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Condition Monitoring of Conveyor Belts as a Tool for Proper Selection of Their

Replacement Time

Conference Paper · July 2015

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-20463-5_37

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 Condition monitoring of conveyor belts as a tool for
proper selection of their replacement time
Ryszard Błażej1, Leszek Jurdziak1, Witold Kawalec1
1
Wroclaw University of Technology, Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and Geology, Poland
{ryszard.blazej,leszek.jurdziak,witold.kawalec)@pwr.edu.pl

Abstract. Condition monitoring of steel cord belts using magnetic scanners is

known since late 70-ties however it has not been widely used in Polish mines
due to difficult interpretation of signals and cost of services and diagnostic de-
vices. Recent integrated diagnostic tool developed in Machinery Systems Divi-
sion at Wroclaw University of Technology showing 2D/3D state of belts core
and calculating aggregated measures (e.g. wear density of belt segments) allows
on better interpretations and prediction of remaining belt life and optimal selec-
tion of their time for replacement. Proposed approach utilise experience and
models of belt wear developed and verified statistically on belts durability data.
Now addition of new dimension (current belt condition) allows on observation
of increasing belt degradation process (belt wear density trajectory) which ex-
trapolation allows on prediction of remaining life and replacement time.

Keywords: visual inspection  belt diagnostics  magnetic scanner

1 Introduction – the value of belts in Poland

Belt conveyors are common devices used for material transportation in Polish coal
mines (both surface lignite mines and underground hard coal mines). They are also
used in underground copper ore mines. The total length of belt conveyors installed
there is greater than 1 000 km and the length of belts is twice as much due to belts
work as close, continuous loops rewound oneself around conveyors. Belts (esp. steel
cord) are the most expensive replacement part in conveyors which one meter can
costs up to 200 euros [15], [27]. So the value of installed conveyor belts can be esti-
mated at about 200 million euros. Such expensive parts undergo very rough treatment
in mines due to heavy materials is discharged on belts in loading points causing belt
punctures. Belts transporting coal/ore for long distances are wearing out in particular
points (drives, returning drums, cleaning devices) and along the conveyor rout (idlers,
self-trainings idlers, constructions, and movement of materials against belt surface).

2 Lack of belt condition monitoring creates costs and losses

Such valuable parts are observed only visually during discrete evaluations. Human
inspection of belt conditions, extensively used in Polish mines, takes a lot of time and
gives only subjective information about their state [19], [25]. In order to manage huge
amount of information about each belt segment special databases were created with
computer aided belt management programs [11], [20]. Even with the help of comput-
ers only selected data are kept and processed - mostly event data connected with belts:
purchase, tests, assembly, repairs & cuts, disassembly, recondition or scrap and opera-
tional data like working time (calendar or effective), number of cycles around con-
veyor or carried mass/volume (last two are not used). Data about belt condition and
their changes with time are restricted to necessary action alarms and belt cover thick-
ness measurements. Introduced in one of mines the uniform classification of conveyor
belt failures and their intensity [18, 19], [25] was used only for description of condi-
tion of dismantled belts. In order to take economic reliable decisions about belt seg-
ments or their parts such as do nothing, repair or disassembly for economic valuable
refurbishment decision taker aided by computer needs more precise data about current
condition of all belt segments, their covers, edges and cord as well as splices. Unfor-
tunately belt management computer systems are not popular. Only in two lignite sur-
face mines such systems are used. In underground mines recently one system were
applied [29] aimed more on condition monitoring of mechanical conveyor parts such
as engines, couplings, gear boxes etc. then focusing specifically on conveyor belts and
their condition.
Only in in two mines a special condition monitoring devices are being used instead of
human inspections [6, 7, 8] even such methods are known since dozens of years [14]
and on neither conveyor real time continuous monitoring is applied even if with belt
failures not only losses of belts value are connected but also costs of emergency stops
(costs of removing spilled out materials, repair costs of damaged construction, costs
of putting on belt loop and its splicing, etc.) [2], [15]. Frequently the most important
are losses of production due to emergency stops due to they take much longer time
than planned repairs. In case of copper and silver ore mining or even lignite excava-
tion each hour of standstill can costs the mine dozens thousand dollars (e.g. in Consol
Energy they estimated that one hour of underground hard coal mines standstill costs
the company 30 000 USD [1]).

