Belt Bucket Elevator Design

Process, Plant and Equipment UP-TIME
From www.feedforward.com.au
Belt Bucket Elevator Design, Use & Care

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Bucket Elevator Design Notes

Protecting bearings from dust & water.
Bucket elevator experiences.
Hazardous areas for dusts and flammables.
Electrical Motor Current Protection Saves Your Plant
Dust control concepts
Belt conveyor tuning
Tracking belts on elevators and conveyors.
Postal Address: FEED FORWARD PUBLICATIONS, PO Box 578, BENTLEY, West Australia, 6102. E-mail Address: feedforward@bigpond.com
Because the authors and publisher do not know the context in which the information presented in the flyer is to be used they accept no
responsibility for the consequences of using the information contained or implied in any articles
BELT BUCKET ELEVATOR DESIGN NOTES

DISCLAIMER
These notes are intended to assist and provide direction in the process of designing belt bucket elevators. They are
not a substitute for conducting a thorough engineering analysis of the design requirements. Because the author
and publisher do not know the context in which the notes are to be used and cannot review the resulting design
they accept no responsibility for the consequences of using them.
The author claims copyright over all the material in these notes 15 March 2001.
CONTENTS OF DESIGN NOTES

1.0
Overview of belt bucket elevators and their use.
2.0
Determine throughput capacity.
3.0
Determine belt speed and throw.
4.0
Calculate motor power.
5.0
Calculate top and bottom pulley shaft sizing.
6.0
Drive arrangement and design.
7.0
Shaft bearing and seal arrangement.
8.0
Selecting elevator frame structural members.
9.0
Inlet and outlet chute design.
10.0 Considerations in choosing panel materials.

11.0 Selecting belts and buckets.
12.0 Methods to take-up belt tension.
13.0 Protection against bogging the buckets.
14.0 Clean-out considerations.
15.0 Dust extraction requirements.
16.0 Installing the bucket elevator in place.
17.0 Correct operation of belt bucket elevators.
18.0 Maintenance of belt bucket elevators.
OVERVIEW OF BELT BUCKET ELEVATORS

PURPOSE OF BUCKET ELEVATORS
Bucket elevators are used to lift bulk materials from one height to another. They are a reliable and well-proven piece of
equipment.
METHOD OF OPERATION
Bucket elevators operate by using an endless belt or chain on which rectangular buckets are mounted. The belt or chain
revolves between a top and bottom pulley and the buckets move with it. At the bottom the buckets pick up product fed into the
elevator boot and at the top the product is discharged as the bucket turns downward over the head pulley.
TYPES OF BUCKET ELEVATORS
Bucket elevators come in several standard forms with numerous variations to suit the characteristics of the products being
moved.
The most common forms of bucket elevator are - centrifugal discharge where the speed of the belt around the top pulley flings the product out of the bucket,
- positive discharge, for product requiring slower, less aggressive handling, where a snub pulley below the top pulley orients
the buckets downward for emptying,
- continuous discharge, for large lumpy products or very friable products, where the buckets are placed in contact with each
other, and
- pivoted bucket for transporting materials horizontally.
Along with each type of elevator, different styles of buckets have been developed which better suit the elevator or the materials
to be handled.
The left-hand column provides descriptive text.

NECESSARY INFORMATION
Required product parameters.
Service use.
Material chemical name.
Bulk density mass/volume kg/m3
Maximum duty kg/hr or m3/hr
Maximum lump size - dimensions
average size
percentage of lumps in total
Height product is to be raised (meters) and angle of incline
if any. Provide enough height at the outlet of the discharge
chute so the product is always falling following discharge.
Product characteristics abrasiveness
flowability free/cohesive/slug
dampness % moisture
friability firm/breaks/powders
particle shape
length/size/volume
temperature of product
angle of repose
corrosiveness
Operating environment, location and conditions
corrosive/damp
Service required continuous/intermittent.
Open or closed boot design.
The right-hand column provides an example.

NECESSARY INFORMATION
Product parameters.
Raise crushed product from mill outlet to storage silo.
Aluminium Sulphate.
1700 kg/m3
5,000 kg/hr
3 mm max
2 mm
Nil
5.5 m including length of discharge chute into 4 m high
storage silo.
SELECT BUCKET SIZE AND SPACING

The size and number of buckets is determined from the
required throughput using an iteration process.
SELECT BUCKET SIZE AND SPACING

5,000 kg/hr throughput.
Select a bucket 150 mm wide x 100 mm projection with a
volume of 0.78 litre.
Using 2/3 of the volume give a capacity of 0.5 litre.
0.5 lt. is 0.0005 m3 and holds 0.85 kg of product. (0.0005
m3 x 1700 kg/m3).
To move 5000 kg/hr using 150 x 100 buckets requires
6,000 buckets per hour or 100 buckets per minute.
Select a bucket spacing of 300 mm.
Select the bucket from the range in the bucket suppliers

catalogue. Only 2/3 (67%) of the buckets design capacity
is used in calculations.
Centrifugal discharge conveys usually have a spacing
between buckets that is 2 to 3 times the bucket projection,
though the spacing can be greater for free-flowing
products.
DETERMINE BELT SPEED
The bucket spacing times the number of buckets per
second determines the required belt speed. The speed for
centrifugal bucket elevators is usually in the range of 1 m/s
to 2 m/s to insure the product throws into the chute at the
head pulley.
CALCULATE HEAD PULLEY DIAMETER
A simplifying assumption is made that the throw
commences at the top of the head pulley. At this point the
centrifugal force and gravity force are balanced.
cos
where
Centrifugal force = m v 2
r
m = mass in kg
v = belt speed in m/s
= angle from top dead centre
r = pulley radius in m
Gravity force = m g
where
g = gravity constant 9.8 m/sec2.
Putting both forces equal to each other The right-hand column provides an example.
Sharp edges
Free
Less than 2%
Firm
Consistent
Ambient
30 degrees
Corrosive if damp
Dry and airy
Intermittent up to 12 hours per day 6 days a week

Open boot bottom, elevator will sit on a concrete floor.
DETERMINE BELT SPEED

100 buckets per minute/60 sec per minute = 1.7 bucket/sec.
1.7 bucket/sec x 0.3 m = 0.5 m/sec. This is too low and
will prove to be insufficient for a clearance throw into the
discharge chute. The bucket spacing will need to be
increased and the calculation repeated.
CALCULATE HEAD PULLEY DIAMETER
v2
(0.5m) 2
=
= 25mm
r (radius ) =
g
9.8m / sec 2
The head pulley diameter is 50 mm. This size, though
accurately calculated, is not practical. It is far too small.
The buckets cannot deform sufficiently to go around the
pulley without over-stressing both buckets and belt.
The solution is to increase the bucket spacing or to use
smaller buckets. This then requires a proportionate speed
increase to maintain the throughput. The greater velocity
needs a larger head pulley revolving at the same RPM.
However as we are using the smallest buckets available it
is necessary to increase the bucket spacing.
v 2 = g r cos
cos = 1 at top dead centre.
Therefore r =
v2
and diameter (d ) = 2 r
g
CALCULATE THROW INTO CHUTE AND CHUTE

SIZE
Using the standard trajectory formula s = u t + 0.5 a t 2
Where s = displacement (m)
u = initial velocity (m/s)
a = acceleration (m/s2) = gravity constant g = 9.8
m/s2
t = time (sec)
The trajectory after the product leaves the bucket can be
graphed and the chute height determined.
The horizontal component at top dead centre of the pulley
where acceleration due to gravity in the horizontal
direction is zero is given by s h = u t meters.
The vertical component at top dead centre where velocity
in the vertical direction is zero is given by s v = 0.5 a t 2
meters.
The belt velocity using a bucket spacing of 700 mm with

the removal rate of 1.7 bucket/sec x 0.7 m = 1.2 m/sec.
The pulley diameter is now
d = r 2 = (1.2 2 9.8) 2 = 300mm . The diameter could be
made slightly larger if so desired.
CALCULATE THROW INTO CHUTE AND CHUTE

SIZE
Calculate the horizontal and vertical position of the product
for every 0.1 seconds of flight time.
TIME
(sec)
HOR. DIST.
(mm)
VERT. DIST
(mm)
0.1
120
50
0.2
240
195
0.3
360
440
0.4
480
780
0.5
600
1220
From the table it is noted that after 0.2 seconds of flight the
product has traveled 240 mm horizontally from top dead
centre and 195 mm vertically. The pulley radius is 150
mm which means the product is clear of the pulley by 90
mm. But it is not yet clear of the 270 mm radius circle
scribed by the lip of the bucket (allowing for belt
thickness).
The distance of the chute from the vertical center of the

head pulley must be sufficient to allow the buckets to clear
the wall of the elevator on the downward leg.
This distance is reached shortly after 0.2 seconds. A

satisfactory chute depth would be 600 mm, with the chute
opening starting 350 mm from the vertical centre of the
head pulley. This makes the bucket elevator 700 mm deep.
Because of the 150 mm width of the buckets a 175 mm
wide belt on 200 mm wide head pulley will be used. To
provide clearance to the wall the elevator it will be 250
mm wide.
DETERMINE THE DRIVE ARRANGEMENT

