WEAR SIMULATION OF THE CONVEYOR BELT TRANSFER CHUTE USING THE DEM

Abstract

This paper presents a wear simulation-based performance evaluation of the conveyor belt transfer chute using the DEM (Discrete Element Method). Compared to known analytical and empirical wear models, DEM simulation can significantly increase the performance of wear analysis by enabling the analysis and optimization of highly complex geometries of material handling systems such as conveyor belt transfer chutes. Only the correct design of the conveyor belt transfer chute has the potential to significantly extend its service life, resulting in considerable cost savings. Based on the parametric analysis of different angles and radius in the upper head and lower section of the transfer chute, a new geometry of the transfer chute was proposed. The wear depth of the new conveyor belt transfer chute is compared with the wear resistant and low-carbon steel of the transfer chute along with the moderate and relatively high values of the solid granules mass flow. The results show that the wear depth of the transfer chute can be significantly reduced by using the wear-resistant steel compared to the low-carbon steel, which is significantly evident in high throughput rates of the solid granules mass flow.