3 Non stationary load of belt conveyors

The stochastic process of conveyors load is definitely not stationary due to bucket
wheel excavators (BWEs), mining shearers or continuous miners are working with
different output depending on working conditions, place of the head according to
mining face and the cycle of its work. Several analysis [12], [17], [28] shows that
utilization of conveyor output in average is very law but sometimes for a while can
access as high level as 135% of theoretical output [30].
For example analysing operation of BWEs it can be seen that they work with different
efficiencies, what could be a consequence of cut design, applied targets (e.g in con-
nection with coal blending) or working conditions. Expected value E{Un}=U is con-
stant only locally and even then actual output is oscillating according to different
BWE cycles of work and is different for different cycle phases (Fig.1). The shortest
cycle is the discharge of material from buckets within time 60/n (n=the number of
buckets discharged within 1 minute). A bit longer is the excavation of one slice in a
terrace (about 3 min.), then excavation of one terrace in a block (about 1 hour), and
then excavation of full block (few hours), full shortwall (several weeks) and full level.
For the dimensioning of belt conveyors important are cycles shorter than their loading
periods due to cyclical reduction (sometimes even to zero) of actual volume capaci-
ties (Fig.1) what is connected with cyclical movements of BWE or its parts [23]. Joint
output stream from 2 BWEs on collective conveyor also is not stationary [12].

[m3 /ho ur]

7 000
6 000
5 000
4 000
3 000
2 000
1 000
0
1 625 1 645 1 665 1 685 1 705 1 725 1 745 1 765 1 785 1 805 [minute s ]

Fig.1. Different cycles of work of BWE SRs2000 - terraces excavation (1 h, 14-min. moving
average) and slices excavation (3 min., actual efficiency measured every 5 sec.) [23].

4 Belt degradation processes

Variable conditions of belts operations creates threats for sudden accidents causing
catastrophic belt failures such as transverse belt rapture, longitudinal rips, tearing out
edges, punctures with wires pulling out. Process of belt degradation, when there is no
sudden accidents, may have cumulative character of gradual wearing out connected
with abrasion of the covers, wiping out of edges, fatigue weakening of core strength
and increasing number of core punctures (both textile plies as well as steel cords).
In the previous millennium several analysis determining belt reliability [16] were
undertaken in order to establish economically optimal belt replacement strategies [21,
22], [24] basing on statistical data about belts operating time till belt replacement for
refurbishments or sending it to waste [24]. The only detail information about belt
condition was registered at the end of belt’s life after its dismantling from conveyor.
These data was sufficient to establish the influence of the conveyor length and its load
on belt’s operating time. All economic calculations and forecasts [22] were built
based on statistical data about belt operational time and were not corrected according
to changes in belt quality. For better belts the estimated belt’s life was too short and
for worse belts too long. The trials to reduce subjectivity in belts wear assessment
based on linguistic variables and fuzzy sets required too much time and could not be
automated [19] without special software [25]. Therefore special diagnostic devices
used in western countries were evaluated and the work on own solutions has started.
4.1 Influence of conveyor length on belt degradation and its durability
Factors contributing to belt wear were divided by Zur [31] on two groups: these
which act in a “point” manner (i.e. at particular locations on the conveyor such as: the
feed, the cleaning devices, the drive, etc.) and those which act “linearly” (along the
conveyor’s route, e.g. rubbing against the rollers and the side stops, etc.). Assuming
that the sum of “point” damage is proportional to the number of runs of the belt loop
round the conveyor and the sum of “linear” damage is proportional to the distance
covered by a specified cross-section of the belt, he proposed the following formula for
belt durability measured in belt operating time tt:
At Lt (1)
tt  , [s]
v  A p + v Lt A j
p

