this chapter the application field of pipe conveyors is summarized, as well as a thorough examination
of the advantages and limitations of the system as compared to conventional conveyor design,
illustrated by several examples from the industry.
Chapter 4
In Chapter 4 the current tools and knowledge regarding design of pipe conveyors are described, which
shows a lack of industry standards and provides argumentation for the importance of research on pipe
conveyor system design.
Chapter 5
The research methodologies used to improve the pipe conveyor design are summarized in this chapter.
Experimental, analytical and numerical methods are introduced to better understand the research that
is performed on the system.
Chapter 6
Finally, an overview of the recent development in design of pipe conveyor systems is provided in
Chapter 6, followed by the conclusions drawn from this report.
7
Chapter 2 – Pipe conveyor system and operations

In this first chapter an introduction is given to the basics of how a pipe conveyor system works. Also the
components of a pipe conveyor system are listed and explained. Furthermore, a separate subchapter is
dedicated to the principle of belt alignment and finally the subject of monitoring and maintenance is
handled.
2.1 Working principle

A pipe conveyor system is a type of conveyor belt system used to convey bulk solid material. As opposed
to a conventional troughing conveyor belt, a pipe belt conveyor forms an enclosed circular shape for
most of its length.
Figure 1: Conventional conveyor system setup compared with a pipe conveyor system, isometric and cross-sectional view
(edited picture from [1])
After the material is loaded onto the belt through the loading chutes seen in Figure 1, several idler
rollers, indicated in red, will guide the belt into a tubular shape throughout the length of the conveyor.
The belt is unfolded in a similar fashion near the head pulley in order for the bulk material to be
unloaded. On both the carrying and the return part the belt is folded like a pipe, which makes the pipe
conveyor dust and spillage free. On the return side the overlap of the belt is on the bottom, but it is also
possible to rotate the belt and fill it with material on the return side [14]. Material that manages to stick
to the belt and fall off on the return side is caught within the belt until it unfolds. Spillage conveyors or
screw conveyors can be installed underneath areas where the belt is unfolded and spillage occurs [2]. An
effective and economical solution in the case of limited spillage is the installation of spillage plates [2].
8
2.2 Components
In this subchapter the separate components of the pipe conveyor system are expanded on in order to
gain insight into the components of the pipe conveyor system. The main components of a pipe conveyor
system are:
 Rollers
 Conveyor belt
 Idler sets
 Head and tail pulley
 Pulley drives
 Take-up system
 Loading and unloading chutes
Apart from the first three components, most of these components are the same as in conventional
conveyor systems. Information on these components is widely available, for instance in literature by Mr.
G. Lodewijks [34].
Rollers
Throughout the length of the conveyor there are rollers
installed that guide and support the belt in order to
keep the belt in its desirable shape. Rollers are usually
hollow cylindrical shells rotating around a steel axle
with bearings on either end as shown in Figure 2 [13].
Also a seal cap is necessary to prevent dirt and dust
from damaging the bearings. Rollers are fully
standardized in the industry and the dimensions come
from international standards, which will be further
explained in Chapter 4. Figure 2: An idler cut open to expose inner
components (edited picture from [35])
During the loading of the belt, the rollers need to be
stronger to withstand the impact of the falling material.
Usually a different type of idler is used known as impact
rollers, which consists of several rubber donut-shaped
discs along the roller axis. This again is an industry
standard which stems from conventional conveyor
systems.
After the belt is loaded, the belt goes gradually from a

regular troughing shape to a piped shape. There are
several idler frames with increasing troughing angle to
start folding the belt. Once the belt needs to start its
overlapping position, special finger shaped stub rollers can
Figure 3: Idlers folding belt[2] be used as seen in Figure 3[2].
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Belt
The belts used in a pipe conveyor system are very similar to those used in conventional troughing
conveyors, consisting of a carcass and a cover layer on both sides. The carcass is the internal structure of
the belt, which determines the tensile strength of the belt, and is made out of either steel cords
embedded in rubber or layers of reinforced fabric called ‘plies’ separated by cushioning layers [3]. Fabric
reinforcements in the transverse direction are also present to get a specific transverse belt stiffness that
is required for an application.
Again a lot of industry standards apply to belts and logically the greater the loads applied, the higher the
tension needed in the belt, with steel cord belts being the stronger option. Above and below the carcass
a protective, rubber cover is applied, which have different characteristics depending on the application
of the conveyor system.
Figure 4: Fabric vs steel cord belt cover cross-section[3][4]
Figure 5: cross-section of steel cord conveyor belt for pipe conveyor systems[4]
One of the main differences with conveyor belts designed for the pipe conveyor system is that the side
ends of the belt contains less reinforcement in order to lower the transverse stiffness on these side
edges (see Figure 5). This is done to provide a smooth overlap when the belt is folded into a piped
shape.
Pipe conveyor belts tend to have an overall higher transverse stiffness, since a regular belt would
experience severe sagging at the top part of the piped shape after a while. In order to provide this
transverse stiffness, special cross-rigid plies are implemented [2]. There is a difficult balance of how stiff
the belt needs to be, since some flexibility for the transition from flat to pipe shape at the feed is also
essential. This topic will be discussed further in the coming chapters.
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Idler sets
Once the belt is folded it is kept in a circular shape with a
supporting structure that holds six rollers in a hexagonal position,
as can be seen in the cross-section in Figure 1. These rollers are
mounted on a supporting frame placed alternatively on the front
or the backside of the panel, as shown in Figure 6. The
construction of the panel which support the rollers is very simple
and can be fabricated from rolled steel plates or pressed from
sheet metal plates with jig drilled mounting holes generally in
order to maintain roller mounting accuracy [2]. There are many
different design options however for the supporting structure of a
pipe conveyor system and nothing thus far has been standardized.
Some design developments have been made which will be further Figure 6: Hexagonal idler setup with
offset mounted on a frame[2]
discussed in subchapter 4.1.
2.3 Belt alignment

As with all belt conveyors, proper alignment of the belt is essential to prevent leaking of bulk material or
damage to the belt and other components of the belt system. For a pipe conveyor system the overlap of
the carrying side of the belt is at the top, as seen on the right in Figure 7 [3].
Figure 7: Cross-section illustrating incorrect and correct belt

alignment [3]
When the belt overlap starts to deviate from the proper alignment and starts to rotate towards the
bottom, material can slip into the overlap causing spillage which is illustrated on the left in Figure 7.
Usually after installation of a pipe conveyor system, the system is run past several alignment inspection
checks under no-load conditions to see if belt training is required. Belt training is done similar to
conventional belt system alignment, which is implementing training idlers at the source position of the
misalignment. Training idlers are rollers placed at an angle (from a top view) from the direction of belt
travel, causing the roller to push the belt to rotate. When the training idler is adjusted in a clockwise
direction as seen from above, it will rotate the belt in an anti-clockwise direction (when viewed in the
direction of belt travel), which is illustrated in Figure 9 [5].
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Figure 8: Training idler arrangement Figure 9: Belt rotation using training idler
The training idler arrangement is shown in Figure 8, which simply puts a regular idler onto a supporting
bracket which can be bolted in different lateral positions. Training idlers are usually placed on the
bottom idler, since it is the most supporting idler, giving it the biggest training adjustment effect.
Adjustments in alignment are made in small increments, with a maximum of three or four adjacent
idlers. The belt is then observed running for several minutes to allow the adjustment to take effect in
order to prevent excessive adjustment of too many idlers. Finally tests are run with the belt partially
loaded and eventually fully loaded to complete the training procedure.
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Chapter 3 – Pipe conveyor applications, characteristics and historic

design development
In this Chapter the application field of pipe conveyors is expanded on. This is done by comparing
characteristics of pipe conveyor systems with those of conventional conveyor systems and seeing for
which type of applications pipe conveyors can be beneficial.
3.1 Application field introduction

