ABHR Jan 2019

www.bulkhandlingreview.com

VOLUME 24, ISSUE 1 | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

In this issue: Pneumatic conveying feature Best design for chute systems Conveyor cleaning solutions

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CONTENTS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

Published by:

20

11-15 Buckhurst St South Melbourne VIC 3205 T: 03 9690 8766 www.primecreativemedia.com.au Publisher Christine Clancy E: christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au Editor Paula Wallace E: paula.wallace@primecreative.com.au Journalist William Arnott E: william.arnott@primecreative.com.au Business Development Manager Luke Ronca E: luke.ronca@primecreative.com.au

24

30

50

8 G rainCorp board downplays takeover bid

20 How Flexco helped a food processor save thousands

alking on air with Aerobelt 38 W conveyors

9 GFG Alliance announces Whyalla steel expansion

22 Vibratory solutions from ESS

50 W orld first for thyssenkrupp in the Pilbara

24 New CEO’s vision for REMA Tip Top

10 Nepean and Fitzroy partner to deliver Ironbark project 12 Tianqi Lithium awards contract at Kwinana 13 Pilbara Minerals to expand Pilgangoora

26 Reputation for quality sets Rotolok apart 28 Aspec Engineering explains the differences between standards

14 Ground broken on Inland Rail

30 Fenner Dunlop supplies the right conveyor belt for the job

15 Brevini Australia changes name to Dana SAC Australia

32 C oncetti gets a head start on the next century

16 C rowdsourcing solutions for mining challenges

34 BULKTalk: Best practice in chute design

52 Kinder collaboration keeps quarry conveyors clean 54 Enmin keeps materials and profits flowing 56 Using hydraulic tools for the heavy lifting: Enerpac 58 Engineered Solutions by Dyna Engineering 62 ASBSH Member Profile: Wei Chen

Client Success Manager Janine Clements E: janine.clements@primecreative.com.au Art Director Michelle Weston E: michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au Design Blake Storey, Kerry Pert, Madeline McCarty

PNEUMATIC CONVEYING 40 Development of design models for the transport of alumina on air-gravity conveyors

46 Ask an Engineer with Jenike & Johanson: What do I really need to know about pneumatic conveying?

Subscriptions Gordon Watson T:03 9690 8766 E: gordon.watson@primecreative.com.au

www.bulkhandlingreview.com The Publisher reserves the right to alter or omit any article or advertisement submitted and requires indemnity from the advertisers and contributors against damages or liabilities that may arise from material published. © Copyright – No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the permission of the publisher.

COVER STORY Acquisition broadens horizons for Kockums www.bulkhandlingreview.com

VOLUME 24, ISSUE 7 | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

In this issue: Pneumatic conveying feature Best design for chute systems Conveyor cleaning solutions

MAINTAIN TRACTION WITH AN ENGINEERED SOLUTION FROM KOCKUMS

Kockums Bulk Systems’ (KBS) managing director Francois Steyn talks to ABHR about the focus of the business since its acquisition last year

by Canadian company Premier Tech Chronos (PTC). Most notably, how the packaging lines of PTC complement the powder handling lines of KBS, which essentially gives the latter the ability to provide front-to-back turnkey systems for its clients. KBS also continues to build on its reputation for providing innovative solutions to the Australian market, like the fully automatic super low velocity dense phase conveying system featured on the cover - a sanding system that provides traction for locomotives.

For the full story, see page 18.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019 І 3

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EDITORIAL

Big year ahead We’re pleased to announce that ABHR will be bringing the bulk handling industry together, for a new trade exhibition BULK2020, to be held from April 1-3 2020 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

We invite you all to become involved either as a visitor or an exhibitor at the event, which will be held in conjunction with MEGATRANS2020.

Supported by the Australian Society for Bulk Solids Handling, BULK2020 will bring all local and overseas bulk materials equipment and technology providers together under one roof. You can find out more on page 8 and by visiting: www.bulkhandlingexpo.com.au For this first issue of ABHR for 2019 we are featuring a broad range of stories and a special feature on pneumatic conveying, starting on page 40. Here, you’ll find a story on the development of design models for the transport of alumina on air-gravity conveyors. Experts from TUNRA Bulk Solids, the Centre for Bulk Solids and Particulate Technologies and Zhejiang Construction Engineering Group, examine various conveying models for air-gravity conveyor flows.

