What Is a Pipe Conveyor Belt?
A pipe conveyor belt (also called a tube conveyor or closed conveyor) is a standard flat belt that is formed into a closed tubular cross-section by a series of idlers arranged in a hexagonal pattern. The belt folds around the material it is carrying, creating a fully enclosed tube that contains material completely from loading point to discharge. At the head pulley, the belt opens flat to discharge material.
Key Benefits of Pipe Conveyor Systems
1. Zero Spillage and Dust
Material is completely enclosed within the belt tube. There is no open surface for spillage, wind dispersal, or rain contamination. This makes pipe conveyors the preferred choice for environmentally sensitive areas, urban locations, and materials that cause dust or odour problems.
2. Complex Routing in One Flight
Standard flat conveyors require a transfer point every time the conveyor changes direction horizontally or vertically. Pipe conveyors can negotiate both horizontal and vertical curves in a single flight, eliminating multiple transfer points. A single pipe conveyor can follow a winding path through a mine site that would require 5β? conventional conveyors with 4β? transfer points.
Typical curve radii: horizontal 150β?50m; vertical 300β?00m depending on belt width and tension.
3. Steep Inclination Capability
The enclosed material is held in place by the belt geometry rather than friction alone. Pipe conveyors can operate at inclinations up to 30Β°, compared to 18β?2Β° for standard flat belts with the same material.
4. Bidirectional Operation
Pipe conveyors can carry different materials on the carry and return strands simultaneously β?the belt carries material enclosed on the carry side, then after discharging, the return side also forms a pipe that can carry different material back to the loading point. Two materials, one belt.
Belt Selection for Pipe Conveyors
Pipe conveyor belts have specific requirements beyond standard flat belt specifications:
- Belt width: The belt width must be approximately 3.14Γ (Ο) the required pipe diameter. For a 300mm diameter pipe: belt width = 300 Γ Ο = ~950mm β?use 1,000mm belt
- Transverse flexibility: The belt must be flexible enough to form the pipe shape without excessive bending stress at the fold lines β?not all standard EP belts are suitable
- Cover grade: Same as equivalent flat belt for the material being conveyed
- Carcass: Must specify "pipe conveyor belt" when ordering β?the manufacturer sets appropriate transverse flexibility
| Pipe Diameter | Belt Width | Typical Capacity (2.5 m/s) |
|---|---|---|
| 150mm | 500mm | ~100 t/h |
| 200mm | 630mm | ~200 t/h |
| 300mm | 1,000mm | ~400 t/h |
| 400mm | 1,250mm | ~700 t/h |
| 500mm | 1,600mm | ~1,100 t/h |
β?When Pipe Conveyors Are the Right Choice
Consider pipe conveyors when: the routing requires multiple horizontal or vertical changes of direction; dust or spillage is unacceptable (urban areas, environmental permits); the material is toxic, valuable, or weather-sensitive; the available corridor is narrow and transfer points cannot be accommodated. The higher capital cost is typically recovered within 2β? years through reduced environmental compliance costs and eliminated transfer point maintenance.
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