ZOOMRY
In Huanggang City, Hubei Province, an open-pit factory specializes in limestone mining and processing, with limestone as its core material (particle size: 5-30mm, moisture content: 6%-9%, featuring high hardness and easy dust generation). It is necessary to build an exclusive conveying line from the mine crushing area to the factory raw material silo, connecting the entire process chain of "mining - crushing - conveying - storage". Previously, the factory adopted a hybrid mode of "conventional belt conveyors + truck transshipment". However, under the open-air environment and topographic conditions in Huanggang, multiple bottlenecks have gradually emerged: along the 3,200-meter conveying route that passes through 3 natural bends, conventional belt conveyors require the setup of 2 transshipment stations, which not only increases equipment investment but also leads to a limestone loss rate of 4.5% due to material loading and unloading during transshipment; moreover, the single-unit handling capacity of conventional conveyors is only 1,800 tons per hour, which cannot match the factory's crushing capacity of 2,200 tons per hour, resulting in frequent limestone backlogs in the crushing area during peak periods; the open design of transshipment links and truck transportation causes dust emissions to reach 25mg/m³, far exceeding the limit of 10mg/m³ specified in the Integrated Emission Standard of Air Pollutants, leading to constant complaints from nearby residents; in addition, due to the rainy climate in Huanggang, conventional conveyors cannot adapt to a 12-meter lifting height, requiring additional construction of slope platforms, which not only increases civil engineering costs but also makes the platforms prone to damage due to rainwater scouring; more critically, the core components of the equipment rely on foreign procurement, with a spare parts response cycle of over 30 days and an annual downtime of more than 80 hours, seriously affecting the continuous production of the Huanggang factory.
ZOOMRY Heavy Industry (ZOOMRY), based on the on-site survey data of the Huanggang factory (topographic curve distribution, limestone properties, local meteorological records), has designed a full-chain solution centered on long-distance curved belt conveyors, combined with wheeled truck unloaders and hopper feeders, forming a closed-loop system of "limestone receiving - uniform feeding - curved conveying", which perfectly adapts to the open-air working conditions and topographic characteristics of Huanggang.
Core Project Requirements and Objectives
Combining the climatic characteristics of Huanggang City, Hubei Province, the factory's production scale and industry standards, the project clarifies requirements around four dimensions: in terms of parameter matching, it needs to cover the entire 3,200-meter distance, with a handling capacity of no less than 2,200 tons per hour, a belt width of 1,200mm, adapt to 3 horizontal curves (turning radius ≥ 600 meters, maximum turning angle ≤ 60°), while achieving a 12-meter lifting height and having a sealed dust-proof function; in terms of scenario adaptation, the equipment must withstand the 40℃ high temperature in summer, -8℃ low temperature in winter and rainy environment in Huanggang, with the protection level of core components (idlers, motors) ≥ IP55; in terms of compliance, dust emissions shall be controlled within 10mg/m³, and the equipment shall comply with CEMA standards and domestic environmental protection regulations; in terms of operation and maintenance support, the service life of core components (idlers, rollers) shall be more than 50,000 hours, and relying on local service outlets, the response time for commonly used spare parts shall be ≤ 7 days, with multilingual operation training provided.
Based on the above requirements, the project sets four core objectives:
- Efficiency breakthrough: Realize 3,200-meter full-distance conveying without transshipment, with a stable handling capacity of ≥ 2,200 tons per hour, completely replacing the truck transshipment mode;
- Environmental compliance: Reduce dust emissions to below 8mg/m³, control the limestone loss rate within 1%, and meet the environmental protection requirements of Huanggang;
- Topographic adaptation: Adapt to 3 bends and 12-meter lifting without topographic modification, and withstand the rainy and large temperature difference climate in Huanggang;
- Operation and maintenance optimization: Control the annual equipment failure rate ≤ 0.6%, reduce downtime through localized operation and maintenance, and reduce maintenance costs by 30% compared with the traditional mode.
Customized Solution
Based on the 3D topographic survey data of the Huanggang factory and limestone property analysis, ZOOMRY adopts a design concept of "precision selection by function + full-process collaborative matching", organically integrating core conveying equipment with supporting systems to form a solution suitable for the open-air environment in Huanggang.
