New type of rubber for conveyor belts reduces energy consumption by 50%

The major perpetrator of emissions at a bulk terminal is the transport system, for example the conveyor belts. By using rubber with a low rolling resistance, TU Delft succeeded in reducing energy consumption by 50 per cent.

Gabriel Lodewijks, professor of Transport Engineering and Logistics at the faculty of 3mE: 'The Port of Rotterdam Authority places restrictions on the level of emissions at bulk terminals. The greatest contributor to pollution in such a terminal is the transport system, including the conveyor belts for example. We therefore 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.'

Lodewijks: 'This example illustrates extremely well how you can achieve significant sustainability gains by examining a certain component in a very specific way. 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.'

Another example is the improvement of the routing of Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs) in container transshipment areas. Instead of programming the AGVs to travel in straight lines, Lodewijks allows them to choose the most efficient route for themselves without bumping into each other, in the same way as people use a busy pedestrian crossing. In this way, the AGVs travel shorter distances, which in turn reduces emissions and energy consumption. 

Provided by Delft University of Technology