The pipe conveyor system is used around the world in a wide range of applications. The original
technology of the pipe conveyor system was patented by the company Japan Pipe Conveyor (JPC) in
1978, which led to the first successful application a year after [5]. After some national implementations,
the first License Partner of JPC to be successful in marketing the system outside Japan was Bateman in
South Africa. Soon other successful JPC Agents Internationally followed, listed below.
Table 1: JPC Agents Internationally [5]
JPC license Koch Noyes Nova Dosco Simplicity Krupp Young Sistemas
partner Robins Poony
Country/Area Germany France Italy United India USA Korea South
Kingdom America
To date we find that any material that can be placed on the pipe conveyor can be conveyed. The typical
materials handled are:
 Ores
 Coal
 Coke
 Limestone
 Crushed stone
 Shale
 Overburden
Some of the more difficult materials that are being handled on the pipe conveyor are copper
concentrate, petroleum coke, clay, flue dust, ready mixed concrete, sludge, humidified fly ash, coal
tailings, alumina and filter dust.
In order to show in what type of application field the pipe conveyor system is used, it is helpful to look at
the capabilities the system has as compared to conventional conveyors. Therefore the next subchapter
shows their differences and provides examples of applications where this can be beneficial.
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3.2 Application field through characteristics of pipe conveyor system vs.

conventional conveyors
Pipe conveyor systems have a lot of potential to be a more cost-effective alternative to conventional
troughing conveyors. In this subchapter a clear overview is given of the benefits and drawbacks to pipe
conveyor systems [9][10][11][12] as opposed to troughing conveyors, which is finally summarized in an
overview table.
Environmental protection
The two main advantages of enclosed conveying are
the environmental protection it provides and the
protection of the bulk material itself. Environmental
pollution is minimized as spillage along most of the
belt length is eliminated and the material conveyed
is protected from wind losses, other unwanted
weather effects such as rain or snow, and theft.
Spillage on the return side is also eliminated, with
the belt folding back into its enclosed shape.
Steep inclinations
The closely packed material in the piped shape
allows for more material friction, which allows pipe
conveyors to negotiate steeper inclines and declines
than troughing conveyors, of up to 30 degrees. This
is shown in Figure 10 [4], where also can be seen
pipe conveyors are applicable for a maximum lump
size of 125mm at 1 m/s, as opposed to 300mm for
troughing conveyors. Although its maximum
capacity is less than half than that of troughing Figure 10: Graph depicting conveyor characteristics at 1 m/s
conveyors, the pipe conveyor has a much higher
capacity than other enclosed conveyor types.
Sharp turns
A pipe conveyor system has idlers constraining the belt on all sides and is therefore capable of
negotiating horizontal turns of much sharper radii, contrary to troughing conveyors. This can be a huge
advantage, because it eliminates the need for transfer points. A single pipe conveyor with multiple
curves can replace multiple conventional belt conveyors connected through transfer points.
Not only is there no need for chutes, extra foundations and dust suppression equipment, but also
additional conveyors, each with auxiliary equipment, can be omitted. With the absence of transfer
points there is no dust propagation, no product degradation and perhaps most significantly no
associated maintenance.
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Space savings
The cross-sectional area of a conventional troughing conveyor is significantly bigger than a pipe
conveyor with the same capacity. Conventional conveyors can have a width of up to 3 times the length
of a similarly performing pipe conveyor’s diameter. Consequently the supporting structure of pipe
conveyor systems can be significantly smaller than troughing conveyors, making them ideal in
applications where space is limited. A good example of this is the world record holder for longest pipe
conveyor belt at 16.4km, designed to run partially through a tunnel running underneath the streets of
Lima, Peru (see Figure 11) [13]. This solution saved the city from a conveyor running through the city
streets somehow or even worse, adding more truck-congesting traffic to the city roads.
Figure 11: Cross-section of pipe conveyor in a tunnel (left) and size compared to conventional conveyor (right)
The versatility of pipe conveyor routing in both turns and inclines and its relatively small cross-sectional
size can not only save space, but also avoid some of the property rights and land permitting issues,
which are becoming more important in an already increasingly crowded world.
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Cost savings
As mentioned earlier the flexibility of the pipe conveyor system in regards to turns and inclinations can
greatly reduce environmental impact with making transfer points obsolete. Along with the piped shape
causing a lack of belt edge damage and buildup on idlers [14], maintenance costs for pipe conveyor
systems can be kept at a minimum. The absence of transfer points (see Figure 12) also cuts construction
costs of the system significantly.
Figure 12: Two troughing conveyors (left) vs one pipe conveyor (right) for the same application saving costs [4]
Drawbacks
The pipe conveyor system has several drawbacks when compared to the conventional conveyor system,
however these often become manageable or even negligible in light of the large improvements the
systems provides mentioned before.
As mentioned before capacity and maximum lump size limitations narrow the application field of pipe
conveyors compared to conventional conveyors [4]. In pipe conveyor systems over-sized particles can
become a much bigger problem with the limited space within the closed pipe in combination with steep
inclines and sharp turns.
Another issue linked to this limit of space is overloading of the pipe conveyor [2], causing the entire
system to get stuck, which can potentially inflict major damage to the entire system. Therefore the
loading of the conveyor must be ensured to not exceed certain filling rates, depending on the design [2].
For the belt to properly overlap, the belt of a pipe conveyor has to be specifically designed as explained
in Chapter 2.2. Also the belt of a pipe conveyor has to be wider than conventional troughing conveyors
16
capable of conveying the same amount of material in order to accomplish this proper overlap, all
resulting in higher costs for belting [4]. However, other conveyor system components standardized in
the conveyor industry such as idlers, bearings, pulleys, and take-up weights can be implemented in pipe
conveyor systems [3].
A pipe conveyor has more idlers in contact with the belt than a troughing conveyor; both on the top side
and the bottom return side. Since a pipe belt has a relatively high cross sectional belt stiffness to
prevent it from collapsing, the pressure exerted on these idlers by the belt is also greater than with
troughing conveyors, as stated in [12]. This additional contact pressure causes additional indentation
rolling resistance [12]. This additional pressure coupled with the multitude of idlers in contact with the
belt translates into a higher power consumption required to move a pipe conveyor system than its
conventional counterpart [12].
Finally, the engineering of a pipe conveyor system is more complex in general than a conventional
conveyor. If a pipe conveyor system is improperly engineered such as a belt unfit for the system, the
problems that can arise are difficult and costly to resolve. Coupled with the lack of design standards,
there are few practitioners with good understanding and experience to properly design these systems,
which could also increase the capital and maintenance cost of potential proprietaries. This is prone to
change however, once advancements in pipe conveyor systems are made and become widely available
through design standards.
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Overview table
All the benefits and drawbacks mentioned can be found in Table 2 below, serving as a comprehensible
overview. It clearly illustrates the potential for pipe conveyor systems given the many advantages over
conventional conveying. It also stresses the importance of research and development of pipe conveyor
systems technology and consequently the introduction of design standards, both discussed in the
coming chapters.
Table 2: Advantages and disadvantages of pipe conveyor systems, as compared to conventional conveyor systems
Advantages Disadvantages
Environmental
 Spillage eliminated along belt length  Higher power consumption
 material protected from environmental
effects such as rain
 Spillage eliminated even on the return
side
 No transfer points required, eliminating
environmental contamination through
dust propagation typical at transfer
points
Characteristics for type of application
 Steeper inclinations possible  Limited capacity compared to
 Sharper turns possible conventional troughing conveyor
 Smaller cross-sectional size, ideal for  Limited lump size compared to
tunnel application for instance conventional troughing conveyor
 No particle degradation typical to
transfer points
 Material can be transported both ways
 Highest capacity possible of all enclosed
type conveyor systems
Costs
 No transfer points  Higher operation costs due to high power
o Construction costs savings consumption
o No additional conveyors required  Potentially costly construction due to
o No spillage due to dust
high level of understanding and
propagation at transfer points
o Dust cleanup savings experience required by design engineers
o Maintenance costs savings  Higher risk of expensive maintenance if
 Lower maintenance costs due to piped improperly designed, due to lack of
shape (lack of belt edge damage and design standards and technological
buildup on idlers) development maturity
 Special belt design, wider and differing
stiffness along its width
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Chapter 4 – Pipe conveyor standards and design

With the potential of pipe conveyor systems clarified in the previous chapter, underlining the
importance of its technological research and development, it is useful to examine the current design
standards and methodologies. Therefor all current design standards and considerations are explained in
this chapter.
First a brief summary of the historic design development is provided to give some insight in the design
considerations that are struggled with in the design of pipe conveyor systems. Afterwards, the lack of
availability of pipe conveyor specific standards is discussed and some examples of solution methods for
this problem are expanded on. In subchapter 4.3 an overview of basic design considerations for pipe
conveyors is given, including guidelines for system parameters provided by CEMA and other sources.
This will provide a good indication of the general magnitude of system characteristics and general design
complications that could be improved with the research outlined in Chapter 6.
4.1 Historic design development

