Course 6 General Plant Equipment

6.1 Mechanical Continuous Conveyors

Imprint

German Cement Works Association

Research Institute of the Cement Industry
P.O. box 30 10 63, 40410 Duesseldorf, Germany
Tannenstrasse 2, 40476 Duesseldorf, Germany
Phone: +49 211 45 781
Fax: +49 211 45 78296
info@vdz-online.de
www.vdz-online.de

info@elearning-vdz.de
www.elearning-vdz.de

Issued: 7th January 2013

Contents
1 Introduction....................................................................................................... 1
2 Construction and Operation............................................................................ 2
2.1 Belt Conveyors.................................................................................................... 2
2.2 Chain Conveyors................................................................................................. 5
2.2.1 Scraper Conveyors .............................................................................................. 5
2.2.2 Troughed Chain Conveyors ................................................................................ 7
2.2.3 Apron Conveyors ................................................................................................ 8
2.3 Screw Conveyors ................................................................................................ 10
2.4 Vibrating Conveyors ........................................................................................... 12
2.5 Bucket Elevators ................................................................................................. 13
2.6 Roller Conveyors ................................................................................................ 16

3 Health and Safety Practice Measures ............................................................. 17

4 Factors Affecting Operation and Quality....................................................... 20 i

5 Maintenance and Inspection............................................................................ 21

6 Environmental Protection Measures............................................................... 22

7 Questions on Course LB 6.1-Mechanical Continuous Conveyors................ 26

Solutions............................................................................................................................... 27
Glossary ............................................................................................................................... 29

Index..................................................................................................................................... 30

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1 Introduction
Continuous conveyors are mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic conveying systems in
which the material is moved either continuously or intermittently over fixed conveying
routes from the feed point to the discharge point, possibly at variable speeds.

A wide range of continuous conveyors are used in works within the cement industry from
extraction to loading. They are not directly involved in the production of intermediate and
end products, but interconnect the various production units. They move mass flows from
a few kg/h (e.g. samplers) up to 3,000 t/h or more (primary crushing plants). Continuous Conveyours

Figure 1.0-1: Overview of Continuous Conveyors .

In this course you will learn more about the various types of mechanical conveyor and their
application in a cement works (including belt conveyors , chain conveyors , troughed
chain conveyors , apron conveyors , screw conveyors , vibrating conveyors , bucket
Course Summary
elevators , roller conveyors ). Particular emphasis will be placed on health and safety
practices since continuous conveyors are a source of danger that is not to be underesti-
mated.

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 2 Construction and Operation

2 Construction and Operation

Continuous conveyors are fixed or mobile and are used to convey bulk materials or unit
loads.
Unit Load Bulk Materials

 Bagged products  lumpy; particle size > 160 mm

 Tyres (fuel)  medium-sized; particle size 60 160 mm
 small-sized; particle size 10 60 mm
 granular; particle size 0.5 10 mm
 pulverulent; particle size < 0.5 mm

Table 2.0-1: Bulk Materials and Unit Loads.

Directions and Types Feed directions from horizontal to vertical are possible depending on the continuous con-
veyor. The material can be conveyed in the following manners:
 supported, on the belt surface
2  in holding containers
 sliding in chain conveyors or vibratory trough conveyors
Selection Criteria Selection of a suitable continuous conveyor depends on the following factors:
 the type of material being conveyed
 conveying rate
 material properties
 local and structural factors
 availability
 capital costs
 energy expenditure
 maintenance and repair
Only if all these criteria are taken into account can smooth, economic operation of the
entire production plant be ensured.
Standards The German standard DIN 15201 for example lists 67 mechanical, 6 pneumatic and 2
hydraulic continuous conveyors.
The standard symbols are shown in Fig. 2.0-1.
general continuous conveyor reversable continuous conveyor

Figure 2.0-1: Standard Symbols for Continuous Conveyors .

This course describes only those mechanical continuous conveyors that are normally used
in the non-metallic minerals industries.

Course Summary

2.1 Belt Conveyors

Belt conveyors move the material with the aid of a recirculating, endless, rubber or
synthetic belt with fabric or steel-cord inserts. The belt acts as both the traction element
and the carrying unit.

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 2.1 Belt Conveyors

Construction and Mode of Operation

The drive is achieved by the drive pulley with a gear unit, coupling and motor. The belt
is kept tight by a return pulley with a tensioning device so that the driving force can be
transmitted to the belt. Depending on the specific weight of the material and the length
of the belt conveyor, it is necessary for the belt to be of the required material thickness,
to be supported by additional idler rollers and to be tightened using additional tensioning
pulleys.

