Advanced Braking Technologies for Mining Conveyors
Mine conveyors pose several hazards to the safety of equipment, particularly on long inclined and declined conveyors, where the operation is mostly unmanned due to its distance, terrain and profile. With an increase in tonnages on declined conveyors with several hundred meters of drop, it is imperative to install an intelligent soft-braking system to address the starting and stopping requirements under various load conditions.
In order to improve efficiencies and handle larger loads, mining conveyors and their belts have grown in size. As the larger capacity of inclined and declined conveyors with higher torques became more common, it became critical to engage the conveyor brakes in a gentler, controlled manner. Also, mine operators wanted the ability to stop conveyors at a specific time, regardless of the load, to improve optimization throughout the mine. A more sophisticated braking control was required.
Very high levels of tension are applied to the conveyor structure and the belt when trying to stop a high-speed, high-load conveyor. These conveyors need to be stopped in a gradual, controlled way since conveyor structures are not designed to support the kind of tension caused by simply slamming on the brakes.
Competitive forces constantly challenge conveyor OEMs to reduce costs. All conveyor system components including structure, belts and rollers are scrutinized for maximum efficiency and performance. It is important that braking systems are selected to meet the specifications of each conveyor. This will ensure that the most cost-effective brakes and controls are optimized to precisely match the performance requirements.
In response to industry needs, Svendborg Brakes introduced the first generation of the popular SOBO ® (Soft Braking Option) controller in 1998. The revolutionary control provided smooth, controlled braking on mining conveyors around the world. Over the years, PWM (Pulse Width Modulation), PFM (Pulse Frequency Modulation), and a combination of both methods, of the SOBO controller were introduced. These models provided improved control for low-torque/low-volume hydraulic brakes and reduced oil flow, an important feature to achieve long controlled braking in case of power failure.
