Smiley Monroe's new generation of polymer conveyor rollers are proving to be a successful replacement for steel rollers at Irish Salt Mines, Kilroot.
The Irish Salt Mining & Exploration Company (I.S.M.E. Co. Ltd) has been mining De-Icing Rock Salt at its Kilroot mine near Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland since 1965. Producing half a million tonnes of De-icing Rock Salt per annum, the Irish Salt Mines can meet the toughest demands in the harshest winters. Export is handled through its deep water berth on the north shore of Belfast Lough, complete with a loading conveyor running directly from storage facilities at the mine site.
As sole supplier of conveyor belts and on-site service to the Irish Salt Mines for over 30 years, Smiley Monroe is very familiar with the harsh conditions in which their customer’s conveyor rollers operate. Constructed with a strengthened high density polyethylene (HDPE) frame, one of the important advantages of King Roller comes from its unique design feature: a triple labyrinth seal, which protects the bearings from moisture and dust damage. Another advantage of King Roller is its low friction surface, which greatly reduces carryback material build-up on the roller face; the main cause of belt tracking problems, material spillage, premature wear and failure of steel rollers.
Derek Moore, Mine Manager, Irish Salt Mines, comments: “I am happy with the performance of Smiley Monroe’s King Rollers, which have been running on our Exporting Jetty Belt for almost 2 years, without any visible signs of wear. I’ve been particularly impressed with the sealing arrangement and their lighter weight, which makes handling easier. The big test for us was when we power-washed the rollers and stored them for 5 to 6 weeks, which can be very hard on rollers. We re-fitted the King Rollers with no problems or moisture ingress.”
Tougher than Steel, 50% Lighter, Up to 20% More Efficient
The customer has now successfully replaced a large number of steel drop-in type end supported sets and return rollers on their surface conveyors. Keith Stevenson, NI Sales Engineer, Smiley Monroe, adds: “We recommended King Rollers because they are ideal for use in humid and corrosive environments, such as zinc, potash and salt mines. Unlike steel rollers, King Rollers will not rust and cause belt damage, so they don’t just deliver longer service life, but also satisfy a growing demand for energy-saving products that keep running costs down. Our new low friction (PU) conveyor skirting and Straight Warp conveyor belt have also been designed with energy-saving in mind. In today’s world of ever-rising energy costs, King Roller’s lightweight yet robust design can help reduce belt tensions and power requirements by up to 20%.”