As stated before the design of the pipe conveyor system has not changed significantly since its original
development. The changes that were implemented however proved of great use for the overall
functioning of the system.
One of these changes has been in the hexagonal layout of the idlers. The original design had all six idlers
at the same side of the support frame panel. With this layout the idler edges were so close together the
belt could get pinched in between them causing belt edge damage (see Figure 13) and there was
unwanted interference between idlers [4][5]. This was solved by placing three idlers on either side of the
panel, as can be seen clearly in Figure 6.
Another aspect of the pipe conveyor that has undergone some changes since its inception is the panel
design which holds the idlers. The panel has been modified from a steel plate to a beam construction in
order to decrease its mass, which reduces waste in construction materials and reduces the load bearing
pressures on the supporting structure underneath. A comparison of an old and a newer panel design is
displayed in Figure 14, where both new designs are developed by Ckit [3].
Figure 13: Belt pinching [5]
19
One of the biggest design improvements in pipe conveyor history so far has been made by Mr. L.K.
Nordell of Conveyor Dynamics Inc. A big criticism of the pipe conveyor system has been the relatively
high power consumption required for the system to run. In 1996 a paper was published by Mr. Nordell
examining the rubber rolling resistance in belt conveyors [7]. Although the paper seemed to focus
mostly on the effects of different types of polymers on conveyor performance, renewing test
methodology and in turn updating the CEMA standard calculations [8] used for this topic, another
finding in the report had a significant impact on pipe conveyor systems. Supported by field
measurements, he concluded that the power drawn by a conveyor is related to the idler diameter and
the resulting indentation by the idler on the belt cover. When a larger diameter idler is used, it can
significantly reduce friction and therefore power consumption. Historically small diameter idlers were
used in pipe conveying due to lack of space with six idlers on one side of the panel and due to most early
pipe conveyors being in a low capacity and length range, making idler loads small. This, coupled with the
fact that pipe conveyor systems already have significantly more idlers in contact with the belt compared
to troughing conveyors, made the impact of this change significant.
Figure 14: Old panel design (left), Ckit new panel design (center), Ckit new triangular gantry (right)
20
4.2 Pipe conveyor standards and design considerations

With troughing conveyor systems dominating the market for the past decades, it has gained an
extensive repertoire of standards. In Europe ISO standards are widely used, with country specific
prefixes such as NEN or DIN for Dutch or German norms respectively, whereas in the United States
CEMA standards are used. Pipe conveyor systems have no official standards today, with most
production companies having their own design calculation methods. With the majority of calculations
being quite similar to troughing conveyor systems, companies that have developed design calculation
software for conveyor systems have expanded their programs with pipe conveyor calculation packages.
Examples of this are BELTSTAT conveyor belt design software developed by Conveyor Dynamics, Inc.
(CDI) [15] or Belt Analyst and Dynamic Analyst software developed by Overland Conveyor Co., Inc. [16].
This type of software calculates characteristics of pipe conveyor systems such as power requirements
and tension forces for component sizing; but it also runs
simulations for analyzing conveyor controls for transient
conditions such as starting or stopping belt conveyors. It
should be noted however that these software applications
are merely an extremely useful tool in designing a pipe
conveyor system and that a good pipe conveyor design still
requires a truly dedicated and preferably experienced
conveyor belt manufacturer who can properly use this tool
to its advantage. Figure 15: Standards in Beltstat [15]
With a lot of pipe conveyor designers keeping their design calculations close to their chest, some
information can be found on how for instance Beltstat found a method of incorporating the more
complex transverse belt stiffness determination for pipe conveyors into their software. Also Mr. F.J.
Loeffler from Loeffler Engineering Group released a paper suggesting some alterations in the CEMA
standards to fit pipe conveyor applications [17]. These are discussed in the following paragraphs, along
with some design considerations.
Transverse belt stiffness

Pipe conveyors are more belt sensitive in their design than conventional troughing conveyors due to the
effects of transverse belt stiffness. When the belt possesses enough stiffness in lateral direction (called
transverse belt stiffness), it exerts a contact force on all the six idlers of a panel, as shown on the left in
Figure 16. Through experience, pipe conveyor design engineers have found that it is very important for
the belt to always maintain good contact with all the rollers, including the top idlers. If the pipe belt
collapses, resulting in loss of contact with the top rollers (Figure 16, right), it can lead to belt twisting
and rolling and perhaps not properly opening or closing. This collapsing of the belt is not only due to
gravity, since horizontal and vertical curves also exert forces that try to pull the belt away from the
rollers. This effect can also occur at a later stage in the belts operation due to a decrease in transverse
belt rigidity over time caused by repetitive belt flexing.
21
Figure 16: Contact forces between belt and idlers with sufficient transverse belt stiffness (left),
and insufficient (right) transverse belt stiffness (edited picture from [26])
The intuitive solution seems to be to increase the transverse belt stiffness, but this creates other
significant operational problems in terms of power requirements. When the belt is very stiff in the
transverse direction, it will put a lot of pressure on all the six idlers in the hexagonal shape (Illustrated as
the forces 𝐹1 to 𝐹6 in Figure 16). This mechanism of the belt ‘self-loading’ has a very significant effect on
the power required to move the belt due to the added friction between the belt and all those idlers in
the pipe conveyor system. Engineers have found that the power demand on empty or loaded pipe
conveyors can sometimes show little difference. The belt stiffness design is extensively discussed in
Chapter 5 and Chapter 6.
Despite much research into this topic discussed

in further chapters, an open source solution to
incorporate this into current standards such as
CEMA or ISO is not yet available. Beltstat for
instance uses a customized conversion chart to
account for this effect where only the belt
transverse flexibility is needed from the belt
manufacturer. This belt characteristic can be
obtained through an internationally standardized
test method known as ISO 703:2007 [31]. In this
test method, a piece of belt of length 𝐵 is
suspended from its side edges by two clamps,
Figure 17: ISO 703:2007 transverse flexibility test set-up [18]
and the depth of its sag caused by its own weight
is measured as 𝐹, as seen in Figure 17. The ratio of 𝐹/𝐵 describes the troughability of the belt. The
Beltstat software incorporated a ‘Transverse Stiffness Multiplier’ to account for pipe conveyor system
designs to account for its special belt transverse stiffness effect, shown in Figure 18.
22
Figure 18: Graph used to determine Transverse Stiffness Multiplier in Beltstat software [16]
Friction coefficient
With pipe conveyor designs having a significantly higher amount of idlers in contact with the belt than
conventional conveyor systems, the idler friction coefficients in power and tension calculations have to
be altered.
An example of an alteration in the determination of the effective tension in the American standard
CEMA is provided by Mr. F.J. Loeffler of Loeffler Engineering Group[17], who proposes to alter a seal and
grease churning friction factor, 𝐴𝑖 . This affects the value of 𝐾𝑥 , which is the frictional resistance of idler
rolls to rotation and sliding resistance between the belt and the idler rolls [8]. The change proposed
deals mainly with adjusting the CEMA equations to accommodate the following characteristic changes:
 Increased amount of rollers

From three to six on carry side and from one or two to six on the return side
 Increased idler and bearing diameters
An innovation proposed by Mr. Nordell [7] (see subchapter 4.1)
 Return side idler spacing change
From double idler spacing return vs. carry side on conventional conveyors to the same idler
spacing return vs. carry on pipe conveyors
23
Indentation rolling resistance

When a conveyor belt is rolling over idlers, the belt slightly deforms due to the rubber’s viscoelastic
properties. After this deformation of the rubber in the belt bottom cover (shown in Figure 19), the
carcass of the belt does not have enough time to
completely recover to its initial state, causing an
asymmetric stress distribution between the belt
and the idlers. The hysteresis energy loss that
occurs is significant, since the indentation rolling
resistance can account for approximately 60% of
the total rolling resistance [12]. Since this
phenomenon is closely related to the material
properties of the belt, lots of potential for
improvement is to be gained from adjusting the
belt, which is expanded on in subchapter 6.2.[18] Figure 19: Cross-section of belt rolling over an idler roll,
causing the belt to deform [18]
4.3 Pipe conveyor design characteristics

