CHINA MINE ENGINEERING

The causes of conveyor belt misalignment are first analyzed and summarized, and a simulative study is conducted of the correction performance of ADAMS self-aligning idler rolls. The study reveals that: (1) Belt conveyor misalignments occur as a result of a number of factors, including: imbalanced belt load, mal-functionary idlers and pulleys. (2) The correction performance of self-aligning idlers is quite strong when their flip is within 12°, but declines notably when the flip is greater than 12°. (3) In field application, therefore, belt misalignment should be controlled within a small range. When the misalignment is great, human interference is required to limit the misalignment impact. The study can serve as a useful reference for the handling and prevention of belt conveyor misalignments in mine shafts.