CA1300550C - Method for removing a compacted oil sand layer from a conveyor belt - Google Patents
Method for removing a compacted oil sand layer from a conveyor beltInfo
- Publication number
- CA1300550C CA1300550C CA 574049 CA574049A CA1300550C CA 1300550 C CA1300550 C CA 1300550C CA 574049 CA574049 CA 574049 CA 574049 A CA574049 A CA 574049A CA 1300550 C CA1300550 C CA 1300550C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- belt
- oil sand
- layer
- discs
- frame
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Landscapes
- Structure Of Belt Conveyors (AREA)
- Excavating Of Shafts Or Tunnels (AREA)
- Removal Of Floating Material (AREA)
Abstract
"METHOD FOR REMOVING A COMPACTED OIL SAND LAYER
FROM A CONVEYOR BELT"
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A method is provided for shearing an adherent layer of oil sand for removal from a major surface of a moving conveyor belt. A v-shaped formation of linearly-arrayed, spaced-apart, rotatable discs is suspended above or beneath the belt and brought into pressing engagement with the oil sand layer. As the discs rotate with the advancement of the belt, they function to cut through the layer, loosening it from the belt so it separates therefrom.
FROM A CONVEYOR BELT"
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A method is provided for shearing an adherent layer of oil sand for removal from a major surface of a moving conveyor belt. A v-shaped formation of linearly-arrayed, spaced-apart, rotatable discs is suspended above or beneath the belt and brought into pressing engagement with the oil sand layer. As the discs rotate with the advancement of the belt, they function to cut through the layer, loosening it from the belt so it separates therefrom.
Description
:~3~ 5~
1F eld of the Inv_ntion 2The present invention re7ates to a method for 3removing an adherent layer of hardened, compacted oil sand 4from a conveyor ~elt.
5BAC~GROUND OF THE INVENTION
6The present invention has been developed to 7overcome problems associated with the transportation of oil 8sands from a mine site to a hydrocarbon extraction plant.
gThe oil sand is transported by an endless belt conveyor 10system.
11In the commercial open-pit oil sand mining 12operation of the present assignees, carried out in the 13Athabasca region of Northern Canada, about 300,000 tonnes per 14day o~ oil sand is mined. The mined sands are conveyed to a 5distant extraction plant where bitumen is recovered therefrom 16using the hot water extraction process. ~ypically, the oil 17sand must be transported over distances ranging up to 5.5 km.
18As-mined oil sand comprises bitumen, water, quartz 19sand and clays. Oil sand 'ore~ is classified as rich, 20average or lean depending upon its bitumen content. An 21average ore analysis could be 84 wt. % sand; ll wt. %
22bitumen; and 5 wt. % water. Oil sand will vary in its 23physical properties dependlng upon its ore grade.
24In its physical characteristics, oil sand is both 25abrasive and cohesive due to its quartz and bitumen content 26respectively. As it dries, oil sand, because of its clay 27content, hardens but continues to remain adhesive.
28Additionally, external factors such as fluctuations in ,~
13V~
1 ambient temperatures, or density variations due to snow or
1F eld of the Inv_ntion 2The present invention re7ates to a method for 3removing an adherent layer of hardened, compacted oil sand 4from a conveyor ~elt.
5BAC~GROUND OF THE INVENTION
6The present invention has been developed to 7overcome problems associated with the transportation of oil 8sands from a mine site to a hydrocarbon extraction plant.
gThe oil sand is transported by an endless belt conveyor 10system.
11In the commercial open-pit oil sand mining 12operation of the present assignees, carried out in the 13Athabasca region of Northern Canada, about 300,000 tonnes per 14day o~ oil sand is mined. The mined sands are conveyed to a 5distant extraction plant where bitumen is recovered therefrom 16using the hot water extraction process. ~ypically, the oil 17sand must be transported over distances ranging up to 5.5 km.
18As-mined oil sand comprises bitumen, water, quartz 19sand and clays. Oil sand 'ore~ is classified as rich, 20average or lean depending upon its bitumen content. An 21average ore analysis could be 84 wt. % sand; ll wt. %
22bitumen; and 5 wt. % water. Oil sand will vary in its 23physical properties dependlng upon its ore grade.