There’s also a piece by Jenike & Johanson’s Eric Maynard on what you really need to know about pneumatic conveying. Given that specifying a pneumatic conveying system is usually a one-shot play due to the cost and degree of supporting value chain customisation required to accommodate it, this makes for important reading.

ABHR also speaks with the new CEO of REMA Tip Tip, Karsten Bartnicki (page 24) about his vision for the materials handling and automotive specialist and the company’s drive to develop the smart conveyor.

Imagine a conveyor system that monitors all the conveyor components to improve cost reduction and asset availability, and you’ll have some idea of where REMA Tip Top is headed with this technology.

In this issue, Dyna Engineering also makes its debut as a regular contributor to ABHR (page 58) with a piece on conveyor belt cleaning solutions.

We hope you enjoy reading this issue.

Christine Clancy Publisher - ABHR

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Premier bulk handling expo makes debut Australian Bulk Handling Review is excited to bring the bulk handling industry together for a new trade exhibition, BULK2020, which will be held from April 1-3 2020, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH MEGATRANS2020, the BULK2020 exhibition will showcase all the latest products and services in the bulk handling industry.

Supported by the Australian Society for Bulk Solids Handling, BULK2020 is aimed at businesses that are bulk commodity producers who require plant and equipment to run their businesses more efficiently and keep one step ahead of the opposition. Technologies and equipment that will be on display include conveyors and their components, motors and drives, belt scrapers, container tipplers, weighing and level measurement devices and instrumentation.

“Since announcing BULK2020, we’ve had plenty of local and overseas interest from potential

AUSTRALIAN BULK HANDLING EXPO exhibitors and those who are intending to visit the expo,” said exhibition director Simon Coburn.

“To have all these exhibitors under one roof in not only a great place for business opportunities, but a fantastic occasion to network within this fastpaced and essential industry.”

For enquiries about exhibiting at BULK2020, please contact Ben Griffiths on Ph: +61 3 9690 8766 or ben.griffiths@primecreative.com.au.

GrainCorp board downplays takeover bid GrainCorp has opened its books to Long-Term Asset Partners (LTAP) and told the takeover bidder to put together a better and more certain offer.

offered to buy 100 per cent of the ASX-listed grain handler via an all-cash deal worth $2.38 billion, or $10.42 per share.

To fund the move, LTAP, chaired by Tony Shepherd and deputy chaired by former Aurizon boss Lance Hockridge, had secured a $3.2 billion acquisition facility from Goldman Sachs, and $400 million from Westbourne Capital.

But GrainCorp, speaking to the market after the bid was received on December 3, said LTAP still needed to prove it can table a more certain proposal.

“The LTAP proposal at this stage is not sufficiently certain or in a form which would allow the board to make a recommendation to shareholders,” GrainCorp chairman Graham Bradley wrote on December 19.

“At this stage, there is no certainty that our engagement with LTAP will result in a binding proposal for GrainCorp, what the terms of any such proposal would be, or whether it would be recommended by the GrainCorp Board.”

Mr Bradley said GrainCorp is providing LTAP due diligence under the terms of confidentiality, to

8 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

provide it the opportunity to make a renewed offer.

But he reiterated GrainCorp’s initial response to the bid, saying it would be taken as just one of several potential strategic initiatives on the table as part of GrainCorp’s ongoing review of its portfolio of assets.

“The review is considering a wide range of potential value creation strategies, including options for maximising the value of our malting, bulk liquid storage and our grains storage and logistics assets,” Mr Bradley wrote.

“GrainCorp has a portfolio of high-quality assets and businesses and our review has highlighted that these are clearly of interest in Australia and abroad.

“It is the board’s intention to give detailed consideration to the full range of opportunities open to us, so we can advise shareholders on the best way forward.”

Mr Bradley said the GrainCorp board would share the results of its full review in February.

Image: GrainCorp

LTAP MADE WAVES LATE LAST YEAR WHEN IT

GFG Alliance announces Whyalla steel expansion GFG Alliance executive chairman Sanjeev Gupta has revealed the company is planning to construct a steel plant in Whyalla, South Australia, that will be the largest in the western world.

ALLIANCE IS AN INTERNATIONAL GROUP OF businesses owned by the British Gupta Family.

Mr Gupta announced the project, dubbed Liberty Next-Gen Steel, alongside Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten at a press conference in Whyalla.

The project will create a new steel plant for Whyalla capable of producing 10 million tonnes a year.

