Nonlinear dynamic characteristics of carriage belt conveyors on small-radius curves

The carriage belt conveyor offers an innovative solution for bulk mineral transportation, demonstrating the interdisciplinary application of material handling and railway engineering technologies. In this system, the conveyor belt is supported by the carriage, which moves along rails mounted on elevated legs. As the carriage moves through curves, it is subjected to various forces, including lateral tension in the conveyor belt, gravity, centrifugal force, and wheel-rail interactions. In small-radius curves, a significant nonlinear relationship between lateral tension and curve radius challenges the stability of the system. However, existing research has not sufficiently addressed the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of carriage belt conveyors. Therefore, this paper develops a mechanical model for carriage belt conveyors on small-radius curves. Theoretical analysis results show that as the curve radius increases, the lateral tension exhibits oscillatory behavior before stabilizing. Next, the dynamics of the curved section are analyzed through numerical simulations in two scenarios: with and without the inner curve elevation angle. The results reveal that the inner curve elevation angle can affect the wheel-rail lateral interaction forces. Finally, based on the calculation and numerical simulation results, adjusting the inner curve elevation angle to 8.5° effectively resolves the issue of poor system stability during turns. The findings provide valuable insights into optimizing the design and stability of light rail-based mechanical systems.