New Conveyor Idler Bearing Isolator from Inpro/Seal Increases Productivity, Reliability and Safety while Reducing Maintenance, Downtime and Power Consumption
Before the advent of the Belt Conveyor Idler/Roller Bearing Isolator, end users had to deal with outdated sealing methods, in particular elastomeric seals to protect idler bearings. Small, spring loaded, contact seal, elastomerics are tiny plastic devices that make contact and rub on the exterior of the idler roll while operating.
Elastomeric seals are widely used because they are cheap and because there has not been anything better available — that is until now. As a contact seal is prone to failure and needs constant maintenance, the entire bearing protection system is somewhat precarious. And when an elastomeric seal quits working, undesirable things happen, much of it without warning.
Use Of Conveyor Idlers
Belt conveyors are in service, around the world, working 24/7 to “trough the belt” or transport bulk materials in coal mining, ore mining, aggregate, hard quarry and related applications including; concrete, asphalt, fertilizer, salt, recycling, wood, pulp and paper, electric utility, grain, construction, agricultural, steel and general industrial.
These belts are typically supported by three conveyor rollers, or idlers, positioned at intervals as close as three linear feet. One roller is horizontal and other two are positioned on either side, at an angle necessary to carry the burden.
Depending on the specific application, they operate above and under ground and may extend for many miles over mountainous terrain, roads and streams. There may be as many as 10,500 bearings and bearing protection devices on the conveyor rollers per mile of run. In the mining industry it is estimated that each mine has 3-4 miles of conveyor with idlers strung out the entire length of the belt.
Failure Is Not An Option
When an idler fails, it is most likely be the result of bearing damage caused by contaminants (dust or moisture) entering the bearing environment. Chances are the plastic has failed by wearing out and has grooved the shaft or has burned to a crisp at the point of contact.
Once an elastomeric seal fails, contaminants are drawn into the housing where they condense and contaminate the lubricant and cause the bearings to fail. The end result is a seized roll, belt damage or worse. The idler can burst open, and if it does, metal-on-metal contact can cause a fire. To counter, most mining operations employ greasers that work – around the clock – to try to keep idler bearings lubricated in an effort to try to make contact seals work. Because lip seals carry a 100% failure rate, eventually end users will have to deal with catastrophic belt failure no matter what they try.
Enter The Belt Conveyor Idler Roller Bearing Isolator
To counter, Inpro/Seal took their bearing isolator, a compound labyrinth bearing protection device, that they invented (and patented) in 1977 and modified it for use bulk solid applications. A non-contacting, non-sparking bronze labyrinth type seal, it provides safe, permanent bearing protection that never wears out and requires only a negligible amount of energy to operate.
In the event of main rolling element bearing failure, it can also operate as an emergency sleeve bearing for a short time. Because it is located completely exposed at each end of the idler, generated heat can be measured with a thermographic sensor
No Equipment Modification, Easy To Install