Mr Gupta also announced that the existing Whyalla steelworks would also be transformed through a $600 million investment into a 1.8 million tonnes a year steel producer.

GFG Alliance mining division SIMEC Mining secured two mining leases in January last year for the Iron Sultan and Iron Warrior iron mines near Whyalla.

The Iron Sultan mine is expected to feed 600,000

tonnes a year of hematite iron ore to the existing Whyalla steelworks. GFG Alliance will, however, require significant sources of iron ore for its new plant, something it seems to be working towards.

SIMEC Mining has returned highly prospective results from a drilling program at Havilah Resources’ Grants Iron Ore Basin, a discovery favourably positioned for the Whyalla operations.

The company has signed two contracts, with Danieli and CISDI Engineering, for the development of rail and structural heavy section mill, and a pulverised coal injection (PCI) plant respectively over the next three years at Whyalla.

“This transformation will vastly improve the operational, financial and environmental performance of the operations, paving the way for Whyalla to become an enticing, global hub for innovative industry,” said Mr Gupta.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019 І 9

NEWS

Nepean and Fitzroy partner to deliver Ironbark project Under a unique partnership, NEPEAN® will design and deliver equipment at Fitzroy Australia Resources’ Ironbark No. 1 coking coal project in Queensland, THE COMPANIES ARE COLLABORATING TO execute the project as an integrated team in two phases: the accelerated design and development; and the acquisition, installation and commissioning.

The scope includes all surface and underground conveyors, electrical systems, electrical reticulation, the mine ventilation system and the longwall system.

NEPEAN’s head of operations, Rolf van Rooyen, told ABHR, “The collaborative approach to this project is in a different league all together.

“We’ve delivered many large projects to customers… but not across all three parts of the business on the same greenfield site,” he said, noting that all three of NEPEAN’s mining services related businesses are involved in delivering the project - NEPEAN Conveyors, NEPEAN Power and NEPEAN Longwall.

“This project wasn’t won on an open tender, it was based on many years of developing a close relationship between NEPEAN and Fitzroy,” said Mr Van Rooyen.

“The executive management from Fitzroy approached us and said ‘we want to engage you as our partner’, so the commercial model is different from what has been the norm in the past.”

Mr Van Rooyen said Fitzroy will get better value through taking this new approach of collaborative decision making and will also save time.

Fitzroy received approval from the Queensland Government for the Ironbark No. 1 project late last year. The project, 35km northeast of Moranbah, is expected to create 350 jobs.

“We assisted Fitzroy with some inputs during the feasibility studies for this project, but NEPEAN only really got involved once the project got the go-ahead after bankable feasibility study stage of the project,” said Mr Van Rooyen.

“Our value adding business services include every phase of the lifecycle of the project. We’re not just a design house but a real OEM with industry leading design expertise combined with more than 30 years of manufacturing, installation, commissioning and life cycle

10 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

maintenance experience.”

While NEPEAN will endeavor to make as much equipment as possible in Australia, it can also draw on its global operational footprint with NEPEAN owned factories in Europe, Africa, South America, and North America (in addition to its Australian operations).

NEPEAN will also offer value to Fitzroy through its global supply chain capabilities in Asia and other parts of the world.

“We own and operate factories in Australia on the east and west coasts,” said Mr Van Rooyen.

“We have two in Europe, one in Brazil, facilities in North America and a long standing and proven supply chain in China.”

While this project will provide significant revenue for the NEPEAN group over the next few years it will not affect its ability to service other customers.

“We like to fly under the radar but we are the biggest privately owned operator in the mining services space in Australia,” said Mr Van Rooyen.

The project has already commenced with the procurement phase picking up from April next year and first production of coal expected in the first quarter of 2020.

BELOW: NEPEAN will supply the entire longwall system at the Ironbark No. 1 coking coal project.

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NEWS

Tianqi Lithium awards contract to SIMPEC at Kwinana SIMPEC has won its largest contract to date – an $8 million agreement at Tianqi Lithium’s Kwinana processing plant in Western Australia.

THE TIANQI CONTRACT ENTAILS PIPING AND insulation for the processing plant’s Pyromet area.

It was awarded by MSP Engineering, following SIMPEC’s work for Talison lithium mine’s chemical grade plant two (CGP2) project at Greenbushes in Western Australia.