In this subchapter design characteristics in the design of a pipe conveyor system are provided in no
particular order, along with tables with general guidelines for design parameter values.
Capacity
According to [19], the pipe conveyor industry has agreed only on the nominal diameter of the pipe,
while other parameters that contribute to the allowable capacity are determined by the pipe conveyor
designer, working together with the belt supplier. These parameters [19] include
 Amount of belt overlap
 For smallest range pipe diameters: 3 to 4 inches (roughly 9 cm)
 For largest range pipe diameters: 10 to 12 inches (28 cm)
 Flat belt width
 Usually hard metric values
 Most suppliers will build in 2 inch (50 mm) pipe diameter increments with the actual flat
belt width in 6 inch (150 mm) increments
 Belt width should accommodate approximately 20% overlap with the belt edges,
meaning 𝐵𝑒𝑙𝑡 𝑤𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ = 1.2 ∙ 𝜋 ∙ 𝑝𝑖𝑝𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟
 Actual pipe diameter
 Diameter inscribed in the hexagonal arrangement of idlers
 Will vary between manufacturers/designers as they adjust the belt width and overlap
 Belt thickness
 Will have a slight effect on capacity, which is based on actual inner diameter of the pipe,
not its nominal diameter
A guide to pipe conveyor capacities is given by CEMA, shown in Table 3. The allowable capacity values in
Table 3 are based on roughly 75% of the cross-sectional area of the actual pipe inner diameter. If the
material is very lumpy, the conveyor navigates very tight curves or the feed control is very inconsistent,
24
this value is decreased to 60% or lower. If the opposite is the case, this value can go to approximately
80-85%. [19]
Table 3: Guide to pipe conveyor capacities by CEMA [19]
Idler selection
Idler roll size selection depends on several factors, of which the most important ones are the maximum
load on the rollers (in turn depended on several other factors such as belt and material weight and
dynamic effects) and belt speed. Roller diameters are considerable in size compared to conventional
conveyors, due to significant power consumption benefits as discovered by Mr. Nordell [7]. Idler roll
diameters run from 63 mm for a pipe diameter of 200 mm up to 194 mm rollers for pipe diameters of
850 mm [19]. As can be seen in Table 3, the largest pipe capacity is 2296 mtph, which would require this
194 mm idler size. To give an indication on the difference in size, a conventional three idler set
arrangement with a capacity of 6000 mtph requires one smaller standardized size idler roll diameter of
159 mm [19].
Belt speed
To compensate for a relatively small allowable cross-sectional area, pipe conveyors are often designed
to run at higher speeds than their conventional counterparts [19]. Over most of the pipe conveyor’s
length this is not an issue due to its enclosed shape, but at the tail end loading zone and the head end
discharge zone this high speed can affect the material [3]. This negative effect of these short open
sections in the pipe conveyor system has to be taken into account in the choice of belt speed. Actual
belt speeds of pipe conveyor systems run from roughly 2 m/s for small pipe diameters up to 5 m/s for a
pipe diameter of 850 mm [14][16][19]. Speeds of 6 m/s or even higher are possible, but might not be
practical [3].
25
Lump size
In pipe conveyor design caution needs to be exercised when considering maximum allowable lump size.
On a conventional conveyor large lumps can roll to the side of the belt or even off onto the ground, but
in a pipe conveyor this kind of lump is trapped by the belt. This can cause severe damage to the belt,
idler rolls and the structure. The lump size of the bulk material to be conveyed is therefore a much more
important design characteristic than with troughing conveyors.
For pipe conveyors the general rule found in design literature such as [2][17][19] is to never exceed a
lump size of 1/3 of the pipe diameter when conveying at the conventional 75% cross-sectional filling
rate. While this is generally true, the maximum lump size depends heavily on the percentage of lumps
[19]. When the material to be conveyed has a high percentage of lumps, the ratio of maximum lump size
to pipe diameter should be closer to 1:4 [19].
Pipe opening and closing

The folding and unfolding of the belt at the head and tail ends of the pipe conveyor causes additional
loads on the belt and idler rolls [2]. The longer the pipe conveyor, the less significant this impacts the
power calculations [19]. This is however an effect that is not present in troughing conveyor power
calculations and should be included for an accurate design. The transition distance from head end to
piped shape or from piped shape to tail end is dependent on the pipe diameter. An indication of this
transition distance is show in Table 6 [19].
Loading and overfilling

To ensure a proper folding of the belt around the material that is loaded onto it, loading the material in
a central line is required to obtain proper alignment [2]. Arguably more important is to maintain a
constant filling rate of the pipe conveyor belt. For these reasons a pipe conveyor belt will typically be
loaded using a feeder and not directly loaded from a bin or hopper gate [2].
Deviations in the filling rate could cause overfilling, which could potentially have detrimental
consequences. An overfill condition sensor should be installed at the loading area to shut down the
conveyor in the event of excessive peaks [19].
Idler panel spacing and curve analysis

The allowable idler panel spacing for pipe conveyor systems depends on various characteristics, of which
the most important are [19]:
 Pipe diameter
 Belt construction
 Local belt tension
 Pipe sag in between panels
 Material and belt weight
 Curve radius
26
Pipe conveyor systems with larger pipe diameters force the designer to increase the belt’s longitudinal
bending stiffness, allowing it to resist the forces causing belt sag in between panels and preventing the
belt from unfolding. In turn this can allow for larger idler panel spacing. Heavier material in the pipe
conveyor exerts a higher force on the pipe conveyor in horizontal direction, causing the overlap to slip
and unfold the belt at the top. This is prevented by shortening the idler panel spacing. A preliminary
guideline to idler panel spacing for pipe conveyor systems is provided by CEMA, shown in Table 4 [19].
Table 4: Idler panel spacing guideline for pipe conveyors for pipe diameters and material bulk density
Idler spacing is vastly different in curved sections of a pipe conveyor’s trajectory due to additional forces
exerted on the belt and idler rolls mainly. With the addition of these forces, it is necessary to decrease
the idler panel spacing, which is expressed as a percentage of the regular idler spacing depended on the
type of curve and type of belt, as shown in Table 5 [17].
Table 5: Idler panel spacing in curves
27
This is again just an indication however, since factors like belt tension can influence the idler panel
spacing in curves as well. Curves near the head end of the conveyor system will exert a greater force on
the idler rolls than curves near the tail end for instance. Pipe conveyor drag is increased through every
curved section of a pipe conveyor’s trajectory, also influencing the power calculations and therefore the
design. The design of belt curves can be quite complex, but a rough indication of possibilities and
limitations of curves in pipe conveyor systems is shown in Table 6 [2]. It shows a maximum curve radius
for small to midsize pipe conveyors, dependent on the pipe diameter 𝐷, for different sizes of curves and
different belt materials.
Table 6: Maximum curve size and radius for different belt types
28
Chapter 5 - Research methodology

It is clear that pipe conveyor systems are potentially superior to troughing conveyors for many
applications. However, the amount of implementations is lacking due to its complexity of design,
absence of sufficient research and development and a bad reputation, amongst other reasons. Proper
research and development into pipe conveyor systems will cause an introduction of standardization and
a wider implementation of the system in the industry, which in turn will make the bulk handling industry
more environmentally friendly.
Before the recent development and research into pipe conveyor systems is expanded on, first a brief
look into the research methodology that is used in this field is given. First a guide to most experimental
testing that is performed in recent years to study static and dynamic behavior in pipe conveyors is given
in subchapter 5.1. For the sake of clarity some of the research results are already discussed in this
subchapter. In subchapter 5.2 the different mathematical models and accompanying numerical software
that is used to verify the findings of experimental results are briefly summarized.
5.1 Test rigs

The experimental research on pipe conveyor systems focusses mainly on examining the contact forces
between the belt and idler rollers, because this is an area where a lot of design improvements can be
made. Examples of this are the optimization of the transverse belt stiffness or minimization of the
indentation rolling resistance (see subchapter 4.2). To validate the mathematical models that describe
the physics behind these theorems, which will be discussed in subchapter 5.2, it is vital to have properly
calibrated testing devices.
Testing devices for pipe conveyor systems are not only for fundamental research, but also important to
check the quality of the products on the market. With a lack of standardization in pipe conveyor
systems, owners have to rely on the manufacturers to provide quality components, which could be of
questionable quality. Sadly there are also no universal standards in place for testing devices and their
configuration, which can lead to misinformation on performance and reliability parameters of pipe
conveyor system components when results are compromised due to an improper test configuration or
measurement errors. Below are several of the existing testing devices currently used and some of their
advantages and disadvantages are shown, along with some of the yielded results[20][21][22].
29
Six-point pipe belt stiffness testing device

