New fluid couplings used in Chinese conveyor belt drive
Chinese mining company Xishan Jinxing Energy Co. has installed three 866 TPKL fluid couplings from Voith at the company’s powerful 4.8 MW drive of the main conveyor belt in the Xiegou No. 12 coal mine in the Shanxi province of China.
Three 1600 kW drives power the 1900 m long main inclined conveyor belt. This conveyor transports 3800 tph of coal. Voith Turbo said that its 866 TPKL fluid couplings were aptly suited for situations such as this, where powerful and reliable couplings are required.
Through controlled application of torque, the fluid coupling pretensions the belt slowly and permits smooth conveyor start up. This controlled soft start protects the belt and driveline from wear. As a result, the fluid coupling reduces unplanned downtime – meaning that the operator benefits from lower maintenance costs and continuous production. Start-up times of up to three minutes are possible when using the couplings, regardless of the load-state of the belt. The fluid coupling also permits multiple conveyor start ups in succession, Voith said, even when the belt is loaded.
The compact fluid coupling is also able to withstand extreme environmental conditions, such as dust, dirt, moisture, heat, and/or cold, according to Voith.
The 866 TPKL is able to operate with reduced filling in order to drive an empty conveyor at a reduced speed. During the creep speed operation, less power is transmitted and the belt runs more slowly. This function is useful for the visual inspection of the belt and splices, Voith says.
In the Xiegou No. 12 coal mine, the fluid couplings were operated in the partially filled mode during commissioning to be sure that the belt was tracking properly. With the fluid couplings operating in the partially filled mode, the belt speed could be reduced to 1.2 – 1.7 m/s instead of operating at its usual speed of 4.5 m/s.
The Xiegou coal mine has an initial planned capacity of 15 million tpa of coal. With Xishan now looking to increase production capacity over the next two years, Voith said that this would require the main belt conveyor be upgraded with a fourth drive. This fourth drive will be fitted with an additional 866 TPKL fluid coupling.
Adapted from press release by Sam Dodson
Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/mining/03122013/voith_fluid_couplings_used_in_chinese_coal_mine_314/
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