Core Equipment
To meet the requirements of the 3,200-meter curved route, 2,200 tons per hour handling capacity and 12-meter lifting height, ZOOMRY custom-produces one set of long-distance curved belt conveyors for the Huanggang factory, focusing on optimization around three dimensions of "curve adaptation, open-air durability and high-efficiency heavy load":
- Dual adaptation for curves and lifting: The "multi-segment curve coordinated tension control technology" is adopted. For the 3 horizontal curves (turning radius: 600 meters, maximum turning angle: 57°), self-aligning idler sets independently developed by ZOOMRY (diameter: 133mm, suitable for 1,200mm belt width) are configured, with radial runout ≤ 0.4mm (surpassing the national standard of 0.5mm) that can automatically correct belt deviation, and water intake in the 72-hour immersion test ≤ 95g (surpassing ZOOMRY's enterprise standard of 100g); for the 12-meter lifting height, a combination of "gradual slope (average 0.375%) + ST2500 steel cord Conveyor Belt" is designed. The tensile strength of the conveyor belt is ≥ 2,500N/mm, the 12mm-thick wear-resistant layer can resist limestone wear, and the sealed structure with 120mm overlap can also block dust escape, avoiding dust diffusion when the wind is strong in Huanggang.
- Power system adapted for heavy load: The "three-drive at the head" design is adopted, equipped with 3 220kW variable-frequency motors (total power: 660kW, protection level: IP55), matched with hard-tooth surface reducers with a transmission efficiency of ≥ 96%, which can adjust the speed in real time according to the crushing capacity of the Huanggang factory to avoid overload; the belt speed is set to 3.5m/s, and through the linkage between PLC and the feeding system, stable feeding of 2,200 tons per hour is ensured; the drive rollers are made of 40Cr forged material (diameter: 500mm), with diamond rubber coating on the surface (friction coefficient ≥ 0.4), and after ultrasonic flaw detection and tempering stress relief treatment, there are no internal cracks, with a service life of more than 50,000 hours, fully meeting the heavy-load conveying needs of limestone.
- Enhancement of open-air durability: Considering the rainy and high-temperature climate in Huanggang, the conveyor frame adopts a hot-dip galvanizing process (rust prevention grade reaches Zn12 level in GB/T 13912-2002), effectively resisting rainwater erosion; a detachable transparent PC Rain Cover is installed above the conveyor belt, which not only facilitates daily inspection but also shields against heavy rainfall and exposure to the sun in Huanggang, delaying the aging of the conveyor belt; the hydraulic tensioning device integrates an oil temperature control system, which can work stably in a temperature difference environment of -8℃ ~ 40℃, automatically compensating for the thermal expansion and contraction of the belt caused by the day-night temperature difference in Huanggang, ensuring stable tension in the curved section and lifting section.
Auxiliary Equipment
To realize the seamless flow of limestone from transport vehicles to the raw material silo, ZOOMRY configures two types of independently developed supporting equipment, whose parameters are accurately matched with the core conveyors to adapt to the receiving and feeding needs of the Huanggang factory:
- ZRLS-TU1400 wheeled truck unloader: Installed in the limestone receiving area of the Huanggang factory, with a belt width of 1,400mm and a handling capacity of 200-1,000 tons per hour, suitable for the 40-ton dump trucks commonly used in the factory. The equipment is equipped with 2 hydraulically adjustable ramps (slope: 6.7°), allowing trucks to drive directly onto the ramps for unloading without reversing; a double-layer rubber sealed skirt is installed at the bottom of the ramps to reduce dust escape during the unloading process; at the same time, it is equipped with a vibrating feeding device, which can adjust the unloading speed in real time according to the operation status of the subsequent conveyor to avoid limestone accumulation in the receiving area.
- ZR series hopper feeder: Installed between the unloader and the conveyor, adopting a 10m³ standard receiving hopper (larger capacity optional), equipped with an 18.5kW variable-frequency speed-regulating motor, which can realize the feeding volume adjustment of 1,800-2,200 tons per hour, ensuring uniform limestone flow into the conveyor and avoiding overload or underload; the inner wall of the hopper is paved with 12mm-thick wear-resistant ceramic liners to cope with the high-hardness wear of limestone; a dust cover and rain edge are installed on the top, which not only reduces dust scattering in the open-air environment of Huanggang but also prevents rainwater from entering the hopper and causing limestone agglomeration, ensuring smooth feeding.
