Identification of the operating parameters of the friction drum drive in industrial conditions

The publication presents the results of measurements of the operating parameters of the drum drive of a belt conveyor operating in a copper ore mine. The laboratory and industrial tests of belt conveyor components so far have largely focused on idler sets, the belt and the conveyor route. The authors of the publication notice that the subject literature lacks information on research into the coefficient of friction between the belt and the drum in an industrial facility under real conditions, which may imply that the phenomenon of driving force transmission from the drum surface to the belt has not been thoroughly explored. The investigations described in the publication were aimed at determining the kinetic coefficient of friction between the conveyor belt and the lining of the drive drum under operating conditions. In the first part of the study, preliminary laboratory tests were carried out, whereas in the second part of the study, a mobile, non-invasive measurement system was applied, which allowed for recording the kinematic and dynamic parameters of the conveyor’s operation. During the several dozen minutes of the conveyor’s operation, there were several start-ups and brakings as well as periods of steady operation under variable load on the material handled. The non-typical planned sequence of switching on the drive motors caused a temporary slip of the belt on the drive drum surface during one of the start-ups. The recorded parameters of the conveyor operation enabled determining the operational limit value of the friction coefficient between the belt and the lining of the drive drum.