Аңдатпа
Purpose of the study. The aim of the study is to develop scientifically substantiated recommendations for improving the design and operating parameters of a belt conveyor intended for transporting bulk materials in technological systems of mining enterprises and agricultural production complexes. An additional objective is to determine the optimal combination of belt speed, belt filling coefficient and roller support parameters ensuring reduced energy consumption and improved stability of material transportation. Materials and methods. The research employed experimental methods and analysis of operational characteristics of belt conveyors. The experiments were carried out on a laboratory–industrial test bench using an LT-800 belt conveyor equipped with an asynchronous electric drive with a power of 11 kW and a frequency converter. During the experiments the belt speed varied within 0.8–2.5 m/s, the belt filling coefficient ranged from 0.3 to 0.8, and the conveyor capacity ranged from 20 to 120 t/h. Crushed stone and wheat grain were used as transported materials. Power consumption of the electric drive, loads on roller supports and belt tension were measured. Results. It was established that an increase in belt speed leads to higher power consumption and specific energy costs of transportation. When the belt speed increased from 0.8 to 2.5 m/s, the power consumption increased from 4.1 to 10.8 kW. It was shown that an increase in the belt filling coefficient from 0.3 to 0.8 resulted in an increase in roller load from 280–320 N to 620–680 N. Optimal operating modes of the conveyor ensuring minimum energy consumption and stable transportation of materials were determined. Discussion. The obtained experimental dependences showed that the most efficient operating modes of the belt conveyor are achieved at belt speeds of 1.2–1.6 m/s and a belt filling coefficient of 0.5–0.6. Under these conditions the specific energy consumption is 0.21–0.24 kWh/t, while dynamic loads on conveyor components decrease by 12–18%. The results demonstrate that optimized operating conditions significantly improve the efficiency of bulk material transportation both in mining and agricultural industries. Conclusion. The conducted research confirmed the possibility of improving the performance of belt conveyors by optimizing their design and operating parameters. The proposed recommendations allow reducing energy consumption and increasing the service life of conveyor components. Conclusions. Recommendations for selecting rational operating parameters of belt conveyors based on experimental analysis of belt speed and belt filling degree were developed. It was shown that optimization of operating modes reduces specific energy consumption by 12–15%. Practical application and future research. The obtained results can be applied in the design and modernization of transport systems at mining enterprises as well as in agricultural production facilities for transporting grain and other bulk materials. Further research will focus on the development of intelligent control systems and digital models of conveyor transport systems.