6.

0 Conveyors

Conveyors are mechanical devices or assemblies used to move items or packages with minimal
effort. They usually consist of frames that support rollers, wheels, or belts and may be motor
powered or manual devices.

Conveyor systems can be found almost anywhere – practically all manufacturing and processing
industries require a safe, reliable, automated way of transporting materials or products from one
place to another within the same production facility. It doesn’t matter if the product in question is
ground coffee or a vehicle chassis.

6.1 Types of Conveyors

 Screw (Auger) conveyors
 Aero Mechanical Conveyors
 Bucket conveyors
 Pneumatic conveyors
 Belt conveyors
 Chain conveyors
 Cable conveyors

6.2 Screw (Auger) Conveyors

One of the first conveyors to be invented, screw conveyors have been around since ancient times
(the Archimedes’ screw created in ancient Greece). The mechanism of this system consists of a
helical blade (screw or auger) that moves liquid or granular materials, usually within a tube.

Auger conveyors are good choice application for semi-solid materials, grouped into:
 small lumped/dry, granular, powder material.
 non-abrasive material.
 non packing material.
 non sticky material.
Such as: - Animal feed, Aggregates, Food waste, Wood chips, Meat, Boiler ash, Municipal solid
waste, and more.

The different types of screw conveyors include: -

 Solid Continuous: Mainly used for granular powdered material.
 Ribbon: used for lumpy material.
 Paddle Flight: can convey unit load.
 Cut Flight

The rate of the material transfer is directly proportional to the rotation speed of the auger.

Downsides of this conveyor system include compromised blends or breakage of the material,
reduced efficiency in high inclines, and the fact that it can’t be used in spaces where multiple
planes are required, carry only non-packing material. Relatively high power consumption, rapid
wear of the screw parts, used for low & medium capacity (up to 100 m /hr.), and cannot convey load
3

for long distance.

At the same time, if material integrity is not of essence (such as in transporting waste), augers
have few moving parts and are easy to maintain and clean, required small space, simplicity of
design, easy to maintain, small width, permit intermediate discharge of the material, and can convey
dusty and hot material.

6.3 Aero-Mechanical Conveyors

The foundation of an aero-mechanical system is the generation of a centrifugal force. This type
of conveyor includes a tube (usually made of steel) with an internally circulating rope. Discs are
evenly spaced along this rope, and they move at very high speeds that create an airstream. When
the material is fed into the air stream, it is fluidized and centrifugally ejected at the outlet.

Aero-mechanical conveyors are flexible, meaning they can operate both vertically and
horizontally. They are easy to clean and convey materials at high capacity, depending on their
application.

However, similarly to screw conveyors, these also compromise material integrity due to their
high transport speeds. Additionally, rope-tensioning means they are relatively difficult to
maintain. If the manufacturer wants to reduce the breakage of material, they have to find a slow
and steady speed for their aero-mechanical conveyor.

6.4 Hydraulic Conveyor

Hydraulic conveying consists in moving bulk materials along pipes or troughs (channel) in a steam of
water.
Principle
 The mixture of material & water is generally termed as pulp.
 In pressure conveying systems the pulp is moved by the pressure created by a natural difference
in levels or by means of mechanical devices (pumps, hydraulic elevators etc.).
 In trough (channel) and gravity-flow systems it flows down an incline.

Application
 Various branches of industry and construction work.
 Electric power plant for ash & slug from boiler room.
 Mining operation.
 Digging up the river.

Advantages
 Long conveying run.
 High capacity.
 Comparatively simple equipment required.
 Low running cost
 Transportation can be combined with certain technological process (such as quenching, washing,
cooling etc)

Disadvantages
 Increase air humidity when operating in closed premises.
 Freeze the water under low ambient temperature.
 Limited number of materials that may be transported in water.
 High water consumption.

6.5 Bucket Elevators

Bucket conveyor systems belong in the vertical conveyor category. They’re meant to move
flowable bulk material loads (such as fertilizer or grain) upwards inside a series of buckets
(multi-sided containers).
Aside from the buckets, an elevator also needs a belt to carry the buckets and transmit the pull, a
power source to drive the belt, and accessories for collecting the material, loading the buckets,
receiving the discharged material, enclosing the elevator if needed, and similar.

These conveyor systems have low driving power and are therefore quite efficient. However,
bucket elevator components require high maintenance expenses, and the equipment is
challenging to clean.

