Aramid Conveyor Belts
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Energy-saving potential of Aramid-based conveyor belts S. Drenkelford Master of Science Thesis Department of Maritime and Transportation Technology Energy-saving potential of Aramid-based conveyor belts Master of Science Thesis For the degree of Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Delft University of Technology S. Drenkelford February 23, 2015 Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering (3mE) · Delft University of Technology FACULTY MECHANICAL, MARITIME AND MATERIALS ENGINEERING Delft University of Technology Department Marine and Transport Technology Mekelweg 2 2628 CD Delft the Netherlands Phone +31 (0)15-2782889 Fax +31 (0)15-2781397 www.mtt.tudelft.nl Specialization: Transport Engineering and Logistics Report number: 2014.TEL.7928 Title: Energy-saving potential of aramid-based conveyor belts Author: S. Drenkelford Title (in Dutch) Energie besparende potentie van aramide transportbanden Assignment: Graduation Confidential: Yes Initiator (university): prof.dr.ir. G. Lodewijks Initiator (company): - H. Van De Ven - Drs. A.M. Beers Supervisor: MSc M. Zamiralova Date: January 23, 2015 This report consists of 90 pages and 3 appendices. It may only be reproduced literally and as a whole. For commercial purposes only with written authorization of Delft University of Technology. Requests for consult are only taken into consideration under the condition that the applicant denies all legal rights on liabilities concerning the contents of the advice. FACULTY OF MECHANICAL, MARITIME AND MATERIALS ENGINEERING Delft University of Technology Department of Marine and Transport Technology Mekelweg 2 2628 CD Delft the Netherlands Phone +31 (0)15-2782889 Fax +31 (0)15-2781397 www.mtt.tudelft.nl Student: Assignment type: Graduation Mentor: Prof. dr. ir. G. Lodewijks Report number: 2014.TEL.xxxx Specialization: TEL Confidential: Creditpoints (EC): 35 Subject: Energy consumption of aramid conveyor belts The bulk material handling industry uses mile after mile of rubber conveyor belts to transport ore and minerals around dry bulk material processing facilities. Research has shown that using aramid materials in conjunction with an NR/BR rubber drastically reduces the energy consumption of conveyor belts. In particular, the overall maximum energy saving could be as much as 60% depending on the conveyor belt system used. Currently, data are available to estimate the energy consumption of aramid conveyor belts. However, the estimation is based on specific conveyor belt applications. In order to predict the energy saving more generally, this assignment will improve currently available datasheets and establish the fundamental estimation of energy consumption towards general conveyor belt applications, when aramid conveyor belts are in use. The study and analysis will be based on the norm of DIN 22101. One of the outputs of the assignment will be a GUI application allows users to investigate the energy consumption with respect to general belt conveyor configurations. The report should comply with the guidelines of the section. Details can be found on blackboard. The professor, Prof. dr. ir. G. Lodewijks Summary Belt conveyor systems are globally responsible for the transportation of vast amounts of bulk solid materials. They are the most efficient solution where large quantities of iron ore, coal, limestone or rocks need to be moved from one place to another. Despite of their efficiency, they still consume large amounts of energy to perform their function. This energy consumption can be significantly reduced by applying Aramid products in conveyor belts. The industry however, is not keen on using these products, since they have not yet proven themselves. The Customer Benefit Model was created by Teijin Aramid to quantify the potential cost savings that can be achieved by the application of Aramid products in conveyor belts and by doing so, convincing potential customers of the benefits. For this purpose, there is a need for a prediction of the possible energy savings that can be achieved by Aramid-based conveyor belts. In this research, a method is developed for the determination of this prediction. A literature survey was done to investigate the current possibilities for the determination of the energy consumption of a belt conveyor. As a primary method of calculation the German belt conveyor standard DIN 22 101 will be used. The energy consuming components of a belt conveyor system are identified and the largest contributor, the indentation rolling resistance, is found to be the most important component that should be determined. Several methods were found to do this, based on viscoelastic half spaces and viscoelastic Winkler foundations. The models that are based on half spaces were