By

N.Saravanan,
Grinding Technology Department,
FLSmidth Pvt Ltd.,
Chennai.
Purpose of bucket elevators

* Bucket elevators are used to lift bulk material from one height to another. They
are a reliable and well-proven piece of equipment.

* Bucket elevators are an ideal solution for vertical transportation of bulk materials.
* Bucket elevators operate by using an endless belt or chain on which rectangular buckets are
mounted. This belt or chain revolves between a top and bottom pulley and the buckets move
with it.

* At the bottom, the buckets pick up product fed into the elevator boot and at the top the
product is discharged as the bucket turns downward over head pulley.

* Along with each type of elevator, different styles of buckets have been developed which better
suit the elevator or the materials to be handled.
Types of bucket elevators

Centrifugal discharge elevator (CE) :

This is the most commonly used type with bucket mounted on belt or chain for
handling of free flowing or small particle.

Continuous discharge elevators (CO) :

This type pf elevators are used for handling large lumps and material that
cannot be handled by centrifugal discharge. The slow speed and gentle method of
loading & discharging is the main feature.

Positive discharge elevators (PO) :

This is similar to centrifugal type except the bucket are end mounted with two
strands of chain. Bucket speed is slower and suitable for light, aerated, sticky
materials.
BELT BUCKET ELEVATOR INTRODUCION

Bucket elevator belts and conveyor belts have different requirements.

 For elevator service, you need to calculate the strength of the belt needed to
support the weight of the bucket and the material being conveyed.
 In addition, you need to calculate the strength needed to handle the available
horsepower. This is easy to accomplish. Since the weight of the buckets is
essentially the same on both sides of the leg, the weight of the material is the
difference.

Standard Elevator Bucket Punching

 The type, size, weight, capacity, spacing, and projection of the buckets
are critical factors in determining the correct belt for carrying the load and holding
the buckets. The number, size and location of the bolts are also important.
Important advantages of belt bucket over chain bucket elevators

* Lower wear and tear

* Quiet operation
* Higher specific conveying capacity
* Lower power consumption
* Most suitable for handling cement, raw meal, coal etc
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

Equipment : Belt Bucket elevator

Material to be handled : Raw meal
Bulk density : 0.8 to 0.9 T/M3
Material Temperature : Max. 120 0 C
Capacity (Design) : 350 T/hr
C/C Distance : 68.570 Mtrs
Belt : Steel Chord Belt 1050 mm width
Belt strength : 2000 kp/cm
Belt speed : 1.66 m/sec.
Bucket size : 900*335*5
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

Belt size : 1050 mm W * 141.50 M lg.

Breaking Load : 185.800 KP
Working load : 15.500 KP
Belt strength : 2000 KP/CM
Safety factor : 12
Bucket quantity : 306
Distance between two buckets : 460 mm
Head and Tail pulley Dia : 1250 mm
Installed motor : 110 KW
Casing size : 1310 W *2450 Box 780
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

BOLT SIZE Torque

M 20 * 1.5 64 Nm/Bolt

M 24 * 2 1000 Nm/Bolt

M 30 * 2 2200 Nm/Bolt
DRIVES

Auxiliary drive : Geared motor- Greaves make GM 095, 5.5 KW, 56

output RPM with spiral Jaw coupling
Make : MARK AEC

Safety Device : Belt sway switch 220 V, 400 mA

Electronic speed regulator

Painting : 2 coats of primer after Sand blasting and 1 coat of

final finish synthetic enamel paint by spray painting.
Material of construction

Buckets : 5 mm thick plate – IS:2062

Head Casing : 10 mm thick plate - IS:2062

Boot Casing : 16 mm thick plate - IS:2062

Intermediate Casing : 5 mm thick plate - IS:2062

SPARE PARTS LIST

S.No Item Qty per assly

01 Buckets 306 Nos

02 Head shaft Bearing 2 Nos

03 Boot shaft Bearing 2 Nos

04 Belt 1 Length

05 Clamping device 1 Set

06 Bucket fixing bolt 2142 Nos

07 Tension Device Assly/ Bearing Bush 2 Nos

CONSTRUCTION DETAILS

* Head casing
* Lower head section
* Head shaft assembly
* Boot casing
* Boot shaft assembly
* special steel chord belt
* Belt guide rollers
* Buckets
* Safety devices
* Intermediate casing
* Main drive ( Bevel Helical Gear box & Fluid coupling )
* Auxiliary drive
* Maintenance platforms
* Flanged inlet opening
* Flanged dust collecting point at head casing
Erection

The following

* Storage at site
* Safety
* Preparation at site
* Workmanship
* Foundation checking
* Guide frames erection
* Fastening the side frame to the platform
* Drive unit tied into elevator casing
* Mounting of elevator belt
* Mounting the buckets
Operational procedure

The following check points should be reviewed before initial operation.

