The use of a hydraulic motor in a belt

tensioning system

Igor de Villefort Maia, Maintenance Engineer

Paulo Cézar Souza, Maintenance Engineering Supervisor

Rafael Angelo Tozzo, Mechanical Engineer

 Agenda

Objective of this presentation

VALE and Brucutu Mine
 Description of the Problem
 The use of a hydraulic system
 Results
 Agenda

Objective of this presentation

VALE and Brucutu Mine
 Description of the Problem
 The use of a hydraulic system
 Results
The objective of this presentation

Although it is not a new

technology, it is not very common
to see a hydraulic motor being
used as a belt tensioning system.

The objective of this presentation

is to show the results of such use
in a belt tensioning system in a
Brazilian iron ore mine, and to
discuss its benefits.
 Agenda

Objective of this presentation

VALE and Brucutu Mine
 Description of the Problem
 The use of a hydraulic system
 Results
VALE Iron Ore Mining operations in Brazil

PDM The main iron ore mining areas

in Brazil are in Carajás Region
and in the Iron Ore Quadrangle,
Carajás EFC where Brucutu Mine is located.
This quadrangle is a region
famous for its iron ore deposits,
in the Brazilian state of Minas
Gerais.
EFVM

The iron ore quadrangle is

MRS connected by railway to two
Guaíba and ports: Tubarão and Itaguaí.
Itaguaí
 Brucutu Mine
Plant production cap.: 30 Mt/year Conveyors cap.: from 1.200 to 8.000 t/h
Belt conveyors: 80 Conveyors width: from 600 to 2200 mm
Total conveyor length: 23 km
 Agenda

Objective of this presentation

VALE and Brucutu Mine
 Description of the Problem
 The use of a hydraulic system
 Results
 Description of the problem

The belt conveyor in question

is a very important piece of
equipment. It is responsible to
transport
6000 t/h of iron ore covering
a distance of 500 meters.

In case of failure, it represents a

production loss of approximately
US$400.000,00 per hour.
Description of the problem

Originally the belt conveyor had

a tensioning system very
commonly used in mining
plants.

The system consists of 15 t of

concrete plates connected to
the tensioning pulley. The
system maintain a steady
tension during operation.
 Description of the problem

Problems encountered during operation:

1. Risk of accidents due to the fall of the counterweight. One event

has already occurred in this conveyor.
2. The use of a crane is necessary in every maintenance service,
with the costs and the risk of accidents that are inherent to the
use of cranes.
3. Accumulation of ore that falls from the conveyor may increase
tension, compromising belt’s lifetime and risking damages to the
structure.
4. Big MTTR (Mean Time to Repair) due to the need to reposition
the counterweight in every maintenance service.
 Agenda

Objective of this presentation

VALE and Brucutu Mine
 Description of the Problem
 The use of a hydraulic system
 Results
 The use of a hydraulic system

The tensioning system was replaced by a new one, consisting of a stationary

winch, powered by a hydraulic motor.

The definition
of which
motor to be
used
depends on
the speed
and torque
required.
 The use of a hydraulic system

The concept of this system, using a hydraulic motor, eliminates the need of
gear reducers and results in a compact system with very low inertia. Therefore
the system has a fast response time.

The original tensioning system was kept in place to be

used in case of emergency.
Technical data:

Hydraulic motor: 44-09200 Viking

Belt’s tension (operation): 249.567 N Average Oil pressure : 94,6 bar

Belt’s tension (start up): 301.448 Oil viscosity: 40 cSt
Electrical motor: 37 kW, 460V
 Agenda

Objective of this presentation

VALE and Brucutu Mine
 Description of the Problem
 The use of a hydraulic system
 Results
 Results

Correction of the previously

encountered problems:

• Increase in operational safety. The

original counterweight is now
inactive, and there is no need to
use cranes during maintenance
services.
• There is no need to use cranes in
maintenance services:
maintenance costs reduction and
increase in operational safety.
Results

3. The accumulation of ore do not affect

the belt’s tension.
4. Reduction in MTTR (Mean Time to
Repair). Now the belt’s tension is
eliminated instantaneously after giving
a command to the hydraulic system.
The preparation time was originally 2
hours. Now it is only 20 minutes.
Results

Other benefits in using the hydraulic

system:

1. The new system allows the use of

two different tension settings: one
during normal operation and
another for starting the conveyor.
This improvement increases the
belt’s lifetime, reduces maintenance
costs and increases equipment
availability.
 Results

2. Easy way to adjust and change the

belt’s tension. The system allows
the regulation of tension through
the control of its hydraulic
pressure.
3. The system is compact and can be
used in very small places, like
underground mines.
 Vale: a global leader

igor.maia@vale.com
paulo.cezar.souza@vale.com

Rafael.tozzo@vale.com