Core Technical FAQs on Belt Conveyors (Part 2)

Combining international industry standards and practical engineering cases, ZOOMRY provides professional answers to core questions such as sealing solutions, drive systems, and compliance requirements of belt conveyors, offering actionable technical references for global customers. A quick-reference FAQ table is attached at the end for easy browsing.

I. How to Seal the Chute?

For dusty materials such as coal and ore, as well as sites with strict environmental protection requirements, the chute is generally designed as a fully enclosed structure. It adopts a composite design of steel plate cover + buffer channel, which not only ensures mechanical strength but also weakens the air impact when materials fall through the buffer channel, reducing dust emission. 2-3 layers of wear-resistant rubber skirts are installed at the contact part with the belt, forming a sealed barrier by closely fitting the belt surface to prevent material leakage from gaps.

II. How to Treat Sewage During Belt Conveyor Operation?

Regarding the sewage treatment of belt conveyors, the logic of "pollution source control" must be clarified in practical engineering. Thanks to the conveyor's high-quality anti-deviation devices (such as self-aligning idler groups) and belt turnover protection design, there will be no material spillage or sewage leakage along the normally operating belt conveyor. The pollution risk is mainly concentrated in the head and tail transfer stations. For such scenarios:

• Sewage collection pipelines can be installed according to the project's environmental protection requirements to centrally divert a small amount of sewage generated by equipment cleaning and rainwater scouring;
• For projects with strict environmental standards (such as some chemical parks in Europe), a sedimentation tank must be equipped for solid-liquid separation. The treated clear water can be recycled or discharged up to standard.

It is worth noting that most bulk material conveying projects worldwide do not require additional complex sewage treatment facilities due to low material moisture content and improved on-site drainage systems. The core still lies in the anti-leakage design of the equipment itself.

III. Load Impact During Belt Conveyor Braking and Startup

Long-distance belt conveyors have extremely large inertial mass. If the free stopping time is too long during loaded shutdown, it may cause safety risks such as equipment collision and material spillage. Therefore, a large disc brake is generally installed at the tail, which can realize both normal shutdown and emergency braking functions. It adapts to different shutdown scenarios through multi-level torque adjustment—setting 2-3 different braking speeds, which can not only meet the stability requirements of conventional shutdown but also respond to rapid braking needs in case of sudden failures.

During startup:

• Short-distance belt conveyors have small inertial force and can achieve smooth startup through hydraulic couplings or motor soft starters;
• For long-distance, high-power belt conveyors, if the startup time is too short (usually less than 3 minutes), it is likely to cause problems such as current overload tripping and belt stretching damage. Therefore, frequency converter soft startup is selected, which has adjustable torque and strong power balancing ability. It can extend the startup time to more than 3 minutes, gradually releasing inertial loads and avoiding equipment impact.

IV. What is Multi-Point Drive?

The specific application scenarios of multi-point drive are divided into three categories:

1. Long-distance belt conveyors: Due to the large running resistance of the lower branch, an auxiliary drive is added at the tail to cooperate with the main drive at the head, avoiding belt stretching deformation caused by concentrated tension;
2. Belt conveyors in undulating terrain: Due to complex working conditions (such as both uphill and downhill sections), drive units must be installed at both the head and tail to cope with resistance changes in different sections respectively;
3. High-capacity belt conveyors: To reduce the belt model (lower cost), additional drive units are added in the middle of the equipment to realize power sharing.

V. What Are the Types of Soft Starters?

1. Mechanical soft starters: Including hydraulic couplings, permanent magnet couplings, and CST (Controlled Start Transmission).

• Hydraulic couplings have mature technology, decades of application history, and low cost, but limited soft startup performance, only suitable for short-distance, low-power belt conveyors;
• Permanent magnet couplings are slightly superior to hydraulic couplings in energy saving and stability, with similar maintenance costs, making them a cost-effective choice for small and medium-sized projects;
• CST is based on the principle of hydraulic oil clutches, with high startup precision, but complex system structure and high procurement and maintenance costs. Its application is relatively limited globally, only suitable for special scenarios with extreme requirements for startup performance.

1. Electrical soft starters: Namely frequency converter soft starters, which have the advantages of large torque, adjustable power balance, and significant energy-saving effect, making them the preferred solution for long-distance, high-power belt conveyors. Their core advantage is that they can real-time adjust the output power according to the dynamic load changes of the belt conveyor, avoiding energy waste during startup, while reducing equipment impact, complying with international energy efficiency standards (such as IE3-class motor supporting requirements).

When providing selection services for global customers, ZOOMRY usually takes "equipment length, conveying capacity, and power demand" as core indicators:

• For equipment with length ≤100m and power ≤110kW, hydraulic couplings or permanent magnet couplings are recommended;
• For long-distance/high-capacity equipment with length ＞100m and power ＞110kW, frequency converter soft starters are preferred.