where: Lt - the total length of the conveyor belt, m, At - amount of work resulting in
the belt wear, J/m,  Ap - the total of “point” damage work, J, Aj - “linear” damage
work, J/m, v - the velocity of the belt, m/s.
Formula (1) was transformed to a no dimensional form and verified statistically by
Jurdziak [26]:
1 (2)
nc 
A p
+ Lt
Aj
At At
Thus belt durability, measured by number of cycles nc, was expressed as a function
of belt loop length and coefficients specifying the shares of “point” damage work and
“linear” damage work in the wear of the belt loop for its one run round the conveyor.
The relationships were verified and the two coefficients were calculated on the basis
of operating data.
Recent results from the same mine as was tested in 1988 year (Fig.2) has proven
that even big increases of belt durability (roughly for about 60%) have not changed
the character of their influence on belt wear [15].

Fig.2. Changes of belt durability for conveyors with different length (left) and variation of
percentage contribution of “local” and “linear” damaging agents in conveyor belt wear process
as a function of conveyor length (right) [15].
4.2 Influence of conveyor belt load on belt durability
Based on earlier discussed assumptions and statistical data from one of under-
ground copper mines it was established the effect of conveyor belt load upon belt
durability measured in belt loop cycles and belt operating time [17].

Fig.3. Dependence of number of belt cycles (left) and months of belt operating time (right)
on relative conveyor load (in % of theoretical load) and conveyor’s length (in meters) for the
reciprocal model [15].

5 The increasing need to create an own diagnostic device for

condition monitoring of conveyor belts

The value of belts and costs of emergency stops together with scale of potential losses
creates the need to build own device for conditional monitoring of conveyor belts [6].
First steps were undertaken in the beginning of XXIst century when the “Turów”
lignite mine has purchased the first in Poland device called EyeQ. It was possible due
to computer aided belt management in this mine was started in 1985 when the first
system was built for this mine [11], [20]. Then the data base of belt failures with de-
scription was carried out in Excel taking into account the coded evaluation of belt
condition [19]. Together with magnetic device that Turów mine has implemented [8]
belt management system called: Computer Assisted Belt Card, which moved data-
bases from Excel to professional databases, was built. The EyeQ system however was
an old solution requiring visual interpretation of changes in magnetic field registered
about belt surface [13, 14]. The implementation of modernized equipment based on
old EyeQ system’s magnetic measurement head with completely new software and
signal processing procedures [9] and interpretations [4], [8], [10] was a success.

6 An intelligent system for the automatic examination and

continuous diagnosis of the condition of conveyor belts

A group of members of the Machinery Systems Division (MSD) in the Institute of

Mining Engineering at Wroclaw University of Technology specializes in belt convey-
ing systems analysing, calculating and design [5]. Within the division operates the
certified Laboratory of Belt Transportation (LTT) and Laboratory of Idlers. Since few
years, a group of several people have begun work on developing a comprehensive
system for the automatic evaluation of condition of conveyor belts working in the
mines. Group uses both magnetic devices developed by specialized companies servic-
ing belts [5] and its own machine vision system developed for assessment of belts
covers and edges during belt movement (up to 7 m/s) on the specially designed for
this purpose the test conveyor [6]. There were also trials to apply other diagnostic
methods [9].
Two years ago they got the research grant funded by the National Centre for Re-
search and Development (NCBiR) for development of the system for automatic diag-
nosing of conveyor belts’ condition and aiding of rational belt management. On the
basis of previously created diagnostic tool called ABCDE (Automatic Belt Condition
Diagnostic Equipment) the five modules: vision-A magnetic-B, preventive-C, fore-
casting–D, and determining safety factor-E are developed. They automatically inter-
pret data about conveyor belts’ condition to indicate the extent and timing of repairs,
to prevent failures and to select the optimum moments for their replacements. The
system uses results of ongoing research & development and planned research con-
cerning modelling of belt wear using different algorithms. The reached stage of re-
search allows starting providing scanning services to potential users (e.g. one of lig-
nite mines in Poland which till now does not applied any belt diagnostics). The re-
search is already pursued in real scale and new modules (C-E) being created are under
intensive testing together with the whole system in working condition to calibrate it
and optimize the economic effects.

