Maintenance

WHAT DOES A BELT CLEANING SYSTEM DO?

The function of an efficient belt cleaning system is to remove the fugitive material which remains on the return strand of the belt and to assist in spillage control by returning that material to the main material flow within the confines of the discharge chute.

The proper selection, installation, commissioning and maintenance of the cleaning system will ensure individual cleaners are at their most efficient, reduce site clean-up and maintenance costs while improving profitability and extending belt life.

Reducing fugitive material offers the following benefits:

Reduces lost product
Reduces dust and other environmentally unacceptable operating practices
Reduces safety hazard from build-up on gantries, walkways and under conveyors
Fewer resources used in clean up
Increases life of conveyor belt
Increases life of associated conveyor components
Eliminates belt tracking problems from the build up of material on roller and pulley shells
Reduces the corrosion of conveyor structural components from built-up materials

Why Use A Belt Cleaning System?

Belt cleaners work most efficiently as a system. The make-up of each system will vary depending on your belt cleaning requirements, chute design, material types, tonnage, belt speeds, the presence of mechanical fasteners and the quality of the belt top cover.

There may be a number of different types of belt cleaners used in a system. Generally they will consist of a primary cleaner, a secondary cleaner and for high performance belt cleaning, a third cleaner will be installed in the tertiary position. In extreme cases of high carry back, a fourth cleaner can lower carry back levels.

The reason a systems approach is best is related entirely to performance and belt life. Overloading a single belt cleaner will result in a higher rate of maintenance and a rapid reduction in belt cover life, while a multiple cleaner system, employing water, reduces belt cover wear, cleaner component wear and contributes substantially to dust suppression.

FUNCTION, CLEANING AND CARE

ABS PRIMARY BELT CLEANERS

The function of the primary cleaner is to ”scalp“ the belt of the coarse carry back materials which would otherwise overload the secondary and tertiary cleaners.
In terms of volume, the primary cleaner is responsible for the removal of up to 75% of the total carry back and is an essential part of the system. It has the added advantage of placing the carry back directly into the flow of material.
The course materials do not cause a problem of carry back. This is normally because of the fine and sticky particles in the mix of material.
These fine and sticky particles are removed by the secondary and tertiary cleaners.

ABS SECONDARY BELT CLEANERS

The function of the secondary cleaner is to remove fine and sticky materials from the belt after the primary cleaner has removed the course carry back.
In terms of volume removed, the secondary cleaner does not appear to be as effective as the primary cleaner. However, this does not ring true when looking at the mess around a conveyor or the build-up on return rollers.
It is the fine and sticky material that is responsible for the mess as it is particularly hard to remove. In many cases, it is necessary to apply water to the belt in front of the secondary cleaner to achieve the required result.

The efficiency of any belt cleaning system will be affected by the following factors:

Correct specification of belt cleaners
Use of water and proper regulation
Belt specification, condition and type of join
Correct installation
Belt stabilisation
Belt tension
Regular inspection and maintenance programmes

The correct specification of the belt cleaning system is essential when planning any application. The parameters for the level of carry back required will dictate the type and number of cleaners required. The use of water as an aid in belt cleaning will improve expected dry carry back levels by 40 – 50%.

The belt spec and condition will determine the level of effectiveness the cleaning system will be able to achieve and the type of join will dictate the style of tip and end assembly arrangement used.

Proper installation instructions should be followed to ensure the correct operation of any new cleaner. After any service or new installation, the conveyor should be test run to check correct operation and ensure the cleaners do not vibrate and are adjusted to the correct tension. This is a priority and must be carried out immediately after installation or at the earliest opportunity. A service technician must check the efficiency and security of the mounting brackets and tensioning systems.

Pressure rollers must be used where required to hold the belt flat and allow the cleaner

tips to remain in constant contact at all times. This will eliminate belt flap and vibrations which hamper cleaner efficiency.

Regular inspections and maintenance ensures the cleaners work to their optimum level and required maintenance should be carried out preventatively rather than in response to a breakdown.

RETURN BELT PLOUGHS

Ploughs are designed to clean the inside of a conveyor belt on its return trip and to remove any large lumps that can potentially damage the belt or tail pulley lagging if allowed to travel through this area.

CAUTIONS

To avoid belt damage, ABS Ploughs have been designed to be fitted in a trailing position.
Fine-tuning of the plough is possible through the use of the adjustment turnbuckle fitted to the nose of the plough.
The ABS Vee and BI Directional Ploughs are designed to be self-actuating so when wear occurs they automatically adjust themselves to the belt. The ploughs are used to prevent the carriage of material on the return strand, which can cause damage to the pulley lagging and belt.
The ploughs are set up on the return side of the belt at tail and take-up pulleys.

INSTALLATION

It is important that the ABS Plough be correctly positioned, ideally on a flat surface as close as practicable to the tail end or take-up area of the conveyor. The apex of the plough should be located 150 mm behind a flat return roller to achieve optimum cleaning performance.

1. Loosely assemble plough connecting linkage arms to the plough body.

2. Place the plough on the belt and ensure there is enough clearance. Position the mounting brackets in either a vertical or horizontal position, ensuring the centre line of the pole is between 190-350 mm above the return side of the belt.

3. Mark and drill the holes to correspond with the mounting brackets and attach with M12 bolts.

4. Centralize the ABS Plough in the correct position to the belt, located by locking shaft collars into position.

5. Adjust the turnbuckle so the plough sits evenly across the belt.

6. Test run belt to ensure the correct operation of the unit.

IMPACT BEDS

Extending belt life, reducing wear on idlers and reducing downtime is achieved by using impact beds, which support the conveyor belt and cushion it against the shock impact of heavy loads. ABS custom-makes and supplies impact beds and skirting for all high impact areas on transfer chutes to suit any site application.