Controlling fugitive material at your belt conveyor's loading zone
There are two transfer points on a continuous belt conveyor where the release of fugitive material is common: the head pulley, where carryback occurs, and the loading zone, where spillage occurs. Both carryback and spillage can be controlled. There are numerous papers in the literature that address controlling carryback [see Suggested Reading, page 43]. Consequently, this article addresses controlling spillage in the loading zone and discusses methods for relieving and correcting spillage problems.
To control fugitive material at any transfer point, you must address three areas: [1] the belt support structure, [2] the wear liner, and [3] the belt skirting.