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Selecting FDA 0105
Selecting FDA 0105
T1
Head Pulley
T2
Low Tension
+ Snub
Arc of Contact
+
T1
Arc of Contact
Primary Pulley
T3
Arc of Contact
Secondary
Pulley
T2
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Belt conveyors utilize a friction drive and 3.Type of take-up (whether screw or gravity).
accordingly, when power is applied to the drive
system, one run of the belt will experience a The ratio of slack side tension (T2) and effective
higher tension than the other. Let us call this the tension (Te) can be represented by a constant.
tight side tension (T1) and the other run, the slack
side tension (T2). Upon installation, a belt is
normally tensioned until the belt fails to slip with K = T2 Therefore; T2 = KTe
the system fully loaded. Te
K Factor Table
Screw Takeup Counter Weighted
or Gravity Take-up
Angle of Belt Wrap at Drive Type of Drive
Bare Lagged Bare Lagged
Pulley Pulley Pulley Pulley
For belts exposed to the weather and wet operating conditions, the K factor in the calcula-
tions should be increased by up to 50% to help prevent slippage. By increasing the K factor,
the slack side tension (T2 ) will be increased, thereby increasing the counterweight (Cwt).
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For conventional conveyors designed with a As the gravity take-up location moves toward the
gravity take-up located near and behind the drive tail area and further away from the drive, the
area, the counterweight (Cwt) has a direct amount of take-up weight will increase. This
relationship to the slack side tension (T2). The increased take-up weight will be needed to
amount of Cwt can be expressed as: overcome the return run friction factors between
the drive and the take-up location.
Cwt=2T2
The four drive systems shown below are only
This Cwt is the total amount of counterweight four of the many drive arrangements that can be
needed in the system to maintain proper convey- constructed depending on the general conveyor
or tensions. It should be noted that this total also profile.
includes the weight of the take-up pulley, the
take-up weight box, and appropriate hardware
associated with the gravity take-up.
T1 T1
T2 T2
• Low Tension
Snub
Arc of Contact Arc of Contact
T1
• Arc of Contact
T1 Primary Pulley
T3 T3
• T3
T2
T2
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Overland Conveyor, Long Centered
elev. 1000'
The preceding conveyor profiles offer many chal- Minimum Pulley Diameter
lenges for the conveyor engineer to establish
conveyor tensions at various points along the
The smallest pulley diameter the belt will
belt path. This is particularly true when dealing
encounter in the conveyor system is a primary
with multiple drives, overland conveyors, revers-
consideration in selecting the proper conveyor
ing conveyors and regenerative conveyors. If a
belt. It is important that as the belt wraps around
more accurate operating tension computation is
that pulley, under tension, the stress in the belt is
desired, a full computerized belt analysis is avail-
below the fatigue limit of the bond between the
able from your Georgia Duck representative.
belt components. Overstressing the belt, particu-
larly the bond between the individual plies and
Georgia Duck representatives also have lap top
the skim, can result in ply separation and prema-
computers to offer instant assistance with engi-
ture belt failure . . . especially at the belt splices.
neering calculations on the more common con-
In some applications, due to system limitations,
veyor profiles.
smaller than recommended pulleys may be used.
This will affect the service life of the belt and will
A computer program for engineering calculations
result in more frequent splice replacements. A
for bulk haulage, elevator, and package handling
given belt construction has a characteristic “flex-
conveyors is also available for Georgia Duck
ibility” in the lengthwise direction. Our brochures
associates. These programs are user friendly and
and data sheets give recommendations based on
can offer numerous benefits in problem solving.
calculated tension at the pulley location.
Correct Troughing
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Load Support In the illustration below, the weight of the load has forced
the belt tightly into the gap, causing the possibility of pre-
mature failure.
Most conveyor belts carrying “freely flowing”
materials operate over troughed idlers. The
troughing angle of these idlers will usually vary
from 20 degrees to 45 degrees . . . and beyond.
(X)
Obviously, this trough-angle affects the belt by
creating a line along which the belt is constantly
flexed. The greater the trough angle, the greater
the flexing action. When the belt is fully loaded,
the portion of the load (X) directly over the idler
junction gap forces the belt to flex to a shorter
radius. The heavier the load, the smaller the
radius through which the belt must flex. Further,
at higher troughing angles (like 45 degrees), Consequently, consideration must be given to
gravitational force is exerted on the portion of designing the belt with sufficient transverse rigid-
the belt in contact with the wing idler. All these ity and flex life so that for a given idler angle and
forces are trying to pull that belt down into that load weight, premature belt failure will not occur.
idler junction gap. This is done by designing the belt with sufficient
transverse stiffness to “bridge” the idler junction
gap with a satisfactory radius. In unit handling
stiffness laterally is desirable where high volume
sort-on / sort-off loads occur.