With the head pulley size determined and the linear belt
speed known, the RPM of the head pulley can be
calculated.
DETERMINE THE DRIVE ARRANGEMENT

1 .2
RPM =
60 = 38
2 0.3
V (m / s)
RPM =
60
2 r ( m)
Usually a 4-pole motor at 1450 RPM with a reduction
gearbox of suitable ratio is selected to drive the head
pulley. The gearbox can be a direct drive or shaft-mounted
unit depending on the available space and access.
It will be necessary to select sprocket sizes for the motor

and head pulley to produce the required rotational speed.
A gearbox can be selected to reduce from 1450 RPM input
shaft speed to 38 RPM output shaft speed. Alternatively
the sprocket sizes can be used to produce some of the
reduction and the gearbox the remainder. Limit reduction
via the sprockets to around a 3:1 ratio to not over-stress the
chain.
Chain and sprocket drives are preferred to vee-belt and

pulley drives because of their more positive transfer of
power. Setting the motor current overload protection to the
upper limit of the motor accommodates overload
situations.
The selection of the gearbox sprocket size is dependent on
the maximum allowable torque. This value can be found
from the gear motor manufacturers catalogue. Once the
limiting torque at the gear motor output shaft is known the
allowable force for different sprocket sizes can be
calculated from the equation T = F r where
F = force (N) and r = sprocket or pulley radius (m).
Select a sprocket size that is well within the torque rating
of the gear motor and has more than 20 teeth. A lesser
number of teeth cause excessive forces in the chain links as
they come around a tight radius. Less torque is needed
with a larger sprocket radius on the gearbox output shaft.
CALCULATE POWER REQUIRED

2 N F r T
Power (kW ) =
=
60 1000
1000
Where N = revs per minute
F = force at outer edge of the head pulley (N)
r = radius to force (m)
T = torque (Nm)
= drive efficiency
= radians per second
The load on the belt results from the weight of product
lifted plus the dredging drag as the bucket scoops up the
product. A duty factor is used to accommodate start-up
loads.
Belt Load = (total bucket load + dredge load)
The bucket load is the sum of the loaded buckets on the
upward side. The dredging load can be estimated either by
adding an equivalent length (5m for continuous buckets,
12m for spaced buckets) to the belt or by use of the
following formula.
Dredge load (N) =
90 Wb
Ps
where Wb = weight of material in each bucket (kg)

Ps = Bucket spacing on belt (m)
A quick check on the load can be done using the formulas
for work and power. W = F.s (Nm) and P = W/t = F.v (W).
The first iteration gearbox output RPM can be determined

from the knowledge of the head pulley RPM and use of the
3:1 sprocket reduction suggested above.
The head pulley speed is 38 RPM. A 3:1 reduction
produces 114 RPM at the gear motor output shaft.
Check the gear motor ratios available from the
manufacturer and select the closest next higher shaft speed
gearbox.
Often it is necessary to choose a sprocket size and number
of teeth and then to confirm the selection through an
iterative process of checking calculated against allowable
torque.
Start with a 25-tooth simplex chain 101 mm diameter
sprocket on the gearbox output shaft and a 76-tooth 307
mm diameter sprocket on the head pulley.
The selection of sprockets and chain will be confirmed
later.
CALCULATE POWER REQUIRED

The linear height of the bucket elevator is 5.5 m and bucket
spacing is 0.7 m. This means there are 16 buckets in total,
with 8 buckets on the upward and 8 on the downward legs.
The load from the material weight is calculated by
multiplying the bulk density of the product by the volume
in each bucket by the number of buckets.
Bucket load = Lb = 1700kg / m 3 0.0005m 3 8 9.8 = 67 N
The dredging load =
90 1700kg / m 3 0.0005m 3
= 109 N
0 .7 m
Total pulley load = (67 N + 109 N) = 176 N

This load acts at the centre of the buckets, which have a
projection of 100 mm. The radial distance to the bucket
centers is 150 mm + 50 mm = 200 mm
Power pulley =
2 38 176 0.2
= 147W
60 1000 0.98
As a check on the calculation To lift 5,000 kg/hr to a height of 5.5 m allowing for 50%
efficiency overall.
5000 9.81 5.5
= 540kNm
W=
0.5
W 540,000
=
= 150W (which is close to the previous
P=
3600
t
answer considering the actual efficiency is unknown).
CONFIRM DRIVE ARRANGEMENT POWER

The load on the motor is transferred through the drive from
the head pulley. Simple ratio calculations back to the gear
motor shaft will allow determination of the torque at the
output shaft. This torque is then compared to the allowable
torque to confirm the suitability of the gear motor.
The power through the gearbox must be increased in
accordance with - The manufacturers service factors requirement for
intermittent operation and shock loading.
- Drive efficiency.
With the power through the drive train known, the chain
selection can be confirmed by the chain supplier or
calculations performed using appropriate formula.
DETERMINE PULLEY DRIVE SHAFT SIZE
The drive shaft size is calculated to handle the stresses
generated by a bogged or jammed conveyor. Allowance is
made for stress concentrations causing metal fatigue and
service factor corrections are also applied. The diameter of
the shaft is selected so that the stresses are well within the
shaft materials metallurgical capacity.
By this stage initial dimensioned drawings can be sketched
using the information compiled from the previous
calculations.
Commence by constructing a free-body diagram of the
head pulley located in its bearings with the drive sprocket
mounted at the drive end. The head pulley will be
mounted to the shaft using hubs at each end. This allows
the uniform load produced across the pulley by the belt to
be drawn as point loads on the shaft at the mid point
position of each hub.
The position and orientation of the gearbox drive has not
yet been determined. It is best to design for the loading
arrangement that produces the greatest stresses and size the
shaft accordingly. This permits the gearbox to be located
in any orientation in future.
The loads on the shaft are its own self-weight, the belt and
bucket weights, the belt tension load (from product weight
and friction drive requirements) and the drive sprocket
force generated by a bogged or jammed conveyor. The
bearings counter all these forces and keep the shaft in
place.
Power = (T1 T2 ) v (Watt)
where T1= tight side tension (N)
T2 = loose side tension (N)
v = belt speed (m/sec)
Also
T1
= e where e = 2.718 (base of natural logs)
T2
= Coefficient of friction
= arc of contact in radians
CONFIRM DRIVE ARRANGEMENT POWER

Power at the head pulley is 147 W. Torque at the head
pulley sprocket is directly proportional to the inverse of the
diameters at which the torque acts.
In this calculation the gearbox service factor is 2 and chain
drive efficiency is 0.98.
147 2
= 300W
Gear motor power =
0.98
The logical choice is to select a small 0.55 kW or 1.1 kW
4-pole motor. For the calculation use a 1.1 kW motor, as
this will permit altering sprocket sizes if operating duties
change in future.
DETERMINE PULLEY DRIVE SHAFT SIZE
The conceptual sketch for the head pulley is shown below.
The forces are oriented in the vertical, including the drive

sprocket force. This arrangement produces the highest
loads on the shaft. The gearbox can be oriented in the
horizontal. Such an arrangement would not have vertical
loads at the sprocket. The sprocket load would then be at
90 degrees to the belt tension. This would produce less
overall stress in the shaft and a smaller shaft could be used.
However in this design the worst-case orientation will be
used.
It is necessary to determine the tension in the belt to lift the
full buckets and overcome the dredging load.
The power through the head pulley is 1.1 kW.
P
v
1100
1.2
=
= 1.68kN
T1 =
1
1
1 0.25
1
e
e
T2 = 0.77 kN
The coefficient of friction for rubber on steel is 0.25 and

for rubber on rubber 0.35. The arc of contact is 180
degrees for bucket elevators provided the bottom pulley is
the same diameter as the head pulley.
Combining the above tension equations allows T1 to be

determined.
P
v
T1 =
Newton
1
1
e
The weight of the rubber belt depends on the ply of the
belt, its width and length. Since the belt tension is know
the belt can be selected. The belt supplier can advise the
belt to be used. Select a belt specifically for bucket
elevators and not horizontal conveyors. Those used on
bucket elevators contain more weaving than those for
horizontal conveyors. Select the belt with a safety factor
beyond the calculated loads for long life under intermittent
and shock load conditions.
The force at the head pulley drive sprocket is in the

proportionate ratio of drive train sprocket diameters.
2 N F r
P 60 1000
Power (kW ) =
and F =
60 1000
2 N r
1.1 60 1000
Fgearbox =
= 1.84kN
2 114 0.05
1.84 101
Fheadshaft =
= 606 N
307
The load on the bearings is the sum of the belt tension and
the drive force considering their direction of action.
The pulley and shaft self self-load and the belt material
loads will need to estimated and later checked if suitably
accurate.
The buckets are 150 mm wide so the belt will be 175 mm
wide inside a 225 mm wide elevator frame. The elevator
height is 5.5 m and the belt length about 12 m. For the
purpose of the example a 4-ply 36-oz belt will be used with
a mass of 0.0018 kg/mm width/metre length/ply.
A 12-metre, 175 mm wide, 4 ply belt weighs 15 kg and
produces 150 N downward force.
The shaft undergoes both bending and torsion

