Expanding overland conveyor possibilities by distributing power

Bulk material transportation requirements are demanding equipment with increasing capacities covering longer distances and more diverse routes. As such, belt conveyors with multiple vertical and horizontal curves traversing many miles have been built and even larger ones are being considered. In order to keep up, significant technological advances have been required in the field of system design, analysis and "virtual prototyping". These technologies have led to the distribution of drive power in multiple locations which has further expanded belt conveyance possibilities. Examples of complex conveying applications along with the numerical tools required to insure reliability and availability will be reviewed