Delft University of Technology
Faculty Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering Transport Technology
A. el Hadrati Measuring and modelling the twisting of a pipe conveyor belt Computer program, Report 2005.TL.6933, Transport Engineering and Logistics.
A pipe conveyor is a belt conveyor that encloses the transferred material by surrounding the transfer belt in a pipe shape. The pipe conveyor enables the transport of materials without spillage, even in the return process. It also enables an inclined system, which helps to save equipment space.
A common problem in the operation of the pipe conveyor is the twisting of the pipe belt between the idler sets. To sense and measure the misalignment of the pipe belt, a method has been proposed. This method is based on sensing the position of the belt with permanent magnets, which will be integrated in the conveyor belt. Several Hall sensors fixed to the support frame will sense the positions of the passing magnets.
Using a simple experimental setup and the measurement and programming software Labview, a program is developed to convert the sensor signals in concrete magnet position information. With the used sensor and the developed program, we were able to measure the magnet position with an accuracy of ±2 mm within the sensing range of the sensor. This accuracy can only be reached if the magnet is situated between 8 and 17 mm from the sensor. A simplified mathematical model is also developed of a part of the pipe belt with a steering system to correct the misalignment of the belt. This
mathematical model is used to design a feedback control system by the pole placement technique. The performance of the designed system is checked for a 50% filled and empty conveyor. The system shows good performance by a 50% loaded conveyor and is also robust to be used for an empty pipe belt. Reports on Transport Engineering and Logistics (in Dutch)
