Design Criteria for Energy Efficient Belt Conveyor Drives

The conventional design of belt conveyor systems usually focuses on their mechanical parameters. In this paper, this design is reconsidered aiming at an improved energy efficiency. To this end, it is essential to consider the entire electromechanical system - from the belt to the electrical power supply. All these system components are modeled in order to estimate the losses at various operating points - especially in partial load conditions. These models are based on freely available data-sheet parameters. Hence, the design criteria presented in this paper can be applied directly in an early stage of the design process in order to find suitable drive configurations. The final result is a Selection Diagram which enables fast concept decisions for efficient conveyor drives.