Belt Wipe™
FAQs

Yes, it is field tested and proven to capture and remove nominally 92.5% of the carryback particulate that would usually drop off the bottom of a conveyor return path.  In field trials we have documented its performance in the 90% to 95% range; which means that nominally 92.5% of conveyor belt carryback dust dispersion can be eliminated by installing the Belt Wipe.

The segmented urethane elements are made of a flexible proven material and they do not retain positional memory, therefore the urethane springs back into a straight position when the preload is removed.  The segmented urethane elements remain flexible and durable over the wide range of temperatures in typical industrial applications, from -40˚F to 120˚F.

The segmented urethane elements are independently/individually conformable to irregular belt surfaces and do not lose contact with the belt if they are properly preloaded and maintained.

Yes, the Belt Wipe is available for cleated belt and smooth belt applications.

The Belt Wipe’s urethane cleanerhead is angled away from the conveyor belt’s direction of travel, therefore the Belt Wipe’s urethane cleanerhead simply deflects away from mechanical splices without any damage to the mechanical splices or Belt Wipe.

The purpose of the guide rollers is to ensure a consistent 1/16” gap between the conveyor belt and the Belt Wipe’s anti-friction shoes, for the following reasons:

• To ensure the conveyor belt skims the anti-friction surface without contact, to ensure long life of the anti-friction shoes
• To ensure a seal between the conveyor belt and anti-friction shoes, to contain the cleaning process within the Belt Wipe, to ensure maximum cleaning effectiveness
• To ensure minimal belt contact with the rear anti-friction shoe, to prevent dust from escaping from the rear of the Belt Wipe
• To ensure the belt does not droop as it passes over the Belt Wipe, to prevent uneven and premature wear of the segmented urethane elements and anti-friction shoes

Rubber-lagged idler rollers are the only recommended guide roller solution for the Belt Wipe.  Steel rollers will eventually wear unevenly and cause a vibration in the conveyor belt as it passes through the Belt Wipe, which will prematurely wear out the segmented urethane cleaning elements and anti-friction shoes.  Low-friction multiwheel idler rollers are also not recommended, as they will create a ripple profile across the belt’s width and cause premature wear of the anti-friction shoes and cleaning segmented urethane elements, and reduce the effectiveness of the Belt Wipe’s cleaning action.

Yes, a flashing can be incorporated, by fabricating and field installing that item – flashings are so unique to each installation they must be custom made locally, therefore consult our factory for guidance.

Customers can procure a locally made dribble catcher that can be flashed to the dropped inlet mouth flange on the Belt Wipe, which will guide any dribble material into the mouth of the Belt Wipe.  In some instances a two-piece dribble catcher might be required, in order to maneuver it into position ahead of the Belt Wipe.

To solidly mount the dribble flashing, the Belt Wipe is manufactured with an adjustable height inlet mouth, therefore the inlet mouth can be moved up into position below the lip of the dribble assembly, to create a solid connection between the dribble flashing, thus ensuring any dribble material is guided into the suction mouth of the Belt Wipe.  We recommend that the dribble flashing and Belt Wipe are not permanently attached together, because the Belt Wipe must be removed independently of the dribble assembly if the segmented urethane elements or anti-friction shoes require replacement.  In some cases, incorporating the dribble flashing into the mouth of the Belt Wipe could eliminate a separate dust suction that is sometimes used to control dribble particulate, which may result in a lower overall airflow rate and operating cost for the Plant’s dust control system.

Yes, if other rollers or pulleys nearby are within the dimensional limitations of our recommended installation diagrams.  For example, a Belt Wipe mounted within 18” of the centerline of a head pulley could eliminate the inlet guide idler and overhead guide idler shown by our recommended installation diagrams, however we would still recommend the downstream idler just aft of the Belt Wipe.  If in doubt, contact our factory for guidance.

Generally, the most likely results after a new installation are as follows:

• The belt surface will begin to look clean within 2 hrs of fitment if the belt is operated continuously at normal speeds of 600~800 feet/minute (183~244 meter/minute).  Slower belt speeds will require longer for an initial surface cleaning.
• Ovalization from face material buildup at idlers will be reduced, and in some cases eliminated.
• Fugitive material will cease building up on tail, takeup and tension pulleys.
• Product recovery and plant mass flow balance will improve, because fine particulate often has a monetary value
• The beltline will track more consistently
• Airborne dust will be reduced
• “Anthills” and manual cleaning below pulleys and return idlers will be reduced significantly, in the range of 1/8 to 1/25 of what those conditions were prior to fitment with the Belt Wipe

The Belt Wipe is the most effective belt cleaner in the marketplace, therefore if there is even a short delay in connecting suction, the Belt Wipe will go to work cleaning the belt, and it is so effective that in some cases the Belt Wipe housing will fill with dust in less than one hour if there is no suction to transport the removed particulate away from the Belt Wipe.  Therefore, it is imperative that an installation of the Belt Wipe is planned in conjunction with a simultaneous connection to the Plant’s dust collection system.  If the Belt Wipe inadvertently fills with dust, simply remove the dust collection suction pipe fitting from the bottom of the unit, open the rubber inspection porthole in the side of the unit, and clean out the Belt Wipe.  Reconnect the suction and close the rubber inspection porthole(s) before operating the conveyor belt.

If you can imagine it, we can build it.  We can stuff the Belt Wipe into cramped areas such as Tripper heads, mazes of support steel etc.  Contact our factory and our team will examine your drawings and photos to determine fitment options.

We can customize the Belt Wipe’s basic design in many different ways, therefore contact our factory for options and support.

The device is made with a metallic conductive housing and is groundable and bondable, and a ground lug is provided on the suction outlet that can be used for a grounding interconnection to the pneumatic conveying piping. It is also available with anti-static ATEX™ certified groundable/bondable urethane elements.

Yes, the Belt Wipe is made to be adaptable to any style of conveyor.  It is a particularly effective device for trough and enclosed conveyors, as it can catch any trough carryback that would normally accumulate in and around the tail pulley, thus eliminating the source of tail pulley tracking issues for enclosed conveyors.

Yes, the unit is still operable with reduced suction, although your pneumatic conveying piping must still be designed to operate at the correct velocity to carry particulate through the piping.  With reduced suction, the Belt Wipe will work less effectively at cleaning the belt, therefore consult the factory for guidance if you have a special situation.

Field trials have confirmed that the optimal capture performance is achieved with the air volumes we recommend.  Increasing the air suction above recommended values will use more fan energy than required, without producing a noticeable increase in fugitive dust capture and removal.

That varies a lot depending on local utility rates for electric power that is used to drive dust collection fans, but a 36” wide Belt Wipe using approximately 500 CFM of air suction on a dust collection system operating at 15” of W.G. operating 24/7/365 will cost $936 annually to operate at an “all-in” power cost of 8.5 cents per kW*hr.  Contact us if you would like to know exactly what the Belt Wipe operating cost is for a particular application.