24In its physical characteristics, oil sand is both 25abrasive and cohesive due to its quartz and bitumen content 26respectively. As it dries, oil sand, because of its clay 27content, hardens but continues to remain adhesive.
28Additionally, external factors such as fluctuations in ,~
13V~
1 ambient temperatures, or density variations due to snow or
2 rainfall pick-up will serve to further alter the adhesivity
3 of the oil sand.
4 The oil sand is deposited onto the conveyor train as an unevenly distributed load. Under its own weight, and as a consequence of vibration in the conveyor system, the 7 underlying oil sand layer immediately adjacent the belt 8 becomes compacted. The hardened oil sand in this layer g builds up into a consolidated mass of several centimeters 1~ thickness. After the load is discharged, this layer remains 11 on the belt. ~he layer becomes further compacted as the belt 12 travels over the tensioning snub pulley of the conveyor under 13 compressive stress. This hardened, compacted, adherent oil 14 sand layer is hereinafter referred to as the 'oil sand layer-.
16 In addition to the adhesive layer on the load-17 carrying surface of the belt, some oil sand also accumulates 18 as a similar layer on the underside surface of the belt loop.
19 This is oil sand which has dropped onto the underside surface on the return leg.
21 Typically, the oil sand layer will build up until 22 it reaches a thickness of about 1/2". Then, what is referred 23 to as 'peeling' from the downwardly facing surface of the 24 belt will take place; more particularly, one oil sand layer will separate or break away from another, with the 'peel~
26 falling onto the groun~ beneath. Because peeling does not 27 take place until the layer reaches a considerable thickness, 28 it will be readily appreciated that the weight of the build-29 up prior to peeling significantly and deleteriously affects ~3~5~1~
1conveyor power draw requirements. Furthermore, serious 2removal problems are posed by the volume of deposited peel 3whlch has to be removed from beneath the conveyor belts. For example, at the present assignees~ commercial plant described 5supra, four front-end loaders equipped rith power rakes are 6employed around the clock to remove peel. It will be noted 7too that, when using these rakes, it is not uncommon for the 8conveyor belt support frames to experience damage.
gDuring the summer months, the adhesivity of the oil 10sand layer to the belt increases and the problem becomes more 11severe.
12It is undesirable for the belt to be continuously 13carrying dead tonnage. In addition, the carrying of this 14dead weight can be responsible for untracking of the belt.
15At present, the prior art approaches to solving 16this problem have focused either on prevention of build-up of 17oil sand on the belt, b~ an application of diesel oil to the 18surface thereof, or jetting water (or water/glycol, in the 19 winter months) against the layer, to remove it. The 20disadvantages inherent with the first solution are that the 21diesel oil is expensive and destructive of the belts. It 22also creates a fire hazard problem. The latter solution is 23not only ineffective but is also expensive, involving the 24expenditure of several million dollars per annum on glycol 25alone.
26rhere exists, therefore, a need for a better method 27for removing the compacted oil sand layer from the belt. It 28is desirable that the method eliminate the requirement for 29the application of costly solutions, be effective on an all-s~
l year-round basis, and be inexpensive.
2 In the prior art, mechanical devices have been 3 s~ggested for cleaning conveyor belts. See for example those 4 disclosed in U.S. Patents 3,047,133 and 3,430,758, issued to A. Searles, and 3,540,573, issued to J. K. Keim. ~owever, 6 these prior art devices would not be effective to handle oil 7 sand. They would either wear out rapidly because of the 8 abrasive nature of the oil sand or would become clogged by 9 it.
