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DOI 10.1007/s10035-010-0243-2
ORIGINAL PAPER
Discrete element modelling of a bucket elevator head pulley
transition zone
W. McBride M. Sinnott P. W. Cleary
Received: 28 February 2010 / Published online: 12 January 2011
Springer-Verlag 2011
Abstract This paper presents the results of discrete ele-
ment simulations applied to a bucket elevator model with
particular reference to the head pulley transition zone. This
is the rst stage in a larger study to better understand the
mechanics of bucket elevator operation with reference to the
discharge of particles at the head end. At the head end two
issues arise; mechanically, the buckets are bolted to the con-
veying media (typically a fabric reinforced belt) and at the
point of belt to headpulley tangency, the tip of the bucket
undergoes a theoretical step change in velocity. This theoret-
ical step change results in a classical under-damped response
in the buckets tip velocity. In undergoing this motion, there
are stresses that are passed to the carcass of the conveying
media; understanding the magnitude of these stresses is one
longer termgoal of this research allowing a quantitative basis
for the existing qualitative design guidelines such as (Hand-
book for conveyor and elevator belting, Apex Belting Pty
Ltd). The discharge of the bulk material from the bucket has
been addressed Beverly et al. (Bulk Solids Handling, 1983)
but this analysis is dependent on simple, but common, bucket
geometry and ignores the initial transition to the headpulley.
Ignoring the transition with a low speed discharge elevator is
not likely to impact on the predicted discharge pattern, how-
ever with high speed discharge elevators, the destabilising
effect of the transition is expected to promote premature dis-
charge of bulk material from the bucket. Depending on the
W. McBride (B)
School of Engineering, University of Newcastle,
University Drive Callaghan, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia
e-mail: william.mcbride@newcastle.edu.au
M. Sinnott P. W. Cleary
CSIROMathematical and Information Sciences, Private Bag 33,
Clayton South, VIC 3169, Australia
design of the elevator casing this early discharge may or may
not impact on the overall conveying efciency.
Keywords Bucket elevator Bulk materials
Mechanical handling DEM
1 Introduction
Bucket elevators are common industrial devices used
throughout bulk materials handling industries. They offer a
compact footprint for the vertical elevation of a wide variety
of bulk materials. There is little restriction on the elevation
height, and throughputs are broadly scalable. The mechani-
cal construction of a bucket elevator is relatively simple with
most elevators usinga fabric reinforcedconveyor belt mate-
rial for power transmission and bucket attachment, large ele-
vators may utilise steel core belts, hybrid belts or chain. For
the purpose of this paper, a exible belt is assumed in the
construction.
Typically, buckets are bolted to the belt using a purpose
designed bucket elevator bolt with a large diameter head
that embeds into the belt cover to provide a ush nish
on the underside of the belt. The buckets generally have a
at inner/back wall through which the fasteners pass and
these determine the effective pivot of the bucket on the belt.
Figure 1 illustrate the shape of a Starco Jumbo bucket and the
mounting of these buckets onto a typical belt (hidden behind
the buckets).
Operationally, the buckets within a bucket elevator pass
through the lowermost section of the elevator called the
boot. The material to be elevated is supplied by chutes
on either the downward, or upwards strands of the elevator
located close to the boot end. A percentage of material ele-
vated will return to the boot through spillage at the head
1 3
170 W. McBride et al.
Fig. 1 Pressed steel bucket
illustrating shape, the retaining
hole location, and indicative
tment (images from 1). The
geometry of these buckets and
those used in the simulation are
based on the Starco Jumbo
bucket [3]. Specic data
B = 260 mm, C = 130 mm,
F = 55 mm, D = 190.5 mm
Row of bolts forming
hinge line
Headpulley
Tailpulley
Boot
Discharge
Feed Chute
Buckets
Tangency
point
Fig. 2 Small bucket elevator indicating principle zones
Table 1 Basic simulation data used in DEM
Bucket style Starco Jumbo 370/4 (approximate)
Belt speed 1.35 m/s
Pulley diameter 550 mm
Particle solids density 1,100 kg/m
3
Particle size 210 mmequal mass distribution
pulley end. Irrespective of the mode of feeding, at some point
soon after the boot area, the buckets are lled to a level com-
mensurate with the nominal tonnage rate. Figure 2 illustrates
where these sections are on a laboratory bucket elevator.
During the traverse between the head and tail pulleys, the
bucket, its contents, andthe belt must travel at the same veloc-
ity. However, as the bucket passes around either pulley, the
tip speed of the bucket must increase by the ratio of bucket tip
radius divided by pulley radius. As it is clearly impossible for
this increase in speed to occur instantaneously, it is evident
that the belt deforms over a nite time period to facilitate the
acceleration phase. This has been observed with high speed
video footage revealing the bucket undergoing a damped
oscillatory response to the step change in speed (Table 1).
Duringthese oscillations, the material carriedinthe bucket
will have a greater propensity to discharge due to a reduction
in the contact force between material and bucket in the local
deceleration phase.
2 Restoration force
There are two restoring forces resulting from the deforma-
tion of the belt at the tangency point. The rst, illustrated in
Fig. 3b, is geometrically dened by the displacement of the
belt. It can be shown that there is negligible increase in the
local belt bre tension due to the deection imposed by
the buckets motions and, accepting this, it can be shown that
the force exerted to the bucket causing it to accelerate it is
dened by the length of belt between the head and tail pul-
ley centres, and the distance between the buckets attachment
bolts and the lowest point of contact between belt and bucket.
As the bottom of the bucket pushes onto the belt an angle
will be formed from the attachment point to the lowest point
of bucket contact and a corresponding smaller angle will
form towards the tail pulley.
Considering Fig. 3b, the magnitude of the force F can be
determined from Eq 1.
F = (sin() +sin())xT (1)
It should be noted that the tension at the head end will be
greater than the tension at the tail end due to the mass of the
belt and buckets, however the local tension at the point of
deection is needed in Eq. 1.
Asecond restoring force is a Hertzian contact force, gener-
ated as the bucket tries to compresses the belt carcass against
the head pulley face. If the head pulley has rubber lagging,
then this will facilitate a larger deection due to the increased
compliance at the contact point. The rate of force genera-
tion, and the centre of pressure associated with that contact,
is dependent on the transverse modulus of elasticity of the
belt and the compliance of the lagging material on the head
pulley. In the simulation work to date, these two contributing
1 3
Discrete element modelling 171
Fig. 3 a Illustration of belt
deformation leading to bucket
velocity change as it transitions
to the head pulley. b Restorative
force diagram
V
=
V
b
e
l
t
Reality
Belt deforms to buffer
acceleration level
Material in bucket can be 'kicked' out
and fall down the carry strand.
Force on
Bucket
At rest belt position
To Tail