New conveyor belt rubber cuts energy use by 50%, researchers claim

ERJ staff report (LMH)

Rotterdam, the Netherlands - A Dutch research team claims it has developed a low rolling resistance rubber that can reduce energy consumption of conveyor belts by 50 percent.

The team at Delft University of Technology noted that shipping terminals often have restrictions placed on the level of emissions allowed. Taking the example of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, the researchers noted that greatest contributor to pollution in these bulk terminals is the transport system, which includes the conveyor belts.

“We looked into the behaviour of these conveyor belts and on the basis of our findings we concluded a new type of rubber was needed. By using a type of rubber that has a low rolling resistance, the compression resistance of the rolls can be reduced, which means that these conveyor belts use between 40 and 60 per cent less energy and the emissions are considerably lower,” commented Gabriel Lodewijks, professor of Transport Engineering and Logistics at TU Delft.

Lodewijks added this example showed how significant gains in sustainability gains an be made by “examining a certain component in a very specific way.”

He noted, “If everything is interconnected, it is difficult to instigate change. But by taking a particular system and looking at it in isolation, it becomes easier to find a solution. As long as you keep the scale of the problem manageable, very relevant improvements can be realised.”

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News release from TU Delft