1 o SUNMARY OF THE INVENTION
ll In accordance with the present invention, it has l2 been discovered that a layer of oil sand may successfully be l3 removed from a moving conveyor belt by bringing a specific l4 device into pressing engagement therewith, the device being functional to shear and loosen the oil sand layer.
l6 More specifically, the device comprises a pair of linear arrays of spaced apart, rotatable discs arranged in a 18 v-shaped ~ormation. The discs are positioned at an angle to l9 the direction of travel of the belt. Preferably the apex of the formation is positioned at the belt centre. As the belt 2l advances, the discs are rotated and the peripheral edges 22 thereof cut the hardened material from the belt. The discs 23 are generally dish-shaped with the concave faces thereof 24 directed toward the upstream end of said belt. ~e disc assemblies are mounted on a frame. Means, associated with 26 the frame, are provided for suspending the frame and bringing 27 the discs into pressing engagement with the oil sand layer at 28 the desired contact pressure.
~..
~3~L15~
1 The device is functional to remove the oil sand layer 2 from either the topside or underside of the belt.
3 Broadly stated, the invention is a device for shearing 4 an adherent layer of oil sand for removal from a major surface of a moving conveyor belt having upstream and downstream ends 6 comprising: a frame; a pair of linear arrays of spaced apart, 7 rotatable, metal disas, arranged in a v-shaped formation with the 8 apex of the formation beir.g positioned substantially at the 9 centre of the belt, said discs being generally dish-shaped and having their concave faces directed toward the upstream end of l1 said belt; and means, associated with said frame, for suspending 12 said frame and bringing the discs into pressing engagement with 13 the oil sand layer at the desired contaat pressure.
1q DESCRI~O~ OF THE D~AWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device utilized l6 in the practice of the method of the present invention;
Figure 2 is an illustration of the device of Figure 1 l8 in operation.
19, DESCRIPTION_OF ~H~ PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Having referenae to the accompanying drawings, a method 21 is provided for loosening a layer A of oil sand from a moving 22 conveyor belt 1. More particularly, a aleaning device 2, as 23 shown in Figure 1, is suspended and brought into pressing 24 engagement with the layer A. The device is functional to cut through and loosen the adherent layer so that it drops off the 26 belt.
27 Cleaning device 2 includes a frame 3, winch means 4 for 28 raising and lowering the frame 3, and a pair of disc arrays 5 29 mounted on the frame 3 for cutting through the oil sand laye~ A.
-~3~
1 Frame 3 is of a generally rectangular configuration 2 and is sized to extend across the conveyor belt 1. Brackets 3 6 are mounted at the corners of frame 3 for connection with 4 the winch means 4.
The winch means 4 ~not illustrated in their 6 entirety) are provided to raise and lower frame 3, thereby 7 suspending it and bringing it into pressing engagement with 8 the layer A.
g A v-shaped formation 7 of linear arrays 5 of spaced lo apart, rotatable discs 8 is utilized. More specifically, a 11 pair of diagonally oriented rotatable shafts 9 are mounted on 12 the frame 3. The inner ends of the shafts 9 meet at an apex 13 at the centre of the belt 1. The discs a are rotatably 14 mounted on the shafts 9. Each disc 8 has a generally dish-shaped configuration with the concave face of the disc 8 16 facing upstream. As the belt 1 advances, the discs 8 are 7 rotated and their circumferential edges cut into the oil sand 18 layer A to loosen it from the belt 1.
19 Spacers lO are mounted on the shafts 9 between the discs 8, to enable loosened dirt to be expelled therefrom by 21 centrifugal action.
22 When employed on the load-carrying surace of the 23 belt, the cleaning device 2 is functional to direct the 24 loosened oil sand into the centre of the belt where it forms part of the load.
26 For use on the underside of the belt, the device is 27 ussd in conjunction with an angled doctor blade, positioned 28 transversely of the belt, which directs the oil sand to the 29 side.
16 In addition to the adhesive layer on the load-17 carrying surface of the belt, some oil sand also accumulates 18 as a similar layer on the underside surface of the belt loop.