6.6 Pneumatic Conveyors

Pneumatic conveyor systems transfer dry bulk materials from one area to another through air
pressure (positive pressure) or vacuum (negative pressure). The four basic elements of pneumatic
conveyors are a source of air, a device for feeding material, a convey line and an air-material
separator. These conveyors move material through a fully enclosed line which minimizes the
possibility of material loss.

The best materials for air pressure or vacuum conveyors are fluidizable, fine, dry powders. Some
pelletized or granular materials are also good options. Pneumatic conveying systems are a good
fit for:
 Sugar
 Starch
 Wheat flour
 Food products
 Sands
 Metal powders
 Coal fines, and more
Pneumatic conveyors are flexible. They require filter maintenance, and they are not energy
efficient. Additionally, up to 10% of the product can be damaged by air or vacuum systems if
materials are too delicate.

6.7 Belt Conveyors

Arguably the most common type of conveyors, belt conveyor systems, have found their rightful
place in practically every industry. This system comes with pulleys (two or more) and a closed-
loop (the conveyor belt) that rotates around them. One or more pulleys in the system can be
powered, moving the belt in the right direction.

In general, there are two main types of belt conveyors:

 For general materials (boxes, packages, bags, solid items or products, etc.)
 For bulk materials (grain, salt, sand, ore, coal, etc.)

Belt systems are made of a wide variety of materials and are used in many different applications,
not only in an industrial setting. You can see them at airports, transporting luggage, at
restaurants, transporting food, and more. A belt conveyor can be enclosed to prevent
contamination and loss of material, but also be open if it is part of assembly lines.

Types of belt conveyors:

(i). According to the design
a. Stationary conveyors
b. Portable & mobile conveyors
(ii). According to the purpose
a. General purpose conveyor
b. Special purpose conveyor

Special purpose belts are used to convey hot loads or for operation at ambient temperature over
+60°C and -25°C and also for the transport of material chemically injurious to the fabric or rubber
cover of the belt. Special purpose belts include heat – resistant, frost resistant, and uninflammable
and other types.

(iii) According to their path of motion belt conveyors are classified as:
a. Horizontal
b. Inclined
c. Combined
- Inclined horizontal
- Horizontal inclined
- Horizontal inclined horizontal
- Inclined horizontal inclined

Parts of belt conveyors:

1. Belts: Various types of textile belts are employed in belt conveyors: Camel hair, cotton (woven or
sewed), duck cotton. Rubberized textile belts are widely used. Conveyors belts should meet the
following requirements:
1. Low hygroscopocity
2. High strength
3. Low own weight (Light in weight)
4. Small specific elongation
5. High flexibility
 6. High resistivity to ply (Layer of material)
7. Long service life

Rubberized textile belts: Rubberized textile belts are made from several layers known as plies of a
rough woven cotton fabric known as belling. The plies are connected by vulcanization with natural or
synthetic rubber. Sometimes the plies are made of extra – strong synthetic fabrics, Capron, perlon,
nylon etc.
2. Idlers: Generally, the belt is supported by idler rollers, in rare cases by a solid wood, or sheet
steel, runway or a combination support comprising sections of a runway alternating with idle rollers.
Idlers are used mainly in conveyors handling bulk loads, less frequently unit loads, while runways
and combined supports are predominantly used for piece goods.

According to their location on the conveyors, idlers are classified as upper (supporting the loaded
strand of the belt) and lower (supporting the idler return strand of the belt).
3. Centering device: A number of reasons, such as eccentric loading, soiling, sticking of the material
to the pulleys and rollers etc., may cause the belt to run crooked. To prevent the belt from running off
the rollers, special “Belt training idlers” of various designs are used. These idlers automatically
maintain belt alignment with respect to a device (idlers) called centering device.
4. Take ups: A belt conveyor may have a mechanical (screw type) or counterweight (gravity type)
take up. The latter may in turn be divided into carries – type (sometimes called horizontal and
vertical.
In the screw take up the tensioning pulley simultaneously serves as deflecting til or pulley and rotates
on a fixed shaft (best design) or in terminal bearings (worst design). In gravity take ups the
tensioning pulley (serving simultaneously as tail and pulley) is placed on a movable carriage which is
pulled backwards by means of a steel rope and deflecting pulleys. The vertical counterweight take up
consists of three pulleys, (two deflecting and one tensioning) and are installed on the return strand of
the conveyor.
N.B. The carriage type take-up is superior to the vertical type because it is of much simpler design of
considerably less height.
5. Drive units: In belt conveyors motive power is transmitted to the belt by friction as it wraps
around the driving pulley rotted by an electric motor; the drive comprises the following parts: the
pulley (Sometimes two pulleys), motor and the transmission gear between the motor and the pulley.
Drives of inclined conveyors include a braking device which prevents slipping back of the loaded
belt under the weight of the material conveyed if the current supplying the motor is interrupted.
6. Loading & discharging: Loading depends on the nature & characteristics of the load conveyed
and the method of loading.