Core Components
All key components are independently produced by ZOOMRY, with performance surpassing national standards and CEMA standards, providing support for the long-term stable operation of the Huanggang factory:
- Idlers and rollers: In addition to the self-aligning idlers in the curved section, mute idlers (diameter: 133mm) are used in the straight section, with rotational resistance ≤ 2N (surpassing the national standard of 3N), operating noise ≤ 45dB, and water intake in the 72-hour immersion test ≤ 95g, adapting to the rainy and humid environment in Huanggang; the direction-changing rollers are made of 40Cr seamless steel pipe (diameter: 400mm), with the surface treated by thermal spraying for wear resistance, improving wear resistance by 50%, and ovality < 1.5mm, ensuring stable belt operation.
- Cleaning and safety components: One set of PU cleaning scrapers is installed at the head and tail of the conveyor, with a fitting degree of ≥ 98% with the conveyor belt, effectively removing residual limestone particles and avoiding belt deviation caused by material adhesion; at the same time, "dual safety protection" is equipped - a belt deviation switch (automatic alarm when deviation exceeds 5mm) and an emergency rope break system (shutdown within 0.01 seconds when the steel rope breaks), complying with international safety standards; a non-powered dust removal chute (with a built-in air flow buffer chamber) is installed at the discharge end to further reduce dust emissions during the discharge process of the Huanggang factory.
Full-Process Project Implementation
Preliminary Survey
ZOOMRY dispatched a 6-person technical team to Huanggang City, Hubei Province, and completed three key tasks within 12 days: conducting 3D topographic survey of the 3,200-meter route using total stations and UAVs, accurately marking the center positions of the 3 curves, turning radii and slope distribution of the 12-meter lifting section, and optimizing the installation height of the conveyor frame to avoid waterlogged areas in combination with the rainy season drainage characteristics of Huanggang; collecting limestone samples and testing their fluidity, wear resistance and moisture content in the laboratory to determine parameters such as idler spacing (1.2 meters) and belt tension (18kN); formulating an open-air protection plan for the equipment with reference to the meteorological data of Huanggang City in the past 5 years (high temperature, low temperature, rainy season distribution), such as the inclination angle of the rain cover and the setting of the hydraulic oil temperature control threshold.
Production and Manufacturing
All equipment and components are produced in ZOOMRY's Hebei factory, with the entire process incorporated into the ISO 9001 quality management system and ISO 14001 environmental management system: the drive rollers of the long-distance curved belt conveyor must pass a 24-hour static load test with 1.2 times the rated load, and are considered qualified only if there is no deformation; the idlers must undergo a 1,000-hour no-load test run to verify sealing performance and rotational resistance; the ST2500 conveyor belt must complete tensile, wear and bending tests to ensure it adapts to the heavy-load needs of the Huanggang factory. Representatives from the Huanggang factory went to the factory for acceptance, and all parameters met the contract requirements; in particular, the open-air durability test (high-low temperature cycle, rain test) achieved excellent results, fully adapting to the climate in Huanggang.
Installation and Commissioning
ZOOMRY dispatched a 10-person installation team to the Huanggang site, adopting a "modular splicing + phased commissioning" mode: dividing the 3,200-meter conveyor into 16 sections (200 meters each), which only require bolt connection and belt vulcanization on-site after pre-assembly in the factory, with an installation cycle of only 30 days (industry average: 45 days); during installation, temporary rain shelters are used to cover the equipment in case of rain to prevent component rust caused by heavy rainfall in Huanggang; the commissioning phase is carried out in three steps: first, conducting no-load tests on individual equipment (verifying the operation status of motors and idlers), then carrying out system linkage tests of the unloader, feeder and conveyor, and finally conducting a 72-hour full-load test run (simulating the high-temperature and rainy working conditions in Huanggang) to optimize the PLC program, making the stable handling capacity of the conveyor reach 2,250 tons per hour, exceeding the required standard.