Several belt manufacturers and universities have made a so-called six-point bel stiffness testing device
[20][21][22][23] (see Figure 20) to test belts for their ability to keep and maintain their piped shape and
to determine the contact force it makes with idler rolls. It consists of six plates equipped with force
sensors, placed in a hexagonal shape. A short cutout of a piece of belt, a belt sample, is placed folded in
between these plates. The plates are fitted with foil paper to eliminate unwanted friction forces and
their position is adjustable to fit different pipe diameters.
The test rig can be used successfully, together

with the troughability test (Figure 17), to
identify a belt’s ability to form a stable pipe for
conveyors with different transverse bending
stiffness, pipe diameter and rate of overlap. It
is a cheap and relatively simple testing device,
but is very limited in its application. Although
the ability to study effects of curved sections
by applying lateral forces on the belt samples in
the test rig has been tried, accurate
measurements or studying of belt buckling and
twisting tendencies at spatial curves are lacking
with this device. Also the impacts of bulk
Figure 20: schematic of six-point pipe belt stiffness testing device
material inside the belt or dynamic effects
are not an option to study using this test rig.
Static test rigs

In order to examine belt behavior on its longitudinal axis a larger test setup is required. This could allow
for analysis of effects like longitudinal belt twisting at spatial curves or belt buckling under different belt
tensions. Static test rigs will clamp a piece of belt of several meters in between multiple hexagonal idler
roll panels, of which the middle panel is equipped with sensors to measure the contact forces. Most test
rigs possess the ability to adjust the belt trajectory to measure contact forces in curves. Belt tension is
varied by adjusting tension at one clamped edge using for instance a hydraulic press. To reduce belt
edge friction at the belt overlap, which could influence the results, a Teflon foil can be used.
An overview of three static test rigs with their corresponding characteristics and goals of research are
presented in Table 7.
Results of current static test rigs can deviate significantly, depending on its configuration. This signals a
need for the development of a uniform standard regarding proper test rig configuration for pipe
conveyors.
30
Table 7: Overview of three static test rigs and their characteristics [21][32]
Picture
Assembly Ckit Johannesburg, South Africa & TU of Košice, Slovak Republic [32] Phoenix conveyor Belt Systems and ITA at Leibniz
and/or TU Delft University, Hannover
testing by
Layout Five metal frames with idler stations Flat belt clamped on one end and Special modular and telescopic frames with five
enclosing a 12m steel cord belt sample three idler station with static rolls idler stations
enclosing
Goal •Investigate belt deformation at curves •Investigate contact forces at •Investigate belt deformation at curves
•Deflection in between idler stations formation section of belt into •Deflection in between idler stations
•Contact forces on the bottom idler roll piped shape •Contact forces on the bottom idler roll at
at various testing conditions
various testing conditions
Clamping Stripping edges of belt apart from the Fabric belt clamped between Hydraulic cylinders attached to replaceable
method steel cords, which are clamped by a disk plates with tightening bolts mounting disks. Disks designed to fit specific steel
attached to a hydraulic jack at one end through the belt on either side cord belt, with precise pipe diameter and location
to apply tension (0 to 60 MPa) and size of steel cords
Geometric •Inclines with curve radii of up to 169m •Adjustable pipe diameter using •Belt tension adjustable, even in specific steel
adjustability with shaft connection at bottom of screw rails on each of the six cords
frame and steel plates inserted at top static rolls per idler station •Idler spacing adjustable between 1 and 2m
connection of frame, lifting frames •Belt tension adjustable •Curve adjustability in vertical and horizontal
with hydraulic jack planes with minimum radii of 50m
•Overlap at top or bottom by rotating •Idler roll arrangement from one side to double
the clamp disks side
•Belt tension adjustable •Possibility to measure bulk weight by inserting
31
water tank
Results Proven to be a valid testing method to Some negative values in force Provided similar results for three identical belt
investigate curve deformation and which is not possible according to samples. Could potentially be used to test
contact force determination when theory, caused by improper different belt types
keeping drawbacks and limitations in sensor calibration or
mind. Validated using FEM measurement procedure error
Advantages
•Predict buckling and twisting tendency of belt specimen of the actual size at spatial curves
•Testing possible with many variables such as
- Pipe diameter
- Route curves
- Belt types
- Belt tension, even of steel cords individually
- Idler station pitch
- Idler roll arrangement
•Possibility to study the time effect and viscoelastic properties of the belt on its performance
•Significant space requirements

General •Heavy and bulky test rig
drawbacks •Expensive
of static test •Difficulties in eliminating effects of initial belt deformation
rigs •Extensive time required to replace belt samples and adjust variables
•Belt sample needs to be of considerable length to eliminate impact of the fixed edges
•No dynamic effects analysis possible
Drawbacks / •Measuring cells only in radial direction, •Uneven tension in belt due to •Each belt sample requires manufacturing a
limitations impact of friction forces not considered only partially clamping along belt specifically matching mounting disk
specific to or controlled width •Also used to test bulk material impact using
test setup •Presence of relaxation effect in the •Produces inaccurate results piped shaped water tanks, which does not match
belt, affecting the results reality. It does not reflect impact of the internal
•Modelled inclination curve radii could friction
be affected by vertical sag of heavy test
rig frame
•No horizontal curves possible
•Lack of variables such as pipe diameter
and pitch between stations
32
Dynamic test rigs and field tests

Dynamic test rigs are the closest possible replication of pipe conveyor dynamic behavior in industrial
installations and therefore can be a valuable tool in optimizing pipe belt performance. Different dynamic
test rigs have been made, since there are no standards for pipe conveyor testing methodology. From a
simple setup of a clamped piped shape belt with a set of idler panels moving along the pipe length[33],
to a whole pipe conveyor system tens of meters in length. An example of the latter is the dynamic test
rig installed at the Institute for Materials-Handling Technology and Mining Machinery of the University
of Hannover in 1995, shown in Figure 21. An idler station in the middle of the conveyor has multiple
types of sensing equipment to measure radial and longitudinal forces of all six idler rolls and a steel
cable arrangement that detects twisting torque in the belt. The test rig enables a variation in curve
radius, conveyor speed, idler spacing, belt tension, a range of pipe diameters and the possibility to
perform measurements on a belt loaded with bulk material.
Figure 21: Dynamic test rig at the Institute for Materials-Handling Technology and Mining Machinery of
the University of Hannover in 1995
Reported results from the dynamic test rig in Hannover were that the total vector sum of the radial
contact forces are affected by the variation in belt speed, idler spacing and belt tension. The load
distribution between the idler rolls did not change with the variation of these parameters however.
Another possible way to study the dynamic behavior of pipe conveyor systems is to perform
measurements on working pipe conveyors on location. This is done by dismounting idler rolls from their
panel and replacing them with units equipped with sensing devices. Each of these idler rolls has
calibrated force transducers installed in the brackets at both sides of the roll shaft. The sum of the forces
from both transducers represents the total contact force on the corresponding roller. To properly
position the idler rolls on the measuring idler panel, it is a possibility to use cords over the adjacent
33
panel rollers for alignment. The belt speed can be measured by placing a rotary wheel encoder on the
belt somewhere between two panels.
Results obtained from field measurements include a possible link between contact forces and
exploitation time of the pipe belt. Particularly, the longer the belt is in use, the smaller the contact
forces are that it generates. This can be explained by the belt rubber viscoelastic behavior and the
Mullin effect, which is a type of stress softening in rubber. A long exploitation time of the belt leads to a
decrease of the effective modulus of elasticity.
Results obtained by several dynamic test rigs examined by MSc. Maria E. Zamiralova at the TU Delft
appeared to vary significantly. However, some similarities in the contact forces results were found. With
the belt overlap at the top, the three most repeatable patterns are:
1. All the idler rolls are in contact with the belt, with the highest forces being in the bottom roller
and the lower left and lower right roller
2. Contact loss of the belt at one of the top idler rolls, most frequently the top right roller (when
the belt is folded left edge over right edge, see the belt in Figure 16 on the right for instance)
3. Contact loss at the top left and top right idler rolls, with a significantly large force at the top roll
In case of the belt overlap located at the bottom, the bottom roller suffered a dramatic load increase
with minor contact forces at the lateral rolls.[22][23]
Steep angle conveyor test rig