Greenbushes Lithium is also 50-per cent owned

by Tianqi, and its spodumene ore will be processed at Kwinana. The lithium hydroxide process plant is expected to produce 48,000 tonnes per year upon completion.

Bert Mondello, director WestStar Industrial, SIMPEC’s parent company, said, “With this award, SIMPEC has further demonstrated its immense value to the group – with all divisions now winning significant pieces of work and growing exponentially.

“This award will no doubt place SIMPEC in a strong position to win further work and larger contracts.”

The group order book to date is siting at $25 million against a full year revenue of $9 million for WestStar last year.

WestStar acquired SIMPEC in an all-scrip deal valued at around $2.2 million in August of last year.

MSP is the head contractor for the design and construction of the two-stage Kwinana lithium project.

LEFT: Kwinana’s lithium hydroxide process plant (LHPP) is expected to produce 48,000 tonnes per year upon completion.

$120m to grow Port Botany intermodal capacity NSW Ports will invest $120 million into its ongoing intermodal program, with the port’s Patrick terminal set to be the focus of work starting this year.

12 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

“Increasing rail capacity at the port means a faster, cheaper, more sustainable way for exporters and importers to get their product to market.”

Patrick chief executive Michael Jovicic said the stevedore already handles a large volume of containers on rail, noting the company was spending $70 million on new equipment and systems for the terminal.

“Our agreement with NSW Ports will significantly increase our terminal’s rail capacity and enhance productivity and efficiency in container movements at the port.”

Image: NSW Ports

NSW PORTS SAID IT WILL INVEST IN ON-DOCK rail infrastructure capacity Patrick’s Port Botany container terminal. The work will deliver one million TEU in additional rail capacity to the terminal.

NSW Ports said, in time, it will deliver similar upgrades to Port Botany’s other two container terminals.

To fund the work, NSW Ports said it will implement a “modest increase” of $3.08 in wharfage fees on full imports and exports from July 1, 2019, with the fee to be removed once the money has been recovered.

NSW Ports chief executive Marika Calfas said the spending was part of the port-owner’s master plan to grow the volume of containers on rail.

“This investment will build greater rail capacity at the port, supporting the government’s investment in completing the Port Botany rail duplication and ongoing investments in large scale intermodal centres at Enfield and Moorebank,” she said.

Pilbara Minerals to expand Pilgangoora Pilbara Minerals is moving forward with its planned expansion of the Pilgangoora lithium-tantalum project in Western Australia thanks to recent funding developments with Chinese and South Korean companies.

PILBARA MINERALS SIGNED A NON-BINDING deal with South Korean company Posco that could lead to the potential expansion of a proposed joint venture chemical facility using spodumene material from Pilgangoora.

The memorandum of understanding between the two companies would see the existing plan for Pilbara Minerals to supply 30,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) a year expand by 25 per cent to 40,000 tonnes of LCE per year.

Pilbara Minerals’ stake in the joint venture with Posco is expected to be 30 per cent.

To accomodate this and future business, Pilbara Minerals has proposed an increase to annual lifeof-mine production at Pilgangoora from the current 240,000 tonnes per year to 315,000 tonnes per year.

The company has also secured a deal with Chinese companies Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium

(Ganfeng) and Great Wall Motor Company to complete funding for Pilgangoora’s $231 million stage two expansion.

The project will see capacity at the site increase from one million tonnes per year to five million tonnes per year.

Posco will provide additional capital, with a proposed $70.3 million tap sale from an existing bond and future cash flow from stage two operations.

“This should send a clear message about the robust outlook for the lithium market as far as our Tier 1 customer base is concerned and demonstrates the secure position the world-class Pilgangoora project commands as part of a global lithium-ion supply chain that is growing rapidly,” Pilbara Minerals managing director and CEO Ken Brinsden said.

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NEWS

Ground broken on Inland Rail Construction has officially begun on Inland Rail, with a formal ground breaking ceremony held in Parkes on December 13.

McCormack turned the ceremonial first sod alongside executives from the Australian Rail Track Corporation, representatives from construction contractor INLink and other dignitaries.

“This is truly a once-in-a-generation project and I’m proud to be part of this historic event, marking the formal start of construction,” the deputy PM said.

“Inland Rail is game-changing infrastructure.

It will deliver jobs, not just during the construction phase, but permanent jobs through increased freight. Farmers will be able to move food and fibre between Melbourne and Brisbane, in larger volumes and more cost-efficiently.”