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20°
35°
45°
nce
Dista
ion
nsit
Tra
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Over 90 1.2b
20° 60 to 90 .9b
b=Belt width (Transition Less than 60 .8b
distance will be in the same
units as those used for b)
Over 90 2.1b
35° 60 to 90 1.4b
Less than 60 1.2b
Over 90 2.6b
45° 60 to 90 2.0b
The tables are for loading Less than 60 1.6b
at 1/3 trough depth and
full trough depth. Transition Distance
Over 90 1.8b
20° 60 to 90 1.4b
Less than 60 1.2b
Over 90 3.2b
35° 60 to 90 2.4b
Less than 60 2.0b
Over 90 4.0b
45° 60 to 90 3.0b
Less than 60 2.4b
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Material such as lime, Material such as salt, Material such as slag, Material such as
charcoal, wood chips, anthracite, coal, phos- copper ore, sinter, quartz, some ore,
bituminous coal, grain phate rock, limestone, coke, sand, fine dust foundry refuse, glass
fullers earth batch, iron borings
Cover Grade (RMA)
Frequency Factor
Lump size, inch Lump size, inch Lump size, inch Lump size, inch
2 1/16 3/32 3/16 1/4 3/32 1/16 3/8 - 3/16 3/16 - - 7/32 3/8 - -
0.4 1 1/16 3/32 1/8 3/16 3/32 1/8 1/4 3/8 1/8 1/4 3/8 3/8 3/32 5/16 3/8 3/8
2 1/16 3/32 1/8 3/16 3/32 1/8 1/4 3/8 1/8 7/32 3/8 - 3/16 3/16 - -
0.6 1 1/16 3/32 1/8 3/16 3/32 1/8 3/16 1/4 1/8 3/32 1/4 3/8 1/8 7/32 3/8 3/8
2 1/16 3/32 1/8 3/16 3/32 1/8 3/16 9/32 1/8 3/32 3/16 - 1/8 7/32 3/8 -
0.8 1 1/16 3/32 1/8 3/16 3/32 1/8 3/32 3/16 1/8 1/8 7/32 3/8 1/8 3/32 5/16 3/8
2 1/16 3/32 1/8 3/16 3/32 1/8 3/32 7/32 1/8 1/8 1/4 3/8 1/8 3/16 3/8 -
1.0 1 1/16 3/32 1/8 3/16 3/32 1/8 3/32 3/16 1/8 1/8 3/16 1/4 1/8 1/8 1/4 3/8
2 1/16 3/32 1/8 3/16 3/32 1/8 5/32 3/16 1/8 1/8 3/16 1/4 1/8 1/8 1/4 3/8
1.5 1 1/16 3/32 1/8 3/16 3/32 1/8 5/32 3/16 1/8 1/8 3/16 7/32 1/8 1/8 3/16 1/4
2 1/16 3/32 1/8 3/16 3/32 1/8 3/32 3/16 1/8 1/8 3/16 7/32 1/8 1/8 3/16 3/8
2.0 1 1/16 3/32 1/8 3/16 3/32 1/8 3/32 3/16 1/8 1/8 3/32 3/16 1/8 1/8 3/16 1/4
2 1/16 3/32 1/8 3/16 3/32 1/8 3/32 3/16 1/8 1/8 3/16 7/32 1/8 1/8 3/16 1/4
3.0 1 1/16 3/32 1/8 3/16 3/32 1/8 3/32 3/16 1/8 1/8 3/32 3/16 1/8 1/8 3/16 1/4
4.0 2 1/16 3/32 1/8 3/16 3/32 1/8 3/32 3/16 1/8 1/8 3/16 7/32 1/8 1/8 3/16 1/4
and 1 1/16 3/32 1/8 3/16 3/32 1/8 3/32 3/16 1/8 1/8 3/32 3/16 1/8 1/8 3/16 1/4
over
NOTE: THE FREQUENCY FACTOR INDICATES THE NUMBER OF MINUTES FOR THE BELT TO MAKE
ONE COMPLETE TURN OR REVOLUTION.
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The inclinability of a given material is obviously “Impingement” type abrasion is usually handled
limited by the angle of surcharge of that material best by an appropriate rubber elastomer. Think in
on that specific conveyor. terms of a piece of gravel, for example, striking a
rubber belt. The rubber will absorb the energy
At conveyor angles which are less than “the and not be damaged. PVC, on the other hand,
angle of surcharge” an appropriate textured sur- does not have the inherent resilience of rubber,
face will “lock” the material to the belt enabling and very well may take a “cut”. Accordingly, PVC
the conveyor system to operate at that incline. will not do well in handling aggregate or hard
Georgia Duck provides many such surfaces: minerals. For these types of applications, rubber,
or even urethane, would be recommended.
Chevron I
Chevron II In applications involving “soft” minerals (coal,
Steeplok potash, etc.), grain, or wood products, PVC does
Cleatlok an exceptional job. Particularly, if the PVC is com-
Mini-Cleatlok bined with a single-ply type, polyester carcass
Scoop top construction wherein the binder face warp func-
Rough top tions as a sacrificial member and provides the
Mini-rough top working surface for the belt, composed of poly-
ester and PVC.
For angles of incline greater than “the angle of
surcharge” special means must be provided to
handle the material such as:
Cleats
Pockets
Buckets
Cover belts, etc.
