Chapter 4: Application guidelines
Alarmline II Digital Linear Heat Sensor Cable Technical Manual 25
Conveyor belts
Conveyor belts are used on many sites to transport materials/product around the
facility which can be anything ranging from coal, chemicals, luggage, minerals, or
grain, etc.
The main causes of fires on conveyor belts are as follows:
• Friction (misaligned belts or seized rollers)
• Overheating (drive motors)
• Burning material (combustible material being carried on conveyor)
The effect of a fire on a conveyor can be significant as a moving conveyor could
assist with the spread of fire over a larger area.
A number of important issues need to be considered when carrying out the risk
assessment of the conveyor belt:
Table 12: Conveyor belt risk assessment
Considerations
If the conveyor belt is located outdoors and is not covered, then the
detection system must be able to withstand being exposed to the
elements without any effect on performance or causing false alarms.
If accessibility is likely to be an issue,
then a system which requires little or
no maintenance once installed is a significant advantage. Accessibility will
become more of an issue on covered conveyors.
Many of the key risk areas may be out of sight (roller bearings underneath
the belt, drive motor, cabinets, etc.).
The type of material being carried on the conveyor – is it combustible, is
there the potential for a dust explosion, etc. It may be necessary to
provide a detection system which is suitable for hazardous a
type would also help determine the requirement for any automatic fire-
fighting equipment and which type.
Should the detection system trigger an alarm, what actions are to be
taken (automatic shutdowns, visual/audible warnings, activation of
automatic firefighting equipment, etc.).
Alarmline II Digital Sensor Cable can provide a highly effective detection solution
for the protection of conveyor belts. The flexibility of the sensor cable allows it to
be installed very close to the point of risk (in close proximity to the belt and the
rollers). Once installed the cable should require no maintenance unless it has
been activated (and then only the damaged section of cable needs to be
replaced). As it is a heat sensor, the cable is unaffected by the potential harsh
environmental conditions providing the correct temperature cable is selected
based on the maximum ambient.
Figure 4 on page 26 shows the recommended areas for installing Alarmline II
Digital Sensor Cable on a conveyor belt.
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