what is a sidewall belt conveyor in mining

I. Definition
A Sidewall Belt Conveyor, also known as a high-angle belt conveyor, is a type of continuous conveying equipment used for bulk materials. Its structure consists of a flat rubber conveyor belt coated with rubber on both sides, with corrugated sidewalls vertically attached that can freely adjust in wave shape. Between the edges of the sidewalls, rigid cleats are bonded to form a box-shaped compartment, which is used to continuously transport material within the compartments. The Sidewall Belt Conveyor enables bulk materials to be conveyed at inclination angles ranging from 30° to 90°. In addition, it allows for flexible layout configurations to meet complex horizontal, inclined, or vertical conveying requirements in industrial production.
II. Core Components
The Sidewall Belt Conveyor adopts a corrugated sidewall belt with horizontal cleats, and typically consists of three main parts: the base belt, sidewalls, and cleats. The following provides a detailed description of each component.

1.Base Belt
The base belt must have adequate tensile strength and wear resistance. To accommodate angle changes, the longitudinal base belt must be flexible, while the transverse base belt should have a certain degree of rigidity. Our company’s Sidewall Conveyor Belt uses a specially structured transverse rigid base belt that solves the deformation issues encountered during the return operation of large-size belts. The base belt complies with international standards.
2.Sidewalls
The sidewalls of the Sidewall Belt Conveyor are manufactured using a special rubber formula and advanced production techniques to ensure excellent flexibility and fatigue resistance at the sidewall edges. The interior of the sidewalls is reinforced with canvas and features diagonally overlapped layers, effectively preventing edge tearing and improving bending performance. Dynamic fatigue testing is used to simulate real-world operating conditions and ensure durability.
3.Cleats
The cleats are made with a special rubber formulation and advanced molding technology, giving them high rigidity, wear resistance, and impact resistance. Therefore, they are not easily deformed when transporting high-density materials. When cleats are connected to the sidewalls, their spacing must be an integer multiple of the wave pitch. This is to ensure proper alignment during transitions or when passing over pulleys. Otherwise, mismatched motion radii may cause material leakage through the cleat-sidewall junction or lead to accumulation and dead zones during discharge.

Check now

Fenner's premium, super-strength sidewall belt

Our sidewall conveyor belts are the toughest and most durable in the world. The custom, hot bonded process provides outstanding operating lifetimes and low maintenance. This also means that they provide exceptional value for money.

Sidewall conveyor belts must be able to withstand the extremely high stress and repeated flexing that occurs in high capacity steep-angle conveying. That is why our cross-stabilised base belts have been specifically designed by Fenner engineers using the highest quality polyester fabrics to give higher rigidity values with very low elongation.

Goto HIHERO to know more.

The rubber covers protecting the carcass have outstanding abrasion resistance and tear strength. Just as importantly, our sidewalls and cleats are manufactured using Fenner rubber, reinforced by a diagonal layer of fabric that creates an excellent combination of elasticity and strength.

The use of reinforcement within the sidewalls ensures maximum elongation (stretch) of the fabric at the flexing points while retaining a high tensile strength. All of these features add up to create sidewall belts that are more durable, lower maintenance and longer lasting than any other sidewall belt on the market.

Fenner also offers a range of cold bonded and constructed sidewall belts for those looking for an economical and durable solution.