Motorized Pulley for Conveyor Belt

Motorized Pulley for Conveyor Belt

The motorized pulley for conveyor belt is a driving device, this device seals the motor, reducer, stator, rotor, and other important parts in the outer metal drum, and it drives the conveyor belt’s running.

The oil in the drum continuously lubricates the bearings & gears to take away the heat, the outer “metal drum” rotates, and its surface drives the conveyor belt.

Such a drum motor can prevent dust, water, grease, or other harmful substances from entering, and avoid damage to the motor & reducer inside.

It can replace the traditional exposed drive, which installs the motor & reducer outside the drum.

As the power of belt conveyors & lifting equipment, motorized head pulleys are popular in mining, metallurgy, chemical, building materials, electricity, food, and transportation industries.

Compared with traditional exposed drive, drum motors mainly have the following advantages:

• Simple structure, compact footprint, space-saving.
• Great sealing, compatible with high dust concentration & damp muddy environment.
• Convenient use & maintenance, safe & reliable operation, and long service life.
• Low energy consumption & easy for centralized control.
• Customizable backstops, brakes, rubber-coating, etc.

Types of Motorized Pulleys

There are many ways to classify motorised pulleys, including the motor cooling mode, the reducer type, the working environment, and the motor position.

Motor Cooling Mode

• 1. Air-cooled

The air-cooled belt conveyor drum doesn’t need oil cooling, thanks to the conduction, radiation, and convection of wind, it cools.

The air-cooled motorized pulley for conveyor belt has 2 types: forced air cooling & natural air cooling.

• 2. Oil-cooled

Such a belt conveyor drum is also called an indirect oil-cooled belt conveyor drum.

There is a certain amount of cooling oil in the belt conveyor drum, as the drum keeps rotating, the oil scraper on the drum continuously pours the oil onto the motor & gear.

Cooling oil takes away the heat generated by the motor & gear in motion, and transfers the heat onto the drum wall, the heat dissipation is accelerated, and the gear is lubricated.

The oil-cooled drive pulley doesn’t allow any oil to enter the inside of its electric motor.

• 3. Oil-steeped

Oil-steeped belt conveyor drums are also called direct oil-cooled belt conveyor drums.

Such a belt conveyor drum allows oil to enter the motor, and the oil directly contacts the rotor & stator.

When the rotor & stator work, the heat is transferred to the rotating drum’s inner wall.

This structure has a better heat dissipation effect, but the lubricating oil & electric motors’ quality requirements are relatively high.

Reducer Type

Many types of reducers are available all over the world, no more than 3 types are mass-produced for motorized pulleys.

• 1. Gear Train

The gear train is the most common reducer for motorized pulleys.

This kind of reducer has a simple structure, reliable performance, easy production, and convenient installation & maintenance, at the same time, its efficiency is high & the noise is low.

Two-stage deceleration is common, and a few are three-stage decelerations.

• 2. Planetary Gears

This reducer has the advantages of small size, lightweight, large carrying capacity, and stable operation, but it is not convenient for maintenance.

• 3. Cycloidal Pinwheel Reducer

This type of reducer carries “Chinese characteristics”.

Except for Japan, other countries rarely use this type of reducer for motorized head pulleys.

The conveyor head drum with such a reducer can realize small linear speed & large power.

Working Environment

There are 3 common working environments for motorized head pulleys:

• 1. Ordinary
• 2. Corrosive
• 3. Flammable/explosive

If subdivided, there are high temperatures, humid tropical zones, and some special use occasions, but rare motorized head pulleys appear in these scenarios.

Factors to Consider in Purchasing

When you buy motorized head pulleys, please consider the following points:

• Internal/External Motor

The motorized pulley with an internal motor is more suitable for harsh environments, and the motorized pulley with an external motor is more convenient to maintain.

Still, it has requirements for the working environment.

Integrated/external motor

• Explosion-proof & Flameproof Function

If your belt conveyor works in a flammable & explosive environment, you need to use a conveyor head drum with flameproof & explosion-proof functions.