Figure 2.1-1: Belt Conveyor .

material feed
tail station conveying direction drive station

tensioning device
material discharge

Figure 2.1-2: Schematic View of a Belt Conveyor .

The idler rollers are positioned under the upper strand and under the lower strand and are
held in place by a supporting frame.

Use
Belt conveyors are used to transport bulk material and unit loads. Conveying capacities
between 50 t/h and 1000 t/h are normal in the cement industry, while conveying capacities
of 3000 t/h (raw material primary crusher) or more are achieved in larger cement works.
The conveying capacity is dependent on belt width, which lies between 0.6 m and 3 m,
and on belt speed, which is 0.8 m/s to 3.2 m/s (these values are approximate and may vary
for special designs).
 When used for bulk materials, the upper strand is troughed, generally by 3 idler rollers
arranged at an angle to one another (Fig. ??). The conveying capacity of bulk material
increases substantially with increasing angle of the outer rollers.

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 2 Construction and Operation

 When used for unit loads, the upper strand, like the lower strand, is supported by
continuous rollers.
Conveying distances of more than 10 km are possible depending on the tensile strength
of the belt material. The maximum angle of slope depends on the nature of the belt surface
and the particle shape of the bulk material. Slopes of up to 15 % are realistic without
surface profiling.

Figure 2.1-3: Belt Conveyor with Straight Path Guidance .

Normally, belt conveyors have a uniform slope/gradient, are not curved and must be
straight. However, special designs (see below) are curved and may rise and fall alternately,
and their route can be adapted to almost any type of terrain.
Bends Normal designs do not include bends and must be completely straight in order to avoid
increased wear. A change from the rising to the horizontal direction and from the horizon-
tal to the falling direction is possible. A change from the horizontal to the rising direction
and from the falling to the horizontal direction is only possible to a very limited extent,
because when it is not loaded the upper strand lifts off from the rollers and is unguided.
Gradients Special designs of the conveyor belt with surface profiling are necessary in order to achieve
steep conveying at gradients of more than 15 .
Temperature The temperature of the material can be another limitation to use. The service life of the
belt is reduced to approx. 50 % at a material temperature of 120 C. If the material tem-

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 2.2 Chain Conveyors

Figure 2.1-4: Belt Conveyors with Different Surfaces .

perature is higher than 50 C, a hot material grade should be used that tolerates short-term
loading at 200 C.

Conveying Capacity
The conveying capacity is given by the belt width and belt speed. The belt widths are 60
mm to > 3,000 mm. The belt speeds lie between 0.8 m/s and > 3 m/s.

5
Tube Conveyors
Tube conveyors have a trough of 360 and are therefore closed systems that not only
protect the material against environmental effects (rain, snow), but also ensure dust-free
conveying without any spillage. Furthermore, tube conveyors are very capable of negoti-
ating curves and, with conveying speeds of up to 4 m/s, easily exceed the capabilities of
the other conveying systems.

2.2 Chain Conveyors

Chain conveyors are continuous conveyors with a single-strand or multi-strand chain

as the traction elements and different types of carrying member for horizontal, vertical
or inclined conveying.

Basic Operating Principle

Plate-link chains and round-link chains are used as the traction element. The drive is
achieved by the chain starwheel, gear unit, coupling and motor. The pitch of the chain
starwheel must corresponded exactly to the length of the chain links. The chain is ten-
sioned in such a way that the starwheel is always engaged in the chain.

Use
Depending on design, chain conveyors can be used to convey bulk material and unit loads.
There is no limit for temperature of the material.

2.2.1 Scraper Conveyors

The scraper conveyor (Fig. 2.2-2) is the simplest chain conveyor design. The traction
element may consist of a chain with superimposed flights or of a double chain strand
with flights between them.

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6
Figure 2.2-1: Chain Starwheel .

Operating Principle
In its simplest form, the scraper conveyor drags the material along a channel without a base
and the chain slides on a guide rail. Energy consumption is considerably higher than with
other conveyor types owing to the high level of friction. The entirely frictional conveying
causes high levels of wear, especially of the traction elements.

Use
Normal conveying distances extend to 100 m with an angle of inclination of 40 .
Scraper conveyors having a single chain strand are curved. With a double chain strand
the conveyor must follow a straight path. The chain strands will be loaded unequally if
laid in a curved manner, which will cause the chain to skip over the drive star on one side.
Scraper conveyors are not sensitive to temperature and can convey hot material.
It is not possible to overfill scraper conveyors since, even with a fairly deep layer of ma-
terial, only the material at the level of the flight is drawn out from underneath. Scraper
conveyors are therefore suitable for use as discharge devices under hoppers and silos.

