Page 28 - HUB-4 Magazine Issue 94

Material Recycling Facilities
address these two issues. With the external liner, the
skirtboard is raised above the expected depth of loaded
material causing it to rub against the liner instead of the
skirtboard wall. The external design eliminates the gap
between the liner and the seal.
Skirtboard Cover Configurations
Covers protect the cargo from weather but are used primarily
for dust control. Covers enclose the loading zone and contain
splashing material caused by significant drop distances from
one belt to the other or process equipment such as rotary
crushers. The most common cover is the rigid flat cover made
from steel. When rain protection or buildup of fugitive
materials is a concern, angled or semi-circular covers are often
used. [Fig. 5]
Skirtboard Design and Installation
The distance the bottom edge of the skirtboard or wearliner
from the belt surface often varies by industry. Some designers
keep the skirtboard high off the belt to facilitate idler changes
but a better solution is to use retractable idlers. The primary
issue is the flatness of the belt in the loading area. To achieve
a good seal without damaging the belt’s surface, the belt must
be supported.
Figure 5
Plastic covers are sometimes used to reduce weight.
Regardless of the cover design, the most critical design feature
is ease of access. When there is a lot of positive pressure in
the enclosure, sealing the covers becomes an issue. Porous
covers are sometimes used to reduce positive pressure, but the
most common membrane applications are rubberized fabric
with continuous grip edges that can connect between
vibrating equipment, such as screens, and the skirtboard
enclosure.
Unfortunately, in the rush to get back into production, covers
are removed during cleaning or maintenance and often not
replaced in those areas that require frequent access.
Maintaining the integrity of the covers is critical to the control
of fugitive material. If it is possible that covers will be walked
upon, load bearing work platforms should be incorporated into
the design.
The raised skirtboard allows room for the external wearliner to perform its
function and be changed easily from outside the system.
Common practice is to place the wearliner bottom edge
parallel, but close to the belt, with approximately 25 mm of
clearance for the skirtboard upright from the belt. The liner is
then adjusted to be closer to the belt in the range of 10 to 20
mm and self-relieving in the direction of travel. Adjusting the
liner to ensure that there are no gaps between liner sections is
essential to prevent particles from being trapped and abrading
the belt.
Conclusion
Each approach is unique to the application and the bulk
handling environment, but preventing dust and spillage makes
the cost of the modifications easy to justify over the long run.
Consider installing an enclosed modular loading chute with an
external wear liner and double skirting. The modular design
makes the chute able to be easily adjusted to changes in
production, belt speed, or material and the seal and wear liner
are adaptable to those changes. This lowers the cost of future
modifications and improves the safety of the transfer point
throughout the conveyor’s life.
Next Month
November | December 2025
SHREDDERS - a review of the latest models.
MOBILE PROCESSING & MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT - material handlers,
mobile stackers, mobile conveyors, mobile radial stockpilers, mobile tracked conveyors.
QUARRYING - Open topics for this issue, RECYCLING - Open topics for this issue
BULK HANDLING - Open topics for this issue
Editorial copy deadline – 17th November 2025 - Advert copy deadline – 24th November 2025
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www.hub-4.com Sept/Oct - Issue 94