simultaneously.
The bending and torsional stresses are combined into an
equivalent stress Se in the formula -
S e = K b K cb M 2 + K t K ct T 2 = Fs Z p
where M = largest bending moment Nm
T = shaft torque
Kb = shock factor bending
Kt = shock factor torsion
Kcb = stress concentration factor bending
Kct = stress concentration factor torsion
Fs = allowable shear stress (MPa)
Zp = polar section modulus = d3/16 for a solid bar
The maximum allowable shear stress is half the maximum
principle stress. In addition a factor of safety of 2 for
shock loading and stress raisers is included.
For rotating shafts under minor shock loads Kb varies from
1.5 to 2.0 and Kt varies form 1.0 to 1.5. In heavy shock
load conditions Kb varies from 2.0 to 3.0 and Kt varies
form 1.5 to 3.0. Stress concentration factors can be found
from stress concentration graphs for the form of stress
raiser involved.
The mass of the head pulley can be estimated by assuming

it will be made of 300 mm diameter steel pipe of 12 mm
thickness with end plates of 12 mm thick flat plate. The
shaft will be assumed to be 50 mm solid bright steel bar
400 mm long. The head pulley mass is calculated at 22 kg
and 220 N force. It can be seen that the self-load forces are
minor when compared to the product load generated
forces.
The free-body diagram can now be completed with all the
forces acting on the shaft. With the drive and load forces
known the reactions at the bearings can be determined by
balancing the moments at each bearing. The shear force
and bending moment diagrams for the shaft can be drawn
to indicate the position of the highest bending stress.
The highest bending stress is at the drive-end head pulley
hub.
At the same time the shaft is undergoing torsional stress
from the drive. The worst case under torsion would be if
the buckets were bogged and the geared motor applied full
power of 1.1 kW. This produces a torque T at the pulley
shaft of 1000 P
1000 1.1
T =
=
= 31Nm
2 RPM
2 38
60
60
S e = K b K cb M 2 + K t K ct T 2
= 1.5 129.5 2 + 1.5 312 = 163 Nm = 163,000 Nmm
No allowance was made for stress concentration since the
shaft will be mounted to the pulley by taper locks, which
do not require the shaft to be machined. If the shaft is
stepped it will be necessary to factor in stress concentration
effects.
Se =
Fs
F
d 3
Zp = s
2+2
2 + 2 16
d (mm) =
16 S e
Fs
4
The allowable stress for the steel selected is found in the

steel manufacturers catalogue. If a key way is used in the
shaft, the allowable stress for the shaft is reduced by 0.75.
Se =
16 S e Fs
Fs
F d3
Zp = s
and d = 3
4
4
16
For the calculation CS 1030 steel will be used. Fs = 225

MPa
d=
16 163,000
= 25mm
225
4
This shaft is on the small side and a 40 mm solid shaft will

be used for ease of assembly and future maintenance.
SHAFT BEARING AND SEAL ARRANGEMENT

Once the shaft size is determined the bearing size can be selected. Follow the bearing manufacturers selection process for
calculating the required bearing type and configuration for the equipment design life and service factors.
Provide shaft seals for the bearing at the bearing housing and at the penetration into the elevator frame. The bearing must ne ver
be exposed to dust or dirt or moisture while in the production environment. Do everything necessary to protect the bearing.
The bearing and seal suppliers can advise other ways of mounting and protecting the bearing.
The best bearing arrangement design is to stand the bearing off the elevator frame with a clearance of around 25 mm.
ELEVATOR FRAME MEMBERS
The frame can either be made of an angle iron skeleton to which sheets of steel are attached or from sheets of steel pressed to
the required rectangular shape that are flanged and bolted together.
The thickness and lengths of section used in the frame must be sufficient to prevent buckling under load.
INLET AND DISCHARGE CHUTE DESIGN
The inlet chute should be designed to promote product flow and to minimise the amount of bucket drag. Preferably the product
feed falls into the buckets as they come around the tail pulley without being dragged through a fully plugged boot.
The feed chute should be made with a slightly smaller width than the buckets. It should be sufficiently steep to insure product
always flows and does not build back. Test the products flowability if possible by putting some on a bent sheet of the elevator
chute material shaped into a U the same width as the chute. Tilt it to find the angle that produces flow.
Insure there are no restrictions or protrusions into the chute that will cause the product to build back.
The discharge chute size is known from the initial design. The angle at which it is set must meet the same criteria as the inlet.
HEAD AND TAIL PULLEY DESIGN
The head pulley dimensions have been determined. For simplicity the tail pulley should be to the same dimensions as the head
pulley. This will keep the buckets a constant distance off the elevator wall and aid product pick-up and simplify chute design
and fabrication. Both head and tail pulleys need to be crowned to centralise the belt and permit the belt to be tracked if it
wanders. The crowning should be 2 degrees both left and right from the center of the drum.
The head pulley could be rubber lagged if desired to increase the coefficient of friction and lower the belt tension. This will
allow use of a lighter duty belt. But there is always the possibility the lagging will be stripped off during operation. It is best to
design for a metal drum and use lagged pulleys only when detection of bogged conditions is installed.
Ribbing can also be mounted on the top pulley to increase friction and act by digging into the rubber belt and producing a
grabbing effect. The ribs are placed across the full axial length of the drum and positioned so that at least two ribs are always in
contact with the belt. The rigs should be 3 mm to 4 mm high and contoured into the drum so as not to rip the belt.
The tail pulley should be a self-cleaning design. This can be achieved in two ways
-
constructing the pulley drum of 20 mm or 25 mm round bars of length wider than the belt. The bars are spaced around the
end plates with gaps for product to fall through. Size the spacing between ribs with sufficient clearance for small product
to fall through. Larger product will not fit through the gaps.
provide a twin opposed-cone hub with the cones base starting at the center and tapering to the shaft at the ends of the
pulley. 20 mm or 25 mm round bars are welded to the outer rim of the cones and gussetted back to the cone wall for
stiffness.
The pulley can be mounted to the shaft using taper locks fitted to suitably sized hub, interference press fits, retainers screwed
and doweled to the shaft, hubs screwed and doweled to the shaft or key way in the hub and shaft.
Because the authors and publisher do not know the context in which the information presented in the flyer is to beused they accept no
CONSIDERATIONS IN CHOOSING FRAME AND PANEL MATERIAL

The materials selected for the frame and panels must consider the corrosive nature of the product, the dampness of both product
and environment and the protective coating system requirements to be applied to the finished elevator.
SELECTING BELTS AND BUCKETS
]
The materials selected for the belt and buckets must be compatible with the product.
The products abrasiveness will influence the choice of bucket material. Plastic and metal buckets are available. It is often a
good idea when plastic buckets are used, to install an occasional metal bucket that acts to scrape away solid build-up in the
elevator boot. A steel bucket every 6 8 plastic buckets is a good place to start.
Use belts specifically designed for bucket elevators as they constructed in a way to take more stress that similar ply horizontal
conveyor belts.
METHODS TO TAKE-UP BELT TENSION
The belt will stretch when in use after a period of time. Unless there is a method to take-up the stretch the pulleys will
eventually start slipping.
The take-up moves one pulley further away from the other. The pulley to be moved can be either the top or bottom pulley. If it
is the top pulley the drive must also permit the pulley to move.
One way is to mount the pulley shaft bearing housing on movable plates running in slides. They are positioned by jacking bolts
in both directions. Another method is to have the entire top portion of the elevator on jacking bolts and slide it in and out of the
lower section. A rubber skirt is used to seal the gay between the two sections.
PROTECTION AGAINST BOGGING THE BUCKETS
To protect against bogging install a proximity sensor to detect rotation of the non-drive pulley and stop the motor and in-feed
system when motion is no longer present. Signal to the operator that a problem exists.
CLEAN-OUT CONSIDERATIONS
At times the elevator boot will need to be accessed for cleaning, especially if multiple products are put through the elevator.
Whether a floor is required in the boot as part of the elevator or whether the bottom of the boot is open and sits on the plant
floor is dependent on the product characteristics and operating environment.
With fully sealed boots removable flanged doors, either bolted or wedged in place using restraining bars and retaining hooks,
are mounted to one or both ends of the. When open bottom boots are used flanged triangular sliding draws fitted to both sides
of the boot at the bottom is the best alternative.
Operators and maintainers prefer easy methods of access that do not require large numbers of bolts to be removed.
DUST EXTRACTION AND EXPLOSION PROTECTION
Dust is generated within the elevator by the bucket loading process. Dust can be extracted from the bucket elevator by dust
collection systems where necessary. Use methods of dust removal that allow entrainment air to be drawn through the elevator,
else the dust collection fan may create a vacuum within the elevator.
Explosive conditions are beyond the scope of these notes. Should this situation arise tt will be necessary to install bursting
panels venting to a safe place and possibly pressure and temperature sensing instrumentation to detect high-risk conditions.
The selection of materials suitable for an explosive environment will also be required. As will consideration of static charge
build-up control.
INSTALLATION OF THE BUCKET ELEVATOR