Conveying Capacity
The conveying speed is dependent on the particle size of the material and varies from 0.2
m/s for lumpy material to 0.8 m/s for fine material.
The conveying capacity is dependent on width, flight height, flight spacing, filling level
and conveying speed.
The dragging mode of material transport and the resulting friction require increased energy
expenditure. If the material is not conveyed on itself, but instead on the steel base of the
scraper conveyor then the energy consumption is reduced considerably (by approx. 30 %).

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 2.2 Chain Conveyors

Figure 2.2-2: Scraper Conveyor .

2.2.2 Troughed Chain Conveyors

Operating Principle and Construction

Troughed chain conveyors are bulk material conveyors used predominantly for hori-
zontal or inclined conveying, but also for vertical conveying with the chain running in
the material in a closed trough.

The material fills the cross-section of the troughed chain conveyor, either completely or
to a great extent, and is therefore moved as a continuous layer rather than piecemeal. The
relative movement between the chain and the material is therefore substantially less than
with simple scraper conveyors.
The conveying is carried out in an enclosed, dust-tight and, if necessary, gastight housing.
The material is discharged via slide gates at the desired locations.

Use
Troughed chain conveyors are suitable for the transport of pulverulent to medium-sized
material.

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 2 Construction and Operation

Figure 2.2-3: Troughed Chain Conveyor .

material feed enclosed trough

tail station

tensioning device
drive station conveying direction
feed discharge

Figure 2.2-4: Schematic Diagram of a Troughed Chain Conveyor .

Output
The conveying speed lies between 0.1 m/s and 0.4 m/s. Conveying capacities of up to
1000 t/h and conveying distances of 60 m are possible.
The conveying capacity is determined by conveying width, flight height, flight spacing and
conveying speed. The material can be fed in and removed at any location.
The field of application is limited to material temperatures up to 200 , since higher tem-
peratures in the closed system lead to warping caused by a build-up of heat and there is an
increase in material wear.
Energy consumption and repair costs are considerably lower with troughed chain con-
veyors than with simple chain conveyors owing to the smooth trough walls and, above all,
owing to the fine consistency of the material.

2.2.3 Apron Conveyors

Operating Principle and Construction

The apron conveyor (Fig. 2.2-5) is a chain conveyor with one or more chains as traction
elements with touching or overlapping plates, troughs or boxes connected to the chains
as the carrying units. It is also possible to dispense with the chains by direct coupling
of the carrying units.

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 2.2 Chain Conveyors

Figure 2.2-5: Apron Conveyor .

The main components of an apron conveyor are the drive station, the tail station, the plate-
link chains with rollers placed at a certain spacing, and the supporting frame with the track
for the chain rollers. With the same basic components, the apron conveyor can be fitted
with a wide range of carrying units. The design of the carrying devices determines the
maximum angle of inclination of the conveyor.

tail station material feed conveying direction Antriebstation

tensioning device material discharge

Figure 2.2-6: Schematic Diagram of an Apron Conveyor .

Use
Apron conveyors are suitable for direct hopper discharge. They can also be used for con-
veying up an incline.
Owing to their robustness, low maintenance and long service life, apron conveyors have
proved to be the best method in the cement and lime industries for transporting abrasive
and hot materials.

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Output
The conveying speed lies between 0.2 m/s and 1.5 m/s depending on the size of the system.
Advantages The rolling friction and supported transport in apron conveyors form the basic require-
ments for favourable energy consumption and low maintenance costs.

2.3 Screw Conveyors

A screw conveyor (Fig. 2.3-1) is a continuous conveyor with a stationary tube or trough
as the supporting element in which a conveying screw rotates as the transport device.

Operating Principle and Construction

The construction is very simple and only consists of the drive, trough and conveying
screw.

10 material feed

drive

material discharge

Figure 2.3-1: Schematic Diagram of a Screw Conveyor .

Figure 2.3-2: Screw Conveyor .

Energy Demand As with the scraper conveyor, the material is pushed along. The simultaneous relative
movement between the conveyor and the material must overcome not only the friction
of the material on the trough, but also along the screw spiral. The energy demand is
therefore greater than with scraper conveyors.