ARTC chief executive John Fullerton said the beginning of construction was an historic and important milestone, noting that Parkes was a fitting location for the first sod turning.

“When Inland Rail is operational, Parkes will be an important hub with double-stacked, 1,800-metre trains connecting west to Perth and Adelaide and along the east coast between Melbourne and Brisbane,” he said.

“Australia’s rail system has always been essential to the freight supply chain and once built, Inland Rail will enhance the national freight rail network.”

Inland Rail chief executive Richard Wankmuller agreed.

“With Inland Rail we will have a more resilient rail network,” Wankmuller said.

“Inland Rail is the safe, sustainable, integrated solution that will help address Australia’s current freight inefficiencies.”

Chair of the Australian Rail Track Corporation, Warren Truss, told those assembled that the ARTC was proud to have been tasked by the Australian Government to deliver and operate Inland Rail.

“It speaks to the leadership provided by John Fullerton and his executive team that we’ve been entrusted by the government with such an important and challenging task.

“It should not be forgotten that the business

14 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

Image: ARTC

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER MICHAEL

case for Inland Rail is built on the core objective of getting as much freight as possible off our roads and highways, and onto rail.

“And it’s our customers who are going to help deliver this transformation in the way we move freight around the country and contribute not only to a more prosperous future for all Australians, but a safer Australia as well.”

Mr Truss also made special mention of the landholders present, many of whom are likely to be impacted by the project but have also been willing to work alongside the ARTC to deliver the project.

“We are already seeing some of the benefits of this project with more than $630 million worth of contracts currently let and jobs being created in towns like Parkes and Tamworth and Mittagong,” said Mr Truss.

Shadow infrastructure minister Anthony Albanese said Labor welcomed the start of Inland Rail construction, but accused the Coalition of being more than two years late to the first sodturning.

“827 days have passed since the Coalition’s promised start date, which it committed to via a media release during the 2013 election campaign,” Albanese said.

“The inaction came despite the former Labor Government having invested $600 million to upgrade existing lines that will form part of the Inland Rail route, and having provided $300 million in the 2013 Budget to take the project forward.”

Brevini Australia changes name to Dana SAC Australia As part of its integration into the Dana organisation, all Brevini branches and production centres have been renamed as Service and Assembly Centres (SACs) including Brevini Australia.

IN LINE WITH THIS GLOBAL MOVE, BREVINI Australia has changed it legal name to Dana SAC Australia Pty Ltd. Two years ago, Brevini Australia announced the global sale of Brevini Group, S.p.A. to Dana Incorporated, headquartered in Maumee, Ohio, USA. Founded in 1904, Dana employs more than 23,000 people in 33 countries across six continents.

Headquartered in Reggio Emilia, Brevini employs nearly 2,300 people and operates engineering and manufacturing facilities in Italy, Germany and China.

Managing director of Dana SAC Australia, Greg Bunn, said, “Locally, there will effectively be no change as to our operations. However, we

expect to avail of the economies of scale and synergy among the different Dana SACs worldwide.

“With this amalagamation into the Dana organisation, we are also embarking on improvements in various internal operations, with a plan to expand and improve our sales assistance to our customers, as well as, enhance our R&D activities,” he said.

Results of the new R&D focus and working synergy will be effective locally, not just in the normal day-to-day business dealings with customers but in new products slated for introduction from mid-2019 onwards.

ABOVE: Brevini Australia’s legal name has been changed to Dana SAC Australia Pty Ltd, as announced by managing director, Greg Bunn.

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INNOVATION

Crowdsourcing solutions for mining challenges A new online platform allows participants to help solve real world challenges in the mining industry and win financial prizes.

IN LATE 2018, NEWCREST MINING AND Unearthed won the METS Ignited Collaboration award, impressing the judges with its Newcrest Crowd submission.

The two companies had collaborated to create an online platform that pools the collective knowledge of the resources industry to solve challenges faced by the mining industry.

The platform gives users access to operational data sets that they can use to develop new perspectives and approaches to for a chance to and win prize money.

Gavin Wood, Chief Information and Digital Officer at Newcrest Mining says it is critical to find fresh approaches to solve engineering challenges.

“Even the smallest change to process that wasn’t conceived of internally could result in significant annual savings for the company,” he explains.

“Diversity of thought is one key catalyst to driving a high performing team and challenging the status quo. It helps to supplement the relatively low numbers of STEM-trained professionals directly involved in mining.”

