Design aspects of pipe conveyors

Abstract

Pipe conveyors are becoming more and more popular as a continuous transport mode for the transportation of dry bulk solid materials. In particular in India and China pipe conveyors are popular. One major drawback in the design of pipe conveyors is the fact that there are still no good design codes or standards for pipe conveyors. Over the last couple of years a lot of work has been done to gain detailed insight in the three major design issues for pipe conveyors: the belt's indentation rolling resistance, the belt's pipe forming capacity, and the belt's tendency to rotate. This paper will identify design aspects that can help to select the right pipe conveyor belting properties for specific applications.