Consideration will need to be given as to how the elevator will be restrained in position. Methods of fixing the frame to the
floor and to attached equipment have to be selected.
Installation techniques will need to be designed into the elevator. Lifting points may be necessary. Will installation be as a
complete unit or in sections? Is crane access possible at the working site? Are there height restrictions? How will bracketing
and ancillary items and equipment be mounted once on-site?
CORRECT OPERATION OF BUCKET ELEVATORS
Once an elevator is installed operators will need to know how to start and stop it. Local power isolation switches are necessary
at both the top and bottom of the bucket for emergency needs. It is useful to have the power supply to the motor on a plug and
lead so power can be remove during maintenance access.
The feed to the bucket elevator should always be at a lesser rate than the elevator can remove it to protect against bogging and
overload conditions.
Reversal prevention will be necessary on tall or heavily loaded elevators to protect personal and equipment from damage by a
belt running backward during a power failure. Usually a brake option is available with the gear motor.
MAINTENANCE OF BELT BUCKET ELEVATORS
Access for maintenance will be needed to the motor, gearbox and drive. Motors mounted at the top of the elevator will require
access platforms.
Inspection and observation openings will be required to the top and bottom pulleys to observe the belt when tracking it.
Operators should conduct periodic inspections of the belt and bucket condition and a record made of their observation.
If the selected bearings require greasing they will need to be put onto a preventative maintenance route. The bearing
manufacturer can advise the greasing frequency. It is preferred to select bearings that are greased for life and remove all
greasing points from the bearing housing.
When belts have stretched beyond their take-up limits they can be cut shorter and spliced together while a replacement belt is
procured.
Overlapping the ends of the belt past two or more buckets and bolting the buckets through the overlap produce a belt slice.
This lap makes a bump in the belt and stresses the belt as it runs over the pulleys. Another way to splice is to butt the end of the
belt together and lay a separate piece of belt spanning two buckets either side of the butt. The overlay piece is put on the same
side as the buckets. This lay produces a flat belt against the pulley. The buckets mounted to the overlay piece will stick out
further than the buckets mounted to the belt.
An alternative splice is an oil well splice where the ends of the belt are brought together and folded outward against each other
on the bucket side. The turned-out ends are clamped and bolted together.
Authored by Mike Sondalini Maintenance Engineer.
PROTECTING BEARINGS FROM DUST AND WATER.

ABSTRACT
Protecting bearing from dust and water. Protection methods like labyrinth rings, rubber seals, felt seals and shaft mechanical seals are
described. Choice of the appropriate shaft seal and seal configurations to protect against dust and water ingress is critical. Numerous shaft
seal designs suited to contaminated conditions are reviewed. Keywords: Particles, contamination, bearing, shaft, grease barrier, breather.
Dusty surroundings are one of the most difficult environments for bearings. In equipment handling powders or in processes
generating dust the protection of bearings against contamination by fine particles requires special consideration.
BEARING HOUSINGS
Bearings are contained within a housing from which a shaft extends. The shaft entry into the housing offers opportunity for
dust (and moisture) to enter the bearing. The shaft seal performs sealing of the gap between the housing and shaft. Choice of
the appropriate shaft seal and seal configurations to protect against dust ingress is critical.
Figure No. 1. Shaft Bearing Housing Seals

Bearing housing seals for dusty environments may be either a labyrinth type or a rubbing seal type. The labyrinth type requires
a straight shaft running true. Rubbing seals are the more common and allow for some flexing of the shaft. The sketches below
are conceptual examples of each type of seal. When setting a lip seal into place to prevent dust ingress insure the sealing lip
faces outward.
In situations of high dust contamination there may be a need to redesign the shaft seal arrangement for better dust protection
than provided in standard housings. Some ideas which can reduce dust ingress into bearing housings are to :
i.
provide two or more seals in parallel. Bearing housings can usually be purchased with combination seals as standard.
ii. retain the housing shaft seals but change from a greased bearing in the housing to one which is sealed and greased for life.
If contamination were to get past the shaft seals, the bearings internal seals would protect it.
iii. stand the bearing off the equipment to create a gap between the end of the equipment and the bearing housing while sealing
the shaft at the equipment.
iv. put in a felt seal wipe between the housing and the wall of the equipment to rub the shaft clean. Install of a mechanical
seal in very harsh environments.
v.
install a grease barrier chamber sandwiched between two seals. This barrier is separate to the bearing housing and acts as
the primary seal for the bearing. Grease pumped into the chamber will flush out past the seals.
vi. replace the grease barrier chamber instead with an air pressurised chamber.
vii. shield the bearing housing from dust with use of a specially fabricated rubber shroud encapsulating the housing and wiping
the shaft or fit a rubber screen with a hole wiping the shaft over the opening emitting the dust.
viii. flush the bearing with grease by pumping excess grease into the housing and allowing the grease to be forced past the shaft
seals or through a purposely drilled 15mm hole in the housing. The hole must be on the opposite side of the bearing to the
grease nipple, at the bottom of the bearing housing when in service and between the bearing and seal.
ix. Mechanical seals can be fitted to the shaft with the stationary seal sitting toward the machine and the rotating seal mounted
back along the shaft. Combinations of other seals and wipers can also be used in conjunction with the mechanical seal.
Mount the auxiliary seals so they see the dust/water first and keep the mechanical seal as the last line of protection.
Some conceptual examples are shown in Figure No. 2.
ASSEMBLY
The process of assembling a bearing into the housing must be spotlessly clean. If contamination occurs at the time the housing
is assembled no amount of external protection will stop the bearing from premature failure. When assembling bearings into
housings make sure that:
i. your hands have been washed.
ii. the work bench is clear and wiped down clean.
iii. no one creates dust or grinds nearby during assembly.
iv. fresh, clean grease is used to pack the housing.
v. the components are clean and all old grease has been thoroughly removed.
Figure No 2. Conceptual Sketches of Dust Sealing Methods

BREATHERS
When protecting bearings from dust you want to always consider another important area. A breather is used to let hot air out of
a confined space and then to let the air back in when it cools down. Enclosed bearings get hot when operating and cool down to
ambient temperature when not in use. The air drawn back into the space needs to be clean of dust and moisture. A breather on
a bearing housing or bearing housing enclosure allows ingress of moisture and dust into the bearings causing premature life
failure.
Often a breather is insufficient and should be replaced with a low micron air filter that removes dust particles two micron and
greater in size. Protect the breather or filter from water spray and damp conditions (ban hosing down if possible) with a shroud
or by using an extension tube going into a clean, safe environment. Make sure the breather tube cannot be crushed closed by
accident.
Mike Sondalini - Equipment Longevity Engineer
Experiences with Bucket Elevators

ABSTRACT
Experiences with bucket elevators. Bucket elevators lift bulk materials from one level to another. They are used on powders,
granules, grain, chip shaped products and lumpy materials. They function well when designed properly for the duty, and used
as designed. Problems that can occur and possible remedies are noted. Keywords: belt, pulley, tracking, tension, bucket,
housing.
The sketch below is of a belt bucket elevator. The buckets are bolted to a belt, driven by a pulley. The frame and housing
enclose the belt, buckets and product. The buckets scoop up the material fed into the base or boot of the elevator. At the top it
is flung through the outlet chute. Adjustable screws move one of the pulleys to provide belt tensioning and tracking.
Inspection doors at the top and bottom allow viewing of the belt when making tracking adjustments
The drive pulley can be either the top or bottom pulley. With a top pulley drive the motor and gearbox are clear of product
spills and dust fall-out. The belt tension only needs to be sufficient to provide enough friction between belt and pulley to lift
the material. Access platforms to the drive at the top of the elevator is needed for belt tracking and maintenance.
With bottom pulley drive maintenance access is easy but belt tension is doubled to provide the same drive friction. This
increases loading on all the moving components. If the bottom drive pulley becomes coated in product or the belt stretches, the
belt slips. Top pulley drives have less operating problems.
Where the bucket elevator is used for multiple products, quick cleaning access for operators is required. Flanged and bolted
access doors seal well but removal is slow and threads become crusted with dust. Other options on non-hazardous materials are
to use doors like those in the drawings below.
The bottom pulley ought to be a self-cleaning design and not allow product to build up between belt and pulley. One method is
to use round bar to create a grizzly bar design.
Gluing rubber to the drive pulley will increase the drive friction. Cut the rubber splice at an angle of 45 degrees to the pulley
axis so the splice gradually feeds into the friction area of the pulley.
The belt speed must be sufficient to throw the material clear of the bucket and into the outlet chute. Too slow and the material
slides from the upturned bucket as it comes over the top pulley and falls back to the bottom of the elevator. Too fast and the
material is flung out too soon and hits the top of the elevator before falling back to the bottom. Formulas are available to
determine the right belt speed and throw for the material.
The pulley shaft bearings are best mounted on standoff brackets to the outside of the elevator housing in case the shaft seals
leak. Shaft sealing should be well designed to stop any leaks. The UP-TIME article on Protecting Bearings in Dusty Places
(Code No. 111) can be consulted for some useful shaft sealing ideas.
Feeding the product into the elevator boot is done by allowing material to fall through a chute under gravity or by forced
methods such as a powered feed screw. Both the feed chute angle and its cross section must be large enough to prevent product
hang-up or build-back. A clear passage without obstructions is critical. Similarly the discharge chute angle, size and design
must allow product to flow freely.
Pressurisation commonly occurs inside the elevator housing as the buckets drag air on the downward run from top to bottom.
When the feed rate into the elevator boot is less then the removal rate of the buckets, the flow of air is carried through the filling
section and upward with the filled buckets. Dust is raised inside the elevator and the internal air pressure forces the dust out
through openings and seals. The problem is worst with powdery or dusty products.
If it is important to reduce the amount of dust, the boot should be kept choked without bogging the elevator. Increasing the
feed rate into the boot slightly above the bucket removal rate will cause plugging. With such a feeding arrangement it would be
necessary to also install build-back detection to periodically stop the feed until the boot was cleared. An alternative,
successfully used on powdered products, is to feed the product in from the downward side of the elevator. With this method the
product filling the boot moves through with the bucket and both product and bucket act to plug off the bottom of the boot to the
flow of air.
Quick detection and stoppage of the feed to a bogged bucket elevator is critical. When this is overlooked the belt stops but the
drive continues to run. If undetected the rubber on the drive pulley peels off and the belt is eventually worn through. To detect
bogging, a proximity detector is fitted to confirm the presence of rotation of the non-drive shaft. A stationary shaft would raise
an alarm and stop the elevator and feed system.
Mike Sondalini - Maintenance Engineer
Hazardous areas for dusts and flammables.

