International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD)

Volume 3 Issue 5, August 2019 Available Online: www.ijtsrd.com e-ISSN: 2456 – 6470

Analysis of Belt Bucket Elevator

Mg Than Zaw Oo1, Ma Myat Win Khaing1, Ma Yi Yi Khin2
1Lecturer, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Technological University, Taunggyi, Myanmar
2Assistant Lecturer, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Technological University, Mandalay, Myanmar

How to cite this paper: Mg Than Zaw Oo | ABSTRACT

Ma Myat Win Khaing | Ma Yi Yi Khin This paper describes the analysis of belt bucket elevator used in Myanmar C.P
"Analysis of Belt Bucket Elevator" Livestock Co.Ltd (Taunggyi feed mill). Material handling process is essential
Published in for the production. Bucket elevator has evolved as advanced material handling
International equipment in the mechanized bulk material handling industry. The effective
Journal of Trend in use of different types of bucket elevators completely depends on its design and
Scientific Research types of bulk material. Yellow corn raw materials are transported by bucket
and Development elevator. In this journal, the use of conveyor systems and the design of bucket
(ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456- elevator with simultaneous buckets for lifting yellow corn at 28.8 m height are
6470, Volume-3 | IJTSRD26483 presented. And it is 70 tons per hour. The main aim is to share about conveyor
Issue-5, August systems and to know the calculation of belt design, shaft and pulley.
2019, pp.760-763,
https://doi.org/10.31142/ijtsrd26483 KEYWORDS: Belt Bucket, Conveyor, Elevator, Pulley, Shaft

Copyright © 2019 by author(s) and I. INTRODUCTION

International Journal of Trend in Scientific Conveyors are one subset of a larger group of material handling equipment. The
Research and Development Journal. This major objectives implementing conveyors is to reduce manual handling, ease
is an Open Access article distributed the workload of the operator, accelerate workflow between operations, increase
under the terms of throughput, etc. Conveyors are classified into several types according to
the Creative application. Some types include belt conveyor, chain conveyor, bucket elevator
Commons Attribution and gravity conveyor. In this paper, the yellow corn drying process consists of
License (CC BY 4.0) intake receiving and cleaning line, dryer and temporary silo line and storage silo
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by and load out pin line. Corns are classified into two groups, grade-2 and S-3.
/4.0)
Laid corns were carried to the screener by a chain conveyor
and bucket elevator. Then rubbish and piece of iron are
cleaned by screener and dust were absorbed by a blower.
After cleaning, corns were sent to four temporary silos (each
silo 250 tons), before sending to second cleaning tower. The
second cleaning tower is the same as the first cleaning tower
except for drum sieve.

II. Types of Conveyor

A convenient classification of some of the more important
conveyors is as follows:

Chain conveyors

Screw conveyors

Belt conveyors

Bucket elevators

The choice of conveyor depends largely upon the specified

capacity, conveying distance and configuration (whether Figure1. Belt Bucket Elevator
horizontal, vertical or inclined), bulk solids and individual
particle properties and temperature. Generally, bucket V type plastic buckets are used in bucket elevators at yellow
elevators are classified in mainly two types. They are: corn drying process Myanmar C.P Livestock Co. Ltd

Belt type bucket elevator (Taunggyi feed mill). The belt is used to transmit power from

Chain type bucket elevator one shaft to another by mean of pulleys which rotate at the
same speed. The belt is jointed with a bucket by a nut to lift
III. Components of Belt Bucket Elevator product from one place to another. There are many types of
The detail description of various parts of bucket elevators , belt. Flat belt type is used for bucket elevators. The material
below. The major components of belt bucket elevator are: is used for belt must be strong, flexible, and durable. It must
Drive headcover, Drive unit, Outlet, Casing, Inspection have a high coefficient of friction. Leather belts are used in
section, Pulley take-up, Bottom head, Inlet and Buckets. the yellow corn drying process of bucket elevators. Belt and
buckets are shown in Figure 2.