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 2.3 Screw Conveyors

Use
Screw conveyors are used to convey pulverulent and gritty bulk materials in a horizon-
tal or inclined direction. A screw conveyor can also be used for vertical conveying over
short distances.
Screw conveyors are preferably only used for conveying capacities up to 1000 m3 /h and
over conveying distances of up to 60 m owing to the wear caused by friction.
The compact and enclosed construction is particularly suitable for transporting pulveru-
lent and explosive materials. The screw shaft may be equipped with conveying paddles for
transporting sticky or moist materials and slurries.
Some drawbacks that should be mentioned include the high level of wear and the high en-
ergy demand. The simultaneous relative movement between the conveyor and the material
must overcome not only the friction of the material on the trough, but also along the screw
spiral.

Output
11
The conveying capacity is given by the diameter of the screw and the trough, the screw
fittings and the screw speed. The screw speed generally ranges between 16 rpm and 140
rpm.
At this point in the online course you would get additional information on conveying screw
design.
The most important component of the screw conveyor is the conveying screw, of which
there are three different designs:
1 Full Screw
The screw spiral is attached directly to the screw shaft. This design is suitable for
conveying pulverulent to granular materials.

2 Ribbon Screw
The screw spiral consists of a strip that is attached to the screw shaft. This design is
suitable for conveying slightly sticky and small-sized materials.

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 2 Construction and Operation

3 Mixing Screw
Mixing paddles that mix and convey the material are bolted to the screw shaft. An
improved mixing effect is achieved by using two mixing screws in one trough (twin-
shaft mixer). This design is suitable for mixing and conveying very sticky materials
that tend to form coatings.

12

2.4 Vibrating Conveyors

The vibrating conveyor is a mechanical continuous conveyor that uses inertial forces
to convey the material in a horizontal or slightly rising or falling direction.

Operating Principle and Construction

Vibrating conveyors operate on the throwing principle. During the forward movement
the material is picked up and carried forward. When it travels backwards the trough is low-
ered, which reduces the pressure of the material against the trough surface. The reduced
pressure means that the material is not carried back again owing to the inertia of the mass.
The drive is achieved by unbalance motors or electromagnetic vibrators.

Figure 2.4-1: Principle of the Vibrating Conveyor (Schematic View) .

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 2.5 Bucket Elevators

Use
Vibrating conveyors are suitable for transporting material up to a size of 600 mm. The
material temperatures may reach up to 700 C. If the grains are too fine or the material is
too moist, the use is limited owing to the formation of coating.
A disadvantage of the vibrating conveyor is a damping of the vibrating amplitude with Disadvantages
direct hopper discharge owing to the height of the material column. Sticky materials also
reduce the vibrating amplitude. A vibrating amplitude control system (target actual
comparison) can overcome this drawback.

Output
With downward inclined vibrating conveyors the conveying capacity can be increased,
depending on the length of the trough, by 2 6 % per degree of inclination. It should
be noted that trough wear increases with increasing inclination. With ascending vibrating
conveyors the conveying capacity falls by 2 3 % per degree of ascent.
13

2.5 Bucket Elevators

Bucket elevators are continuous conveyors in which chains or belts are used as the
traction elements and buckets are used as the carrying units.

Operating Principle and Construction

The drive is achieved by the head station roller, gear unit, coupling and motor. In many
cases an additional auxiliary drive is installed for checking and repairing the bucket ele-
vator. The conveying strand is tensioned by the bottom pulley with internal gravity takeup.

Bucket elevators must be provided with an anti-runback device. Otherwise, during down- Reverse Locks
time the loaded strand would be pulled downwards. In this case both the coupling and the
gear unit might rotate too quickly. Excessively high speeds, up to 10,000 rpm depending
on gear ratio, would cause these machine parts to rupture. In this case there is a very high
risk of accidents or even fatal injury.
There are various options for filling and emptying the buckets. The correct choice is Filling
determined by the particle size of the material.
 Fine Material
The material is guided into the foot of the bucket elevator and is scooped up by the
buckets. The filling level of the buckets is 80 %. The material is discharged at the
head of the bucket elevator by centrifugal force, which requires a conveying speed of
at least 1.5 m/s.
 Coarse Material
The material is fed directly into the buckets on the upward-travelling conveying strand
. The filling level of the buckets is 70 %. At the head of the bucket elevator the material
is discharged centrally between the conveying strands. For a bucket elevator that dis-
charges on the gravity principle the conveying speed is approx. 0.5 m/s. Moist material
or material that tends to form coatings is also discharged on the gravity principle.

Use
Bucket elevators are used in the cement industry for vertical conveying of bulk materials
up to 400 mm. Special designs are used to convey hot material at a temperature > 100 C.

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14

Figure 2.5-1: Bucket Elevator .

The maximum possible conveying capacity is approx. 1000 t/h. Conveying heights of up
to 100 m can be achieved depending on the traction element.
Bucket elevators can be divided further, depending on the design of the traction element,
into belt bucket elevators and chain bucket elevators.