VI. Gallery Ventilation and Walkway Structure

Regarding the questions of "whether it meets requirements if common galleries are not equipped with ventilation windows" and "whether steel grating walkways meet the standards of fully enclosed galleries", the core conclusion is: The current national standards (such as GB/T 10595-2023 "Belt Conveyors") do not impose mandatory requirements on gallery ventilation and walkway materials. The actual design must be comprehensively judged in combination with project scenarios and international standards.

From the perspective of practical application:

• Color steel plate enclosed galleries have natural ventilation advantages—tiny gaps at the joints of plates can realize air circulation, meeting the ventilation needs of equipment heat dissipation and personnel inspection without additional ventilation equipment;
• As a common material for walkway plates, steel grating has the advantages of high strength, good anti-slip performance, and light weight. Its structural design does not conflict with the core requirements of fully enclosed galleries (preventing material leakage and ensuring personnel safety). Moreover, it has clear application basis in EU EN 12811 "Safety Standards for Temporary and Permanent Walkways" and US OSHA "Occupational Safety and Health Standards", making it a mature solution in the global industry.

VII. Practical Application of Permanent and Temporary Land Acquisition

The so-called "permanent land acquisition" is not absolutely permanent, but refers to long-term use rights (similar to industrial land nature), usually 30-50 years of use rights can be applied for, covering only the projection range of the belt conveyor gallery; temporary land acquisition is mainly used for construction access roads, generally 4-8 meters wide. After the completion of construction, the land must be restored to its original state in accordance with local policies (such as reclamation and greening).

For long-term operation needs, some projects choose to include long-term access roads in the land acquisition scope, which not only meets the transportation needs during the construction phase but also provides convenient channels for later equipment inspection and maintenance. This scheme is widely used in countries with relatively loose land resources (such as Australia and Canada). In the execution of overseas projects, ZOOMRY usually assists customers in contacting local land management departments, formulating optimal land acquisition plans combined with project cycles and operation needs, ensuring compliance with local laws, regulations, and environmental protection requirements.

VIII. Concept and Software of Belt Conveyor Dynamic Analysis

Belt conveyor dynamic analysis refers to the quantitative analysis of the interaction between key parameters such as belt speed, belt tension, and tensioning force during equipment startup and braking. For example, excessively fast startup speed will cause sudden increase in belt tension, insufficient tensioning force, roller slipping, and other problems, which may lead to belt tearing in severe cases.

At present, national standard design specifications do not mandatorily require dynamic calculation and analysis, but in long-distance, high-capacity belt conveyor projects, dynamic analysis has become an internationally recognized necessary link. Through dynamic analysis, startup time, braking torque, tensioning device parameters, etc., can be accurately optimized to ensure the stability of the equipment under full working conditions.

IX. What Are the Types of Belt Conveyor Calculation Software?

Global belt conveyor calculation software is mainly divided into international and domestic systems. Different software have different focuses based on calculation standards and applicable scenarios:

1. International mainstream software:

• BELT ANALYST from Overland Conveyor Co., Inc., focusing on belt conveyor mechanical calculation, widely used in European and American markets;
• Sidewinder calculation software from the United States, good at the design and calculation of belt conveyors in complex terrain (such as undulating and curved terrain);
• ANSYS finite element analysis software, which can realize multi-dimensional simulation of belt conveyor structural strength and dynamic performance, suitable for high-demand customized projects.

1. Domestic mainstream software:

• PDJCAD calculation and drawing software based on the GB system, with both calculation and drawing functions, conforming to domestic project design habits.

As a manufacturer with years of experience in the industry, ZOOMRY has independently developed a dedicated calculation program combining mainstream domestic and foreign calculation standards such as ISO, GB, and EN. It can flexibly adapt to international or domestic standards according to the project needs of customers from different countries, realizing full-process customized design from mechanical calculation and dynamic simulation to drawing generation, ensuring precise matching between equipment performance and project scenarios.

X. Why is the Motor of Downward Conveyors Installed at the Tail?

The core feature of downward conveyors is that the running resistance of the upper belt is negative (material gravity drives the belt to run). During the overall operation, the motor is in a power generation state, and its core function is "braking"—providing reverse torque through the motor to prevent the belt from overspeeding due to gravity acceleration. Therefore, the motor is usually installed at the tail to realize speed control by "pulling" the belt.

However, exceptions in special scenarios should be noted: If the downward angle is small (＜2°), or only a local section of the undulating belt conveyor is downward, the driving force generated by material gravity is insufficient. In this case, the motor must be installed at the head to provide positive driving force and ensure stable operation of the equipment. In the design process, ZOOMRY conducts targeted calculations for specific parameters of each project (such as downward angle, material characteristics, and conveying distance), avoiding generalized design mistakes and ensuring the rationality of the motor installation position.

Core FAQs Quick Reference for Belt Conveyors

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