Flameproof

• Motor Cooling Mode: Oil-cooled/Oil-steeped

If your belt conveyor is located in a high-temperature environment, the motor must dissipate heat quickly, you must use an oil-steeped motorized head pulley.

We are the source factory specializing in the production of motorized head pulleys.

With our factory & various kinds of advanced production equipment, SiroSilo can customize your dreamy drive pulley according to your requirements.

Some foreign customers visited our factory, they enjoyed a pleasant visit & communication with us, and finally placed an order for our motorized head pulley.

You are welcome to visit our factory at any time, or you can video call us through WhatsApp, and we can lively broadcast our factory to you.

If you plan to buy motorized head pulleys recently, please send us an inquiry on this website, and we will reply to you within 1h.

Motorized Pulley for Conveyor Belt Ultimate FAQ Guide

Motorized Pulley

Types of Pulley in Conveyor Belt

To understand the types of pulleys in the conveyor belts, it’s essential to understand the conveyor belt structure.

The belt conveyor components are:

• Head (motor, pulley, etc.)
• Body (frame, idler roller, etc.)
• Tail
• Tensioning, braking device
• ……

The figure below displays the common structure of belt conveyors in the Chinese market, according to this diagram, the types of pulleys in conveyor belts include drive pulley & tail pulley.

The belt conveyors in foreign markets are a little different, they also include bend pulley, take up pulley, and snub pulley.

Conveyor Pulley Diameter Calculation

The conveyor pulley diameter calculation follows the below principles:

• When the conveyor belt’s tensile stress is large, the bending stress should be smaller, and the pulley diameter should be larger;
• On the contrary, when the tensile stress is small, bending stress should be larger, and the pulley diameter should be smaller.

Many websites provide pulley calculator programs, through such programs, you can convert between pulley centers, diameter, angular velocity, drive torque, belt length, belt velocity, and belt tension.

For example, the website in the figure below:

Conveyor Pulley Components

The picture below lists the conveyor pulley components in detail.

This type of belt conveyor is very common in China, but it is a little different from the belt conveyor in foreign markets.

What is a Motorized Pulley?

The motorized pulley is a common equipment for driving fixed belt conveyors or mobile belt conveyors, this equipment installs the motor & reducer into the round drum.

The round drum sealing is very well, it makes the drum motor more convenient to use & maintain, saving space.

How does a motorized pulley work?

According to the motor installation position, these two types of motorized pulleys have working principles.

• Internal Motor

Both the motor and reducer are in the cylindrical drum, the power transmits from the motor to the drum via the reducer.

• External Motor

The motor is outside the drum, the reducer is inside the drum.

The power generated by the motor transmits to the drum via coupling.

The coupling drives the drum to rotate under the reducer’s control, then the drum drives the conveyor belt to run.

Drum Pulley Drawing

The motorized pulley has high operating efficiency, and it is convenient to use, it’s because the motorized pulley’s structure is very reasonable.

Look at the following structure schematic of a motorized pulley with an external motor, let’s analyze its structure in detail:

• 1. Motor

It is the main component of the motorized pulley, which is as important as the heart of the human body.

• 2. Coupling

As a safety device, it prevents the motorized pulley from being subjected to excessive load, it plays an overload protection role.

• 3. Left Cover

Fix & seal the bearing, preventing the motorized pulley from entering impurities.

• 4. Left Support

Support & fix the drum.

• 5. Left Bearing Seat

It is located on the left side & bears the comprehensive load, where there is a bearing, there must be a support point.

• 6. Left Flange Shaft

Realize the mutual connection between shafts.

• 7. Drum Body

Cylindrical, it will rotate quickly when the motorized pulley is working.

• 8. Reducer

It controls the rotating speed, matches the speed Flange & transmits torque.

• 9. Right Cover

Seal the drum, and prevent the motorized pulley from entering impurities.