Abuse Resistance
Abuse resistance may be an important factor in
selecting your belt. Are you concerned with
impact or rip-resistance? In this event, a single-
ply or minimum-ply straight warp construction
might be preferable.
Slider belt conveyor systems generally require a
The elastomers most commonly used in modern bottom conveyor belt surface with a lower
conveyor belt construction are rubber, PVC and coefficient of friction than roller bed conveyor
Urethane formations. Each material has its inher- systems . . . unless the slider bed system will be
ent advantages and disadvantages. Great strides lubricated with water, as in some wood products
have been made in recent years to improve per- or food applications.
formance characteristics of the formulations
offered. Loading conditions (favorable and unfavorable),
as well as skirtboards and trippers, should be
considered in your abrasion decision. Ideally, the
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materials should be moving in the direction of ble to his or her specific system. Sources of such
belt travel and approximate belt speed when it is information include:
deposited on the belt. Governmental bodies
Industry associations
Flame retardance* is a highly desirable property Generally accepted standards
in conveyor belts which are going to be used in Suppliers, etc.
systems where safety is a concern, such as grain,
underground mining, etc. In certain applications,
flame retardant belting is mandatory. Be aware In Summary
of such standards and advise your belt supplier It is obvious from the preceding that selecting
of your requirement. the correct conveyor belt for your application
involves a myriad of considerations. Final selec-
It is important to note that: *All fire retardant tion may very well represent a compromise
belting will burn under some set condi- between what is desired and what is available. It
tions. If the defenses built into the belt are is often necessary to modify one requirement in
overwhelmed, the belt will burn. You can order to get a more important requirement satis-
help protect your installation by being aware of fied.
and practicing, those safety standards that are
currently in your industry, whether mandated by To assist you in obtaining the proper information
law or not. Zero slip controls, side motion sen- required to select a proper belt construction, the
sors, fire detection, and fire suppression equip- following check list is provided.
ment, such as required by MSHA, should be
included in any appropriate approach to fire haz- 1. Material Conveyed
ard control in addition to the use of the fire retar- a. General description
dant belting. b. Density, pounds per cubic foot (pcf)
c. Lump size
The temperature range for the installation must d. Presence of oils or chemicals, if any
be considered. Do consult your Georgia Duck e. Maximum temperature of load, if hot
Representative. f. Requirements of fire resistance
Chemical reaction from oils, acids, bleaches, veg- 2. Maximum loading rate or required maximum
etable and animal fats, ozone, ultraviolet, etc. capacity, tons (2000) lbs. per hour (tph)
needs to be considered when selecting the elas-
tomer for your conveyor belt. In wood products 3. Belt width, inches*
applications, elastomers with at least a moder-
ately oil-resistant characteristic do well 4. Belt speed, feet per minute ((fpm)
particularly on pine and similar products.
5. Center of center distance (length) of Belt *
Static control is a consideration in some convey-
or applications (usually, grain and mining) due to 6. Profile of Conveyor
the atmosphere in which the belt must operate. a. Profile distance along conveyor path
Both rubber and PVC constructions are available b. Elevations
which are static-conductive, and which will safely c. Locations of all vertical curves and angle of
dissipate a static charge on a properly and con- slope
tiguously grounded conveyor system. For more
information on static electricity consult Georgia 7. Drive
Duck’s technical data bulletin titled “Static a. Single-pulley or two-pulley
Electricity Considerations.” b. If two-pulley, geared tandem or dual-drive
c. If dual-drive, distribution of total motor
Government Regulations horsepower at primary and secondary
drive pulleys
It is the conveyor operator’s responsibility to be d. Angle of belt warp on drive pulley(s)
aware of all safety standards and governmental e. Location of drive
regulations (example--manlift standards) applica-
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f . Pulley surface, bare or lagged. Type of 12. Lowest cold weather operating temperature
lagging anticipated, if applicable
g. Type of starting to be employed
13. Type of belt splice to be used
8. Pulley Diameters. These may require
confirmation according to the belt Note: It is obvious that all of the above infor-
requirement. mation is not required for the short method of
belt selection. But, it is well to learn to look
9. Takeup for this information.
a. Type
*Belt length and width are, of course, determined by
b. Location the conveyor system. It is wise to actually measure
both, since memories are frequently faulty and con-
10. Idlers veyors are modified from time to time. When mea-
a. Type, roll diameter, angle of trough suring length, the take-up is run to the minimum posi-
b. Spacing, including transition distance at tion, the length required is determined by steel tape
and a short length added for ease of splicing. The
head and tail length should be such that the take-up pulley will be
25% down the slide for installation and splicing. This
11. Type of loading arrangement will allow for additional footage, in case another splice
a. Chutes is required before the belt stretches to its final posi-
b. Free-fall distance, lumps to belt tion. This will also allow 75% of the take-up area for
c. Skirtboard length belt stretch.
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C O N V E Y O R B E LT IN G AME R IC AS
21 Laredo Drive
Scottdale, Georgia 30079 • USA
Phone: (404) 297-3170 IS O 9001: 2000 C ertified