ABSTRACT
Hazardous areas for dusts and flammables. Many explosions in the processing, manufacturing and bulk materials handling
industries involve flammable gases or vapours and explosive dusts or fibres. Such chemicals are known as hazardous
materials. The article provides a basic overview of the design requirements and maintenance practices for electrical equipment
in hazardous areas.
Keywords: explosive range, hazard assessment, zone classification, explosion protection, surface temperature, pressure wave,
explosive range.
WHAT IS A HAZARDOUS AREA?
One definition of a hazardous area is an area in which an explosive atmosphere is present, or may be expected to be present, in
quantities such as to require special precautions for the construction, installation and use of potential ignition sources.
Flammables and combustible dusts are dangerous if present at explosive concentrations; in an atmosphere that will support
combustion; when exposed to a sufficiently energetic ignition source. An explosion is impossible unless all three requirements
are present together.
EXPLOSIVE RANGE
As with the engine of a motor car not firing if the fuel mixture is too lean or too rich, so must the concentration of a flammable
gas or vapour be within a certain range for it to explode. For flammable materials like gasoline, methane or hydrogen to be in
explosive concentrations, the atmosphere must be laced, or loaded, with appropriate quantities of the material to support
combustion. The bottom of the flammability range is called the lower explosive limit (LEL) and the top of the range the upper
explosive limit (UEL).
For explosive dusts the criteria for an explosive condition is the amount of dust suspended in the atmosphere. Combustible dust
clouds will only explode once a minimum threshold concentration in air is passed and a minimum amount of ignition energy is
available. Should an ignition occur when sufficient the dust is suspended then an explosion would result. A combustible dust
layer siting on equipment will ignite if the layer ignition temperature is reached for a sufficient length of time.
ASSESSING THE HAZARDS
It is the responsibility of the User to assess the nature of the hazards present. The persons involved in assessing hazardous
areas need to have a strong background in the industry concerned as well as a good appreciation of the nature of the hazards
caused by the chemicals present.
The chemical properties and explosive nature of a flammable gas or vapour are major factors that influence the extent of the
hazard. Other properties for consideration include the flash point temperature, vapour pressure, boiling point, extent of the
explosive range, density of the gas or vapour and the ignition temperature to set of an explosion.
If the hazardous area involves dusts and fibers a good appreciation of the physical, chemical and bulk material properties is
required. The critical factors are the dust layer temperature at which a heated surface can ignite a layer of the dust. And the
dust cloud ignition temperature at which a cloud of the dust ignites. Additional factors like fineness of particle size, dilution by
inert materials and moisture content also affect the extent of the hazard.
The size of the hazardous zone may increase during maintenance and cleaning if dust is lifted off equipment.
WHAT IF AN EXPLOSION OCCURS?
An important factor to consider is what occurs if a flammable or combustible material is ignited and explodes? Explosions
generate a pressure front or shock wave that travel ahead of the flame front. Properties of the shock wave, maximum generated
pressure, the speed of pressure rise and the amount of energy liberated by the explosion need to be considered when addressing
the hazards.
DOCUMENTATION IS CRITICAL
The result of a hazard assessment is the classification of an area of plant and equipment into hazard zones. The area
classification documents, zone indication drawings and justifications must be compiled in a verification dossier and made
available to all persons who work on the plant.
An example of a completed hazardous area zone classification drawing is shown in Figure No. 1. The drawing specifies the
volume of space in which a risk is likely to be present and the nature of the risk. With this information the necessary design
decisions can be made.
HAZARDOUS ZONES
The designation (naming) of the zones reflect whether the hazard is a flammable gas or an explosive dust and the likelihood
that a hazard will be present. For a gas/vapour the zones and their definition are listed below.
Zone 0 a volume of space an explosive gas atmosphere is continuously present. An example is the vapour space in a fuel
storage tank.
Zone 1 a volume of space an explosive gas atmosphere occurs periodically in normal operation. An example is while
filling the fuel tank of a car.
Zone 2 a volume of space an explosive gas atmosphere is not normally expected and if it does occur, it will only be
present for a short period of time. An example is a spill from overfilling a car fuel tank.
R3.0
3.0
VENT
BUND WALL
BUND WALL
4.0
4.0
GROUND
1.0
15.0
15.0
* ALL DIMENSIONS IN METERS

SOURCE OF RELEASE
ZONE 0
ZONE 1
ZONE 2
ABOVE GROUND FIXED ROOF VENTED STORAGE TANKS,

ADEQUATELY VENTILATED
Figure No. 1 Zone classification for a flammables tank.

For dusts the zone designations are noted below and reflect the probability of the occurrence of an explosive mixture.
Zone 20 a volume of space where a combustible dust cloud is present for lengthy periods during normal operation or
layers of combustible dust will form. An example is inside a dust collector.
Zone 21 a volume of space where a combustible dust cloud is likely to occur during normal operation or layers of
combustible dust will gather during operation. An example is beside a 25-kg bag filling-head.
Zone 22 a volume of space where due to abnormal conditions a combustible dust cloud may occur infrequently and for
short periods of time or layers of combustible will gather over an extended period of time. An example is inside a grain
milling room that gradually accumulates dust over years of operation.
Once the zone is designated the appropriate hazard protection measures suited to the zone must be applied.
MINIMISING SURFACE TEMPERATURES
To prevent hot surfaces from causing gases and dusts to ignite, their temperatures must be kept below the ignition temperature.
Electrical apparatus, like motors, build up heat in operation. Their surface temperature rises and unless they are properly
selected for the hazardous area they may introduce an explosion risk.
Electrical equipment can be designed and built to a specific temperature class that limits the maximum surface temperature.
There are two designations within the surface temperature classification system. Group I apparatus are used in the mining
industry and Group II equipment are used everywhere else. Within Group II there is a second rating system known as the
maximum surface temperature designation and is shown in Table No. 1.
T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
450oC 300oC 200oC 135oC 100oC
85oC
Table No. 1. Maximum Surface Temperature
EXPLOSION PROTECTION TECHNIQUES
As already noted the three requirements that must coincide for an explosion to occur are - the presence of a fuel, at the right
concentration to burn, when ignition is present.
One explosion control principle is to purposely introduce a non-flammable atmosphere into the process. An example is the use
of inert nitrogen or carbon dioxide gas to replace air inside reactors mixing flammable chemicals or inside mills grinding
explosive powders.
The other explosion principle used in hazardous areas is to select electrical equipment and designs that remove the ignition
source. Table No. 2 lists the explosion techniques available. They must be selectively used as they can only be applied in the
appropriate hazard zone.
Method
Exclusion sealing ignition source
away from gas or dust inside an
enclosure
Explosion Containment if explosion

does occur it remains within the
enclosure
Energy limitation the energy
available is below the minimum
ignition requirement of a gas/dust.
Dilution the flammable atmosphere is
kept below the LEL.
Avoid ignition source use of no
spark creating equipment
Special design not of the above
techniques but can be experimentally
proven as suitable.
Symbol
DIP
Ex m
Ex n
Ex o
Ex p
Ex q
Ex d
Ex n
Type of Protection
Dust ingress protection
Encapsulation
Non-sparking (Permanently sealed devices, restricted breathing
enclosures)
Oil-immersion
Pressurised enclosure
Powder or sand filled
Flameproof enclosure
Non-sparking (enclosed-break devices)
Ex i
Ex n
Intrinsically safe
Non-sparking (non-incendive components)
Ex v
Ventilation
Ex e
Ex n
Ex s
Increased safety
Non-sparking (inherently the operating temperatures are low)
Special protection (designed for a purpose)
Table No. 2. Explosion Protection Techniques

An alternative that should be considered to using hazardous area equipment is whether the electrical equipment can be located
outside of the hazardous area. Hazardous area equipment is more costly and deliveries are longer because of the precision and
quality requirements. By using standard off-the-shelf equipment located outside the hazardous area the cost and time for the
work can be greatly reduced.
EQUIPMENT APPROVAL AND CERTIFICATION
Electrical equipment for hazardous areas is marked with symbols that indicate their certification and classification. They can
only be used if the correct markings are in place to verify they are suited to the particular hazardous area concerned. An
example is
Ex II 1 G EEx ia IIC T6.

