Belt Conveyor

Equipment Introduction

(I) Standard Fixed Belt Conveyor

The fixed belt conveyor is a fundamental continuous bulk material conveying equipment in the fertilizer, chemical, and grain industries. It relies on a ring-shaped rubber belt to carry materials and uses roller friction transmission to complete horizontal and small-angle (≤15°) material transfer. It is a basic supporting equipment for material flow in the entire fertilizer production line.

Core Advantages

1. Large conveying capacity, stable operation, low breakage rate of granular fertilizers, suitable for powdery, granular, and bagged fertilizers;
2. Simple structure, low maintenance cost, standardized parts, stable continuous 24-hour operation;
3. Can be enclosed for dust prevention, and can be equipped with a sealing cover to meet the environmental protection requirements of organic fertilizer plants;
4. Flexible inclination angle, suitable for both horizontal and incline operation, and can connect to various main units with different heights;
5. Adaptable to full-capacity production lines, belt width optional from 500–1200mm, and can be freely spliced ​​for different lengths.

(II) Telescopic Belt Conveyor (Telescopic Loader)

The telescopic belt conveyor is a derivative model of the belt conveyor. It adds a nested telescopic frame, belt storage bin, and telescopic drive mechanism to the fixed belt. The machine body can freely extend and retract like a telescope, with an adjustable length of 3–26m. It is primarily used for loading and unloading bagged fertilizer from trucks and containers, and is only suitable for transferring finished bagged fertilizer; it cannot replace long-distance raw material transportation within a production line.

Core Advantages

1. Flexible and adjustable length, allowing direct access into the depths of the truck bed, reducing manual back-and-forth handling distances;
2. Hydraulic lifting + bidirectional conveying, suitable for both loading and unloading, adaptable to different vehicle heights;
3. Small footprint when retracted, suitable for placement in narrow spaces in warehouses and factories;
4. Variable frequency speed control, complete safety protection, 1-2 people can complete the loading and unloading of a whole truckload of fertilizer, reducing labor costs by more than 60%.

(III) Comparison of Core Differences between the Two

Equipment Structure Composition

(I) Standard Structure of Fixed Belt Conveyor

1. Conveyor Belt: The core load-bearing component; wear-resistant troughed rubber belts are commonly used in fertilizer plants; troughed idlers create a U-shape to prevent powder spillage; heat-resistant belts can be selected for high-temperature conditions, and acid- and alkali-resistant rubber belts are used for acid and alkali fertilizers.
2. Support Idler System

• Troughed load-bearing idlers: Support the belt when fully loaded with materials;
• Return flat idlers: Support the empty belt;
• Self-aligning idlers: Automatically correct belt misalignment.

3. Roller Assembly

• Drive Roller (Head): Surface coated with rubber to increase friction, driven by a motor and reducer;
• Idling Roller (Tail): Changes the direction of the belt loop;

4. Drive Unit: Standard motor + reducer / electric roller, frequency conversion speed control optional;
5. Tensioning Device: Tail-end spiral tensioning / counterweight tensioning, adjusts belt tension and prevents slippage;
6. Frame: Channel steel / square tube welded fixed bracket, floor-mounted;
7. Auxiliary Accessories: Feed chute, belt cleaner, side guards, dust cover, backstop, emergency stop switch.

(II) Unique Structure of Telescopic Belt Conveyors (Additions to Ordinary Belt Conveyors)

1. Nested Telescopic Frame: 2–4 sliding rail telescopic sections, chain/rack and pinion driven telescopic movement;
2. Belt Storage Bin: Built-in multiple guide rollers automatically store/release excess belt during telescopic movement, maintaining belt tension throughout;
3. Hydraulic Lifting System: Cylinder-supported height adjustment for different truck bodies;
4. Dedicated Telescopic Drive Motor: Dual motor configuration, one controlling belt conveying and the other controlling machine telescopic movement;
5. Safety Control System: Front-end anti-collision photoelectric sensor, emergency stop, anti-pinch protection, and remote telescopic function; The structures of other belts, idlers, rollers, and cleaners are the same as ordinary belt conveyors.

