Conveyor belts are widely used in mining, quarrying, power plants, cement plants, ports, warehouses and industrial material handling systems. They move materials continuously over long distances, often through dusty, hot, vibrating or hard-to-access environments. Because of these operating conditions, conveyor belts can become one of the most important fire-risk areas in an industrial facility.
A fire on a conveyor belt may start from an overheated bearing, belt friction, motor drive failure, electrical fault, material buildup or hot particles carried by the belt. Once a fire starts, it may spread along the conveyor route quickly and affect production equipment, cable routes, transfer stations and nearby structures.
For this type of risk, point-type fire detectors are often not enough. Conveyor belt hazards are distributed along a line. A practical fire detection system should monitor the conveyor route continuously and detect abnormal heat close to the potential fire source.
This is why linear heat cable is a practical solution for conveyor belt fire detection.
Conveyor belt systems are not simple indoor rooms. They are long, moving, mechanical systems with multiple fire-risk points. A conveyor may include drive motors, rollers, bearings, belt surfaces, transfer points, cable trays and control equipment. Fire may occur at any location along the system.
Typical conveyor belt fire risks include:
In mining and quarrying applications, conveyor belts are often installed in dusty, harsh and difficult-to-maintain locations. In these environments, smoke detectors may be affected by dust, airflow or installation limitations. Flame detectors may be useful in open flame applications, but they require a clear line of sight. Point heat detectors only monitor fixed positions.
A conveyor belt needs fire detection that follows the hazard route. Linear heat cable can be installed along the conveyor structure and provide continuous heat detection along the protected line.
Linear heat cable is a continuous heat sensing cable. Instead of detecting fire at a single point, the entire cable acts as a heat detector. It can be installed along the conveyor belt, conveyor drive area, transfer point or nearby cable tray.
ANWETECH Digital Linear Heat Detector is a system solution that includes:
The sensing cable is installed along the protected route. The adapter module monitors the cable status and sends the alarm signal to the fire alarm control panel. The end-of-line unit provides termination for the detection loop.
For conveyor belt fire detection, this system structure is practical because the sensing cable can follow the conveyor route and monitor heat rise along the full protected length.
ANWETECH Linear Heat Detection Cable works based on a fixed-temperature principle. The cable contains two conductors separated by a heat-sensitive NTC polymer material. Under normal conditions, the cable remains in standby status.
When any section of the sensing cable is exposed to its rated alarm temperature, the internal material changes state and creates a short circuit between the two conductors. This change is detected by the adapter unit. The adapter module then transmits a confirmed fire alarm signal to the Fire Alarm Control Panel through a 24 VDC interface.
For conveyor belts, this means that if heat builds up near a conveyor drive, roller, bearing, transfer point or belt section, the linear heat cable can detect the temperature rise when it reaches the rated alarm level.
The system provides uniform sensitivity along the entire cable length and does not require field calibration or temperature adjustment. This is useful for industrial projects where stable operation and simple maintenance are important.
A conveyor belt is a long fire-risk area. Point detectors can only protect selected positions, while linear heat cable can monitor the conveyor route continuously.
This makes it suitable for conveyor belt drives, transfer points, belt galleries and long material handling routes.
Linear heat cable can be installed close to the conveyor structure. It detects heat directly rather than waiting for smoke to travel to a detector. This is important in conveyor systems where airflow, dust or open structures may affect smoke movement.
Mining conveyors, quarry conveyors and industrial conveyors often operate in dusty and harsh conditions. A heat sensing cable is less dependent on clean air movement than smoke detection. This makes it practical for environments where ordinary smoke detectors may not be suitable.
The ANWETECH adapter unit, model AT-LHMI, operates on 24 VDC with a working voltage range of 16–28 VDC. It monitors standby, alarm and fault conditions and provides a practical interface for fire alarm control panels or passive input modules.