The markings Ex II 1 G EEx show it is approved and certified to the specifications of relevant international bodies, while ia
indicates the type of protection rating, IIC indicates the explosion group and T6 the temperature class. The markings are
permanently on the equipment and recorded on the documentation accompanying the apparatus.
INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE
To insure hazardous area equipment retains its effectiveness it must be installed and maintained so that the protection it
provides is continuously available. Only competent and qualified persons can design, install and work with hazardous area
apparatus. Cables, glands, sockets, plugs, enclosures, etc must all meet the hazardous area designation. Special cable and
gland installation methods and sealing techniques are required to prevent combustible atmospheres and flames from being
transferred to connected, neighbouring equipment. Unless the exact requirements are followed the explosion protection is
voided.
Always replace equipment in hazardous areas with a certified, exact duplicate. If it is necessary to use an alternative because
the exact duplicate is not available a qualified and competent person must check the rating and approve the alternative. The
change approval process must be documented.
Once hazardous area equipment is installed there are ongoing inspection and upkeep requirements. The integrity of the
apparatus must be examined periodically. There have been numerous occasions where bolts have been left out of rated
enclosures resulting in the loss of explosion protection capabilities. Inspection frequencies need to be determined and set to suit
the operating requirements and risks in the plant. The use and keeping of documented maintenance records is necessary on
hazardous area plant and equipment.
Mike Sondalini Maintenance Engineer
Electric Motor Current Protection Saves Your Plant.

ABSTRACT
Electric motor current protection saves your plant. A lot of equipment failure results from just simple, plain mistakes, sometimes from
unintentional forgetfulness, sometimes from short-cut taking and sometimes because of ignorance of the consequences. The result is plant
destroyed at great cost and inconvenience. But for plant being driven by an electric motor use of under and over current protection is
something that can be done very cheaply to protect it from being run outside of its design 'envelope'. A current transformer is placed around
the electrical cables leading to the motor. The transformer is connected to a monitoring device that alarms when the current is outside preset
limits. Keywords: motor load, overload, motor characteristic.
ELECTRIC MOTOR CURRENT DRAW

The power required to operate a 3-phase induction electric motor depends on the torque load on the motor. Low load means a low power
draw and causes a low current draw, high load leads to a high power draw and a high current draw. Low load means the motor is turning near
full speed and doing little work while drawing little power, high load means the motor is turning at lesser speed and working hard while
causing a greater power draw. Overload means the motor has too much load and cannot turn at all. Figure No. 1 shows a 3-phase induction
motor performance characteristics.
Figure No 1. Electric motor characteristics

The stator current draw characteristic is a good variable to monitor and use for a decision to stop the motor before it gets damaged. Anything
attached to the motor will also stop. In this fashion the equipment is protected from any condition that produces a low power draw or any
condition that causes a high power draw.
DETECTING CHANGING ELECTRIC CURRENT

When an electric current flows through a wire it produces a magnetic field around the wire. The greater the current, the
stronger the magnetic field. The magnetic field will induce electrical fields and cause current to flow in neighbouring wires.
This phenomenon causes problems for process logic computer (PLC) equipment and field equipment communications because
the electrical fields can interrupt signals sent between equipment and computer. In this case communication cabling is specially
shielded away from power cabling. However the phenomenon is useful as a means of monitoring electric power draw.
By installing a current transformer onto a power cable the transformer develops its own current which is proportional to the
current in the cable being monitored. Using a current transformer means there no wires to cut, the transformer is low cost,
readily available and installation is quick. When coupled with a metering relay and a timer it is possible to turn off the power
to a motor when the current goes outside set limits for a given period of time. If the limits are set to the current draw at
maximum and minimum working situations and the motor is turned off when the limits are passed then the motor is protected
from abnormal load conditions.
The use of a current transformer is but one way to detect the presence of an electrical current. Other methods are also available
to detect electrical current and involve installing the monitoring device into the electrical circuit.
UNDER-CURRENT SITUATIONS
When a motor is freewheeling, or it is very lightly loaded, the current required to just turn the motor is only a small portion of the full load
current. If such a situation develops when a motor in operation it is probably because something abnormal has occurred.
A typical low-load situation arises when centrifugal pumps are deadheaded against a closed discharge valve or if a downstream suction valve
is shut and the pump is cavitating because it is starved of liquid. In this case undercurrent protection would detect the low load on the motor
and turn it off. If the pump had a mechanical seal it would be protected from damage before loss of lubricating fluid across the seal faces
destroys the seal.
Another situation where undercurrent protection would be useful is in the detection of unloaded conveyors or bucket elevators. They could
be turned off automatically after a period of time. Anytime the components in a drive train fail, for example the shaft coupling breaks, or a
drive shaft breaks or drive belts come off or snap, the motor load would suddenly drop and the fall in load current could be used to trigger a
shutdown and/or an alarm.

OVER-CURRENT AND OVERLOAD SITUATIONS
As the load on an electric motor increases, the spinning rotor starts to slip more and slow down. The electric current draw rises
as the motor tries to maintain speed. The higher current flow causes more heat to develop inside the motor. The heat builds up
and can destroy the motors internals. The motor fails due to being overloaded. Here again current detection can be used to
shut the motor down and protect it and/or raise an alarm.
Overloads are likely in bulk materials handling situations such as bucket elevators and screw feeders. Where equipment has to
combat a dragging, digging or scraping action as part of the process, sudden overloads should be expected. Over-load
protection should be incorporated into the original design.
ALLOW FOR THE OPERATING REQUIREMENTS
There are times when motors are required to free wheel for a short period or there will be a short, temporary overload situation.
An example is when a pump sending liquid into one tank is required to send liquid into an alternate tank. For a short period
both tanks valves may be closed. It is often better to keep the pump running for a few seconds against a deadhead rather than
to put it off and restart it. In this case the motor current will intentionally drop low but do not want the undercurrent protection
to stop the motor.
The timer is used to prevent the motor shutting down unnecessarily. Observations are made of normal operating duty current
draws and delays to permit normal operation, such as high current draw at start-up, are set into the timer. The current
protection only activates after the timer counts out in the presence abnormal loads.
There is one issue to be weary of when using current protection. It is possible to have a false load on the motor. As long as a
motor experiences normal loads the current stays within the permitted operating band. Should this load be the result of a part
failing, e.g. a collapsed bearing or a slipping vee-belt, then the current could still be in its working band and the protection will
not operate.
Current protection is a cheap, simple way to protect your equipment against those unexpected and unforeseeable errors that
happen.
HIGH GEARING RATIOS
When electrical current detection is used on highly geared drives (above about 50:1) it tends to become insensitive to sudden
changes in load. By the time the unexpected load condition is transferred through the drive to the motor, the torque involved is
very much reduced. There will be an eventual effect on the motor current but it may not last long enough to trigger the
protective systems. The problem can be overcome if torque detection is also incorporated into the load protection
methodology.
With torque, electric current, electric voltage and shaft speed detection and control all incorporated into a variable speed drive
(VSD) it is possible to control the loads on high geared mechanical drives. They can be slowed, sped-up or stopped
electronically if unplanned load conditions occur.
Mike Sondalini Equipment Longevity Engineer
References: A. Mychael, Electric Circuits and Machines Edition 2, McGraw-Hill Book Company
Dust control concepts

ABSTRACT
Dust control concepts. Industrial dust is the result of material escaping from the confines of a process or a storage location. The size of the
problem depends on the dusts characteristics and the means of its distribution. The best policy to control dust is to not let it escape from
where it ought to belong. There are simple techniques that can be used to manage dust and prevent it from becoming a major health and
environmental problem once the mechanism of creation and distribution are under stood.
Keywords: bulk material handling, dust collector, stock piles, transfer points
By Evan Platts, Mechanical Engineer.

