FLOW DYNAMICS AND WEAR CONSIDERATIONS IN TRANSFER CHUTE DESIGN ‘Alan W. Roberts, Stephen J. Wiche, Dusan D. Mic and Simon R. Plint Centre for Bulk Solids and Particulate Technologies & TUNRA Bulk Solids, ‘The University of Newcastle, NSW., 2308, Australia ABSTRACT The tansier of bulk solids fom one conveyor t0 another via “hood” and “spoon” chute amination is characersed by rpid, accelerated flow ia which thin seam conditions prevail. For such ‘Ginliions, design equations based on lumped parameter models incorpoming “equivalent fiction” factors provide inpe effective solution to chucanalsis problems. The design objets isto determine “best” chat Voile and geometric configurtios for particular tansfer applications. The overriding aim is wo achieve rctmam fow with imu sbrsive wear Of the chute surfaces and minimum bel wear atthe belt fed points. 1, INTRODUCTION In bulk materials handling operations, transfer chutes are widely used in association wth belt conveyor, bh in the feeding of bulk materials oto conveyor belts and in the transfer of bulk materials from one conveyor to linother, Often the transfer involves «complex Uwtce dimensional gecmerical path a illustrated i Figue 1, It {f important wo easure that spillage doesnot cecur and tat chute and belt wea ar kept to = minim. Most transfer chutes operate under rapid or accelerated flow conditions, characterised by ‘hin’ stream flow in ‘Mhueh the thickness ofthe flowing soeam of bulk solid remains less than the wit of the chute. Very often the ‘ckness isles than hal the steam width, This makes it possible to describe the stam flow by mans of Tumped pursmetr models which tke into account the frictional drag around she chute boundaries as well as inter padtcle Fiction Using these models, design equation for “hood” and “poor chute combinations, suet eslidoumed te Figure 1 have bees developed (1-3). The model also allow the wea profiles around chutes and Stconveyor fea! points fo be determioed. ‘Through the application of laboratory wear test data for actual chute Ting materials, the absolute wear lie can then be preci. igure L Schematic Arrangement of Conveyor Transfer 2 CONVEYOR DISCHARGE AND HOOD GEOMETRY Figure 2 shows the belt ration geometry and load profiles atthe last set of ils and atthe drive rum. A Fae ere deegh the nanan, he fed profile changes from woughed to es shown, The amour reed cericien wil eepend on the speed ofthe belt and cohesive nature ofthe bulk sali. ow bel spt toe Mavs and pariully for fee owing materials such as grain, there wil be some vertical settle, Ms Wei laceat spread .>(B42C) inthe vamition zone. However, for speeds ret than Svs and prises ff sthesive balk ste, te ime of wave through the transition wil be so smal hat setement will aly oce¥ Gate he Hand by = (B-+ 20), ln his case, the bulk slid on the wing idles wil collapse asthe belt ates 330Section at idler Sat rum ‘Section at Discharge Drum Figure 2. Conveyor Belt Transition Geometry and Load Profiles 21 Load Profiles on Belt ‘The conveyor throughput is given by Qe=p Am o ® were Us mos-dimensional ers-sectionl area factor b= 1b +20 = contact perimeter Assuming a parabolic sucharge profile, fora threo idler st, the cross-sectional are factor i given by 2 1 road ap fv aronas2 esa e) exile acim al ‘The overall height of bulk solid is w= He Caine Ro Copy 5 2 cap 2co 2 A ce ® 22 Belt Transition Geometry The tansition length L, and angle © are chosen in ore to Knit de stress induced in the beta the belt passes fiom the toughing idles to the fat section atthe discharge drum. Normally the maximum stess inthe ttastion occurs at the outer edges where the belt tension is the greatest Conveyor bet design manuals, suchas ‘CEMA (a), present procedures fr determining the minimum transition Tength for both steel cord and fabric ‘inforced belts. The vamsition angle &, defied in equation (5) below influences te transition length Laswell 4 te belt discharge trajectories. Longer values of L; are necessary for i-line tamitions with € = 0 Owing to the higher stresses induoed. Very often the height ofthe transition is chosen ws be 2 = 05 hy (Figure 2). count ° 3323 Commencement of Discharge ‘As shown in Figue 2, the angle at which discharge commences is defined a8 8, which is measured with respect tothe first point of contact with the drive drum, Assuring thre no slip ofthe bulk sold relative to the belt a the point of discharge, dha is Vu = Vx cos (440-8) =Ne-N, © ‘where Np= YE = Frowde Number Adhesive Suess Number (7) Ree Pah, vw =belt speed; oy =adhosive ses st filoe surface; p) =bulk density; & = nsition angle \a-=convayor slope angle: = average hoight of bulk sold; R, = effective dum adi, For most cases, it may be assumed hat the effective drum rads is Re= Ry, where isthe bee thickness. At higher conveying speeds, discharge commences atthe first point of contact withthe dram. That is 8 =0. For this condition, the bel speed is such tat FR, BIN, FeoCaF ® | For example for, = 0.6m, (0+ 2)= 10°, p= I an? hy = 033m and 0, = 1.0 KPa, 2 2.8 ms. For discharge the first point of somtact, i i