Example: Charging
For piece goods  various types of chutes are directly loaded onto the belt.
For loose materials  feed hopper

Discharging: Generally employed by

- Scrapper ploughs
- A throw – off carriage known as tripper (only used for bulk materials)

N.B: The discharge plough is a board placed at a certain angle α to the longitudinal axis of the belt
and fastened on a frame.
7. Belt Cleaner:
In case of dry particles: The clinging dry particles are cleaned by scrapper/wiper.
In case of wet and sticky materials: Revolving brushes are used
Scrappers are mounted on  end pulley
Brushes are mounted on  lower num.
Belt cleaners are mounted near the discharge pulley.

8. Automated hold back brakes: A sudden stoppage of a loaded inclined belt conveyor may cause
slipping back of the loaded belt. This will happen if longitudinal component of load weight which is
larger than the forces of frictional resistance to belt motion. - To prevent this type of spontaneous
movement of the belt, a special hold back brake is mounted on the main or auxiliary shaft which keep
inclined in conveyor.
- It is a special protecting device which automatically disconnects the drive when the belt slips on the
pulley.

9. Conveyor frame:
- It is a supporting structure of the conveyor & is usually electrical welded
- Consists of longitudinal beams, up-rights & cross pieces
- The height of the frame is usually 400 – 500 mm
- The spacing between upright is 2 – 3.5 m

6.8 Chain Conveyors

As their name suggests, chain conveyors use an endless chain to transport material down a
production line. The chain runs over sprockets at each end of the line, and it can have special
attachments.

The most common application for chain conveyors is the movement of heavy loads – bulky
materials that are very wide or very long (or both), such as industrial containers, grid boxes, and
pallets. These systems can also be found in the pharmaceutical industry, as well as the
automotive industry. Chain systems typically convey vehicle parts through paint plants, allowing
for easier paint application.

These chains themselves are not difficult to maintain, as individual chain links can be replaced
instead of replacing the entire chain. However, chains are not easy to clean, and their sprockets
often need replacement, resulting in prolonged downtime and excessive maintenance.

Furthermore, chain conveyors require a lot of energy to operate, taking up quite a bit of power
consumption. They are also not suitable for bulk materials because food and similar materials
can accumulate in the chains and become a breeding ground for bacteria.

6.9 Cable Conveyors

Cable conveyor systems are perfect for preserving material integrity and minimizing direct
contact with food materials, especially in tubular cable conveyors. These systems move material
through a sealed tube with the help of a flexible, coated stainless steel drag cable. Solid discs are
attached to the cable, pushing the material through the line.

Cable conveyors can move material in any direction you need – vertically, horizontally, at
angles, and around corners. They have low energy costs because they run on motors of 7.5HP or
less. These systems are also relatively easy to maintain because they have removable conveyor
components.

The core feature of tubular cable conveyors is that they are incredibly gentle on the materials.
They allow for consistent blending and minimizing product degradation while at the same time
maintaining a dust-free environment.

These conveyor systems are ideal for:

 Specialty grains  Nuts  Specialty seeds

 Pet food  Frozen food  Beans
 Snack foods  Powdery materials  Industrial hemp,
 Breakfast cereal  Biomass and more
 Coffee  Fluff plastic
6.10 Ideal Conveyor System
There is no single perfect conveyor for every application. Instead, to select the one that works
best a wide range of aspects must be considered. Take into account the size and height of the
system compared to the floor space of the facility, as well as the type of material to be conveyed.
Is it a delicate, powdered material? Loose material? What is its moisture content? Are they heavy
loads and large items?

Maintenance and cleaning costs, as well as possible downtime for each, should be considered.

If material integrity is crucial, ensure not to choose a system that may move at high speed but
cause significant material damage. Look for conveyors that exhibit low material breakage.

If a system that is free of contaminants and that doesn’t taint the environment is desired, an
enclosed conveyor (like a tube conveyor) would be the ideal choice.

