Conveyor Belt Cleaning Challenges & How to Overcome ...

2. Limited Access to Cleaning Points

Challenge: In many conveyor systems, especially in compact spaces, it&#;s challenging to access certain areas for cleaning.

Check now

Solution: Installing compact conveyor belt cleaners that are specifically designed for operation in space constrained areas or using portable cleaning tools can help in maintaining cleanliness in these difficult to reach areas. Introducing regular inspections and maintenance schedules can also ensure that all parts of the conveyor are cleaned effectively on a regular basis.

3. Wear and Tear of Belt Cleaning Components

Challenge: Belt cleaning components themselves can suffer wear and tear, reducing their effectiveness overtime. Using belt cleaners on materials they are not suitable for, and failure to perform required maintenance can increase the extent of the wear and reduce the overall life of the components.

Solution: When choosing a supplier for your mining operation&#;s conveyor belt cleaning needs, it&#;s crucial to select one that offers durable, high-quality components. These components should not only be suitable for the type of material transported on your belt but also capable of withstanding the unique environmental conditions of your operation. Understanding the expected lifespan of belt cleaner components is vital. This knowledge enables you to keep an adequate supply of replacement parts on hand, facilitating quick changes and minimizing downtime.

Additionally, it&#;s important to use components made from materials that are tough enough to clean the specific types of particles being processed, such as moist, sticky, or fine materials, without damaging the conveyor belt. This approach not only ensures effective cleaning but also helps reduce the wear and tear on belt cleaning components, enhancing their longevity and performance.

4. Variations in Conveyor Belt Speed

Challenge: Different conveyor speeds can affect cleaning effectiveness, with faster speeds potentially leading to reduced cleaning contact time.

Solution: Properly adjusting the tension and blade angles of your belt cleaner is crucial for accommodating varying belt speeds. This ensures that the cleaner works effectively at all times, regardless of speed fluctuations. For an even more efficient approach, consider investing in self-adjusting belt cleaners. These systems automatically adapt to changes in belt speed and tension, reducing the need for manual adjustments and ensuring consistent, optimal cleaning performance.

5. Effective Belt Cleaning in Extreme Environmental Conditions

Challenge: Conveyor belt cleaning efficiency can be significantly impacted by extreme environmental conditions like excessive dust, moisture, or temperature variations.

Solution: Customize cleaning systems to suit specific environmental conditions. For instance, use moisture-resistant materials in damp or humid conditions, and heat-resistant blades in high-temperature settings. Additionally, incorporating enclosed systems or dust suppression technologies can help maintain cleaning efficiency in dusty environments. Working with suppliers to design tailored belt cleaning solutions for your operation will ensure the correct target criteria is met to provide optimal belt cleaning performance.

Conclusion

When tackling the challenging world of conveyor belt maintenance, the key lies in deploying customized, efficient cleaning solutions. From addressing material build-up and accessing hard-to-reach cleaning points to managing wear and tear and adapting to extreme environmental conditions, the right approach to conveyor belt cleaning can significantly boost your operation&#;s efficiency and longevity.

As you navigate these challenges, consider partnering with a trusted and experienced supplier. Oreflow has been a proud supplier of Brelko&#;s comprehensive range of conveyor belt cleaners for over two decades. Our expertise is not just in providing top-quality equipment; we also bring a wealth of experience and technical know-how.

Our team of fully certified Brelko technicians is equipped to handle installations, routine maintenance, and provide essential technical support. This ensures that your conveyor belt cleaning systems are not only tailored for your specific needs but are also expertly maintained for optimal performance.

Moreover, Oreflow maintains a complete range of scrapers and replacement parts in stock, ensuring that you have quick and easy access to essential components when you need them. This commitment to stocking a comprehensive inventory is part of our dedication to keeping your operations running smoothly with minimal downtime.

In conclusion, the efficiency of your conveyor system is a critical component of your operational success. With Oreflow&#;s expertise and Brelko&#;s advanced range of conveyor belt cleaners, you&#;re equipped to meet any cleaning challenge head-on. Reach out to us today to discuss how we can enhance your conveyor system&#;s efficiency and reliability.

Raise your hand if you have a belt cleaner installed on your conveyor system but haven&#;t checked the tension recently. We&#;ve all been there. With the limited amount of time you have on a shutdown to install, maintain, or refurbish your belt cleaners, getting the tensioning right can sometimes be overlooked.

