Friction Coefficient Tests for Designs of Belt Conveyor Drive Systems

In conveyor belt drive pulleys and intermediate belt drives, the power transferred from the drive system to the belt increases together with the increasing friction coefficient between the belt surface and the pulley surface, or between the surface of the main (carrying) belt and the surface of the intermediate (drive) belt. Belt conveyors used in the mining industry are typically exposed to dust and moisture. This paper presents the method and results of laboratory tests on the friction coefficient between a conveyor belt and rubber plates with grooved and flat surfaces. The tests were performed for different mine-typical contamination conditions of these surfaces. The results demonstrate that in the case of dry friction (regardless of the presence of dust), the grooving of the surface does not significantly affect the friction coefficient of the rubber–rubber friction pair. However, grooving has a significantly positive impact in the case of wet friction. In cases where the surface is grooved in a “diamond” pattern, the measured friction coefficient values are similar for both wet and dry surfaces. The lowest friction coefficient values were obtained for surfaces contaminated with solid rock dust.