One engineering solution identified through the platform is the Telfer ‘Burn your Bridges’ challenge, which examined how rock bridges on ore crushers created bottlenecks in the processing circuit.

With less ore processed through the crushers and less ore being milled, Newcrest’s Telfer Mine saw a reduction in gold production. Analysis found that rock

bridge occurrences were one of the major contributing factors to crusher downtime, leading to more than $10 million in lost value per year.

The online platform received 26 submissions from more than 150 global participants for this challenge.

The winning solution used a physics-based simulator to identify different blasting parameters to reduce the probability of rock bridges caused by jig-sawing by 18 per cent. The resulting data could be integrated into the decision-making process, with the team behind the project winning $15,000. Telfer has since booked in site workshops with the top three teams to further refine their submissions and work towards an implemented solution.

Newcrest Crowd has been designed to be industry agnostic, allowing it to be easily used by other nonmining enterprises, such as the bulk-handling industry.

Some examples of how it could be implemented are finding new methods of optimising processing or increasing throughput, predicting surge and overload events, reducing downtime and stockpile measurement and management.

Newcrest will release up to 10 more challenges this financial year, provide easier access to portions of realworld data and expedite deployment of solutions to its production environments. The company also plans to introduce ‘evergreen’ challenges on the platform, allowing participants to take their time to create betterperforming, more efficient solutions.

“The online platform received 26 submissions from more than 150 global participants. ”

LEFT: Newcrest Crowd harnesses the power of collective knowledge to solve industry challenges.

16 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

COVER STORY

Acquisition broadens horizons for Kockums Back in May, ABHR reported that Australian company Kockums Bulk Systems (KBS) had been acquired by Premier Tech Chronos (PTC) of Canada. Here, the managing director of KBS speaks to Paula Wallace about what has happened since then and the company’s plans for the year ahead.

FRANCOIS STEYN, WHO TOOK OVER AS managing director of KBS in 2012, says, “Since the acquisition in March, our team has remained the same, the founder Ivan Price is still consulting to us and Kockums has progressively been integrated into the Premier Tech organisation.

“The packaging line complements the powder handling line in that it gives us the ability to provide front-to-back turnkey systems for our clients,” he said.

“Apart from a number of administrative changes which are to expected in any take over, not a great deal has changed yet. Our sales team has been exposed to the new range of PTC equipment available to customers in Oceania and a small number of them have spent two weeks training on the range in Europe and at the world headquarters in Riviere-du-Loup, Quebec.”

The KBS support team has also been busy discovering their new extended local installed base

18 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

and has worked alongside Canadian and European PTC service engineers in Australia and New Zealand to pick up first hand experience with the servicing of the PTC machines.

“To date the feedback from existing PTC customers has been very positive in response to the new level of local service available to them,” said Mr Steyn.

“PTC told us they will not interfere in the first year and I must say they were true to their word. They have invested time with us, trained us but also listened and learned from us. There are a number of unique ideas they picked up from us, particularly in the way we support customers with service, training and parts.

There is no doubt we have much to learn from them in the coming years.”

PTC has a substantial range of packaging machinery for the food, agricultural, organics and industrial markets, most of which KBS did not have in its stable before.

“Their installed base combined with ours provides significant growth potential for our already busy customer support business,” said Mr Steyn, adding that PTC’s local packaging customers were very pleased to learn about the availability of local support.

“Our packaging sales team have understandably become very busy almost overnight and there is no doubt the team will expand over time. The new range gives us access to markets we weren’t servicing before from a packaging perspective.

“Interestingly though we have served a number of our ‘new’ packaging customers before with manual handling equipment and/or powder handling solutions.

“So we know most of them already and are now able to offer a more comprehensive scope from the infeed of raw products right through to the final product packed and wrapped on a pallet,” said Mr Steyn.

“We are also working on expanding our range of powder handling solutions for export to markets served

by PTC across the globe. So both locally and globally, a host of new opportunities have opened up for us.”

Prior to the acquisition, KBS had reached a plateau and saw little growth potential in its mainstay powder handling project work in Australia.

Mr Steyn reports, “The market for our traditional

“Both locally and globally, a host of new opportunities have opened up for us.”

LEFT: Kockums Bulk Systems is expanding its range of powder handling solutions for export to markets served by Premier Tech Chronos across the globe.

