DENVER, CO — A new Goodyear pipe shaped conveyor belt uses finite element analysis technology to keep material and dust in, and wind and rain out  | A conveyor system using Confine can include an incline that is 10 degrees steeper than an equivalent flat conveyor system using trough configured belts. |
Goodyear Confine pipe conveyor belts, introduced at the Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration annual meeting here, are designed to stay sealed while traveling through curves and inclines built into in-plant and overland systems. Conventional pipe conveyor belts have been used for more than 15 years but exhibit shape collapse, compromised seals, buckling and rotation or twisting, according to Dave Tersigni, marketing manager for Veyance Technologies — the world’s No. 1 conveyor belt manufacturer. “Performance issues of conventional designs create inefficient systems requiring more power to operate, while material and dust can escape from the system,” he said. Enter finite element analysis. Veyance design engineers used advanced FEA software to model the performance of various conveyor belt designs in straight runs as well as horizontal and sloping curves. The modeling was validated by dynamic testing that simulates extreme field conditions encountered over the life of the belt.
“They designed a unique, patent pending arrangement of steel cable and fabric reinforcement that helps Confine maintain its shape while navigating tight left, right and vertical bends and flexing continuously at the beginning and end of a transport system,” said Tersigni. He added that Confine’s reinforcement configuration enhances transverse stiffness which provides an excellent seal where edges overlap. It also resists rotating the overlap zone from the top to the bottom of a pipe conveyor system, regardless of its path. Demand for pipe belt systems is increasing in North American due to environmental concerns. Tersigni stated Confine remains completely closed so material and dust don’t scatter along a belt flight. Since the belt is also enclosed in the pipe shape for the return trip, product that possibly stuck to the belt remains trapped inside. “Better protection from wind and rain, smaller turn ratios, minimum material spillage, reduced dust pollution and longer belt life add up to a lower cost per ton of material conveyed,” said Tersigni. Typical Confine belt widths range from 24- to 75-inches and provide pipe diameters from 6- to 20-inches. A conveyor system using Confine can include an incline that is 10 degrees steeper than an equivalent flat conveyor system using trough configured belts. To comment on this story or for additional details click on the related button above. |