19 This is oil sand which has dropped onto the underside surface on the return leg.
21 Typically, the oil sand layer will build up until 22 it reaches a thickness of about 1/2". Then, what is referred 23 to as 'peeling' from the downwardly facing surface of the 24 belt will take place; more particularly, one oil sand layer will separate or break away from another, with the 'peel~
26 falling onto the groun~ beneath. Because peeling does not 27 take place until the layer reaches a considerable thickness, 28 it will be readily appreciated that the weight of the build-29 up prior to peeling significantly and deleteriously affects ~3~5~1~
1conveyor power draw requirements. Furthermore, serious 2removal problems are posed by the volume of deposited peel 3whlch has to be removed from beneath the conveyor belts. For example, at the present assignees~ commercial plant described 5supra, four front-end loaders equipped rith power rakes are 6employed around the clock to remove peel. It will be noted 7too that, when using these rakes, it is not uncommon for the 8conveyor belt support frames to experience damage.
gDuring the summer months, the adhesivity of the oil 10sand layer to the belt increases and the problem becomes more 11severe.
12It is undesirable for the belt to be continuously 13carrying dead tonnage. In addition, the carrying of this 14dead weight can be responsible for untracking of the belt.
15At present, the prior art approaches to solving 16this problem have focused either on prevention of build-up of 17oil sand on the belt, b~ an application of diesel oil to the 18surface thereof, or jetting water (or water/glycol, in the 19 winter months) against the layer, to remove it. The 20disadvantages inherent with the first solution are that the 21diesel oil is expensive and destructive of the belts. It 22also creates a fire hazard problem. The latter solution is 23not only ineffective but is also expensive, involving the 24expenditure of several million dollars per annum on glycol 25alone.
26rhere exists, therefore, a need for a better method 27for removing the compacted oil sand layer from the belt. It 28is desirable that the method eliminate the requirement for 29the application of costly solutions, be effective on an all-s~
l year-round basis, and be inexpensive.
2 In the prior art, mechanical devices have been 3 s~ggested for cleaning conveyor belts. See for example those 4 disclosed in U.S. Patents 3,047,133 and 3,430,758, issued to A. Searles, and 3,540,573, issued to J. K. Keim. ~owever, 6 these prior art devices would not be effective to handle oil 7 sand. They would either wear out rapidly because of the 8 abrasive nature of the oil sand or would become clogged by 9 it.
1 o SUNMARY OF THE INVENTION
ll In accordance with the present invention, it has l2 been discovered that a layer of oil sand may successfully be l3 removed from a moving conveyor belt by bringing a specific l4 device into pressing engagement therewith, the device being functional to shear and loosen the oil sand layer.
l6 More specifically, the device comprises a pair of linear arrays of spaced apart, rotatable discs arranged in a 18 v-shaped ~ormation. The discs are positioned at an angle to l9 the direction of travel of the belt. Preferably the apex of the formation is positioned at the belt centre. As the belt 2l advances, the discs are rotated and the peripheral edges 22 thereof cut the hardened material from the belt. The discs 23 are generally dish-shaped with the concave faces thereof 24 directed toward the upstream end of said belt. ~e disc assemblies are mounted on a frame. Means, associated with 26 the frame, are provided for suspending the frame and bringing 27 the discs into pressing engagement with the oil sand layer at 28 the desired contact pressure.
~..
~3~L15~
1 The device is functional to remove the oil sand layer 2 from either the topside or underside of the belt.
3 Broadly stated, the invention is a device for shearing 4 an adherent layer of oil sand for removal from a major surface of a moving conveyor belt having upstream and downstream ends 6 comprising: a frame; a pair of linear arrays of spaced apart, 7 rotatable, metal disas, arranged in a v-shaped formation with the 8 apex of the formation beir.g positioned substantially at the 9 centre of the belt, said discs being generally dish-shaped and having their concave faces directed toward the upstream end of l1 said belt; and means, associated with said frame, for suspending 12 said frame and bringing the discs into pressing engagement with 13 the oil sand layer at the desired contaat pressure.
1q DESCRI~O~ OF THE D~AWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device utilized l6 in the practice of the method of the present invention;
Figure 2 is an illustration of the device of Figure 1 l8 in operation.
19, DESCRIPTION_OF ~H~ PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Having referenae to the accompanying drawings, a method 21 is provided for loosening a layer A of oil sand from a moving 22 conveyor belt 1. More particularly, a aleaning device 2, as 23 shown in Figure 1, is suspended and brought into pressing 24 engagement with the layer A. The device is functional to cut through and loosen the adherent layer so that it drops off the 26 belt.