7 Forecasts of remaining life of St belts based on individual

trajectory of belt’s core condition

Application of two magnetic scanners: HRDS (modified EyeQ system developed

in MSD at WTU) and the LRM scanner (developed by servicing firm Laboratory of
Roman Martyna) were used to establish steel cord condition of belt loops in working
environment. In the first case the belts in one of lignite mines were examined, and in
the second case the belt loop in one of hard coal mines.

Fig.4. 2D visualization of steel cord failures (left) and individual belt segment failure densi-
ty trace on the background of other statistical data for optimal belt replacement time selection.
 Number of failures per one meter of belts (belt’s core wear density) was investigat-
ed. The regression curves for the rate of cord failures over time were selected. Given
the demonstrated impact of the length of the conveyor onto the accumulated energy
within one belt loop cycle around conveyor (Zur’s belt wear model) the effect of these
factors on the rate of belt failures increase a special 2 variables non-linear regression
function was chosen (Fig.4).
These are the first quantitative results of such research in Poland. The belief that
over time the rate of appearance of defects increases was documented. This allows on
forecasts of belt replacements time based on individual trajectory of belt’s core wear
development over time (Fig.4).
All information about influence of conveyor length and load on belt durability can
be utilized in preparation of multivariate model of changes of steel cord wear density
based on statistical data and registered individual trajectory of wear density changes
of particular belt segments (Fig.5).

Fig.5. Proposed method of the optimal belt replacement time forecast based on 2D model of
the increase of belt cord’s wear density (Bfailures = f(Lbl, Tmonths)) and the selected border degree
of its wear.

Number of data (measurements of belt core wear on conveyors having different

lengths) is still too small to build reliable models but it is only a matter of time and
next measurements using modernized EyeQ system or newly developed system based
on Australian magnetic rod with better resolution [4, 5, 6] should allow on that. It is
also possible that the new magnetic scanner will be developed for surface mines based
on solution offered by LRM firm to hard coal mines.

8 Conclusions

Presented solution and approach is focused on gradual deterioration process con-

nected with puncturing and wearing out of belts and their cores operating in hard
conditions in different mines.
At the moment there is not enough data to build precise and reliable models but
hitherto research and obtained results are very promising especially due to a deep
experience of statistical analysis dealing with belt durability can be successfully used
and implemented [16-22].
Obtained from condition monitoring results describing belt and its core state can be
used not only to predict remaining belt life and determine optimal time for belt seg-
 ment or its part replacement but also to show and determine areas of belt repairs help-
ing in day by day management of belts.
Further research will concentrate also on automation of belt splices condition mon-
itoring and evaluation of their quality and current condition. At the moment belt
splices are automatically identified and stored for visual inspection by operator who
decides if it requires special action. Soon the automatic warning system will be im-
plemented to check if belt splice length changes and there is a threat of its dehiscence.

Fig.6. 2D and 3D visualisation of conveyor belt splice condition [10].

Other more catastrophic failures (e.g. longitudinal rips) having sudden and random
character are an object of separate research. Special devices preventing their occur-
rence and reducing their extent and costs are being developed and soon will be im-
plemented and integrated with diagnostic device being developed.
Condition monitoring of steel cord belts using new described here device can addi-
tionally be used to prevent transverse belt rapture in weakened by cables cuts cross-
sections of conveyor belts. This approach is described in separate paper [3].
Integrated approach used in belt monitoring approach and working out diagnostic
device developed by Wroclaw team can be successfully implemented in non station-
ary operations of belt conveyors in Polish mines.
All information about current stage of project development can be found on the spe-
cial web page devoted to the NCBiR programme [32].

Acknowledgements. This project has been carried out as part of the Applied Re-
search Programme, path A entitled: An intelligent system for the automatic examina-
tion and continuous diagnosis of the condition of conveyor belts.

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