FRAS Belt Cleaning Solution for Problematic Underground Conveyor

Industry

Underground Coal 

Product

CBS Continuous Blade Secondary Cleaners with Fire-Resistant Anti-Static (FRAS) Blade and Spring Air Tensioner

Objective

•    Reduce Wet Carryback
•    Improve Belt Cleaning Efficiency
•    Meet FRAS Regulations for Australian Underground Coal Operations

Conveyor Detail

•    Belt Type: T1750 Solid Woven
•    Belt Width: 1500mm

Problem: 

An underground coal mine in Australia was experiencing significant carryback and water bypassing its existing belt cleaning system, despite operating a primary cleaner and two secondary cleaners inside the head chute. Material and water traveling down the conveyor created ongoing clean-up requirements and maintenance issues, pushing the site to find an improved cleaning solution. Importantly, that solution would also need to meet the fire-resistant and anti-static (FRAS) safety regulations required for Australian underground coal operations.

Solution: 

Working with Flexco, the site implemented a trial with an improved belt cleaning configuration using two Continuous Blade Secondary™ (CBS™) Cleaners fitted with FRAS-rated blades, meeting the requirements for underground coal mining while maintaining effective cleaning performance. Both CBS™ cleaners were installed with Flexco’s Spring Air Tensioner (SAT) system, allowing the cleaners to pass over mechanical fasteners with ease while maintaining consistent blade pressure against the belt. Flexco’s engineering team also worked closely with the site’s installation team, providing support by modeling the conveyor and designing custom mounting brackets to suit the structure configuration.

Result:

Cleaning performance improved immediately following installation, with a significant reduction in carryback. Material now drops directly into the sump rather than traveling down the return side of the belt, improving housekeeping and reducing clean-up requirements. Site operators reported that the CBS™ is now the most effective scraper installed on site, with a noticeable reduction in carryback on one of the pit’s most problematic belts. Following the successful six-week trial, the customer issued a purchase order for the system and is now looking to model this belt cleaning setup across other areas of their operation.