Innovative locomotive sanding system

ABOVE: Kockums Bulk Systems’ customer support business has been bolstered by joining with Premier Tech Chronos.

powder handling work in cement, fly-ash and plasterboard is still limited in Oceania even though we’ve seen increased activity in the last year.

“Ultimately, the plan is to connect with the PTC global network… even though we have only been a part of PTC less than a year, we have already visited PTC offices in Europe and Canada on three occasions and we’ve had six visits by PTC specialists and senior executives to Australia,” he said.

“That shows a serious commitment by them to understand KBS and its market. We are already starting to feel like part of the global organisation.”

In terms of recent significant projects, KBS has continued to build on its reputation in the rail industry for supplying a reliable and efficient sand filling system for locomotives.

“We are currently working on the second large installation for a mining customer in northern WA. We have also delivered a substantial cement conveying system to a customer in South Australia, a fourth bagging line for sand and potting soil to a long term customer in NSW and a host of small to medium projects in powder handling, packaging and lifting,” said Mr Steyn.

“Our customer support team has delivered a number of substantial remediation projects with most of these projects leading to long term partner support agreements.”

The focus for the year ahead is threefold according to Mr Steyn. The company plans to grow the packaging business in the industrial, nutrition, organics and agricultural markets; develop the powder handling offering for export; and aggressively grow the support business to cover all the KBS and PTC installations in Oceania.

As a specialist in the field of bulk materials handling with specific expertise in pneumatic conveying, KBS was chosen to supply a ‘super low velocity’ dense phase conveying sanding system for a company in Western Australia.

Complementing KBS’ conveying experience is its in-house engineering capabilities, providing the ability to customise designs and elevate the system to meet typical mining specifications including the ability to withstand cyclones.

Locomotives carry sand in sand boxes to assist with traction and braking. The sand is dropped on the track in front of the wheels to increase mechanical traction which helps the train moving forward on wet tracks and for climbing inclines.

Operators told KBS that sand is almost as important as fuel to a locomotive.

A locomotive will have multiple boxes suitably located near drive wheels. These are often at different elevations, meaning the old way of manual filling using a bucket is difficult and could result in strain injuries to the operator.

KBS has supplied a number of these fully automatic super low velocity dense phase conveying systems, and developed a bowser type nozzle filling arrangement for ease of operation.

Sand is typically delivered by road tanker or bulk bag, and then depending on the system duty and sand delivery logistics, a suitable storage facility such as a silo is provided. A MicroveyorTM is used to transfer the sand from the storage to the Local Transfer Units (LTU’s), which are strategically placed around the shed to cope with different models of locomotives, with the option of two locos coupled together, and across multiple tracks.

LTU’s have conveying hose connections that are generally counterbalanced for ease of operator handling and include local dust extraction and some unique safety features to provide the best possible experience for the operator.

The bowser system is as simple to operate as the fuel filling nozzle and requires significantly less physical effort and time compared to traditional methods.

For more information visit: www.kockumsbulk.com.au

Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019 І 19

FOOD HANDLING

How a food processing facility saved thousands A lamb processing facility in New Zealand was experiencing severe carryback on a conveyor in its lamb processing room, until it found a solution with the help of Flexco.

THE FACILITY, LOCATED IN THE BAY OF Plenty, was receiving a hit to its bottom line due to more than 20kg of lamb per day being wasted on its conveyors.

There are eight conveyors in the lamb cut room, two modular and six white nitrile plied belts. The two modular belts experienced the most carryback and presented challenges for the site. These two belts were located in the cold-boning lamb processing facility, which operated two, eight-hour shifts per day.

A counter-effective system The meat processing company originally had a cleaner that consisted of segmented blades mounted onto a head pole. This cleaner was then mounted onto the head pulley with the blades tensioned via a counterweight system.

“The cleaner was of poor design, but that was all the market had to offer at the time”, explains Peter Mueller, senior supervisor in the lamb cut room.

“Operating on modular belts, meat would accumulate between the cleaner tips and the belt’s surface, eventually the cleaner would flip over… often this problem occurred during a shift where the counterweight system was tied firmly in place”.

The counterweight system did not work well in the application, with the blades needing to be cleaned every 15-20 minutes, causing production to stop

20 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

three or four times per hour. The main reason for excess stoppage in production was the counterweight system, which was extremely difficult to tension, explains Mr Mueller.

