Conveyor Belt Edge Reinforcement for Delamination Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conveyor belts in underground mining often wear and tear along the side edges, leading to delamination and potential tears, necessitating frequent replacement, which is time-consuming and cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
A conveyor belt design featuring a ribbon of elastomeric material reinforced with multiple layers of angled reinforcing cords, positioned between the central axis and side edges, creating a serrated pattern to resist delamination and tear by distributing wear and stress effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the conveyor belt uses a conventional design with reinforcing cords positioned away from side edges, then the belt structure is simpler and easier to manufacture, but the belt becomes worn and torn along side edges leading to delamination and frequent replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The belt structure is segmented into distinct functional zones: reinforcing cords are positioned in two groups, with first groups away from side edges providing general reinforcement, and second groups near side edges providing edge protection. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally while working together as a unified system.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the belt are given different qualities by positioning reinforcing cords at specific locations. The area near side edges receives additional reinforcement from the second groups of cords to resist wear and tear, while the central area is reinforced by the first groups of cords. This local quality enhancement addresses the specific wear pattern without unnecessarily complicating the entire belt structure.
2Reliability
If the conveyor belt uses frequent replacement to address wear and tear, then the belt can be replaced when worn, but the conveyor system experiences frequent downtime and operational disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The second groups of reinforcing cords are pre-positioned near the side edges before the belt is put into service. This preliminary reinforcement prevents wear and tear from progressing to the point of delamination and tear, extending the belt's service life and reducing the frequency of replacements, thereby minimizing downtime and operational disruption.
3Ease of manufacture
If the reinforcing cords are positioned only away from the central axis, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but the side edges become vulnerable to wear and delamination
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcing cord arrangement is segmented into two distinct groups positioned at different locations. The first groups are positioned away from side edges following conventional manufacturing practices, while the second groups are positioned near side edges to provide targeted protection. This segmentation maintains manufacturing simplicity for the majority of cords while adding localized reinforcement where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The belt structure incorporates local quality enhancement by positioning the second groups of reinforcing cords specifically near the side edges. This localized reinforcement addresses the vulnerability of side edges to wear and delamination without requiring a complete redesign of the entire cord positioning system, thus maintaining ease of manufacture while improving side edge durability.
Data Source
AI summary
A belt for a conveyor system generally includes a ribbon of elastomeric material and a plurality of reinforcing cords connected to the ribbon. The ribbon defines a central longitudinal axis and a pair of side edges extending parallel to the longitudinal axis. At least some of the cords have ends positioned between the longitudinal axis and a side edge.