Key adapter module data includes:
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Model | AT-LHMI |
| Operating Voltage | 24 VDC, range 16–28 VDC |
| Standby Current | ≤ 20 mA |
| Alarm Current | ≤ 35 mA |
| Fault Current | ≤ 25 mA |
| Protection Rating | IP66 |
| Housing Material | Aluminum alloy |
| Dimensions | 127 x 85 x 58 mm |
This allows the linear heat detection cable to be integrated into a wider fire alarm system for conveyor belt protection.
Conveyor galleries, mining conveyors and material handling systems can be difficult to inspect regularly. Linear heat detection cable does not require field calibration or temperature adjustment. Once installed correctly, it provides a stable detection method with lower maintenance demand.
Different conveyor systems operate at different ambient temperatures. A conveyor inside a normal industrial building is different from a conveyor near hot equipment or in an outdoor high-temperature area.
ANWETECH provides multiple fixed alarm temperature ratings:
| Alarm Temperature | Maximum Ambient Temperature | Typical Conveyor Application |
| 68°C | +45°C | Ordinary indoor conveyor routes and low-temperature areas |
| 88°C | +60°C | General industrial conveyor systems |
| 105°C | +75°C | Higher-temperature conveyor drive or equipment areas |
| 138°C | +93°C | Hot industrial environments |
| 180°C | +121°C | Very high-temperature areas where false alarms must be avoided |
The correct alarm temperature should be selected according to the maximum normal ambient temperature around the conveyor. Selecting a temperature that is too low may cause nuisance alarms. Selecting a temperature that is too high may reduce early warning performance.
Conveyor belt environments can vary greatly. Some conveyors are installed indoors. Others are installed outdoors, in corrosive areas, in mining galleries or in hazardous industrial environments. ANWETECH provides different cable constructions for different applications.
The standard type is suitable for general industrial conveyor areas. It is designed for reliable operation in standard environments and can be used for indoor conveyor routes, conveyor drive areas and ordinary material handling systems.
Construction includes galvanized steel conductors, insulation layer, polycarbonate bandage and PVC outer jacket.
Outdoor conveyors may be exposed to UV radiation, rain, humidity, acid, alkali or salt-spray corrosion. For these conditions, the CR/OD type is more suitable.
This type uses a fluoropolymer outer jacket and provides better resistance to ultraviolet radiation, severe weather, acids, alkalis and salt-spray corrosion.
It is suitable for outdoor conveyor belts, coastal industrial facilities, ports, chemical plants, cement plants and other harsh environments.
Some conveyor systems are installed in hazardous or high-interference areas, such as mining sites, petrochemical plants, fuel handling areas or explosion-risk environments. In these applications, the EP type is more suitable.
The EP type includes stainless-steel braid for EMI shielding and static-charge dissipation. The braid must be grounded, and suitable safety barriers are required in potentially explosive atmospheres.
This type is suitable for conveyor belt fire detection in hazardous industrial areas where explosion-proof design and electromagnetic interference protection are important.
Linear heat cable can be applied to several important conveyor belt fire-risk areas:
In many projects, the sensing cable can be routed along the conveyor structure and installed near the most likely heat accumulation points.
A practical conveyor belt fire detection system should not only detect heat, but also transmit the alarm signal to the fire alarm control panel or control room.
The ANWETECH system uses the AT-LHMI adapter unit to monitor the sensing cable. When alarm or fault status occurs, the module provides the signal interface for the fire alarm system. The AT-LHME end-of-line unit provides loop termination and supports stable monitoring of the detection circuit.
For engineering design, the following points should be confirmed:
Correct design helps improve fire detection reliability and reduce false alarm risk.
Mining and quarrying are among the most suitable applications for linear heat detection. Conveyor belt drives, crushing houses, high-voltage cable galleries and mobile equipment charging stations are all listed as typical application areas for linear heat detection.
In mining conveyor environments, fire detection equipment must handle dust, vibration, long distances and limited maintenance access. Linear heat cable provides continuous detection along the conveyor route and can be installed close to the hazard area.
For mining operators, this can help detect abnormal heat before the fire spreads along the conveyor system.