Operation and Maintenance Training
A 15-day special training was provided for 8 operation and maintenance personnel of the Huanggang factory, covering daily inspection of open-air equipment (idler rotation status, hydraulic oil level, rain cover tightness), common fault handling (belt deviation, motor overload) and regular maintenance (idler lubrication, scraper replacement); in view of the climatic characteristics of Huanggang, additional courses such as "rainy season equipment drainage inspection" and "winter hydraulic system preheating" were added, and operation manuals were provided. Relying on ZOOMRY's local service outlets, commonly used spare parts can be quickly allocated through regional warehouses with a response time of ≤ 7 days; at the same time, a 24-hour multilingual technical hotline was opened to ensure timely response to the operation and maintenance needs of the Huanggang factory.
Project Results
After the project was put into operation, the equipment operated stably for a long time in the open-air environment of Huanggang City, Hubei Province, and all indicators exceeded expectations: In terms of efficiency and production capacity, the 3,200-meter full-distance conveying without transshipment enabled a stable handling capacity of 2,250 tons per hour, fully matching the crushing capacity of 2,200 tons per hour of the Huanggang factory, and there was no longer limestone backlog during peak periods; the conveying cycle was shortened from 5 hours (traditional mode) to 1.4 hours, reducing the downtime caused by insufficient conveying by about 45 hours per year and indirectly increasing the production capacity value; the smooth adaptation to the 3 bends saved the investment and maintenance costs of 2 transshipment stations, while avoiding material loss in the transshipment link.
In terms of environmental protection and compliance, the full-system sealed design reduced dust emissions from 25mg/m³ to 7.2mg/m³, which not only met national environmental protection standards but also satisfied the strict requirements for open-pit factories in Huanggang, and the factory has not received any complaints from nearby residents since then; the limestone loss rate was reduced from 4.5% to 0.8%, and based on the annual conveying volume of 18 million tons of the Huanggang factory, the annual loss was reduced by about 666,000 tons, significantly improving material utilization; the design of the rain cover and sealed conveyor belt reduced the limestone agglomeration rate from 12% to 1.5% during the rainy season, eliminating the need for additional crushing processes, which not only saved energy consumption but also reduced the impact of rainwater in Huanggang on material processing.
In terms of reliability and durability, the core components of the equipment (idlers, rollers, motors) have operated for more than 35,000 hours without large-scale replacement, and only regular replacement of conveyor belts and cleaning scrapers is required; the annual maintenance frequency was reduced from 10 times to 3 times, and maintenance costs were reduced by 40%; even in the temperature difference environment of -8℃ ~ 40℃ and rainy conditions in Huanggang, the annual equipment failure rate was only 0.4%, far lower than the target of 0.6%, and no major failures occurred due to extreme weather; later, when the Huanggang factory carried out the second-phase production capacity upgrade, it only needed to fine-tune the motor power and PLC program to adapt to the new demand of 2,500 tons per hour, and the equipment expandability completely exceeded expectations.
The project manager of the Huanggang factory said: "Initially, we were most worried about the 3 bends and the rainy weather in Huanggang. Unexpectedly, ZOOMRY's equipment not only handles the curves very smoothly but also withstands the heavy rains in summer and low temperatures in winter. When we encounter problems that we cannot solve ourselves, the technical engineers guide us to adjust them remotely, which does not delay production at all. Now we plan to add a new limestone processing line, and we will definitely choose ZOOMRY again. After all, the equipment has strong adaptability and the local service is also in place."
Core Advantages of ZOOMRY
- Scenario-based customization capability: Targeting the topographic and climatic characteristics of Huanggang City, Hubei Province, ZOOMRY completed the customization of the full set of solutions in only 2.5 months. Through curve tension control and rainproof and anti-corrosion design, it perfectly adapts to the 3 bends and rainy environment. Compared with the design cycle of more than 6 months of international brands, it significantly shortens the project implementation time.
- Full-chain equipment synergy: From unloaders, feeders to curved conveyors, the entire series of equipment are independently developed by ZOOMRY, with seamless parameter matching (such as precise coordination between unloading speed and feeding volume), avoiding compatibility issues of equipment from different brands; core components are independently produced, with performance surpassing national standards and CEMA standards, ensuring the overall reliability of the system.
- Localized operation and maintenance services: Relying on domestic service outlets and spare parts warehouses, ZOOMRY realizes a response time of within 7 days for commonly used spare parts, and the 24-hour multilingual technical hotline solves problems quickly, completely getting rid of the operation and maintenance dilemma of relying on imported spare parts, especially suitable for the needs of factories in Huanggang that require localized services.
