Articles
ANALYSIS OF ACTIVITY OF INCLINED BELT CONVEYORS WITH DIFFERENT BELT STRUCTURE WHEN SEPARATING IMPURITIES FROM HOPS
Article number
1010_24
Pages
205 – 212
Language
English
Abstract
Inclined belt conveyors, whose function is significantly related to removing any undesirable impurities as well as to quality of the final hop product, play an important role within a picking line.
The measurement task was to analyze quality of work performed by two inclined conveyors set with belts of various surface structure.
At the same time the costs of inclined conveyors production was assessed.
Comparison of the inclined conveyors quality of work was based on determination of percentage amount of the material separated from the hop cones taken at the outlet of the hop picking line, and further from the waste after the set of picking line inclined conveyors.
The detailed analysis and statistical assessment of measured values prove that both of the belts separate impurities approximately the same way.
Simultaneously were compared the production costs and lifetime of the designed inclined conveyor.
Life of the fully utilized belt is relatively short about 3 years.
This is influenced by the belt material (rubber) and an uneven strain together with tension in the belt caused by the central guide ridge.
Lifetime of the designed belt is guaranteed by the producer for the period up to 15 or 20 years.
A longer life relates to the material used (PVC), which does not tend to ageing as it is with rubber, and newly designed guide wedges, which do not cause undesirable tension inside the belt as they are placed on the belt edge, having a much smaller cross-section then with the current belt.
Specific weight of the designed belt is about 25% smaller compared to the current one, which is why the belt structure is also less strained when in operation.
From the point of the economical assessment, usage of the designed inclined conveyors is definitely more favourable, as the return on the costs of exchange of 6 inclined conveyors in the picking line makes only 3.13 years at a comparable separation quality.
The measurement task was to analyze quality of work performed by two inclined conveyors set with belts of various surface structure.
At the same time the costs of inclined conveyors production was assessed.
Comparison of the inclined conveyors quality of work was based on determination of percentage amount of the material separated from the hop cones taken at the outlet of the hop picking line, and further from the waste after the set of picking line inclined conveyors.
The detailed analysis and statistical assessment of measured values prove that both of the belts separate impurities approximately the same way.
Simultaneously were compared the production costs and lifetime of the designed inclined conveyor.
Life of the fully utilized belt is relatively short about 3 years.
This is influenced by the belt material (rubber) and an uneven strain together with tension in the belt caused by the central guide ridge.
Lifetime of the designed belt is guaranteed by the producer for the period up to 15 or 20 years.
A longer life relates to the material used (PVC), which does not tend to ageing as it is with rubber, and newly designed guide wedges, which do not cause undesirable tension inside the belt as they are placed on the belt edge, having a much smaller cross-section then with the current belt.
Specific weight of the designed belt is about 25% smaller compared to the current one, which is why the belt structure is also less strained when in operation.
From the point of the economical assessment, usage of the designed inclined conveyors is definitely more favourable, as the return on the costs of exchange of 6 inclined conveyors in the picking line makes only 3.13 years at a comparable separation quality.
Publication
Authors
A. Rybka, P. Hermánek, I. Honzík , B. Jost, J. Podsedník
Keywords
hop picking line, hop cones, quality of work, production costs
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