Overview
The following briefly describes some of the basic mechanisms that are involved in the creation of dust and also describe some
associated concepts. It does not cover the technical and chemical side of things. It is essentially common sense things listed
out.
Essentially for the creation of dust there is a requirement for a particle and mechanism to induce movement in the particle to
make in airborne. The volume of particles made airborne determines the volume of dust. Once a particle is airborne then other
factors influence the density and spread of the dust.
Particle Size and Density
The particle size and density is a significant influence on dust creation.
The smaller the dust particle then the easier it is to make airborne and the longer that the particle will remain suspended
once airborne.
The less dense the dust particle then the easier it is to make airborne and the longer that the particle will remain suspended
once airborne.
So, smaller lighter particles are more prone to creating dust, and once airborne are less likely to disperse. Within a dust
collection system this means that they are easier to capture and transport.
Volume and Scatter of Particles
The greater the volume of particles then the more opportunity there is to create dust. The exposed surface area or scatter of the
particles also influences the opportunity to create dust.
A bucket of particles compactly piled will generally require more effort to make airborne than the same volume spread widely
as it presents more particles. The greater the scatter then generally the greater the area affected by dust.
Wind or Air Flow
The volume and velocity of wind can result in both a positive and negative effect on dust.
If dust is being created by other source then wind or airflow will disperse the dust. This may be beneficial if small amounts of
dust are being created, as it will prevent the build up of a high dust concentration. If the amount of dust being created by other
source is high then wind or airflow will spread the dust over a large area. Whilst this may reduce the dust concentration at the
source area it may result in a larger dust problem to both people and environmental emissions.
Wind is the cause of lift off or pick up from stockpiles and the ground. Essentially the stronger the wind the larger the particles
able to be lifted off and the greater the volume of particles lifted off.
Within a plant area tunneling of the wind often occurs where by the velocity of wind increases when it is forced through a
constricted area. This often occurs between buildings.
The stack or chimney effect is also caused by wind. This is the principle behind the natural draft stacks prior to draft fans.
Essentially the wind blows across the top of an exposed opening creating a low pressure point that draws dust and fumes out.
This is generally noticeable from open hoppers or tanks by small eddies of wind disturbed dust.
Wind velocity increases with distance from the ground. Higher points are more susceptible to the effects of wind i.e. buildings,
stockpiles, transfer points.
Air flow is induced by equipment and product movement. Air can be entrained in the product, induced by the boundary layer
effect of movement or captured by equipment movement. When air is drawn into a transfer or a piece of equipment, this air
either needs to be controlled (direction, velocity, volume) or removed/expelled. Note the difference between air and dust. The
dust can be filtered or removed from the air.
Moisture or Wetting Agents
This describes the use of water as a wetting agent however it also applies to other liquids that are used to control dust such as
oil.
Water can be used to two main ways to control dust as a prevention measure and then as a capture method.
By having a moist bulk product, the particles adhere together and are less likely to disperse and scatter. The particles adhere to
the water and put simply, they make the particle larger. This principle is often applied to stockpiles to prevent lift off or pick
up.
If particles become airborne then water sprays can be used to capture the particles by having the dust particle adhere to the
water droplet. This principle is often applied but as particle sizes become smaller then it becomes less effective.
Vehicles
Whilst vehicles are generally not responsible for being the initial creator of dust they often result in being a significant dust
source. When a vehicle travels over particles on a roadway several things may occur.
The particles may be pulverised resulting in smaller particles that are more easily able to become airborne.
The particles are picked up by tyres and scattered over a larger area and may become airborne by lifting into the air.
The particles may become airborne from the airflow induced by the vehicle movement.
The amount of airflow is directly related to the speed of the vehicle. The degree of scatter and airborne particles are inversely
related with moisture content. The greater the moisture the greater amount of pick up by tyres and the less airborne dust is
produced.
Build up of particles on vehicles and machinery such as front-end loaders (FEL) and bobcats result in a significant amount
particle scatter and particles becoming airborne through induced wind lift off.
Evans Rabbit vs Sheep Theory of Dust Control
Often people try the rabbit theory on dust. Firstly they say it is just a couple of rabbits and nothing to worry about and certainly
not worth spending money on. As the problems gets larger very quickly the method used to control the problem is shoot all
rabbits on sight. This ends up being very time consuming, labour intensive and ends up costing lots of money in bullets. This
is often occurs in dust collection by putting lots of dust take-offs on dust collectors.
There ends up being too many take-offs that dont work efficiently because the dust collector has a limited useful capacity, and
then there is a call for a bigger dust collector. More dust take-offs and a bigger dust collector means collecting more dust,
which must mean the dust problems, are being fixed. Wrong! The dust problem is what is on the outside of the dust collector.
Once you collect more dust you then have the problem of what to do with it. Once you have more dust collectors the capital
cost goes up, the maintenance cost goes up and the operating cost goes up. You need to minimise dust collection points to
those that are most effective.
The sheep theory to dust control is containment, control and collection. Like sheep, dust is dumb and tends to have a mind of
its own wandering around aimlessly following each other. Sheep are kept in fenced paddocks and herded all together in a
flock to a collection point. This is what to do with dust.
If there is a hole in the fence and sheep are getting out you fix it. If a small flock of sheep runs off bring them back to the main
flock rather than try herding two flocks. Dont try to move them too quickly or they will break up. Have somebody watching
the flock for stray sheep that run off at all times, get a dog. If a sheep falls on the ground pick it up put it in the ute and deliver
with the remainder of the flock.
Belt conveyor tuning.

ABSTRACT
Belt conveyor tuning. A belt conveyor is a moving surface used to transport product from one end to the other. In its basic form it consists
of a driving head pulley, a tail pulley, the moving belt, support rollers, cleaning devices, tensioning mechanisms and a structural frame.
Though simple in concept its many components need to work together as a system to get the best performance and operating life. Critical to
that is an understanding of how to care for a belt conveyor and tune it for successful operation.
Keywords: materials handling, bulk material transport
Belt conveyors are used to transport anything from matches to bulk material such as iron ore and quarried stone. The belt can
be made of natural fibres, rubber, plastic or metal. Regardless of its construction and purpose there are basic requirements to its
successful operation that must be met.
How a Belt Conveyor Works
Figure No 1 is a simple sketch of a belt conveyor. An electric motor and gearbox turn the head drum (or head pulley). The belt
is pulled tight to produce friction between it and the head drum. The friction overcomes the load and drag forces and the belt
moves around the circuit from the head pulley to the tail pulley and back to the head pulley.
Figure No. 1. A Basic Belt Conveyor

Only friction is used to drive the belt. If the friction falls the belt will slip or stop moving even though the head pulley keeps
turning. The friction between the belt and pulley depends on the friction properties of the surfaces in contact, the amount of
surface in contact (the arc and width in contact) and the tension in the two lengths of the belt.
The loaded side of the belt is the tight side and the return side is the loose side. The tight side needs to carry as much tension as
possible to minimise the load on the drums, the shafts and the bearings. Getting the maximum friction possible between belt
and head pulley does this.
Often a head pulley will be herringbone grooved or coated in rubber (or other such treatment) to increase the friction. Another
option is to increase the arc of contact. A jockey (snubber) pulley is placed under the slack side close to the drum. By lifting
the return belt higher so it comes off the head pulley further around the circumference the contact area and hence the friction is
increased.
Tensioning the belt also increases friction. This can be by jacking the head and tail pulleys further apart and forcing the belt
harder against the drums or by making the slack (loose) side tighter. Tightening the slack side goes against the ideal of keeping
the slack side tension low and the tight side tension high. If the loose side is used for tensioning, the load carrying components
are made larger to take greater forces.
Maximising Belt Conveyor Operating Life.
Once a belt conveyor is designed and installed it is there for years to come! The very best practice to adopt to promote long,
trouble-free life is to be sure that the designer has designed it with quality components that can handle the entire range of forces
generated in its use. One way to insure that is to engineer every part taking a load and then review the design calculations and
the component selection using independent, experienced equipment users and maintainers querying the designer for the
assumptions, reasons and proof behind each design selection.
The list below highlights some of the issues and problems with belt conveyor installations. Once you are aware of them you
can be on the watch-out and get to them fast.
Belt wear and gouging from product impact at loading zones, from belt drag across solid surfaces, from scrapper rubbing,
from the belt touching caught product, from product hardening on scrappers, from drive pulleys slipping during start-up or
during a belt jam, from product build-up on trough and return rollers.
Frayed belt at edges due to rubbing against structures, due to rubbing against product caught in structures, from rubbing
against seized rollers.
Belt Stretch from excessive belt tensioning, from belt aging, from high product impact, from overloading with product,
from running the belt beyond belt design speed, from too much stop-start inertia forces.
Belt distortion due to out-of-square joining, due to a join being too thick, due to ripping and buckling within the belt
material as internal fibres tear because of overloads, due to loading one side of the belt.
Bad tracking due to head pulley misalignment, due to no head pulley crowning, due to trough and return roller
misalignment, due to roller seizure producing more drag. Also can be due to the last upper roller being too close to the
head pulley and lifting the belt so it makes first contact far around on the head pulley circumference.
Gearbox/drive mounting deflection causing shaft misalignment by support frame and load carrying members being
undersized and insufficiently braced for the operating forces and inertia force changes.
Cut belts from impact of product, from dragging across jammed sharp objects, from tearing due to sudden overloads, from
bolts and foreign metal objects gouging.
Scrapper failure from product build-up on the scrapping edge, from jammed scrapper parts, from wrong set-up.
Slipping belt due to product jam, due to loss of belt tension, due to dust/dirt/moisture under head drum.
Proper Belt Conveyor Set-Up and Use

Become familiarised with the manufacturers recommended operating practice and then get operators and maintainers together
to discuss how to achieve them in-house.
In the simplest of ways decide how to:
Make sure the belt is tracking properly and to detect when it is going off-track. Crown the pulleys (1% to 1.5% of the
pulley width), align guide and troughing rollers square to the belt, on short conveyors insure the head and tail drum centers
are aligned to within 0.25 millimeter. Keep guide rollers and pulleys clean of product build-up.
Make sure the scrapper is working well. If necessary change designs. Maybe water jet spray instead of a solid edge
scrapper. (Be wary of brush scrappers for powdered and damp products. Fine particles build up in the bristles and clog the
entire brush making the bristles rigid and stiff, which then scratches the belt.)
Prevent overloading product by slowing loading rates to below removal rates. Install deflection plates in loading chutes to
take the momentum of falling product and stop it from pounding into the belt. Install more rollers in the loading section to
distribute the pounding forces.
Prevent product jams.
Keep friction low by detecting and replacing seized rollers. Reduce transfer station skirt-to-belt contact. If dust is a
problem keep skirt contact area and pressures low enough to minimise the amount of dust escape. Higher pressures force
the skirt hard into the belt and both parts wear.
When you sort the issues out write down how it was done and make them standard operating procedure so the discoveries are
not lost.
Mike Sondalini - Equipment Longevity Engineer
References: Applied Mechanics, A K Hosking, M R Harris, H & H Publishing.
Tracking belts on elevators and conveyors.