Design: Belt Bucket Elevator

In belt bucket elevators (Fig. 2.5-2) a belt is used as the traction element and the buck-
ets are fixed to this. Belt bucket elevators are predominantly used for pulverulent and fine-
grained materials. The use of steel cable inserts to strengthen the belt means that belt
bucket elevators can now be subjected to greater loadings. The conveying speed of up 3.5
m/s is considerably greater than that of chain bucket elevators. The possible conveying
capacities are also considerably greater than those of chain bucket elevators owing to the
greater conveying speed. The tensile strength of the belt compared with its low inher-

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 2.5 Bucket Elevators

Figure 2.5-2: Belt Bucket Elevator .

ent weight, achieved by using woven or steel cable inserts, makes it possible to achieve
conveying heights of up to approx. 100 m.
Disadvantages of belt bucket elevators are the sensitivity to material temperatures greater Disadvantages
15
than 100 C. The particle size of the material should not exceed 50 mm and the fraction
that is greater than 25 mm should be less than 50 %. A weak point of the belt bucket
elevator is the clamped connection of the belt. The rubber belt must be inspected regularly
for hardening.

Design: Chain Bucket Elevator

The chain bucket elevator (Fig. 2.5-3) is suitable for almost all particle sizes and can also
be used to convey hot material. Twin-strand plate-link or else round-link chains are used
as the traction elements. The buckets are bolted to the chains.
At this point of the online course, in place of this image, you could watch a video showing
use during clinker transport.

The conveying speed lies between 0.3 m/s (gravity emptying) and 1.5 m/s (centrifugal
emptying). Conveying heights of up to only 55 m are possible owing to the heavy inherent
weight of the chains. As well as plate-link chains (Fig. ??), round-link chains (Fig. ??)
have also proved to be effective. Their advantage lies in the small chain pitch, which
ensures quiet movement around the chain wheels. Chain bucket elevators are suitable for

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 2 Construction and Operation

16

Figure 2.5-3: Chain Bucket Elevator .

moving differing material flows because the conveying capacity can be varied by changing
the conveying speed using an adjustable drive.
Disadvantages The relatively high level of wear of the chains and their heavy inherent weight should be
mentioned as disadvantages.
Chain wear must be checked regularly.

2.6 Roller Conveyors

The roller conveyor is a unit load conveyor with rollers arranged at right angles to the
direction of conveying as the means of support. If the rollers are arranged radially, the
material may be guided round bends.

Operating Principle and Construction

Types A distinction is made between driven and non-driven roller conveyors.
 Roller conveyors with no drive operate by gravity and require an inclination of 1.5
to 5 .

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 Roller conveyors with drive are used for horizontal or slightly ascending distnances
up to 40 m long.

17

Figure 2.6-1: Roller Conveyor .

A change between inclined, horizontal and ascending conveying is possible. In this in-
stance only the rollers of the horizontal and ascending stretches are driven. All other
rollers operate by gravity.

Use
Roller conveyors are currently used in the cement and lime industries in the packing plants
for transporting pallets and for transporting and separating rubber tyres for combustion.

3 Health and Safety Practice Measures

All mechanical continuous conveyors operate with moving traction or carrying elements
and fixed parts, resulting in an increased risk of accidents. It is therefore necessary to
install safety equipment and to take measures that will minimize the risk of any accidents.
There are numerous pinching, shearing and nip points between moving and fixed parts
in continuous conveyors.

Every worker must strictly observe the relevant accident-prevention regulations.

In addition, there is a general obligation to check continuous conveyors (e.g. belt con- Regulation
veyors) in accordance with the APR (accident-prevention regulation) Prevention Prin-
ciples (BGV A1). Before continuous conveyors are first started up, they must be checked
at suitable intervals, as well as after alterations or servicing, for their safe condition or at
least for externally visible signs of damage and defects.
Every continuous conveyor must have a name plate displaying the following information: Identification
 manufacturer or supplier
 year of construction
 model

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 3 Health and Safety Practice Measures

In continuous conveyors, the pulleys, wheels and rollers at which the traction elements are
returned or deflected and the chain wheels must be protected in such a way that individuals
cannot gain access to the moving parts. Nip points that are produced at the return of the
traction or carrying units or by the movement of pushing components must be avoided or
protected so that individuals cannot reach them.

18

Figure 3.0-1: Protected Return Roller of a Belt Conveyor .

Figure 3.0-2: Protected Idler Roller of a Belt Conveyor .