A research and development consortium founded by Contitech, Siemens, and Thyssenkrupp is
developing a high incline pipe conveyor with angles from 30 to even 45 degrees [24]. With the possibilty
of the material rolling down through the pipe belt, special chevron ribbing patterns are applied on the
carrying side of the belt to prevent this occurance. A test rig will be developed shown in Figure 22 to
examine the bulk behavior under different design parameters.
This rig will enable analysis of the

impact of dynamic effects caused by
the belt running across the idler
stations as well as the effects of
different chevron ribbings, conveying
materials and properties, granulations,
and more. The time at which sliding
starts from a relevant inclination for
the coarse bulk material compared to
fine-grained materials in commercially-
available pipe belt conveyors is
considered valuable information for
future development. Figure 22: Model of Megapipe test rig to be build to test inclination
angle effects [24]
34
5.2 Numerical modeling

Mathematical models are necessary to understand the physical principles that are used in improving the
design of pipe conveyor systems. A lot of mathematical theorems already exist for conventional
conveying and can be adjusted for pipe conveyor system calculations. Once a model is validated using
experimental results, numerical models can be made in accordance with these mathematical models
and be validated by them. Numerical models can therefore be extremely useful in preventing tedious
and time consuming hand calculations. A brief introduction in the software required for this type of
analysis is provided in this subchapter before these models are expanded on for pipe conveyor research
in Chapter 6.
Finite element method (FEM)

Finite element method (FEM), also referred to as the finite element analysis (FEA), is a numerical
method for solving analytical problems with differential equations with a set of corresponding boundary
and initial conditions. Commonly used software packages include ANSYS and Abaqus [25][26]. First a
solid geometry model can be created defined by volumes, area, lines and keypoints or it can be
imported from other software such as CAD. These solid models are then meshed, which is the ‘filling’ of
the model with nodes and elements, through which the calculations will be performed by the software.
Finally after including every material property, the model can be loaded with different types of forces
and the software runs these through every node and element and provides a usually colorful solution of
the loads and stresses the model is subjugated to, seen in Figure 25.
Discrete element method (DEM)

The structure and components of a pipe conveyor system can be modeled and exposed to loads, but this
does not accurately portray the bulk material load and behavior. This is where discrete element method
becomes useful. DEM is a tool used to model individual particles, their contact with each other and with
the environment, which in this case is bulk handling equipment. Where FEM considers the material as a
continuum divided into a mesh to solve continuum equations, DEM is a particle based method that
considers the particles as a modelling entity. In DEM software like EDEM, first particles are modeled and
calibrated by adjusting all particle properties such as lump size and shape or friction forces. An example
of the detail with which particles are simulated to provide accurate simulations is shown in Figure 23.
Then they can be rendered in bulk and interact with a geometric model such as a pipe conveyor belt.
DEM software like EDEM can be used in conjunction with FEM and is therefore extremely useful in
studying bulk behavior and simulating real life scenarios for pipe conveyor configurations. An example of
this coupled analysis is
shown in
Figure 23
(right)[25],
which will be
discussed in
Chapter 6.
Figure 23: Particle modeling in DEM software (left) and a coupled FEM/DEM analysis (right) [25]
35
Chapter 6 – Recent development and research

In this report all the inner workings and components that make up a pipe conveyor system are made
clear. Also the potential for the system being superior to conventional conveying methods is sufficiently
argued. After providing an explanation of the design considerations and the lack of standardization, it is
clear that current research and development can provide a solution to its lack in implementation.
Several experimental testing devices and accompanying verification and analysis software is expanded
on, some current topics of research papers that aim to improve pipe conveyor system design are
discussed in this chapter.
With the importance of optimizing the transverse belt stiffness stressed in subchapter 4.2, first the
recent development in establishing a universal model that determines this stiffness and that examines
the troughability of a pipe conveyor belt is explained in subchapter 6.1. Next examples of research
performed in the study of the contact forces between belt and idler rolls in a pipe conveyor system
using coupled FEM and DEM analyses are given in subchapter 6.2. Subchapter 6.3 shows, by example, a
study that constructs a mathematical model for the determination of indentation rolling resistance
specific to pipe conveyors. These types of models are crucial in the development of design
improvements in pipe conveyor systems. Most of these improvements are in the optimization of the
belt material characteristics, of which many are listed in subchapter 6.4.
6.1 Pipe troughability

In the bulk conveyor industry the only standardized method that reflects in some way belt bending
stiffness in lateral direction is the troughability test ISO703 (Figure 17). For pipe conveyors no standard
exist for this stiffness to ensure a well-sealed pipe shape. Besides the software tools like Beltstat
mentioned in subchapter 4.2, other researchers are proposing new mathematical models to be used as
a uniform validation technique for numerical models. Maria E. Zamiralova of the TU Delft published a
paper, among others, that describes such a mathematical model, including verification through both
FEM modeling and experimental tests using the six-point belt stiffness testing device. In order to study
the ‘pipe-ability’ of a pipe conveyor belt, the contact forces (or lack thereof) are a good indicator to
confirm a proper pipe shape.
Mathematical model for contact forces

Mathematical models that calculate the contact forces of pipe
conveyors have been described in multiple studies, where many
simplifications have been assumed in their analytical approach.
Maria E. Zamiralova [26] formulated a 2D mathematical model
that substitutes the contact forces with movable hinge supports
with one reaction force, as shown in Figure 24. To imitate the load
due to belt bending stiffness, a bending moment, 𝑀𝑏𝑠𝑡 , is placed
at both belt edges, where also an axial force 𝑁′1 is present. To
incorporate the stresses a belt is subjected to when bent into a
piped shape from a flat stress-free state, a radial expansion load
𝑞𝑠𝑡 is added. This stress that is evenly distributed along the belt Figure 24: Mathematical model of contact
forces [26]
36
cross-section geometry is not illustrated in Figure 24. Finally, 𝑞𝑏𝑤 as shown in Figure 24 is the weight of
the belt that is incorporated in the model. Bulk material weight is not incorporated in this analytical
model. This model can be classified as statically indeterminate to the fourth degree and is solved using
the Force Method.
Universal numerical model

Zamiralova [26] made two numerical models (Figure 25) using
ANSYS and validated them with the mathematical model
explained above. With given throughability data of a belt
(using standard ISO 703), an effective modulus of elasticity
can be quantified. The method used for this is restricted to
small strains which will not exceed 5%, which is the case for
pipe conveyor belts that get formed into a pipe shape under
normal operational conditions. This means that the modulus
of elasticity determined from the troughability test can be
applied for quantifying the contact forces. With these contact Figure 25: One of the FEM models created
forces quantified, the throughability of a pipe conveyor belt using ANSYS [26]
can be determined, which is extremely useful in pipe belt design. Finally the impact of belt line mass is
investigated together with the modulus of elasticity, from which the conclusion could be drawn that for
a heavier belt, the bending rigidity needs to be higher in order to maintain pipe throughability.
6.2 Coupled FEM/DEM analysis

This subchapter gives two examples of coupled FEM/DEM analysis performed to study pipe conveyor
systems.
Contact forces in loaded pipe conveyor

Research financed by the Australian
Research Council and Longking Bulk
Materials Science and Engineering
Co. proposed a coupled FEM and
DEM analysis of pipe conveyor
systems to determine the load
distribution of contact forces under
different load conditions, i.e. zero
gravity, empty pipe, and filling rate
of 40% and 80%[25]. The belt is
modeled in FEM as an orthotropic
elastic shell, whereas the rollers are
treated as rigid shells. The data for
the numerical model used is taken
from a paper by Zamiralova Figure 26: Coupled FEM/DEM simulation of a finite-length model pipe belt
conveyor
performing tests with the six-point
37
pipe belt stiffness testing device and the model was validated using her paper on pipe troughability
described above [26]. To incorporate the stresses of belt forming (𝑞𝑠𝑡 in the example mathematical
model above) the researchers used an auxiliary cylinder coupled with a pressure on the belts top surface
to bend it into shape, which are later dismissed. Other methods such as exerting a torque on each belt
edge are also possible, as used in other studies [32]. The setup phase for the software simulation is
illustrated in Figure 26, where it can be seen how the particles are loaded, the belt is folded around a
cylinder and rotated depending on overlap position for testing, idler rolls are loaded, gravity forces are
initiated and finally the material is settled and the simulation is ready to start. After running many
simulations with varying parameters several conclusions could be drawn:
 Belt-roller contact force results from both elastic recovery of the belt and the bulk weight
 There exists only a weak interplay between the two, since it was observed belt stress remains
almost unchanged for different filling rates
 The contact force is highly sensitive in cases of zero gravity and in the case of an empty pipe
 Subtle factors such as belt surface friction, softening of belt edge or overlap position can
significantly affect load distributions in zero gravity and empty pipe cases
 Sensitivity of above mentioned factors decrease with the addition of bulk load, where for a
heavily loaded belt (80% filling rate), gravity dominates and the load distribution of contact
forces stabilizes
 Particle properties such as sliding friction and particle shape influences force transmission within
the particle bed and change the bottom roller force mildly
Lateral pressure in a pipe belt

