Eventos Anais de eventos
COBEM 2023
27th International Congress of Mechanical Engineering
Structural analysis of an ore belt conveyor’s polymeric roller considering viscoelastic effects
Submission Author:
Rafiq Said Dias Jabour , PR
Co-Authors:
Rafiq Said Dias Jabour, Marco Antonio Luersen
Presenter: Rafiq Said Dias Jabour
doi://10.26678/ABCM.COBEM2023.COB2023-0345
Abstract
Belt conveyors are extensively employed in the mining industry for transporting ore. Rollers, also known as idlers, are cylindrical structures typically composed entirely of steel, providing support and guidance for the material above the belt. Incorporating an idler with an outer tube made of polymeric material offers advantages such as weight reduction and simplified manual part replacements by the maintenance operators. In this study, finite element models are built using the software Ansys to investigate the structural behavior of a roller with an outer tube made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The roller’s design is evaluated based on the specifications and constraints outlined in the Brazilian standard ABNT NBR 6678. A typical characteristic of polymers is their viscoelastic behavior; hence, stress relaxation tests are performed on HDPE specimens to obtain material properties for incorporation into the numerical model. These tests are conducted following ASTM Practice D2991 and ASTM D638. A comparison between linear-elastic and linear-viscoelastic finite element models is carried out. The viscoelastic model exhibits a combination of instantaneous elastic response, viscous behavior, and residual deformation, truly representing the phenomena of viscoelasticity. Importantly, all stresses remained below the yield strength of their respective materials. Moreover, the viscoelastic model demonstrates a misalignment angle of the shaft in the bearings approximately 77% higher than that of the linear-elastic model. This discrepancy emphasizes the necessity and significance of incorporating viscoelastic properties to accurately modeling these types of rollers, as the misalignment angle of the shaft is a crucial factor affecting the performance of these components.
Keywords
Belt Conveyor Roller, mechanical design, viscoelasticity