* Head and boot shafts must be parallel to each other and pulleys in line
* Casing plumb to within given tolerances
* All bolts joining sections properly tightened
* Reducer filled with oil to proper level
* Correct motor rotation
* Tighten all bucket moving bolts
* All lateral supports in place and secured
* Bearing lubrication
* Guards should be provided
* Inspection door should be closed
* Check for interlocking controls & safety controls
Initial operation

Particular attention should be directed to the following

* Loud or unusual noise

* Excess vibration
* Bearing overheating
* Drive unit overheating
MAJOR COMPONENTS MAINTENANCE CHECK
LIST

S.No Item Check point Frequency

01 DRIVE UNITS

Lubricants, Heat-
Motor As per
up
Manufactures
Gear Box Manuals
Lubricants, Heat-
up

Coupling Alignment &

Tightness of bolts

Geared motor Lubricants, Heat-

up

Level switch Electrical function

 MAJOR COMPONENTS MAINTENANCE CHECK
LIST
S.No Item Check point Frequency

02 Head casing

Wear out Position/

Baffle plate Monthly
Fit out condition
Pillow Block in Head Shaft
Assembly Grease in bearing
Every 3 months

General cleaning &

Every 2 years
Check for worn out
of parts & replace if
Required.

Shaft assembly
Check for worn out
parts Every 2 months
 MAJOR COMPONENTS MAINTENANCE CHECK
LIST

S.No Item Check point Frequency

03 Take up Tension in screw Every 3 months

rods

04 Inspection hole at boot Material Weekly once

casing accumulation
during break
down
Foreign material
in feed.
MAJOR COMPONENTS MAINTENANCE CHECK
LIST

S.No Item Check point Frequency

05 STUFFING Inspection of packing for wear & tear Monthly

BOX
Tightness of glands screws

06 BELT & Tightness of Bolts & Nuts on Buckets First 100 hours
BUCKETS of operation
Inspection of belt for damage
Every 3 months
Inspection of bolts & tightness &
completeness

Deformed and damaged buckets to be

replaced
MAJOR COMPONENTS MAINTENANCE CHECK
LIST

S.No Item Check point Frequency

07 Clamping Tightness of bolts with torque wrench After 50 hours of

Device operation

After another 2
weeks

After another 6
weeks

After another 3
months
LUBRICATION CHART
S.No Lubrication Lubricant Specification Qty Frequency Method of
point or make of application
lubricant
01 Antifriction Grease Servogem 2 20 800 hours/ By Grease
bearings in of Indian oil Gms as and when Gun/ By
Plummer block required hand
02 Motor Grease Servogem 3 20 Every year Grease
Gms 10000 Gun
running
hours
03 Gear box Lubricati Servomesh 100 6 Months By pouring
ng oil SP 320 of Ltrs through oil
Indian oil plug
04 Fluid coupling Lubricati
ng oil

05 Geared motor Lubricati As per Manufacture’s Manuals

ng oil
Troubleshooting

Please see the “ Troubleshooting.doc “ file for various troubleshooting

methods.

This file is given along with Belt bucket elevators presentation

OPERATION OF BELT BUCKET ELEVATORS
HEAD PULLEY & BOOT CAGE

Head pulley Boot cage

BELT BUCKET ELEVATOR’S DRIVE
INCHING DEVICE

This is normally a low speed geared motor. It permits low speed drive for
inching and turning of large size and high speed bucket elevators in case of
maintenance, inspection and test run

Jaw clutch
BELT & BUCKETS
TENSIONING DEVICE
BELTS & BELT JOINING METHODS
Bucket on belt attachment
Various types of Buckets joints
BUCKET SIZE & PUNCH STYLE
BUCKET SIZE & PUNCH STYLE
BUCKET SIZE & PUNCH STYLE
BUCKET SIZE & PUNCH STYLE
Advantages of Fluidomat Fluid Couplings:

 Wear-free power transmission because of absence of mechanical connection

between the input and output elements.

 No-load start-up of motor irrespective of machine load. Motor peak torque utilized
for machine acceleration.

 Motor selection to operating HP rather than starting loads. Saving on energy cost
and capital cost.

 Simple control of maximum or limiting torque by easy variation of oil filling.

 Added protection for motor and driven machine by limiting torque to a

predetermined safe value.

 Automatic unloading of prime mover in case of any sustained overload, by

blowing-off of fusible plug on coupling, thus draining out oil.
Advantages of Fluidomat Fluid Couplings:
* Automatic synchronization and load sharing in case of multi-motor drives

* Effective dampening of shocks, load fluctuations and torsional vibrations. Helpful

in improving the drive duty conditions in machines subjected to shock loads,
frequent load changes, startups and reversals.

* Smooth and controlled acceleration of driven machines. Important for machines

such as conveyors, wire drawing and textile machines.

* Step less speed variation in wide range obtained in scoop type fluid couplings.

* Continuous clutching and declutching of large drives obtained from SC type

couplings.

* Economy on machine and drive designs.

* Energy saving