Conveyor Belt Cleaning

Methods, Integration & Economy of Conveyor Belt Cleaning

28.04.2011 | Author / Editor: E. Hell / Marcel Dröttboom

Fig. 1: Efficient belt cleaning is indispens-able in most conveyor installations. Pictures: Hosch

Due to high cost pressure and reduced personnel capacity, conveyor belt cleaning systems have become more and more important. The integration of cleaning systems into the conveyor structure requests technical and detailed knowledge of the complete installation.

Efficient conveyor belt cleaning devices are indispensable in most conveyor installations. At a time when the number of operatives employed on such conveyors is being reduced, even greater demands are placed on the cleaning efficiency of these systems. Yet this is possible only if the scrapers employed operate in harmony with the remaining plant components. In addition to conveyor belt cleaning basics, this article therefore considers the integration of such systems as an important component of the conveyor installation, as well as the economy that can be achieved.

Basic Methods and Equipment for Conveyor Belt Cleaning

Belt conveyors tend to accumulate carryback material on the return strand, as the conveyed material is being scraped by other components of the installation and therefore enters the conveyor line. To prevent or reduce the accumulation of carryback to acceptable levels, each belt must be cleaned after the discharge point. A variety of procedures and methods is available to perform this task (Fig. 2). Fig. 3 shows the most usual belt cleaning systems.

In practice, most companies employ scrapers fitted with blocks, blades or modules to clean their conveyor belts. These scrapers can be classified according to various characteristics, the most important being the cleaning tip material and the position of the blades against the belt. Cleaning tips can be made out of rubber, plastic, ceramics, steel or tungsten carbide. Especially tungsten carbide is characterised by a long service life.

Regarding the position of the blades against the belt, the market nowadays offers numerous scraper systems with a great varie-ty of different designs: paint scraper principle, bar principle or negative angle principle (Fig. 4). Other factors which influence the cleaning efficiency include the position of blade to belt travelling direction, the tension of the blade, and the shaping and wear resistance of the blade tip.

All types of scrapers are used, but the best cleaning results are reached with scrapers using the paint scraper principle.

Cleaning Blade Designs

Single-row scrapers with a strip-type cleaning blade made out of rubber, plastic or steel show a so-called continuous line layout. Modern, high efficient belt scrapers however show a split line layout, i.e. individual spring-loaded cleaning elements pressed against the belt. Such scrapers are available in single-row execution – with discharge of scrapings against the belt travel direction – or double-row execution with discharge of scrapings in the belt travel direction (Figs. 5 and 6).

This article is protected by copyright. You want to use it for your own purpose? Infos can be found under www.mycontentfactory.de (ID: 371230)