Why is belt cleaner tensioning important? Because without correct tensioning, belt cleaner performance is seriously compromised, which directly affects the efficiency of the conveyor system. Maintaining optimal tension on belt cleaner blades provides more efficient cleaning while protecting the belt and reducing carryback. Proper tensioning leads to a thorough cleaning, which increases system productivity and safety. Correct tension also ensures you are getting the maximum amount of life from your polyurethane or metal blades.

Over-Tensioning &#; Does It Cause Problems? 

If you want to learn more, please visit our website 成钢.

You would be forgiven for thinking that over-tensioning your belt cleaner is okay. The more pressure the cleaner blades have on the belt, the better the clean, right? However, this is a common misconception. In fact, over-tensioning does not improve the performance of the belt cleaner. It is actually more likely to reduce belt cleaner efficiency, reduce blade life, and can cause serious problems for your belt conveyor system.

Excessive friction and vibration from over-tensioning with urethane blades can create internal temperatures up to 120˚C (250˚F). Hysteresis and thermal changes can cause overheating in portions of the blade, which can result in blisters and melting. Once this occurs, the blade is mostly useless against battling carryback, and could even cause damage to your belt. 

Similar instances occur when tensioning is too aggressive on metal blades &#; they experience an excessive rise in temperature. This heat easily transfers to the belt, which is typically the most expensive component of the belt conveyor system. Then, when the belt stops, the metal blade can actually &#;melt&#; the belt, burning through the top layer of belt material. This could lead to expensive belt repairs and unplanned downtime.

Under-Tensioning &#; Yes, This Can Cause Problems Too

Another common misconception is that if the belt cleaner lacks proper tensioning, then it is harmless to your belt conveyor system. In reality, under-tensioning your belt cleaner, or having inconsistent maintenance processes, can be just as problematic for maintenance teams as over-tensioning.

Without enough tension on the belt cleaner blades, metal or polyurethane blades can bounce or chatter leading to shorter blade life, and an increase in carryback on the conveyor system. For metal blades, chatter can also cause significant damage to the belt, leaving marks across its width. If not addressed, this can also create a snowball effect where the chatter marks will get worse over time because the marks themselves cause additional chatter.  

If your belt cleaner isn&#;t cleaning effectively, then it&#;s likely to cause excessive carryback. Carryback is wasted product that is time-consuming to clean up and can cause belt mistracking, which leads to problems with spillage and damage to the edge of your belt. 

Ineffective cleaning can also cause the material to build up on the surface of the belt, making the belt abrasive and increasing blade wear. Material buildup causes the top cover of the belt to wear too, and worn top covers are harder to keep clean. It&#;s all sounding time-consuming and expensive, isn&#;t it?

Optimal Belt Cleaner Tensioning &#; Maintenance Is Key

All these factors increase the need for maintenance and repairs, as well as added labour cost to clean up around the conveyor. So what does optimal tensioning look like?

At optimal tensioning, belt cleaning is at its most efficient. Blade life is maximised, and wear to other belt conveyor components is minimised. So how do you achieve optimal belt cleaner tension?

All cleaners require maintenance, especially tensioning. Regular observation and tension checks allow you to make the adjustments needed to keep your belt clean, productive, and safe. Choosing a tensioner that makes checking and adjusting the cleaner convenient and easy helps ensure optimal cleaning.

Luckily, there are some good options available to make checking belt cleaner tensioning as simple and quick as possible for time-poor maintenance teams. The first option is to select a system with a simple, intuitive, and easy-to-access visual tension check. Making this process simple will lead to more frequent checks and overall better performance.  

Another option is to utilise an air tensioning system that will maintain constant pressure throughout the life of each blade. This is by no means a set and forget &#; you&#;ll still want to monitor the pressure gauge! However, with simple adjustments at the regulator, you can ensure the cleaner is at its optimal tension for peak performance throughout the full blade life. 

Today more than ever, maintenance managers are trying to make their belt conveyor systems as efficient as possible. Getting the correct tension on your belt cleaners is a fast and simple change you can make that will have a big impact on the productivity of your system.

If you are considering if you need a belt cleaner on your system, check out this blog post I wrote that illustrates the importance of a properly installed, professional conveyor belt cleaner. 

You can discover more information on our blog.

Are you interested in learning more about Conveyor Belt Cleaner? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!