Working Principle

1. Working Principle of Belt Conveyor

The belt conveyor operates based on the principle of friction drive:

1) Power Output: The drive motor, after being reduced in speed and increased in torque by a reducer, drives the drive drum to rotate;

2) Friction Traction: The tensioning device maintains sufficient positive pressure between the conveyor belt and the drive drum, generating friction; as the drum rotates, the friction drives the closed conveyor belt to run continuously in a preset direction;

3) Material Loading: The material is placed on the conveyor belt and moves synchronously with the belt due to the friction of the belt surface; the load-bearing idler supports the loaded belt, and the return idler supports the unloaded belt;

4) Unloading and Return: After the material reaches the unloading point at the head of the conveyor, it is unloaded by gravity or by the unloading plow; the unloaded belt is turned back by the tail reversing roller and returns to the starting point to enter the next cycle.

Core Formula: Transport Capacity (tons/hour) = 3600 × Belt Speed ​​(m/s) × Material Density (t/m³) × Effective Cross-sectional Area (m²). Belt width, belt speed, and material characteristics are the three key variables determining the conveying capacity.

2. Working Principle of Telescopic Belt Conveyor

Based on the principle of a regular belt conveyor, the telescopic belt conveyor adds a length adaptive mechanism:

1) Telescopic Action: An independent telescopic motor drives the traction translation frame, which slides relative to the outer frame via wire rope or chain traction, allowing for free adjustment of the overall machine length;

2) Belt Length Adaptation: During telescopic movement, the Z-shaped reversing section in the belt storage bin automatically retracts or releases excess belt, maintaining a match between the belt length and the frame length;

3) Bidirectional Operation: The conveyor belt can rotate in both directions, enabling both loading and unloading; combined with height adjustment, it can precisely connect to truck beds or containers of different specifications.

Application Scope

(I) Fixed Belt Conveyor Application Scenarios

1. Fertilizer Complete Production Line (Core Supporting Equipment)

• 1)Raw Material Section: Transferring raw materials such as straw and livestock manure between crushers and mixers;
• 2)Granulation and Drying Section: Transferring material from the granulator to the dryer, from the dryer to the cooler, and from the cooler to the coating machine;
• 3)Finished Product Section: Transferring granular fertilizer between screening machines, silos, and packaging machines;

2. Plant Yard Transfer: Long-distance material transportation from workshops to raw material storage sheds and finished product warehouses;
3. Cross-Industry Expansion: Grain, feed, chemical powder, and building material sand and gravel transportation.

(II) Telescopic Belt Conveyor Application Scenarios

1. Fertilizer Plant Finished Product Warehouse: Rapid loading/unloading of bagged fertilizer trucks and containers;
2. Organic fertilizer and compound fertilizer sales transfer warehouses, agricultural material logistics sorting centers;
3. Used only for finished product bagging transfer, not connected to internal process sections of the production line.

Common Faults, Causes, and Solutions

(I) Faults of Fixed Belt Conveyors

(II) Faults Specific to Telescopic Belt Conveyors

Application Processes of Two Types of Equipment in Fertilizer Production Lines

1. Fixed Belt Conveyor System (Core Production Line Link): Raw Material Yard → Belt Conveyor → Crusher → Belt Conveyor → Batching and Mixing Machine → Belt Conveyor → Granulator → Belt Conveyor → Rotary Drum Dryer → Rotary Drum Cooler → Belt Conveyor → Coating Machine → Screening Machine → Belt Conveyor → Finished Product Silo → Packaging Machine. Function: Transports powdery and granular semi-finished products throughout the entire process, connecting all main equipment and ensuring continuous production on the assembly line.
2. Telescopic Belt Conveyor System (Finished Product End Only): Packaging Machine Discharge Port → Short-Distance Fixed Belt Conveyor → Telescopic Belt Conveyor → Truck/Container Carriage. Function: Used only for loading and unloading bagged fertilizer after packaging; does not participate in upstream drying, granulation, or other processes; it is an auxiliary equipment for warehousing and logistics.

Summary of Comprehensive Technical Features of the Equipment

Fixed Belt Conveyor

1. Highly versatile, capable of conveying dry, wet, powder, and granular fertilizers;
2. Stable long-distance continuous conveying, low energy consumption, and large single-unit conveying capacity;
3. Can be equipped with a sealed dust cover to meet the environmental protection standards for organic fertilizer production;
4. Modular splicing, allowing for free adjustment of conveying length and climbing angle according to workshop layout.

Telescopic Belt Conveyor

1. Dual adjustment of telescopic and lifting, adaptable to various truck beds, increasing loading and unloading efficiency by 3-5 times;
2. Movable and space-saving, does not occupy factory space when retracted;
3. Bidirectional frequency conversion conveying, combining loading and unloading functions, significantly reducing manual labor;
4. Only suitable for bagged finished materials, not for transferring bulk raw materials on the production line.