Belt conveyors must have pull cords fitted along the side of the supporting structure.

Pull Cords All inspection or filling openings in enclosed continuous conveyors must be provided with
a safety grate. This prevents any accidental access to the inside of the conveying system
Safety Grate during operation.

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 19

Figure 3.0-3: Pull Cord with Switch .

Figure 3.0-4: Inspection Opening in a Screw Conveyor with Safety Grate .

The safety equipment must be fitted up to a reach height of 2.5 m in order to prevent any
body parts, clothing or tools (e.g. shovels) being caught and drawn in.
Continuous conveyors must be switched off and secured against accidental reconnection
during repair or cleaning works. Switching off the power supply is not sufficient; the load
current must be disconnected from the mains supply at all poles. Repairs

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 4 Factors Affecting Operation and Quality

20

Figure 3.0-5: Repair Switch Protected Against Being Switched On .

Further Health and Safety Measures

 If there is a risk of the continuous conveyor moving with no drive when work is being
carried out then additional measures must be taken to prevent this.
 The employer or an authorised representative must give clear operating and working
instructions for dealing with machines during operation and repair.
 The employer or an authorised representative, generally the operative supervisor, must
educate employees about the risks.
 Workers must be provided with personal protective equipment.
 Suction off-takes must be provided for continuous conveyors when transporting dusty
materials. The evacuated air must be cleaned. Transfer points at continuous conveyors
that are used to transport dusty materials must be connected to a dedusting system.

4 Factors Affecting Operation and Quality

Continuous conveyors are connecting links in the production chain. Any interruption or
breakdown of these connecting links generally causes a complete stoppage of the respec-
tive production stage and therefore has a direct effect on the production operation.

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It is necessary to keep the downtime of continuous conveyors to a minimum by carry-
ing out preventive maintenance and regular servicing. Replacement and wearing parts
should be kept in stock so as to minimize repair time.

5 Maintenance and Inspection

In order to achieve operation that is as free as possible from interruptions, the maintenance
and inspection must be carried out at fixed intervals. The work to be carried out should be
specified in a maintenance and inspection schedule. The maintenance work carried out
and the results of inspections must be recorded in this schedule.

Inspection
 visual inspection
 assessment of the running noise
 assessment of the material flow 21
 checking of the oil levels in gear units, bearings and hydraulic couplings
 checking of the lubrication equipment
 checking of the safety equipment, including the anti-runback devices
 checking of the dedusting and noise protection equipment
 checking of the seals of enclosed conveyors
 checking of the measuring and control equipment
 checking of the tensioning of the traction elements
 checking of the power consumption
 checking of the wear of the traction, carrying and conveying elements

Maintenance
 cleaning of the conveyor and drives
 replenishment of oil and lubricants
 tensioning of the traction elements
 replacement of small mechnical parts in accordance with instructions or as required
 wear measurements

Replacements
For replacing major mechanical parts, such as the traction, carrying or conveying elements,
it is necessary to schedule a repair. The schedule must include:
 time of repair
 time required
 personnel requirement
 replacement parts required
 tools
 organisation
 responsibility
 Repair and maintenance as well as some inspection measures require the conveyor to Switch Off!
be shut down. The conveyor must be disconnected from the mains supply at all poles
and secured against accidental reconnection.
 Standardized and lockable safety switches for each drive are now state of the art and
must be used.

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 6 Environmental Protection Measures

 In the case of inclined or vertical conveyors, the traction element must be secured by
suitable equipment against running backwards.
 The relevant accident-prevention regulations and the operating instructions must
be observed.
 The workers must be advised about the progress of the repair, safety measures and
the necessary tools.
 Every worker involved in carrying out maintenance and inspection work should be
trained for this work. An understanding of the mode of operation of the machinery
from a mechanical and process engineering point of view will allow workers to carry
out their work efficiently.

Wear
Wear of the Different  Belt Conveyor
Types Does not traverse bends in the normal design and must be absolutely straight in order to
avoid increased wear. Temperature-sensitive; a material temperature of 120 C halves
22 the service life of the belt.
 Scraper Conveyor
Serious wear, above all of the feed chains, caused by frictional conveying.
 Troughed Chain Conveyor
Considerably lower wear than for simple chain conveyors owing to the smooth trough
walls.
 Apron Conveyor
Low wear as a result of rolling friction and supported transport.
 Screw Conveyor
Screw speed influences wear; manufacturers recommendations should be observed.
Influencing Factors The following factors have a considerable effect on the wear of continuous conveyors:
 correct tensioning of the transport belts and drive chains
 lubrication of the system parts in accordance with a lubrication schedule
 avoidance of dirt deposits and abrasive points
 use of wear-resistant materials during repair work
 avoidance of overloading of the system

The wear and repair costs of the system will rise sharply if these points are ignored.

