Experimental Analysis of the Force Stresses on the Protrusions of Profile Conveyor Belts Using a Sensor

Profile conveyor belts are used in operational applications where the transport of bulk materials is required at high inclinations of conveyor belts, typically in the range of 30-40°. The paper deals with the analytical determination of the critical angle of inclination of a homogeneous transverse profile (protrusion), beyond which relative movement of bulk material occurs on the surface of the conveyor belt. The compressive forces induced by the known gravity component of the bulk material acting on a 20 mm high transverse protrusion were experimentally measured on a specially designed laboratory apparatus. The measurements were performed at different inclination angles of the folding plate, which simulated the working surface of the conveyor belt. During the experiments, the investigated bulk material - river gravel with a grain size of 48 mm - was placed in a plastic frame with a width corresponding to the defined loading width of the conveyor belt. On the basis of the measured values of compressive forces, the static coefficient of shear friction in contact of grains of bulk material with two types of surfaces, namely plastic and rubber, was analytically determined. From the experimental data, the mean values of the static shear friction coefficient were determined, which were 0.33 for the plastic surface and 0.48 for the rubber surface, with the orientation of the protrusion perpendicular (90 deg) to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor belt. The experimental investigation also included the determination of the internal friction angle of the river gravel. The results show that when bulk material is conveyed by a profile conveyor belt, it is possible to safely convey material with a cross-sectional height greater than the height of the transverse protrusion, provided that the conveyor inclination angle does not exceed the internal friction angle of the bulk material.