Belt tension measurement system

A cold planer, comprising:

• a conveyor system including a conveyor belt, a frame, and a roller rotatably coupled to the frame;
• a motor coupled to the conveyor belt and configured to drive the conveyor belt;
• a tension screw coupled between the roller and the frame;
• a tension load cell mounted axially along the tension screw and configured to measure the tension on the conveyor belt;
• and
• a controller communicably coupled with the tension load cell and the motor, the controller being configured to:
• calculate a mass flow rate of material on the conveyor belt;
• detect, from the tension load cell, a change in the tension of the conveyor belt;
• and
• adjust, based on the change in the tension, the calculated mass flow rate.

A method for calculating a mass flow rate of material on a cold planer, the method comprising:

• measuring, via a tension sensor coupled to a tension screw, a tension of a conveyor belt;
• calculating, based on the tension measured by the tension sensor, a mass flow rate of material on the conveyor belt;
• detecting a change in the tension of the conveyor belt;
• and
• in response to detecting the change in the tension of the conveyor belt, adjusting the calculated mass flow rate of material.