6 Environmental Protection Measures

Continuous conveyors may have a negative effect on the environment. In particular, dust
and noise emissions may be produced during the operation of continuous conveyors.

Emissions
Noise The noise emission produced by continuous conveyors must be prevented or reduced by
structural measures.
 In particular, continuous conveyors may produce loud screeching and grinding noises
when running empty. Coarse material falling back from bucket elevators may cause
noise emissions. Conveyors of this type should not be used outside.

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 23

 The transfer points of belt conveyors must be provided with suction hoods that are Dust
connected to a dedusting system when transporting dry materials.

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Research Institute of the Cement Industry
 6 Environmental Protection Measures

24

 Belts that are placed outside must be protected against the effects of wind.

 Adhering material can fall from the lower strand of a belt conveyor and lead to dust
emissions. This can be avoided by arranging an effective scraper directly beneath the
drive drum.

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Research Institute of the Cement Industry
 25

 All enclosed conveyors, such as troughed chain conveyors, screw conveyors and bucket
elevators that are used to convey dry materials should be connected to a dedusting sys-
tem.

Energy Consumption
 Belt Conveyors
Supporting the belt on idler rollers (rolling friction) leads to favourable energy con-
sumption.
 Scraper Conveyors
Transporting the material by dragging, and the friction thus produced, requires in-
creased energy expenditure. If the material is not conveyed on itself, but instead on the
steel base of the scraper conveyor, then the energy consumption will decrease consid-
erably (by approx. 30 %).
 Troughed Chain Conveyors
Considerably lower consumption than with simple chain conveyors owing to the smooth
trough walls.
 Apron Conveyors
Low consumption by rolling friction and supported transport.
 Screw Conveyors
Greater consumption than with scraper conveyors because the material must overcome
the friction both on the trough and on the screw.

Inadequately maintained or lubricated systems increase the current and power consump- Warning!
tion of the drive motors.

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 7 Questions on Course LB 6.1- Mechanical Continuous Conveyors

7 Questions on Course LB 6.1- Mechanical Continuous

Conveyors
You can test your knowledge by answering the following questions.

Question 7.0 A:
1. What is a continuous conveyor?
2. Name the types of mechanical continuous conveyor.
3. What is a traction element?
4. What is a carrying unit?
5. Describe the construction of a belt conveyor.
6. How hot may the material be for a belt conveyor?
7. What belt widths can a belt conveyor have?
8. At what speeds do belt conveyors operate?
26 9. Describe a chain conveyor.
10. Name the different types of chain conveyor.
11. Which chain conveyor has the greatest energy consumption?
12. At what speeds does a troughed chain conveyor operate?
13. Name the key components of an apron conveyor.
14. What is a screw conveyor?
15. Describe the most important components of a screw conveyor.
16. Within what speed range does a screw conveyor operate?
17. How might a screw be equipped for moist material?
18. Which materials are most commonly conveyed by screw conveyors?
19. How does a vibrating conveyor operate?
20. Describe the construction of a bucket elevator.
21. How is the bucket elevator filled?
22. Name the different types of bucket elevator discharge.
23. Name the different types of bucket elevator.
24. Give the conveying heights and speeds of these bucket elevators.
25. What is a roller conveyor?
26. When does a roller conveyor require a drive?
27. Where are roller conveyors used in our industry?
28. How might the risk of an accident arise with continuous conveyors?
29. Which accident-prevention regulation applies to continuous conveyors?
30. What information must the name plate on continuous conveyors contain?
31. What points of continuous conveyors must be protected?
32. How is emergency shutdown of belt conveyors ensured?
33. During which work must continuous conveyors be shut down?
34. How must continuous conveyors be disconnected during cleaning and repairs?
35. When must additional measures be taken during shutdown for repair?
36. Where must the air drawn off from continuous conveyors be taken?
37. Who must compile the operating instructions?
38. What environmental effects can be produced by continuous conveyors?
39. What must be borne in mind with regard to dust avoidance in belt conveyors?
40. How are noise emissions produced in continuous conveyors?
Solutions see p. 27