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Figure3. Open Belt Drive

(r1 − r2 ) 2
L = π(r1+r2)+2x+ 2
x
Where r1 and r2 =Radii of the larger and smaller pulleys
x = Distance between the centers of two pulleys
L =Total length of the belt

Maximum Tension in the Belt

The maximum tension in the belt is equal to the total tension

on the right side of the belt.

T= Maximum stress × Cross section area of the belt

T= σ × b × t 3

When, Centrifugal tension is considered,

T = T1+TC 4

Where σ=Maximum safe stress

B =Width of the belt
t =Thickness of the belt
T1 =Tension in the tight side
T = Maximum tension in the belt
Figure2. Belt and Buckets
Centrifugal Tension,
IV. Operation of Belt Bucket Elevator
The tension caused by the centrifugal force is called
Bucket elevators operate by using an endless belt on which centrifugal tension.
rectangular buckets are mounted. The belt revolves between FC = mv2 5
a top and bottom pulley and the buckets move with it. At the
bottom, the bucket picks up yellow corns into the elevator Where, FC=Centrifugal tension
boot and at the top the yellow corns are discharged as the M = Mass of belt per unit length in kg
bucket turns downward over the head pulley. The bucket V = Linear velocity of belt in m/s
elevator is normally designed and made for metallurgy, Ratio of Driving Tension for Flat Belt Drive,
chemical industry, building materials, mine, pulp and paper T1
industries, ports and terminal, grain and vegetable oil, food, = eμθ 6
fodder, plastic and medicine related application. T2

V. Design Theory Where, T1=Tension in the tight side

Working Stresses in Belts, T2 =Tension in the slack side
µ = Coefficient of friction between belt and pulley θ=Angle
T1 of contact
σ= 1 Power Transmitted by a Belt
bt
Power transmitted between a belt and a pulley is expressed
Where, σ = Stress of belt as the product of difference of tension and belt velocity.
T1 = Tension in right side P = (T1 - T2) v 7
B = Width of belt t = Thickness of belt
Where, P=Power transmitted by the belt
Length of Open Belt Drive, T1 = Tension in the tight side
An open belt drive is used to rotate the driven pulley in the T2 = Tension in the slack side
same direction of driving pulley. The length of belt can be V = Velocity of the belt in m/s
calculate by the following equation, Open belt drive is shown Power,
in Figure 3.

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 International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470
Electrical power is the rate at which electrical energy is Where, Te=Equivalent twisting moment
converted to another form, such as motion, heat, or an M = Maximum bending moment
electromagnetic field. The common symbol for power is the T = Torque to be transmitted by shaft
uppercase letter P, the standard unit is the WATT, τ = Allowable shear stress
symbolized by W. d = Diameter of shaft
2π × N × T π 2 2
P= 8 Area of pulley, A= × (D − d ) 19
60 4
T=F × r 9 Volume of pulley, V = A×L
v × 60 Mass of pulley, m = ρ × V
N= 10 Weight of pulley, Wp= mg
πd

Where, P=Power (kW)

N = Drive pulley rpm
T = Torque (Nm)
R = Pulley radius (m)
v = Velocity of belt (m/s)
d = Pulley diameter (m)

