Analysis of changes in the length of belt sections and the number of splices in the belt loops on conveyors in an underground mine

Abstract

Belts and their splices, during operation, perform many cycles around the conveyor. The process of their destruction occurs both at the feeding points and along the conveyor route. Belt destruction at the loading points has rapid and random character related to the impact of falling lumps of the load. In effect, the numerous punctures of the belt and damage to covers, edges and core occur as well as abrasions caused by load acceleration. Damage and wear along the route is related to the process of friction of the belt with the construction, rollers, and load and repeated belt bending on the idlers and drums having fatigue character. The abrasion wear process is cumulative and proportional to the conveyor length. Fatigue processes are proportional to the number of belt cycles (nc). Analyzing belt durability, you can calculate the proportions of the point and linear factors influence on belt and joints durability. In the absence of such data, you can indirectly determine them by analyzing the length of the belt sections in the loops.Belt splices are the weakest link in the loop forming a serial structure from the reliability point of view. Due to the small size of splices in comparison to the length of the loop, the joints are less prone to punctures, and their durability and reliability is reduced by fatigue processes. Therefore, the belt loop is assembled from the longest possible sections to limit the number of splices in the loop. During operation due to belt damage, their fragments are replaced or shortened, what leads to an increase of their number.The paper presents a statistical analysis of the length of belt sections and the number of splices in loops and conclusions that flow from it to improve belt loop reliability in the mine and costs of emergency stops.