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Solutions
Solution for 7.0 A:
1. Continuous conveyors are conveying systems in which the material can be moved
either continuously or intermittently over a fixed conveying path from the feed point
to the discharge point, possibly at varying speed.
2. Belt conveyors, chain conveyors, screw conveyors, vibrating conveyors, bucket el-
evators, roller conveyors
3. The traction element moves the material.
4. The carrying unit carries the material
5. An endless belt travels over a drive roller and return roller. In between, the belt is
supported on idler rollers.
6. Maximum of 50 C. Higher temperatures only with a hot-material belt.
7. Between 0.6 m and 3 m.
8. Between 0.8 m/s and 3.2 m/s.
9. A single-strand or multi-strand chain, to which the carrying units are fixed, is used 27
as the traction element and is driven by a chain starwheel.
10. Scraper conveyor, troughed chain conveyor, apron conveyor
11. Scraper conveyor
12. At conveying speeds between 0.1 m/s and 0.4 m/s.
13. Drive station, return station, plate-link chains, rollers and supporting frame
14. Screw conveyors are bulk material conveyors with a stationary trough as the support
device and a driven conveying screw as the transport element.
15. The construction basically consists of a drive, the trough and the conveying screw
16. Generally between 16 rpm and 140 rpm.
17. It has paddles bolted to the screw shaft.
18. Pulverulent to small-sized materials.
19. The vibrating conveyor moves the material by the throwing principle.
20. A bucket elevator consists of a bucket elevator foot, a bucket elevator head, chains
or belts as the traction element, and buckets as the carrying units.
21. Fine material is guided into the bucket elevator foot and scooped up by the buckets.
Coarse material is fed directly into the buckets on the strand travelling upwards.
22. The centrifugal method and the gravity method.
23. Belt bucket elevators and chain bucket elevators
24. Belt bucket elevators allow conveying heights of up to 100 m and operate at con-
veying speeds of up to 3.5 m/s. With chain bucket elevators a conveying height of
up to 55 m is possible, at a conveying speed between 0.3 m/s and 1.5 m/s..
25. A unit load conveyor with rollers arranged at right angles to the direction of con-
veying.
26. For horizontal or ascending conveying.
27. In the packing plant for transporting palettes and for transporting and separating
tyres for combustion.
28. From the interaction between fixed and moving parts.
29. 10.1 Continuous Conveyors
30. Manufacturer or supplier, year of construction and model.
31. Pulleys, wheels, rollers and chain wheels.
32. By a pull cord at the supporting structure.
33. During repair and cleaning work.
34. The continuous conveyor must be disconnected from the mains supply at all poles
and secured against reconnection.

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 7 Questions on Course LB 6.1- Mechanical Continuous Conveyors

35. When there is a possibility that the conveyor will start to move with no drive.
36. The air that has been drawn off must be cleaned by a dedusting system
37. The employer or an authorised representative
38. Dust and noise emissions
39. The generation of dust can be avoided by attaching a scraper under the drive pulley.
40. Screeching and grinding noises may be produced when running empty. Coarse
material falling back from bucket elevators leads to noise emission.
Questions see p. 26

28

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Research Institute of the Cement Industry
Glossary
apron conveyors
Chain conveyor with one or more chains as the traction element and associated touching plates, troughs or boxes
as carrying units.
belt conveyors
The belt conveyor moves the material with the aid of a recirculating, endless rubber or synthetic belt with fabric
or steel-cord inserts. The belt acts as both the traction element and the carrying unit.
bucket elevators
Continuous conveyor in which chains or belts act as the traction element and buckets act as carrier units
chain conveyors
Chain conveyors are continuous conveyors with a single- or multi-strand chain as the traction element and dif-
ferent types of carrying unit for horizontal, vertical or inclined conveying.
continuous conveyor
Mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic conveying system, in which the material is moved either continuously or
intermittently from the feed point to the discharge point, possibly at variable speed (e.g. a belt conveyor)
DIN 15201
Standard Continuous Conveyors; Ancillary Equipment; Designations, Graphic Examples 29
roller conveyors
Unit load conveyor with rollers arranged at right angles to the direction of conveying as the support units
screw conveyors
Continuous conveyor with a stationary tube or trough as the carrying device, in which a screw conveyor rotates
as the propelling device.
troughed chain conveyors
Troughed chain conveyors are bulk conveyors for predominantly horizontal or inclined, but also vertical convey-
ing with a chain running in the material in an enclosed trough.
vibrating conveyors
Mechanical continuous conveyor that conveys the material by inertia forces in a horizontal, slightly rising or
inclined direction

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 Index

A
apron conveyors 1

B
belt conveyors 1
bucket elevators 1

C
chain conveyors 1
continuous conveyor 1, 17

D
DIN 15201 2

R
roller conveyors 1
30
S
screw conveyors 1

T
troughed chain conveyors 1

V
vibrating conveyors 1

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