• 10. Right Bearing Seat

Located on the right side, it has the same function as the left-bearing seat.

• 11. Right Support

Its function is the same as the left support.

How to Make a Motorized Pulley System?

The drive pulley production process is divided into the following steps:

• Drum Processing
• Flange Shaft Processing
• Motor Drilling
• Junction Box Making
• Parts Processing & Procurement
• Assembly
• Test

If you want to learn more about the drive pulley production process, please directly add my WhatsApp to make a video call.

WhatsApp: +8617312124727

Head Pulley Specification

In head pulley procurement, the supplier often provides the head pulley specification for clients.

The customers select the proper diameter, power, belt width, belt speed, and load accordingly.

SiroSilo head pulley specification is shown in the table below, you can refer to it for head pulley choice.

Conveyor Belt Drum Calculation

For conveyor belt drum choice, the most important thing is to determine its power.

Refer to the following guide, you can understand how to determine the conveyor belt drum’s power.

First, calculate the motorized head pulley’s shaft power PA (kW) via a formula, the letters in the formula represent different variables, please refer to the following list.

L=Horizontal projection of the center distance between the drive pulley & the tail pulley (m)
B=Belt width (mm)
H=Material lifting height (m)
V=Linear speed of drum surface (m/s)
Q=Belt conveying capacity (t/h)

If the belt width is less than 400mm, conveying upwards:

PA=[0.36*(40+L)*B*V]/10000+[(40+L)*Q]+0.00273Q*H

If the belt width is less than 400mm, conveying downwards:

PA=[0.36*(40+L)*B*V]/10000+[(40+L)*Q]-0.00273Q*H

If the belt width is greater than 400mm, conveying upwards:

PA=[0.36*(40+L)*(B-300)*V]/10000+[(40+L)*Q]+0.00273Q*H

If the belt width is greater than 400mm, conveying downwards:

PA=[0.36*(40+L)*(B-300)*V]/10000+[(40+L)*Q]-0.00273Q*H

Then, calculate the motor power.

P=PA/η, in this formula:

P=Motor power (kW)
PA=Motor shaft power (kW)
η=Total transmission efficiency of motorized pulley (%)

When it is a smooth pulley, η=87%;

When it is a rubber-lagged pulley, η=89%.

In the following cases, you must increase the drive pulley power:

• Continuous working for more than 8 hours a day.
• Rubber-lagged pulley.
• Frequent startup.

Conveyor Drive Pulley Lagging

Types of Drive Pulley Lagging

The conveyor drive pulley lagging has 2 types: hot vulcanization injection & cold-adhesive lagging.

When using the conveyor drive pulley in the food processing industry, it will be lagged with food-grade silicone.

The food-grade silicone mainly consists of ammonium silica, which is an eco-friendly silicone, non-toxic, odorless, good elasticity, non-cracking, has a long service life, and high-temperature resistance, and also has excellent electrical properties.

When the conveyor drive pulley is applied in special industries, it can lag with nitrile rubber.

Nitrile rubber is a synthetic rubber made by copolymerization of butadiene & acrylonitrile, it is a synthetic rubber with good oil resistance, high abrasion resistance, good heat resistance, strong adhesion, and good aging resistance.

On-site cold-adhesive lagging of the conveyor drive pulley is a common process, the whole process doesn’t need to disassemble the pulley and doesn’t need the heating & pressurization of the vulcanizer, it only relies on the glue’s adhesive force to complete.

Compared with traditional thermal vulcanization, it saves time, it also saves manpower & material resources, and avoids long-distance transportation, this is an advanced lagging process.

Since glue plays a critical role in cold-adhesive lagging, choosing glue is especially important.

First & foremost, excellent bonding performance is essential, cold vulcanized glue SK313 is just the right choice.

Imported high-strength cold-adhesive glue SK313 consists of 1kg glue & 40g curing agent.

Compared with ordinary glues on the market, its curing speed increases by 3-4 times, thus saving the lagging time multiplied.