Researchers at the University of Science and Technology in
Huainan, China published a paper [27] establishing a coupling
model for pipe conveyor belt lateral pressure and verifying this
model with a DEM simulation and experimental results. They
composed a general equation for the lateral pressure in a belt
section between two idler panels. The equation suggests, among
other parameters, a correlation between this lateral pressure and
material diameter and filling rate, which was tested in a DEM
simulation, shown in Figure 27. To test this correlation, the
average lateral force in the belt was found with varying filling rates Figure 27: DEM simulation geometry
of 60% and 75% and bulk material diameters (30, 40 and 50mm). including bulk material [27]
The report concluded, also from the mathematical analysis, that

material diameter and filling rate have an impact on the lateral pressure of a pipe conveyor belt. They
found a coupling relation between the material diameter and the filling rate, meaning there is not a
simple linear relation with these parameters and the resulting lateral pressure. This research suggests it
is possible to minimize the lateral pressures on the conveyor belt with the right selection of pipe
diameter and filling rate for a certain application.
38
6.3 Indentation rolling resistance

In this subchapter the research performed in the main resistance force in pipe conveyors is discussed,
the indentation rolling resistance (explained in subchapter 4.2). Lowering this resistance can
dramatically decrease power consumptions in pipe conveyor systems, emphasizing the importance of
research into this phenomenon. The mathematical analysis of this phenomenon is discussed below, with
the innovation in design regarding this topic is summarized in the next subchapter.
Calculation of indentation rolling resistance

The indentation rolling resistance factor is governed by the load force of the belt and the material
exerted on each roll. The loads of belt and material are considered from half a pitch length in front and
half behind an idler panel assembly, where a difference is made between active and passive pressure.
This is because the idler panel will squeeze the material slightly tighter every time the belt passes
through an idler station. After obtaining the concentrated forces due to the material load distribution
for each of the idlers and the load forces from the belt, the addition of the two can be used in
determining the indentation rolling resistance.
Figure 28: Eliptical contact surface in pipe conveyors (left), Maxwell mathematical model with m-elements (right) [18]
Several indentation models are in circulation, but for this report the model made by Zamiralova [18] is
expanded on. The contact spot geometry in pipe conveyors is different from conventional conveyors and
is elliptically shaped, as seen in Figure 28 (left). This elliptical geometry indicates that the contact time
depends on the contact width along the length of the idler roll. This situation requires a three
dimensional contact model. A generalized Maxwell model is used to model the belt’s rubber viscoelastic
behavior, which is illustrated in Figure 28 (right). For simplification a so-called Winkler viscoelastic string
“matrass” foundation is employed. Results were obtained for different filling rate percentages. They
showed that with a higher filling rate of the belt, the indentation rolling resistance factor decreased. This
is due to the influence of the presence of the forces from the belt material stiffness. Finally, the
simulation also demonstrated a comparison with conventional troughing conveyor rolling resistance,
and found that the indentation rolling resistance factor is higher in pipe conveyor systems.
39
6.4 Belt material characteristics improvements

With the aid of before mentioned mathematical and numerical models that are developed studying pipe
belt aspects such as transverse bending stiffness or indentation rolling resistance, the pipe conveyor belt
can be improved to minimize the systems power consumption. Examples of these improvements are
listed in this subchapter.
Confine pipe belt

Conveyor Dynamics Inc. and Veyance Technologies Inc. developed the Goodyear Confine steel cord and
fabric pipe conveyor belts using FEM and mathematical models together with extensive experimental
testing and even dynamic analysis [28]. The cross-section of this belt, shown in Figure 20, consists of
three sections. The carrying zone has many steel cords close together, whereas at the belt edge there
are a reduced number of steel cords. In between there is an area without any steel cords. The weight
distribution of this belt design lowers its center of gravity in the piped shape, which makes the belt more
stable and resistant to rotation. The area without steel cords are claimed to reduce the belt deformation
and collapse in curved sections, because of an absence of bending forces from steel cords. The belt edge
steel cords are implemented in the design to provide a tight seal of the pipe belt.
Low rolling resistance belt technology (LRR)

With the increasing knowledge of indentation rolling resistance and how this viscoelastic deformation in
rubber belts is causing it, improvements can be made in reducing this resistance and thereby reduce
power consumption and belt tension. Several pipe conveyor belt manufacturers have implemented a
special kind of low rolling resistance belt. Examples of this are Goodyear’s Easyrider, Phoenix’ EOB
(Energy Optimized Belt), and Bridgestone’s Energy Saving Belt. These belts have a modified bottom
cover rubber with less hysteresis energy loss, as compared to conventional belt bottom cover rubber
[12]. Different rubber materials like Sulfron and Twaron also provided promising results [29].
Weaving pattern in fabric belts

Fabric belts are also adjusted to ensure proper belt pipe-ability. A paper published by Marcin Barburski
from the Technical University of Lodz, Poland investigated the impact of different weave patterns in
fabric belts to prevent belt collapse [30]. Nine fabrics of different weaves were made with polyester
warp and polyamide weft. A test setup was built to measure the contact forces to test the different
weave patterns. Analysis of the results produces an optimal fabric belt regarding its pipe shape, which
had a variable rigidity along the belt width. Three different weave patterns were used in this belt; a satin
weave at the bottom, a back weft weave on the sides and a warp rep weave at the top of the circular
cross-section of the pipe belt. The study of the newly designed belt showed that it has better closing
properties and that the effect of collapsing the edges inward was eliminated.
Ribbed carrying side belt

A pipe conveyor system is being developed by Contitech, Siemens, and Thyssenkrupp, that enables
inclination angles of 45 degrees (see test rig in Figure 22) [24]. To prevent bulk material from falling
down, a ribbed carrying side cover of different patterns is being tested to ensure better grip between
belt and material.
40
Chapter 7 – Conclusions
This report made clear the potential pipe conveyor systems have to be a very powerful tool in bulk
material handling. Pipe conveyor systems can provide significant improvements in many aspects over
conventional conveyor systems, particularly in environmental protection. Due to the pipe conveyors
enclosed shape, elimination of environmental contamination due to spillage and dust propagation can
be accomplished. Its ability to negotiate tight corners and steep inclines can negate the need for
expensive and messy transfer points and additional conveyors. Pipe conveyors are very compact in
cross-sectional area, making the system also very suitable for application where space is limited, such as
tunnels.
Standardization in the pipe conveyor system design is severely lacking, with only specialized companies
offering design tools such as software applications. This can be disadvantageous for pipe conveyor
system design, which requires the study of complex design considerations to ensure proper
functionality. For instance, transverse belt stiffness needs to be carefully selected to ensure a proper
pipe shape of the belt. If the belt lacks transverse stiffness, the belt will collapse, causing alignment
problems and possible damage and spillage. When the stiffness is too high, the belt will exert too much
force on the idler rollers, causing extremely high power consumption of the system. Indentation rolling
resistance is another design parameter that is attempted to be kept at a minimum to ensure low friction
forces at the belt idler contact points.
A lot of research is performed in order to gain insight into these physical principles that govern the static
and dynamic behavior of pipe conveyor systems. This is done with mathematical and numerical
modeling through FEM and DEM analyses, used in conjunction with newly developed experimental
testing devices. This research and development will help in recovering its tarnished image as an
expensive and power hungry alternative to troughing conveyors. The range of the area of application for
pipe conveyors is already very high, given it has the capability to negotiate tight corners and steep
inclines, and will only increase with new developments that are announced as written in this report.
41
References
[1] Bridgestone Pipe Conveyor Belt,