found unsuited for this purpose, since a conveyor belt typically consists of a thin layer of rubber material that performs the viscoelastic function. Of the remaining methods, the method of Jonkers and the method of Lodewijks were preferred. To be able to use the method of Lodewijks, Maxwell model parameters need to be determined by approximating the master curves, that were created from measured rubber data from Dynamic Mechanical Analysis, with Prony Series approximations. For the three parameter model that was used and found accurate in literature, the Maxwell model parameters were found to give false results. This was proven by determining the trend of the five parameter model and the trend that was observed for the method of Jonkers, which uses raw data to obtain indentation rolling resistances. It was found that by cutting the master curves at a certain cut-off frequency, the method of Lodewijks can yield quite accurate power requirements for loaded belt conveyors, but underestimates the power requirements for empty conveyors. Due to the complexity of the steps that are required to setup the method of Lodewijks, it is considered not practical and will therefore not be used. The method of Jonkers can be used, although it is known to overestimate the indentation rolling resistance. To reduce this overestimation a modified method of Jonkers is proposed. Master of Science Thesis v The performance of the proposed method and that of the original Jonkers method were assessed in a case study in which the energy consumptions of four belt conveyor systems were evaluated and compared against the results from external research. The modified method of Jonkers gives a better approximation of the power requirements for loaded conveyor belts, but underestimates the power requirements of empty conveyor belts. It is concluded that the modified method of Jonkers should be used to estimate the power requirements for loaded conveyor belts and the original method of Jonkers for the empty conveyor belts. Since the proposed methods and the generated results are all based on theoretical models, it is recommended that a pilot belt is installed, on which actual measurements can be done. These measurements can then be used to improve the proposed modification to Jonkers method. To make this method usable for employees of Teijin Aramid, a software application has been developed that incorporates both the original and the modified Jonkers method. The software application was tested and is able to perform the analysis that is shown in this study. vi Master of Science Thesis Samenvatting Transportbanden zijn wereldwijd verantwoordelijk voor het transport van grote hoeveelheden stortgoederen. Ze zijn de meest efficiÃńnte oplossing op plaatsen waar grote hoeveelheden ijz- ererts, kolen, kalksteen of steen verplaatst moet worden. Ondanks hun efficiÃńntie verbruiken deze installaties toch grote hoeveelheden energie. Deze energieconsumptie kan significant worden verminderd door het toepassen van Aramide producten in de transportbanden. Deze technolo- gie wordt echter niet met open armen ontvangen door de bestaande industrie, doordat deze nieuwe types transportbanden zichzelf nog niet bewezen hebben. Het Customer Benefit Model is gemaakt door Teijin Aramid om de potentiÃńle kostenbesparing te kwantificeren die mogelijk zijn door de toepassing van deze transportbanden en hiermee klanten te overtuigen van de vo- ordelen. De input van dit model zijn de energieverbruiken van de verschillende types Aramide transportbanden. Dit rapport beschrijft de bepaling en de ontwikkeling van een methode om deze energieverbruiken te berekenen. Deze methode moet precies genoeg zijn om betrouwbare resultaten te leveren die de ordergrootte van de potentiÃńle energiebesparingen tonen die door het toepassen van Aramide producten mogelijk zijn. De huidige bestaande methodes voor het bepalen van de energieconsumptie van transportban- den zijn onderzocht door middel van een literatuuronderzoek. De Duitse norm DIN 22 101 zal worden gebruikt als basis voor de energieberekeningen. De componenten van het totale energie- verbruik van een transportband zijn geÃŕdentificeerd en de indrukrolweerstand, die het grootste aandeel heeft in het totale energieverbruik, is het belangrijkste component om te berekenen. De literatuur beschrijft verscheidene methoden om de indrukrolweerstand te bepalen, gebaseerd op viscoelastische half-ruimten en viscoelastische Winkler matrasmodellen. De methoden die zijn gebaseerd op een half-ruimtemodel blijken minder bruikbaar, aangezien een transportband gebruikelijk bestaat uit dunne lagen viscoelastisch materiaal. Van de overgebleven methoden zijn de methode van Lodewijks en de methode van Jonkers geselecteerd voor dit onderzoek. Om de methode van Lodewijks te kunnen gebruiken moeten eerst de Maxwell