27 Cleaning device 2 includes a frame 3, winch means 4 for 28 raising and lowering the frame 3, and a pair of disc arrays 5 29 mounted on the frame 3 for cutting through the oil sand laye~ A.
-~3~
1 Frame 3 is of a generally rectangular configuration 2 and is sized to extend across the conveyor belt 1. Brackets 3 6 are mounted at the corners of frame 3 for connection with 4 the winch means 4.
The winch means 4 ~not illustrated in their 6 entirety) are provided to raise and lower frame 3, thereby 7 suspending it and bringing it into pressing engagement with 8 the layer A.
g A v-shaped formation 7 of linear arrays 5 of spaced lo apart, rotatable discs 8 is utilized. More specifically, a 11 pair of diagonally oriented rotatable shafts 9 are mounted on 12 the frame 3. The inner ends of the shafts 9 meet at an apex 13 at the centre of the belt 1. The discs a are rotatably 14 mounted on the shafts 9. Each disc 8 has a generally dish-shaped configuration with the concave face of the disc 8 16 facing upstream. As the belt 1 advances, the discs 8 are 7 rotated and their circumferential edges cut into the oil sand 18 layer A to loosen it from the belt 1.
19 Spacers lO are mounted on the shafts 9 between the discs 8, to enable loosened dirt to be expelled therefrom by 21 centrifugal action.
22 When employed on the load-carrying surace of the 23 belt, the cleaning device 2 is functional to direct the 24 loosened oil sand into the centre of the belt where it forms part of the load.
26 For use on the underside of the belt, the device is 27 ussd in conjunction with an angled doctor blade, positioned 28 transversely of the belt, which directs the oil sand to the 29 side.
Claims
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A device for shearing an adherent layer of oil sand for removal from a major surface of a moving conveyor belt having upstream and downstream ends comprising:
a frame;
a pair of linear arrays of spaced apart, rotatable, metal discs, arranged in a v-shaped formation with the apex of the formation being positioned substantially at the centre of the belt, said discs being generally dish-shaped and having their concave faces directed toward the upstream end of said belt; and means, associated with said frame, for suspending said frame and bringing the discs into pressing engagement with the oil sand layer at the desired contact pressure.
a frame;
a pair of linear arrays of spaced apart, rotatable, metal discs, arranged in a v-shaped formation with the apex of the formation being positioned substantially at the centre of the belt, said discs being generally dish-shaped and having their concave faces directed toward the upstream end of said belt; and means, associated with said frame, for suspending said frame and bringing the discs into pressing engagement with the oil sand layer at the desired contact pressure.
Priority Applications (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 574049 CA1300550C (en) | 1988-08-05 | 1988-08-05 | Method for removing a compacted oil sand layer from a conveyor belt |
| JP1145557A JPH0780547B2 (en) | 1988-08-05 | 1989-06-09 | Sticky oil sand remover |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 574049 CA1300550C (en) | 1988-08-05 | 1988-08-05 | Method for removing a compacted oil sand layer from a conveyor belt |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1300550C true CA1300550C (en) | 1992-05-12 |
Family
ID=4138502
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 574049 Expired - Lifetime CA1300550C (en) | 1988-08-05 | 1988-08-05 | Method for removing a compacted oil sand layer from a conveyor belt |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPH0780547B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1300550C (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN106379714A (en) * | 2016-09-23 | 2017-02-08 | 山东钢铁股份有限公司 | Automatic material cleaning device capable of preventing tail roller sticky material of belt conveyor from being stuck |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS6023594Y2 (en) * | 1979-07-27 | 1985-07-13 | 日東工器株式会社 | plug |
| JPH0237773Y2 (en) * | 1986-10-22 | 1990-10-12 |
-
1988
- 1988-08-05 CA CA 574049 patent/CA1300550C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1989
- 1989-06-09 JP JP1145557A patent/JPH0780547B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JPH0780547B2 (en) | 1995-08-30 |
| JPH0248326A (en) | 1990-02-19 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKLA | Lapsed |