A Comparison of Soft Start Mechanisms for Mining Belt Conveyors

Michael L. Nave, P.E.

CONSOL Inc.

1800 Washington Road Pittsburgh, PA 15241 Belt Conveyors are an important method for transportation of bulk materials in the mining industry. The control of the application of the starting torque from the belt drive system to the belt fabric affects the performance, life cost, and reliability of the conveyor. This paper examines applications of each starting method within the coal mining industry.

INTRODUCTION

The force required to move a belt conveyor must be transmitted by the drive pulley via friction between the drive pulley and the belt fabric. In order to transmit power there must be a difference in the belt tension as it approaches and leaves the drive pulley. These conditions are true for steady state running, starting, and stopping. Traditionally, belt designs are based on static calculations of running forces. Since starting and stopping are not examined in detail, safety factors are applied to static loadings (Harrison, 1987). This paper will primarily address the starting or acceleration duty of the conveyor. The belt designer must control starting acceleration to prevent excessive tension in the belt fabric and forces in the belt drive system (Suttees, 1986). High acceleration forces can adversely affect the belt fabric, belt splices, drive pulleys, idler pulleys, shafts, bearings, speed reducers, and couplings. Uncontrolled acceleration forces can cause belt conveyor system performance problems with vertical curves, excessive belt take-up movement, loss of drive pulley friction, spillage of materials, and festooning of the belt fabric. The belt designer is confronted with two problems, The belt drive system must produce a minimum torque powerful enough to start the conveyor, and controlled such that the acceleration forces are within safe limits. Smooth starting of the conveyor can be accomplished by the use of drive torque control equipment, either mechanical or electrical, or a combination of the two (CEM, 1979).

SOFT START MECHANISM EVALUATION CRITERION

What is the best belt conveyor drive system? The answer depends on many variables. The best system is one that provides acceptable control for starting, running, and stopping at a reasonable cost and with high reliability (Lewdly and Sugarcane, 1978). Belt Drive System For the purposes of this paper we will assume that belt conveyors are almost always driven by electrical prime movers (Goodyear Tire and Rubber, 1982). The belt "drive system" shall consist of multiple components including the electrical prime mover, the electrical motor starter with control system, the motor coupling, the speed reducer, the low speed coupling, the belt drive pulley, and the pulley brake or hold back (Cur, 1986). It is important that the belt designer examine the applicability of each system component to the particular application. For the purpose of this paper, we will assume