ABSTRACT
Tracking belts on bucket elevators and short belt conveyors. Flexible flat belts are used on bucket elevators and belt conveyors
to carry loose, bulk product. The belt is stretched tight from head drum to tail drum and the friction generated on the turning
head drum is used to drive the belt and carry the product. The belt must run true on the end pulleys (drums) and stay within the
sides of the equipment structure. If the belt runs off the drums, buckets will be destroyed and belt edges frayed. In the worst
cases the belt runs off the pulleys resulting in a breakdown repair. Proper and long-lived tracking of belts is critical for
trouble-free operation.
Keywords: belt alignment,
Head and Tail Pulley Designs
The head and tail drums on belt bucket elevators and short conveyors are usually steel cylinders. A shaft is mounted thorough
them at the center and extending outward long enough to mount bearings on both sides. Often the shell is steel pressure pipe
and the ends are cut from flat plate and welded in place. The shaft can be welded into the end plates, but for easy repair, it is
best mounted in taper lock hubs that are welded to the end plates and the shaft clamped into them. The shell length is usually
25 40 mm (1 1-1/2) longer than the belt width
Where additional friction is required the head pulley can be lagged in rubber or grooved with a 45o herring bone pattern.
On belt bucket elevators carrying powdered or dusty product the shell on the bottom pulley can be replaced with round bars
spaced around the end plates so that the gaps between them and the edge of the belt allow the product to fall out and the pulley
self-cleans.
Drum Adjustment and Alignment
To insure the belt runs central the two pulleys must be aligned center to center. This is done with a string line stretched from
the mid-point on both drums. The distance from a straight edge datum on the support structure is measured and the position of
the shaft bearings adjusted until the string lines up with the straight datum edge.
The head and tail pulley axes must also initially be aligned parallel to each other and in the same plane. Once the drum centers
are inline the centerline distance on both sides from shaft to shaft is measured from a datum line on the support structure. Bring
the drums as close together as possible so that the belt can be later stretched. Once the drums are aligned both horizontally and
axially the belt is then fitted on the pulleys.
Belt Joining
Belts for short conveyors are usually purchased with the ends joined and are slipped into place over the pulleys. A splice at 45o
to the belt running direction and not square is preferred. This allows the edge to lead into the scrapper and lessens the chance
of the join catching and ripped.
The belt for belt bucket elevators can be supplied either with buckets already mounted or without. Once the buckets are
mounted it must be fed into the structure from the top and the ends of the belt joined later through a hatch in the wall of the
structure. There are three common methods to join the ends of bucket belts - overlap, butt and strap and turn-up clamp. Figure
No. 1 shows the joining methods.
Figure No 1. Joining Bucket Elevator Belts.

Insure joins are square to the running direction of the belt so that the belt runs as straight and true as possible.
Drum Crowning
Belt tracking is greatly improved when one of the drums is crowned. The drive pulley is the one usually crowned though the
bottom drum can also be used. Only one of the drums is crowned and not both. Crowning allows the natural elasticity of the
belt to act like a spring and pull the belt back down the rise of the crown if it starts to wander to one side. The height of the
crown is 1.5% to 2% of the pulley length.
Tracking Belts in Place
Once the belt is installed and pulled tight, the distance between drum shafts is measured on both sides and positioned the same
distance apart. The belt is run unloaded and if it wanders the tail pulley is adjusted and made tighter on the side the belt moves
toward. The basic rule is that the belt moves toward the slack side and away from the tight side (this is also why crowning one
pulley works). Another way to look at it is that the belt goes from the high-energy side (tight) to the low-energy side (loose).
Once the unloaded belt is running true product is then introduced onto it. If the belt wanders under load the tail pulley is further
adjusted as was done when set-up unloaded.
Only tension the belt enough to insure it does not slip under full load. Over-tensioning the belt rips the internal fibers and the
belt stretches and creeps continuously.
All snub rollers, carrying rollers and return rollers must be square to the centerline of the belt and parallel to each other. Check
this by measuring diagonals, which should be equal.
Some times the belt can take on a banana shape or crescent camber along its length. Usually this is a sign of uneven internal
fibre lengths. In this case the belt wanders from side to side during a rotation and little can be done to control it except to get it
running as near to center as possible. Depending on the severity of the banana it may even require that one of the drums be
offset from the center-to-center alignment so that the belt stays on the pulleys. If the camber exceeds 1% of the belt length
replace it.
It can also be useful to install digging buckets every tenth bucket. These buckets are slightly oversize in length and depth to
the rest of the buckets and act as a scrapper to clear away any product build-up on the sides of the structure. Make them of
metal or a harder material than the regular buckets.
Mike Sondalini Equipment Longevity Engineer

Belt Bucket Elevator Design

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Process, Plant and Equipment UP-TIME

Belt Bucket Elevator Design, Use & Care

Bucket Elevator Design Notes

BELT BUCKET ELEVATOR DESIGN NOTES

CONTENTS OF DESIGN NOTES

Overview of belt bucket elevators and their use.

Determine throughput capacity.

Determine belt speed and throw.

Calculate motor power.

Calculate top and bottom pulley shaft sizing.

Drive arrangement and design.

Shaft bearing and seal arrangement.

Selecting elevator frame structural members.

Inlet and outlet chute design.

10.0 Considerations in choosing panel materials.

OVERVIEW OF BELT BUCKET ELEVATORS

The left-hand column provides descriptive text.

The right-hand column provides an example.

SELECT BUCKET SIZE AND SPACING

SELECT BUCKET SIZE AND SPACING

Select the bucket from the range in the bucket suppliers

Intermittent up to 12 hours per day 6 days a week

DETERMINE BELT SPEED

CALCULATE THROW INTO CHUTE AND CHUTE

The belt velocity using a bucket spacing of 700 mm with

CALCULATE THROW INTO CHUTE AND CHUTE

The distance of the chute from the vertical center of the

This distance is reached shortly after 0.2 seconds. A

DETERMINE THE DRIVE ARRANGEMENT

DETERMINE THE DRIVE ARRANGEMENT

It will be necessary to select sprocket sizes for the motor

Chain and sprocket drives are preferred to vee-belt and

CALCULATE POWER REQUIRED

where Wb = weight of material in each bucket (kg)

The first iteration gearbox output RPM can be determined

CALCULATE POWER REQUIRED

Total pulley load = (67 N + 109 N) = 176 N

CONFIRM DRIVE ARRANGEMENT POWER

CONFIRM DRIVE ARRANGEMENT POWER

The forces are oriented in the vertical, including the drive

The coefficient of friction for rubber on steel is 0.25 and

Combining the above tension equations allows T1 to be

The force at the head pulley drive sprocket is in the

The shaft undergoes both bending and torsion

The mass of the head pulley can be estimated by assuming

The allowable stress for the steel selected is found in the

For the calculation CS 1030 steel will be used. Fs = 225

This shaft is on the small side and a 40 mm solid shaft will

SHAFT BEARING AND SEAL ARRANGEMENT

CONSIDERATIONS IN CHOOSING FRAME AND PANEL MATERIAL

INSTALLATION OF THE BUCKET ELEVATOR

PROTECTING BEARINGS FROM DUST AND WATER.

Figure No. 1. Shaft Bearing Housing Seals

Figure No 2. Conceptual Sketches of Dust Sealing Methods

Experiences with Bucket Elevators

Hazardous areas for dusts and flammables.

* ALL DIMENSIONS IN METERS

ABOVE GROUND FIXED ROOF VENTED STORAGE TANKS,

Figure No. 1 Zone classification for a flammables tank.

Explosion Containment if explosion

Table No. 2. Explosion Protection Techniques

Ex II 1 G EEx ia IIC T6.

Electric Motor Current Protection Saves Your Plant.

ELECTRIC MOTOR CURRENT DRAW