Relationship between Centripetal Force and Gravity force,

mv 2
FC = 11
r
Fg = mg 12
Figure4. Pulley
Where, FC = Centripetal force
Fg = Gravity force Material of pulley = Gray cast iron
M = Material mass in the bucket Density of gray cast iron, ρ = 7200 kg/m3
v = belt velocity in m/s Outside diameter, D = 60 cm
g = Gravity acceleration, 9.81 m/s2 Inside diameter, d = 53cm
Equivalent Bending Moment Theory, Length of belt, L = 40 cm
Weight of Empty Buckets,
The equivalent bending moment may be defined as the Number of buckets = 350 buckets
bending moment which will produce by the bending moment Mass of each buckets = 0.75 kg
and torque acting separately.
Web = m × no; of buckets × g 20
1 2 2
Me = (M+ M + T ) 13 Weight of Corn Weighting in the Bucket Elevator,
2 Weight of corn weighing in one revolution =175 buckets
32M e Mass of corn per bucket= 1.7 kg
σ= 14
3
πd Wc= m × no; of buckets × g 21
Ultimate tensile stress
σ= 15 Applied Force,
factor of safety
Force acting on the shaft is the sum of all rotation
component weight,
Where, Me=Equivalent bending moment
M = Maximum bending moment F = Wb + Wp + Web + Wc 22
T = Torque to be transmitted by the shaft
σ = Allowable tensile stress
VI. Result for Bucket Elevator
D = Diameter of shaft Design Data,
Capacity = 70 tons per hour
Equivalent Twisting Moment Theory, Lifting height = 28.8 m
The equivalent twisting moment may be defined as the Material for lifting = yellow corn
torque which will produce the same maximum shear stress Density of corn, ρ = 720 kg/m3
as produced by the bending moment and torque acting
separately. Bucket spacing = 6buckets/m
Specific gravity, g = 9.81 m/s2
Bucket length, L = 28.6 cm
2 2
Te = M +T 16 Bucket width, b = 11.3 cm
16Te
Τ= 17 Application: To transfer large amount of yellow corn from
3
πd ground floor to required destination.
Ultimate shear stress
τ= 18
factor of safety

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 International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470
Table I. Result Data for Bucket Elevator Design
The capacity of Bucket, Capacity, Q 70 tons/hr
Belt speed, v 1.9 m/s
Pulley diameter, d 0.6 m
Drive speed, N 60 rpm
Length of the belt, L 58.28 m
Number of buckets 350
Mass per bucket, m 1.7 kg
Torque, T 3531.6 Nm
Power, P 22 kW
Shaft diameter, d 0.073 m
Tension in the tight side, T1 9028.075 N
Tension in the slack side, T2 3517.89 N

Figure5. Size of Bucket VII. Discussions and Conclusion

This paper describes the functions of bucket elevator
installation and operation. This conveyor is used in intake
section for the industry. Required data are collected from
Myanmar C.P. Livestock Company (Taunggyi Feedmill). The
height of the bucket elevator is 28.8 m. The number of
buckets is 350 buckets and capacity is 1.7 kg. From the
calculation result, the belt speed must be 1.9 m/s, the
tension on tight side is 9028.075 N and tension on the slack
side is 3517.89 N. Top and bottom pulley are 0.6 m and fixed
with rubber to product slip of belt. The weight acting on the
shaft is 11772 N. So, the minimum shaft diameter is 0.073 m.
The result of the calculation is safe for operation and design
is specified. So, this conveyor can be definitely used in the
industry. This conveyor can use gradually load and
somewhere else. For every industry, this conveyor is safe
and it can be used with trust. Bucket elevator is the best way
to lift bulk material and easy to transport huge amount of
Figure6. Cross Section View of Bucket
bulk material.
Weight of Belt,
VIII. REFERENCES
[1] Joseph E. Shigley, 1996. Standard Handbook of Machine
Design second edition.
[2] Yardley, E. D., and L. R. Stace. 2008. Belt Conveying of
Minerals. Cambridge; Woodhead and Maney on Behalf
of The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining,

b [3] Spivakovsy, A. O. and Dyachkov, V. K. (1985),

t Conveying Machine, MIR Publication, Forth Edition)
[4] http://www.maxilift.com
[5] http://www.mwchanicalengineeringblog.com/3693-
industrial-bucket-elevators-vertical-bucket-conveyors-
bucket-elevator-types/
[6] http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-grain-dryer.htm
[7] http://www.engineeringvillage2.htm
Figure7. Belt
[8] http://www.google.htm
Belt material = Convass belt [9] http://www.sciencedirect.html
Density of belt, ρ = 1220 kg/m3 [10] http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com
Length of belt, L = 58.28m [11] http://feeco.com/everything-need-know-bucket-
Width of belt, b = 0.35 m elevator-design/

Thickness of belt, t = 0.01 m [12] http://www.newagepublishers.com/samplechapter/0

01455.pdf

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