https://www.bridgestoneengineered.com/Pipe_Conveyor_Belt/ (2017)
[2] IBT Bulk Handling Technology, The evolution of the pipe-conveyor,
http://www.ibtbulk.nl/sites/default/files/The%20evolution%20of%20the%20pipe%20conveyor.
pdf (2017)
[3] Ckit, Pipe conveyors, http://www.ckit.co.za/secure/conveyor/pipe/pipe_whole.htm (2017)
[4] Lodewijks, G., Modern Belt Conveyor Systems,
http://www.pipeconveyor.com/Papers/Modern/Modern%20Belt.htm (2017)
[5] Lodewijks, G., The History of Pipe Conveyors,
http://www.pipeconveyor.com/Papers/History/History.htm (2017)
[6] Ramjee, S., Staples, P., Pipe Conveyors for Infrastructure Projects. Bulk Solids Handling, Vol. 35,
Iss. 4, 2015, pp.20-27. https://www.slideshare.net/SachinRamjee/bulk-solids-handling-article-
54009600 (2017)
[7] Nordell, L.K., The power of rubber, http://conveyor-dynamics.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/02/Power-of-Rubber-Part-1-1996.pdf (2017)
[8] CEMA, CEMA belt book 5th ed. Ch.6 Belt tension, power, and drive engineering,
http://www.cemanet.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/BB5thEd_Chapter-61.pdf (2017)
[9] Ckit, Pipe Conveyors and their application in the Cement Industry,
http://www.pipeconveyor.com/Papers/Applications/Applications.htm (2017)
[10]ThyssenKrupp Robins, Vaka, G.A., Development and Advantages,
http://www.pipeconveyor.com/Case%20Studies/Advantages/Advantages.htm (2017)
[11]BEUMER Group, Ship, S., Advances in Conveyor Technology,
https://www.beumergroup.com/uploads/tx_bbbrochures/WP_Advances_in_Conveyor_Technol
ogy.pdf (2017)
[12]Zhang, Y., Overland Pipe Conveyor with Low Rolling Resistance Belt, Bulk Solids Handling, No. 4,
2013, pp.16-21
[13]Phoenix, Phoenopipe, http://www.phoenix-conveyorbelts.com/pages/products/special-
belts/phoenopipe/phoenopipe_en.html (2017)
[14]Wolf Point Engineers, Pipe conveyors, http://www.wolfpointengineers.com/capabilities-pipe-
conveyors.html (2017)
[15]Conveyor Dynamics Inc., BELTSTAT Conveyor Belt Design Software, http://conveyor-
dynamics.com/index.php/products/beltstat_conveyor_belt_design_software/ (2017)
[16]Overland Conveyor Company, Inc., Belt Analyst Help Files,
http://www.overlandconveyor.com/help/nethelp/index.html#!Documents/Topics/pipeconveyor
calculations.htm (2017)
[17]Loeffler, F.J., Loeffler Engineering Group, Pipe/tube conveyors,
http://www.experts.com/content/articles/Loeffler-Pipe-Tube_Conveyor.pdf (2017)
[18]Zamiralova, M.E., Lodewijks, G., Energy Consumption of Pipe Belt Conveyors: Indentation Rolling
Resistance
42
[19]CEMA, Belt Conveyors for Bulk Materials, http://www.cemanet.org/wp-

content/uploads/2012/06/BBChangePages1stPrinting.pdf (2017)
[20]Zamiralova, M.E., Lodewijks, G., Pipe conveyor test rigs: Design, application and test results –
Part A, Bulk Solids Handling, Vol. 34, Iss. 5, 2014, pp. 40-45
Part B, Bulk Solids Handling, Vol. 34, Iss. 6, 2014, pp. 38-46
Part C, Bulk Solids Handling, Vol. 35, Iss. 1, 2015, pp. 42-49
[23]Zamiralova, M.E., Lodewijks, G., Measurement of a pipe belt conveyor contact forces and cross
section deformation by means of the six-point pipe belt stiffness testing device, Journal of the
International Measurement Confederation, DOI: 10.1016/j.measurement.2015.03.045, Vol. 70,
2015, pp. 232-246
[24]Minkin, A., Borsting, P., Becker, N., Pipe Conveying the next Stage, http://www.bulk-solids-
handling.com/?q=topics/conveying-transportation/mechanical-belt-conveyor-systems/pipe-
conveying-next-stage (2017)
[25]Zheng, Q., Xu, M., Chu, K., Pan, R., Yu, A., A coupled FEM/DEM model for pipe conveyor
systems: Analysis of the contact forces on belt Powder Technology, Vol. 314, 2017, pp
480-489
[26] Zamiralova, M.E., Lodewijks, G., Shape Stability of Pipe Belt Conveyors: From Troughability to
Pipe-Ability
[27]Guo, Y., Wang, S., Hu, K., Li, D., Optimization and experimental study of transport section
lateral pressure of pipe belt conveyor, Advanced Powder Technology, Vol. 27, Iss. 4,
2016, pp 1318-1324
[28]Zhang, Y., Steven, R., Pipe conveyor and belt: belt construction, low rolling resistance and
dynamic analysis, http://conveyor-dynamics.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/SME_2012-
Pipe_CV_Paper.pdf (2017)
[29]Lodewijks, G., The Next Generation Low Loss Conveyor Belts
[30]Barburski, M., Analysis of the pipe conveyor belt pressure on the rollers on its circuit. Journal of
Industrial Textiles, Vol. 45, Iss. 6,
[31]NEN-EN-ISO 703, Conveyor belts – Transverse flexibility (throughability) - Test method, 2007.
[32]Molnár, V., Fedorko, G., Stehlíková, B., Michalik, P., Kopas, M., Simulation of Interaction of a
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[33]Kessler, F., Pipe conveyor with a completely new belt guidance,
http://www.beltcon.org.za/docs/b1210.pdf (2017)
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handling/products.htm#conveyor-rollers-new-delhi-india-741037 (2017)
43

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FACULTY MECHANICAL, MARITIME AND

Specialization: Transport Engineering and Logistics

Report number: 2017.TEL.8162

Title: Pipe conveyor systems - an

Author: W.P.J. Vreeburg

Assignment: Literature assignment

Supervisor: Dr. ir. Y. Pang

Date: September 8, 2017

W.P.J. Vreeburg Assignment type: Literature assignment

Subject: Overview of Characteristics and Current Developments in Research of Pipe

 An overview of the working principles and components of pipe conveyor systems

Dr. ir. Y. Pang

1.1 Introduction to pipe conveyor systems

1.2 Object of research and focus of report

1.3 Report structure

Chapter 2 – Pipe conveyor system and operations

2.1 Working principle

After the belt is loaded, the belt goes gradually from a

Figure 4: Fabric vs steel cord belt cover cross-section[3][4]

2.3 Belt alignment

Figure 7: Cross-section illustrating incorrect and correct belt

Chapter 3 – Pipe conveyor applications, characteristics and historic

3.1 Application field introduction

Table 1: JPC Agents Internationally [5]

3.2 Application field through characteristics of pipe conveyor system vs.

Chapter 4 – Pipe conveyor standards and design

4.1 Historic design development

Figure 13: Belt pinching [5]

4.2 Pipe conveyor standards and design considerations

Transverse belt stiffness

Despite much research into this topic discussed

 Increased amount of rollers

Indentation rolling resistance

4.3 Pipe conveyor design characteristics

Pipe opening and closing

Loading and overfilling

Idler panel spacing and curve analysis

Chapter 5 - Research methodology

5.1 Test rigs

Six-point pipe belt stiffness testing device

The test rig can be used successfully, together

Static test rigs

•Significant space requirements

Dynamic test rigs and field tests

Steep angle conveyor test rig

This rig will enable analysis of the

5.2 Numerical modeling

Finite element method (FEM)

Discrete element method (DEM)

Chapter 6 – Recent development and research

6.1 Pipe troughability

Mathematical model for contact forces

Universal numerical model

6.2 Coupled FEM/DEM analysis

Contact forces in loaded pipe conveyor

Lateral pressure in a pipe belt

The report concluded, also from the mathematical analysis, that

6.3 Indentation rolling resistance

Calculation of indentation rolling resistance

6.4 Belt material characteristics improvements

Confine pipe belt

Low rolling resistance belt technology (LRR)

Weaving pattern in fabric belts