Design of Belt Conveyors

Step #3 Checking Out the Power

©2012 Dr. B. C. Paul

Note – Material in these slides include screen shots from the program “Belt Analyst”
by Overland Conveyors. Credit for program and interfaces are given to Overland
Conveyors. Procedures taught and many tables used were developed by the Conveyor
Equipment Manufactures Association. The author also referenced previous notes
developed by the author.
 Let Check Out Motor
Sizes, Belt Type and
Brakes
This shows the stress profile on
The belt over the entire length

Our Belt is 503 lbs per inch width (the way belt strength is measured) – it runs a 88% of rated
Strength. We have a 250 HP motor that runs at 72% of name-plate
Belts That Roll Up and
Down are Tricky
There maximum stress may not occur at
The drive pulley and may move around
Depending on how the belt is loaded.
 We Will Have The Computer Check
Horsepower While the Belt Loads
and Unloads
I drop the Edit
Menu

I Select Loading

On the side I
Select Carry

On the sub-sub
Menu I order to
Load up and then
Unload the belt.

I went to the motor tab

Step By Step Simulation
Sets Up
I have ordered it to pause if I
Overload by motor, belt, or
Take-up so I can see the
Condition and take action.
It Steps Through Loading
and Unloading
During Load On
Simulation
My motor which had a steady state load
Of 72% reached 92%

My belt which had an 88% steady state

Load at one point reached 97%

I did not need brakes at any point.

I Simulate the Conveyor
Unloading
Again everything checks out
Ok
Lets Check Out Only
Inclines Loaded
Looks Like We Are In
Tolerance
Only Declines Loaded
Life is Still Looking Good
 We Could Try Some
Other Things
• If this were a decline I could play with
temperature since it impacts friction
• What happens if I get sloppy on my
maintenance with rollers and alignment?
• What happens if I end up with about the
same volume on the conveyor but I end up
cutting a lot of roof?
I’ll Go to My Idlers Page
I Will Allow User Access to All
Database Parameters
I’ll Go After Alignment
and Seal Drag
 Now Theres a Piece of Well
You Know What Maintenance
Oh My Gosh!
If it stalls in this condition
I never get it started

Belt at 114% (if it were new

It might not break)

Motor at 123% - your dead

Take-up at 116%
Step Up the Belt
Pick the belt Icon on the Left

Allow User Access to Data Base

Pick the Next Belt Duty Up

Go To The Motor
This time there is not a database
Of common sizes.
 Common Motor Sizing
• From 75 to 150 in steps of 25 hp
• From 150 to 500 in steps of 50 hp
• From 500 to 700 in steps of 100 hp
• From 750 up in steps of 250 hp
I’ll Put a 300 on It
I’ll Set the Take-Up to
23,000
My Worst Case Run
I’m at 102% and 103% - I’m fairly sure
I can live with that.
 If I Wanted to Try My
High Roof Rock Scenario

Set the tons per hour to reflect what

You think you would produce if you
Were cutting a lot into roof.
On material tab
Set Density to reflect
High roof rock content
 Well Now the Time Has Come
to Shoot the Engineers and
Start Production

Under Profile we can find our belt length and idler spacings.
On the Idler Tab We Can Find
the Number of and Ratings for
Our Idlers
On the Belt Tab We Find
the Belt Type and Length
Under Drive We Find Motor Size,
Speed and Lagging for the Drive
Pulley
Under Pulley You Find the Size
and Lagging for Your Pulleys
And a Little Graphics
Bonus
Right click on the conveyor
Profile and it offers you
2D or 3D graphics.
Might Get a Little Coolness for
Your Presentation to the Board
 A Side Comment
• Sometimes for long runs of big lifts (such
as a slope) you may need to dual drive
– Dual drives allow you more wrap than you can
get with one drive
– Can also spread out your motor horsepower
• If the drive motors are together at one service
location the secondary drive motor will be much
lower HP than the primary
If You Need to Go Dual
Drive

On profile if you click insert drive it will put in a 2 nd (or 3rd) drive
 Now to Include You
• Your Unit Project
– Your coal mine has a slope from a depth of 800 feet.
– Design a slope belt conveyor to bring up 1700 tons per
hour
• Provide me with a supply list
– How much belt of what width and rating do you need?
– How many carry and return idlers of what specification
and rating do you need?
– What size and lagging do you need on how many of
what type of pully?
– What size and speed of motors do you need.
 Continued
• Explain to me how your conveyor is laid
out and what you did to make sure your
conveyor could handle any foreseeable duty
• Provide a copy of Belt Analyst file or files
(in case you cannot get to the top with just
one conveyor)