Method and apparatus for promoting release of fines
AssigneeUnited States Steel Corporation
InventorsDonald L. Douty, Roscoe C. Miles, Paul L. St. Clair, deceased, by E. L. St. Clair, executor
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Abstract
An endless conveyor belt apparatus is employed for moving raw materials which are characterized in having fines associated therewith from one point to another. The apparatus includes a silicone-emulsion spraying device for applying an aqueous solution of the silicone-emulsion to the material supporting side of the endless belt in sufficient concentrations to promote the release of the fines from the belt when the material being conveyed is dumped, thereby preventing the undesirable build-up of fines on return idler rolls and beneath the belt at points along the belt's return path.
Claims9
A method of conveying ore materials characterized in having fines associated therewith from one point to another through the employment of an endless conveyor belt having a tail end proximate said one point and a head end proximate said another point, said method comprising:
- supporting said belt at its tail end and at its head end and between two ends so as to provide support for said belt and for the material to be conveyed therebetween;
- loading the material to be conveyed upon the belt at a point proximate said tail end of said belt;
- driving said belt from said tail end toward said head end thereby conveying the material to said head end, the conveyed material being deposited proximate said head end as said belt begins to change direction and returns to its starting point proximate said tail end;
- and
- selectively applying an aqueous solution of a waterbase silicone emulsion to the material supporting side of said belt at a point between the head end and the loading point proximate the belt's return path and in a concentration sufficient to promote the substantially complete release of such fines from said belt proximate said head end along with the material being conveyed thereby preventingthe undersirable build-up of fines at points along the belt's return path of travel between said head end and said tail end, said concentration of silicone emulsion being within the range of 0.15% to 0.5% of silicone fluid, said concentration being equal to the moisture content of the ore material being conveyed times the area of conveyor belt passing a given point during a given time period divided by the total of the strength of the water-base silicone emulsion times the application rate of the silicone emulsion to the belt for said given time period times a constant equal to 10.sup.6.
In an endless conveyor belt assembly, characterized in having a material receiving end, a material delivery end, pulleys located at both enes of the endless conveyor belt about which said belt is moved, and a plurality of support rollers disposed beneath portions of said belt for supporting said belt in its material conveying direction of travel and in its return directionof travel, said belt being suitable for use in conveying ore materials characterized in having distributable fines which are retained on said belt subsequent to the delivery of such materials from said belt at its said material delivery end and which may be undesirably distributed upon said support rollers which support said belt in its direction of return travel, the improvement which comprises providing a coating on the material carrying side of said belt, said coating comprising an aqueous solution of a silicone emulsion in concentrations sufficient to promote the release from said belt of such fines proximate said material delivery end when the conveyed material is dumped, thereby prevention the undesirable distribution of such fines along the path of the return direction of travel of said belt, said concentration of silicone emulsion being within the range of 0.15% to 0.15% of silicone fluid, said concentration being equal to the moisture content of the ore material being conveyed times the area of conveyor belt passing a given point during a given time period divided by the total of the strength of the water-base silicone emulsion time the application rate of the silicone emulsion to the belt for said given time period times a constant equal to 10.sup.6.
In combination, an endless conveyor belt of the variety suitable for conveying ore materials characterized in having fines which may be undesirably released from the material carrying portion of said belt at points dislocated from the material releasing point of said belt, and a coating composed of an aqueous solution of a water-based silicone emulsion for said belt for promoting the release of such undeirable fines from said belt with such materials proximate the material release point of said belt, said solution being composed of between 0.15% and 0.5% water-based silicone emulsion, said concentration being equal to the moisture content of the ore material being conveyed times the area of conveyor belt passing a given point during a given time period divided by the total of the strength of the water-base silicone emulsion times the application rate of the silicone emulsion to the belt for said given time period times an constant equal to 10.sup.6.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.