easorable to assume tha v= Y= Vein Figure Vee 4 Sy be STROOD Nelsting sr csc, wit inretonable nts ce ie Spain cl ie recor ie = xa-ytaae-0,) 4B -® i yrame+ 6-90) +2 H(are8,) ~B tl The ria of crate of tb joc i i =z 1422 tan (ate-0,))? et ol IO) | By, way of example, he radius of curvature forte ease when vs = 5 mB) = 06 mi} 04 mand (G+ 2-03)= Id'isshown inFipue’? u or the selected point of comact with the hood given by the coordinates X and Y in Figure 2 the adits 0 curvature of the tnjectory is defined. For smooth contact, itis assumed thatthe radius of the curved chute a th point of contac sequal othe radius of curvature ofthe path, On tis basis, to iil contact withthe ood is theoretically, at 2e0 impact angle. In practice some randomness in the trajectory may oeeur so that min variations in impact aagle may resuk. For the chosen coordisate Y, the eadiue of curvatae of the hood i btuied as ilusuated in Figure 3. The various other parameters, namely €. XX, Yor Ye ad Be depicted it Figure 2 are then obtained, The centre of curvature ofthe hood is defined by x and For the example depicted by Figure 3, choosing Y = 1.0 m gives R = 2.8 a the other parameters being , = 74.2, 0=0.136 m, X= 0038, ve= 5.1205, X, 3 HOOD ANDSPOON 31 Equations of Motion "The chute flow models forthe hood aed spoon are shown in Figures 4and $ respesvely. Following the work 0 | Robects{ 1,3] the equations of motion se summarised below.= amv je [RADIUS OF CURVATURE F (mn) ae DISTANCE FROM CENTRE (y- 6) (im) Figare3. Radius of Curvature of Path Figure 4. Flow Model for Hood y= Sms; R, = 06 m; bm; a. +6 -8 L ‘e ripe. tv pen reve Cort vere Mu Gigve DB eryun Zowe a (b) Forth Spoon 8 Seve BEd sino ttn where R= radius of curvature of chute ‘Hy = equivalent friction Solutions of the equations of motion need to tke account of the variation the equivalent ition along the chute a a function of sear velocity (3). For the general case of a converging chute as illustrated in Figure 6, Faem(leS) ew K, By Hayy, (am \ a B,-2suny? 7 a] nal velocy folowing impact H,-inil steam Gicaes| K, =041006 Forth cae of pr cie2 x tae nial chute Width, and 1 given by equation (13) is substcuted ito equation (11) or (12) which may then be solved numerically forthe known intial conditions, 0, at fist poir of comact of the bulk slid with the chute and vq, the velocity immediately folowing impie [5]. I the velocity immediately before impact is v, and the angle at which the bulk sold particles strike the chate surface is then the velocity, isestmated from 33veenlony- da Real — oO as Where ¢, = coefficient of restitution. For completly elastic impact, ¢, = forimtastic impact, , =0. ‘The solution of equations (11) and (12), together with equations (13-18) gives the seam velocity as a fenton of angular position, v= (0). From the cntimity of mass flow, the steam thickness t= (8) is also obtained. {tis important to note thatthe chute cut-off angle Og Figure 1) shouldbe lage enough Ter the chute tbe self leaning during start-up ater stopping, It is recommended thet, > tan) + a9, 32° Chute and Belt Wear Chute wear is a combination of abrasive and impact wear, The abrasive or rubing wear is a function of the ‘oemal pressure ae rubbing velocity. Te normal pressure acting at the chute bottom surface is given by 9.= pgtiN, ap non-dimensional normal aceleration parameter as gn applies o the spoon and "sign othe hood ‘The abrasive wear is function of th rormal pressure, surface fiction and sliding velocity W, Sa Ke Bey, (kPa mis) ay whee Qu=mass townie ish Ka 8; veep soem vey oi) rubbing velocity on chute bottom surface (rs) (= sre ition angle The factor Ky < 1.0. For rapid thin scam flow Ke 8 ‘Belt wear at the fed point ste product ofthe normal pressure, Yq, and the relative velocity (v4. Yo) West p val y.ra) (Pas) co) where jy = friction coefficient berween bulk solid and belt surface_p = ull density (um) 4 CONCLUDING REMARKS |A methodology for designing belt conveyor wansfer chutes has been presented. As an example, consider the transfer chute example of Figare 1 for which vy = $v for both bets; Qu = 2500 th; p= 1.3 Vins @ 7.6% = 30° for hood: = 25° for spoon: A= 5%. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, te calculate values are son =0.77 12 mis; Og = 742" v = 6.4 ms drop height to impact angle = 15% yg=75 avs; vg 63 ws; vz= 5.9 ms; Guy = 39% W, = 1.26 KPa ms 5. REFERENCES (LAW Roberts in Investigation of the Gravity Flow of Non-cohesive Granular Materials through Discharge ‘Chutes, Transactions of ASME. Io. of Eng. in Lodusay, Vol. 91, Serie B, No, 2, 1969, pp 373-381 2} AW Rober and S¥ Wiche Inerelation Betwoen Feed Chute Geometry and Conveyor Belt Wear. Bulk Solids Handling, Vol 19 No..1999, pp 35-39 ©] AW Roberts Chute Performance and. Design for Repid Flow Conditions, Chemical. Engiesring ‘Technology, Vol 26, No. 2,2003,pp163-170 {41 Conveyor Equipment Manufactrers Association, CEMA, Handbook on et Conveying, Fifth Edition 1997 (1D Stuar-Dick, and TA Royal T.A"Desien Principles for Chutes to Handle Bulk Solids”, Bulk Solids Handling, Vo. 12, No3, 1992 334