Posted on January 19, 2000 at 01:57:00:

In Reply to: Re: conveying sugar on a belt conveyor posted by Jason Li on November 29, 1999 at 09:05:56:

The transportation of sugar can be on conventional black rubber belting for the raw sugar, and once into the processing side it has to be white food quality belting.

Sugar transportation is difficult as when it is raw it has a high water content due to teh demisters in the cleaning process adn therefore it is very sticky and very slightly abrasive (due to the nature of the particles). We currently work with most of the UK's major sugar processors on their belt cleaning problems and we have found that our B series scraper is effective, but also that our Hi-tech high quality polyeurathane idlers are also indispensible as the sugar sticks to conventional rollers causing all sorts of maintenance problems.

I hope this helps. ■

Although the thread is quite old, I felt that I should share the following information for the benefit of readers.

You need to specify the characteristics of sugar, particularly its moisture content, stickiness and size. Following are some of the general rules

1) Use the belt cover grade suitable for food handling or usual belt cover depending upon location of conveyor prior to final refining. Communicate with reputed belt manufacturers for their recommendations.

2) Use rubber lagged pulleys to prevent material build up on pulleys.

3) Try to use rollers of comparatively lesser diameter so that centrifugal action helps in self-cleaning.

4) Carrying rollers mounting in bucket should facilitate removal of material build up if any between two rollers.

5) Return rollers should be of rubber disc type or steel rimmed type, to resist sugar build up between belt and rollers.

6) Polymer coated rollers can be considered.

7) Transfer chute and skirt board shall be designed and shaped to avoid build up of residual material inside the chute. Such residual material will rot which is objectionable. These items can be of stainless steel.

8) The conveyor shall have provision for easy wash by water jet and air cleaning / drying by air jets.

9) Items should be painted by the paint, which is resistant to sugar action.

Regards,

Ishwar G Mulani.

Author of Book : Engineering Science and Application Design for Belt Conveyors.

Email : parimul@pn2.vsnl.net.in

Tel.: 0091 (0)20 25882916 ■