How to calculate the belt conveyor speed?

 

Belt conveyors have been using in industries like steel, pharmaceutical, food, textile, sugar, distillery etc. Knowing or deciding the speed of the conveyors is very vital for designing the capacity of the conveyor.

How belt speed is related to the capacity of the conveyor?

Higher the belt speed, more is the conveyor capacity and Vice Versa.

Generally, the speed of the conveyors is around 0.8 to 2 m/sec.

Actually, there are two methods followed to calculate the belt speed

 1-Practical method

In this case, time taken to travel the belt from head pulley to tail pulley or from Head to Head.

Belt Speed (m/s)=Time Taken (s) / Distance Travelled (m)​

For example: A belt conveyor of length 125 meter takes 4 minutes for complete rotation, the conveyor speed is calculated as

Belt speed = Distance traveled / Time elapsed in one complete rotation

Belt speed =

Belt speed = (250) / (4 X 60 sec)

Belt speed = 250 / 240 = 1.04 m/sec.

2-Theoretical method.

In this method Belt conveyor speed is calculated by using theoretical calculation method.

Input required:

1-Head pulley (D) in meter

2-Gear box input and out put speed in RPM or Gear box reduction ratio

3-Motor speed in RPM

Conveyor speed / Belt speed in m/sec = π X D X N / 60

Where, D is Diameter of Head pulley in meter

N is the speed of the Pulley in RPM

Speed of the pulley = Motor speed / Gear box reduction ratio.

Examples:

1-A belt conveyor of length 350 meter, takes around 740 seconds for complete rotation. Calculate the speed of the belt.

Belt speed = Distance traveled / Time elapsed in one complete rotation

Belt speed = (350 X 2) / 740

Belt speed = 700 / 740

Belt speed = 0.95 m/sec.

2-Calculate the speed of the belt conveyor having following details.

Motor output speed: 1450 RPM

Gear box reduction ratio:45: 1

Head Pulley Diameter D = 500 mm

Now, calculate the Gear box out put speed = Motor speed / Reduction ratio

Gear box output speed = 1450/45 = 32.22 RPM

Since gear box out shaft is directly connected to conveyor pulley. Hence speed of the Gear box out put shaft and Head pulley are same.

Gear box out put speed = Head Pulley speed

Therefore, Conveyor speed V in m/sec = π X D X N / 60

Therefore, Conveyor speed V in m/sec = π X 0.5 X 32.22 / 60

Conveyor speed V in m/sec = 0.84 m/sec

What are the factors affecting the belt conveyor speed??

Following are the major factors, which affect the conveyor speed.

• Head pulley diameter
• Motor speed
• Gear box reduction ratio
• Load on the conveyor
• Friction between rotating idlers and belt
• Conveyor inclination
• Environmental factors like rain, dust etc

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