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PARTIAL REPLACEMENTS OF CONBEYOR BELT LOOP ANALYSIS WITH REGARD TO ITS RELIABILITY

Assist. Prof. Dr Miroslaw Bajda, Assist. Prof. Dr Ryszard Blazej, Associate Prof. Dr Leszek Jurdziak

Abstract

Conveyor belt loop operates in a system comprising a series of belt segments and the splices between them. Splices are the weakest parts of a loop. Depending on the splicing technology, the spliceпїЅs strength, durability and reliability may vary significantly. Vulcanized splices offer the highest strength and durability. In the case of steel cord belts, such splices are practically the only technology available. In the case of textile belts, adhesive and mechanical splices may also be used. Although mechanical splices have the lowest durability, their advantages include short splicing time and no need for seasoning, which is necessary in the case of adhesive and vulcanized splices. In actual operating conditions which exist in underground mines this technology is frequently used, even though the life of such splices may be even twice shorter than the life of the belt. Low durability of adhesive and mechanical splices is caused by their low strength, which results from many factors. These factors constitute the object of research at the Belt Conveying Laboratory located at the Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and Geology, Wroc?aw University of Science and Technology. Until now, the reliability of belt splices has not received enough attention in mining transport considerations, although its impact on costs and potential losses of production in mines is the key factor. With the flow of time and material, belts gradually wear out and are subjected to various sudden failures of random character. This fact also applies to belt splices, whose durability is usually lower (especially in the case of mechanical and adhesive joints). Breaking the continuity of the damaged belt or splices causes prolonged emergency downtimes, which are associated with high costs and huge losses in production. To avoid this, regular inspections of belts and splices are carried out, sometimes with specialized diagnostic tools. Minor belt failures and splices, when noticed, are repaired on site or during the next scheduled stop in the course of which the damaged parts of belts are replaced with new ones and new splices are made. Until now, insertion of a new belt segment in place of the damaged one has been planned without special consideration, although this reduces the reliability of the entire loop due to an increased number of splices and segments in the loop. The total cost and benefits of such replacements were also not taken into account, as restoring production was usually of the highest priority. Especially such factors as the reliability of the belt loop after replacements as well as the remaining life time of old and left splices and belts and their influence on costs and threats to the continuity of transportation and production were ignored. This paper proposes a reliability model of belt loop partial replacements, which allows taking into account these important details.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2017/13/s03.082

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