Experimental measurements used to reduce emergency situations of environmental continuous transport

Abstract

An emergency situation in a continuous transport system is an undesirable phenomenon during which the continuity of production or technological processes is seriously endangered. This situation can be brought about by various factors. In technological equipment of environmental continuous belt conveyor systems and pipe conveyors various adverse critical conditions may arise, which may result in the creation of an emergency situation. In particular, both conveyor and supporting rollers being the most significant components of the conveyor belt can substantially contribute to the onset of an emergency situation. Any damage to them can lead to a reduction or a complete standstill of the continuous transport process, which impedes upon the subsequent production operations. This contribution describes the possibility of the measurement and assessment of normal contact forces, which are applied by the conveyor belt to the supporting rollers on the hexagonal idler roller support of the pipe conveyors. This allows an early prediction of the critical condition and thus any developing emergency situation can be forestalled.