SK313 has passed the strict industrial standard DIN, its bonding performance is comparable to thermal vulcanization.

In addition to suitable bonding performance, SK313 is water, oil, acid & alkali resistant, it is safe & flame retardant, and even usable in coal mines or harsh environments.

Cold-adhesive Lagging Process

Next, let me introduce the steps of cold-adhesive lagging on site.

Use a glue shoveling machine to remove the residual glue on the pulley surface;

Install the tungsten steel grinding disc on the angle grinder, then use the angle grinder to polish the entire drum, and remove the stains & rust on the surface;

Clean the drum, apply cleaning agent SK353, and clean the whole drum in depth;

Brush the metal treatment agent on the pulley surface, it will help exert the glue’s adhesive force;

Use a glue brush to apply a layer of cold vulcanized glue on the pulley surface, then apply a layer more after drying, and apply a layer of cold vulcanized glue to the RIT wear-resistant rubber sheet’s bonding surface;

After it dries a little, stick the rubber sheet to the pulley surface, use a rubber hammer to harden it, then use a rubber repair agent to fill the rubber sheet’s joints with a “V-shape” seal;

Finally, use a rubber knife to adjust & beautify the lagging edge.

Motorized Pulley Manufacturers

The motorized pulley manufacturers in the below photo are the top players in this niche, if your bulk handling & food processing needs to introduce high-quality motorized pulleys, please get in touch with them.

China’s drive pulley manufacturers are also gradually progressing, and the quality of drive pulleys made in China is getting better & better, if you want to purchase affordable drive pulleys with acceptable quality, please contact us to get a quote.

Belt Conveyor Drum Pulley Manufacturers in China

China’s belt conveyor drum pulley manufacturers concentrate in Zibo City, Shandong Province, which is the industrial belt of reducers, motors, crushers, and water pumps.

All large & small belt conveyor drum pulley manufacturers are findable here.

SiroSilo is a professional belt conveyor drum pulley manufacturer in China, welcome you to video call with us through WhatsApp, and we can lively showcase our factory to you.

Drum Motor

Drum Motor with Pulleys

The motorized pulley is a driving device, its components are inside the cylindrical drum, this kind of device is useful for driving a belt conveyor.

Because all components are inside the drum, this drive pulley works normally in harsh environments, saving space & protecting operator safety.

As belt conveyors are common in industries & fields such as food, packaging, warehousing, mining, and aviation baggage, these industries & fields have a large demand for motorized pulleys.

Drum Motor Working Principle

A drum motor is a driving unit with a motor & a reducer built-in in the drum, the torque generated by the motor & the reducer drives the drum to rotate, and the friction between the drum & the conveyor belt drives the belt to run.

It is a power source for belt conveyors.

Heavy Duty Drum Motor

Heavy-duty drum motors with high power, large diameter, and high torque, can load a wider belt & load heavier materials on the belt.

How to Disassemble a Drum Motor

The belt conveyor drum always pairs with the belt conveyor to work together, it is a new type of drive device with good performance.

When the belt conveyor drum needs maintenance, you need to disassemble it.

Please refer to the following video to better understand the disassembly process:

Drum Motor Price

The drum motor price varies from market to market.

In the Indian market, the conveyor head drum’s price is in the following figures:

Chinese drum motor price is in the photo below:

Drum Motor VS. Gear Motor

Compared with the conveyor head drum, the gear motor’s only advantage is cost-effectiveness.

As the belt conveyor is the latest drive device, the conveyor head drum is far superior to the gear motor in the following aspects.

• Compact structure, small footprint;
• Fully enclosed design, suitable for harsh environments;
• Easy to clean, and maintain, saving the operator’s time & energy;
• Low power consumption, easy for central control;
• Customizable backstop, brake, lag, etc.

Please send us an inquiry on this website if you plan to purchase a drive pulley recently, we can send a quote to you for comparison.

Email: info@sirosilo.com

WhatsApp: +8617312124727