How to confirm the spacing distance between the idlers of the belt conveyor?

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The idler, which is one of the core components of belt conveyors, will eventually be installed in various conveying equipment. The installation of conveyor idlers requires calculation of the spacing distance between the idlers. So how to confirm and design the spacing distance between the idlers of belt conveyors? The spacing distance between the idlers should be designed to take into account various factors such as the sag of the conveyor belt, the bearing capacity of the idler bearings, the charactor of the material, the width of the conveyor belt, the inclination of the conveyor, and the actual operation. The method for determining the spacing distance between the idlers of the belt conveyor is described in detail below.

Table of common idler distances between carrying idlers and return idlers

common idler spacing distance table
Bulk density (t.m-3)	Spacing distance of carrying idlers mm	Spacing of return idlers mm
< 1.6	1200	3000
>1.6	1000	3000

How to confirm the distance between the idlers of the belt conveyor?

idler spacing Selection for bulk material belt conveyor

The belt conveyor is used to transport bulk materials has a distance between the supporting idlers about 0.8-1.5m and a distance of the return idlers of the rollers of about 2-3m.

Idlers spacing Selection for overland belt conveyor

For long-distance belt conveyors (overland belt conveyor), the method of increasing the spacing between the idlers is generally adopted some manufacturers to reduce the total resistance. The spacing distance between the upper carrying idlers can be increased to 2.5 to 5.0m, and the spacing distance between the lower return idlers can be increased to 5 to 10m. However, this design must be based on sufficient dynamic analysis to ensure reliable conveyor operation.

Idlers spacing Selection finished goods conveyor

Generally speaking, when conveying finished goods with a weight of more than 20kg, the distance between the idlers is changed not more than 1/2 of the length of the finished goods (along the conveying direction). The distance between the idlers of the finished goods less than 20kg can be 1m.

Dtue to the different tension and volume of each point of the belt conveyor, the maximum allowable distance between the idlers is also different, and the arrangement of the idlers at equal intervals does not consider the specific conditions of each conveyor part, it can meet the real application by using different spacing idlers on the same belt conveyor. Unequally spaced belt conveyors can effectively reduce conveyor investment costs.

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