Application
Conveyor Bulk Material Cleaning
Carryback is the material a bulk belt keeps after the discharge pulley. It falls along the return run and builds on idlers and pulleys. A driven spiral brush behind the primary scraper takes off what the blade leaves. Use PA66 for dry fines, PBT for wet sticky material and EPDM blades where filament clogs.
At a glance
- Cleaning target
- Powdered Material/Particles/Debris/Adhered Residue
- Working environment
- Dry Indoor Area / Wet Indoor Area / Outdoor
- Cleaning method
- Dry Brushing / Wet Brushing
- Requirements to check
- Machine Guarding and Lockout/Tagout SOP; Brush Dynamic-Balance Requirements
Why does a bulk belt need a brush as well as a scraper?
A scraper blade takes the bulk of the carryback off at the head pulley. What it leaves is the hard part: fines in the cover texture, a thin damp film, material in the cleats and splices. That residue drops off along the return run, piles up under the conveyor and wraps the idlers, and somebody has to shovel it.
A rotating brush works differently from a blade. Its tips strike the belt over and over and flick the fines out of the texture, so it cleans a belt surface a blade rides over. On cleated and chevron belts, it reaches between the cleats where a blade cannot go.
The brush is placed just past the head pulley, behind the scraper on the return side, driven against the belt direction, with a drop chute below to catch what it throws off.
Which bulk conveyors need a brush cleaner?
| Part or area | Residue type | Cleaning requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Grain and Seed Conveyor | Grain dust, husk and seed fragments carried back on the belt | Span the belt and sweep dry carryback off at the discharge point. |
| Aggregate and Mineral Conveyor | Aggregate fines, mineral dust, compacted carryback | Hard-wearing fill that takes abrasive fines off the belt. |
| Coal and Coke Conveyor | Coal fines and sticky carryback on the return side | Clear fines from the return side without packing them into the belt. |
| Powder and Fine Material Conveyor | Fine powder caked on the belt and pulleys | Dense fill that lifts fine powder caked on the belt and pulleys. |
| Sticky Bulk Material Conveyor | Wet clay, filter cake and other sticky material clinging to the belt | Work behind a scraper to take off what the scraper leaves. |
Ranges we work to for bulk conveyor brushes:
| Parameter | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Working width | 100–3,000 mm per section, several sections on one shaft for wider belts |
| Brush outside diameter | 60–500 mm |
| Engagement into the belt | 2–10 mm |
| PA66 roller, one example | 100 mm diameter, 500 mm face, up to 300 rpm |
| PA66 filament diameter | 0.30–0.80 mm |
| PA66 continuous temperature | 80°C |
Which brush suits each bulk material?
| Cleaning target | Recommended brush type | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Grain and Seed Conveyor | Roller and Conveyor Brushes | Grain left on the return belt goes rancid and cross-contaminates the next batch, so a roller brush strips it while the line is running. |
| Aggregate and Mineral Conveyor | Wet mineral fines dry hard on the belt and score the pulley lagging, so the brush is placed at the head pulley to take them off before they set. | |
| Coal and Coke Conveyor | Coal carryback builds under the conveyor and becomes a fire and housekeeping problem, so a driven brush removes it at the belt rather than off the floor later. | |
| Powder and Fine Material Conveyor | Fine powder builds a thin even layer rather than lumps, so a full-width brush in constant light contact is what keeps the surface clear. | |
| Sticky Bulk Material Conveyor | Sticky material will not release from a blade, so a rotating brush works it off with repeated tip strikes instead of a single scrape. |
A spiral fill moves the removed material to one side or both, toward the chute. Brushes run by their own motor, faster than the belt and against its direction, so the tips strike rather than wipe.
Long brushes are balanced, because an unbalanced roll shakes its bearings and the conveyor frame.
Which fill suits which carryback?
| If the condition is… | Filament to start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dry fines, grain dust and aggregate | PA66 Nylon | Stiff and hard-wearing against abrasive fines |
| Wet, sticky carryback and coal fines | PBT | Low water uptake, stays stiff in wet service |
| Wet clay and filter cake that clog filament | EPDM Rubber Brush Blade | Rubber blades on a rotating core flick sticky material off |
PA66 suits oils, greases and dilute acids and alkalis. Strong oxidizing acids call for another fill.
How should a bulk conveyor brush be set and kept?
- Mount it behind the primary scraper, on the return side, with a chute below.
- Set engagement evenly across the belt, and re-set as the fill wears.
- Guard the brush and lock out the conveyor before any adjustment.
- Clear packed material from the fill and the chute on a schedule.
- Check bearings and balance when the roll starts to vibrate.
What do we need to quote a bulk conveyor brush?
- Belt width and type: flat, cleated or chevron.
- The bulk material and whether it is dry, damp or sticky.
- Mounting position, shaft, bearings and drive.
- Belt speed and the brush speed you plan to run.
- Quantity per design: 100 pieces for rollers.
When will a brush not stop carryback?
A brush is a secondary cleaner. Heavy carryback needs a properly tensioned primary scraper at the head pulley first. Belts with damaged covers or poor splices carry material a brush cannot clear. Very sticky clay may need a water spray with the brush.
What mistakes make conveyor brushes fail?
- Using a brush in place of a primary scraper.
- Running the brush with the belt instead of against it.
- Letting the fill pack solid with wet material.
- Fitting an unguarded brush on the return run.
Questions buyers ask about Conveyor Bulk Material Cleaning
Where should a conveyor brush cleaner be mounted?
Behind the primary scraper, on the return side, with a chute below to catch what it throws off. Drive it against the belt direction so the tips strike the belt.
Can a brush replace a belt scraper?
No. The scraper takes the bulk of the carryback at the head pulley; the brush is a secondary cleaner that takes fines out of the cover texture and from between cleats.
Guides that go deeper on this
Conveyor Belt Cleaner Brush: Material and Size for Carryback
Read this guideGuideMining Conveyor Belt Brush Mistakes in Wet Carryback
Read this guideGuideReturn Belt Cleaning Brush: What Clears Wet Carryback?
Read this guideGuideWhich Conveyor Belt Cleaning Brush Clears Wet Material Carryback?
Read this guideGuideConveyor Belt Cleaning Brush Design
Read this guideGuideCustom Brush Sampling and Validation Plan
Read this guideContinue Exploring
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Discuss This Application
Share the working surface, residue, dimensions, material direction, interface, quantity and drawing or sample photo.
We reply to every request within 24 hours, with a quotation or with the questions we need answered first. If the brush can be made on our existing tooling, we make the sample directly. If it needs new tooling, we quote a sample fee and a tooling fee, and the sample fee is credited against the bulk order. Need an NDA first? We sign yours before you send drawings, and the files you send are never shown to other customers.
- MOQ500 pcs for small hand-held brushes, 100 pcs for medium and large ones
- SampleTypically 3–7 days
- ProductionFrom 7 days after sample approval, by size and quantity
- Payment30% deposit and 70% before shipment above US$10,000; smaller orders on agreed terms
“We need a brush to remove wet residue from a stainless steel conveyor, about 800mm wide. The current brush wears quickly. We can send photos.”
“We sell drinkware and need a cleaning brush to include with the product. Quantity around 5,000 pieces.”