Identification of the operating parameters of the friction drum drive in industrial conditions

Belt conveyors belong to the most effective means of transporting loose materials. Global trends in the development of the raw materials industry, in which conveyor transport systems are of crucial importance, force the design of ever longer and effective haulage routes. Modern belt conveyors should be characterized by high reliability and durability as well as low investment and operating costs. Currently conducted research and development works in the field of conveyor belt transport include diagnostics and monitoring as well as laboratory and industrial tests. The knowledge and experience gathered during these investigations help to improve the calculation methods and optimize the conveyor design. The use of advanced diagnostic and monitoring methods significantly contributes to the improvement of the reliability and safety of belt transport systems operation [17, 18, 26]. In [9], the authors indicate that the development of conveyor transport systems requires modern systems for monitoring the condition of components and effective diagnostic systems that implement the assumptions of Industry 4.0. One of the current trends in the development of conveyor transport is also the reduction of energy consumption through the use of speed control systems as a function of the degree of the conveyor’s loading [6]. In the field of laboratory tests, particular attention is paid to the testing of conveyor components, such as idlers and belts [1]. The works carried out in this area confirm that the operational features of the conveyor’s subassemblies may be determined in laboratory tests, provided that the actual operating conditions have been reproduced, for example the condition of the idler load with radial and axial forces when measuring the rotational resistance [11, 16]. Industrial testing of belt conveyors is a necessary element in the process of calculation methods verification. The publication [2] emphasizes the need to identify the load of the conveyor with material transported in real conditions, using dedicated specialized equipment. Measurements of conveyor operation parameters in industrial conditions are necessary to verify some calculation factors, such as the main resistance coefficient, which is discussed in the paper [4]. The results of properly planned and systematically conducted industrial tests provide a basis for introducing advanced, nonlinear computa-