6.11 General Theory of Conveying Machines

Capacity, Q = load per metre of machine length*Rate of conveyor
(q kg/m) (v m/s)
= q*v kg/s
= 3600/1000 qv tons per hour ------- (1)
Hourly capacity = 3.6 qv tons/hour
For the bulk load
If the load has a bulk weight of r tons per cubic m and is conveyed in a continuous stream having a
cross sectional area of F square m, than
q = 1000 Fr (tons/m3)*m2
= Fr tons/m
= 1000 Fr kg/m ------- (2)
When the material is conveyed in a trough or tube having cross sectional area of F 0 sq m. loading
efficiency (Ψ)
Then, F = F0Ψ
q = 1000F0γΨ ------------- (3)
When the material is moved in separate container each having a volume i 0 liters, filled to a capacity
of i liters and the containers are spaced a meters apart.
q = iγ/a
= i0Ψγ/a kg/m
For unit loads
If the unit loads having a weight of G/kg each are conveyed in lots of z pieces and the spacing
between the units or lots is a meters
q = G/a kg/m
Or, correspondingly, q = Gz/a
Substituting the value of q in equation (1)
Q = 3.6qv tons/hr
= 3.6 * (Gz/a) * v tons/hr [for unit loads]
Now, material in a container stream
Q = 3.6 * 1000 hΨγ * v (from equation 1)
For separate containers,
Q = 3.6 (i/a) v γ
= 3.6 (i0/a) vγΨ (from equation 1)
## If the time interval between separate loads or lots is t 1 sec, then the capacity per hour
Q = (G/1000) * (3600/ t1) = 3.6 (G/a) v = 3.6 * (G/a) * (a/ t1) [v = (a/ t1); t1 = (a/v)]
= 3.6 (G/ t1)
= 3.6 (Gz/ t1) [If z = lot size]
The capacity of continuous conveying machine is sometimes expressed by the number of pieces
conveyed per hour.
Hence the hourly capacity is
Z = (3600/ t1) = 3600v/a [t1 = a/v sec]
Or, when lots of z pieces are conveyed
Z = 3600zv/a
If the G is the weight of a separate load in kg, the capacity expressed in units of weight is
Q = Gz/1000 tons per hour

Resistance to motion factor:

Effective power on lifting the load Q = tons/hour
Neff = 1000QH/(3600 * 75) H = height, metres
= (QH/270) hp
Or, Neff = (1000QH/3600 * 102) = QH/367 kw
The required motor power
N = Neff / η = QH/270η hp = QH/367η kw
Here, η = conveying efficiency
The above equation cannot be used to determine required motor power of horizontal conveying
machine.

Frictional resistance
Wfric = qLw kg
The power required to overcome frictional resistance is,
Nfric = (Wfric * v)/75 = qLwv/75 w=friction factor
= QLw/(75*3.6) = QLw/270 hp L = path length
Nfric = QLw/367 kw
The total power consumption
N = Neff + Nfric
= (QH/270) + (QLw/270) hp ------------- ( * )
= (QH/367) + (QLw/367) kw ------------- ( * )
The power is determined not for the engine shaft but for the driving (main) shaft of the conveying
machine. It’s value will be
No = Neff + No fric
= (QH/270) + (QLwo/270) hp
= (QH/367) + (QLwo/367) kw
wo = Frictional resistance of all parts of conveying machine
Except that of the transmission gear the values of N & N o are related
Since, N = No / ηg , Here, ηg = Efficiency of the transmission gear
For horizontal conveying machine, H = 0
N = Nfric + Neff = 0
= (QLw/270) hp
= (QLw/307) kw
For vertical device, (L = H)
N = (QH/270) (1+w) hp
= (QH/307) (1+w) kw
Comparing relation with (*),
(1/η) = 1+w
So, Decrease in resistance to motion factor results in an increase in efficiency

Example 1
Z = 1600 parts/hour L = 60 m
b = 220*b1 = 180 mm
G = 10 kg -------> (piece weight)
The conveyor is horizontal
(1) Main parameters of the conveyor

The belt width

B = b+2*90 = 220+180 = 400 mm

Belt speed => v = 0.5 m/s

Idler spacing on the loaded strand u = 1.4 m
On the idle strand, l2 = 2.8 m
# Maximum theoretical capacity
zmax = zk’ = 1600*1.25 =2000 pieces/hour
Q = Gzmax /1000 = 20 tons/hour
At maximum load the distance between separate unit loads
A = (3600v)/ zmax = (3600*0.5)/2000 = 0.9 m
Loads per running metre
q = G/a = 10/0.9 = 11.1 kg/m
Weight of the belt per metre of its length
qb ≅ 1.1B(𝛿*1 + 𝛿1 + 𝛿2 )