The excessive amount of carryback also meant that whole cuts of meat would bypass the cleaner, making it onto the return side of the belt and drop to the floor, making it unfit for human consumption. As there was an excess of product waste, the company was losing hundreds of dollars per week, just in lamb that was being dropped onto the floor, and wasn’t able to be sold.

In search of a solution to these productionhalting issues, Mr Mueller visited the Flexco stand at the Foodtech Packtech tradeshow in Auckland, New Zealand in 2016 where Flexco was exhibiting the Food Grade Primary (FGP) Cleaner. As mentioned before, the product offered a solution to fill a gap in the market space, where no solution of the same calibre was available.

Implementing a solution Mr Mueller made the decision to implement the Flexco stainless steel FGP cleaner, which features FDA approved, metal detectable blades. After installing the cleaner, the company saw an almost complete and immediate reduction in carryback, with 20kg worth of product being saved per day, just on the one conveyor.

RIGHT: By installing the Flexco stainless steel FGP cleaner, the company eliminated the need for the cleaning system to be constantly maintained.

“After installing the cleaner, the company saw an almost complete and immediate reduction in carryback.”

The cleaner was installed in 2016 and two years later, the results still stand – with room for the same outstanding results to be seen on other conveyors in the lamb processing room.

The company was able to add to their stock levels, instead of constantly throwing spoilt meat in the bin.

This meant added profitability for the company.

By installing the new cleaner, Flexco also eliminated the need for the cleaning system to be constantly cleaned and maintained.

As Mr Mueller explains, “As long as the tension is set correctly, they do not need clearing all day”. This allowed production to be constant throughout both eight-hour shifts, without interruption.

By eliminating the need for constant maintenance, the company saved labour charges of more than $2,500 NZD per year. Apart from savings in wages for the excess labour required, the company also gained time and increased productivity as staff were now free to perform other productivity-boosting tasks, instead of constantly reacting to the same problem.

Flexco was also able to save the company a considerable amount of money, which could be put to more effective uses, adding to the profitability of the company and toward the purchase of additional For more information visit: www.flexco.com Bulk Handling - 1-2 Page.pdf 1 14/12/18 1:11 pm resources toCapability better its Ad output.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019 І 21

VIBRATORY EQUIPMENT

Conveyor dribble chute containment Experts from ESS Engineering Services & Supplies explain how dribble trays or chutes can be used to divert the fines stopped by conveyor cleaners back into the main material flow.

CONVEYOR BELTS ARE AN EFFICIENT AND cost-effective method of moving bulk materials over long distances. They can transport a range of materials and integrate into other mine processes such as crushing, screening, rail car loading, stockpiling and ship loading.

However, the inherent problem of fines or sticky material remaining on the belt after reaching the discharge point results in increased risk to operational efficiency and reduced wear life of the conveyor carcass, components and structures. When fugitive material escapes the designed material

ABOVE: A correctly applied industrial vibrator, in terms of size type and installation will help the material flow down the chute, by effectively increasing the angle of repose by eight degrees.

22 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

stream, it is known as carryback or spillage. This may impact on the environment, reduce safety and employee morale while increasing maintenance and replacement costs, and increased clean up costs.

Installing a belt cleaning system reduces carryback by removing the fines from the belt after the discharge point. Implementation of an efficient design must include capturing and returning fugitive material to the intended material stream.

When combined with planned maintenance and inspections of the transfer point, belt cleaners will ensure continued effective bulk handling operations.

A primary cleaner is positioned so that the material recovered will simply re-join to the bulk material flow. Most primary belt cleaners will effectively remove the 90 per cent of product adhering to the belt around the head pulley.

However to eliminate fines and sticky materials, both primary and secondary cleaners are necessary.

The discharge from the secondary may be deposited outside of the containment area so capturing and directing the material may require dribble trays or chutes to divert the fines stopped by the secondary cleaner back into the main material flow.

Ideally, dribble chutes are installed on a steep incline angle and lined with a low-friction lining to avoid material build-up. However, the position of the secondary cleaner is often in a restricted space where the chute angle is usually less than the angle of repose of the material so it will not flow of its own volition.

This has the potential to leave material build-up on the chute wall, which, ignored long enough can result in belt wear, inoperable belt cleaners, spillage from the back of the chute and eventual transfer point blockages.

In situations where the chute angle is inadequate, and build-up occurs, a flow aid device is required. When choosing a flow aid, a number of factors should be taken into account including safety, material characteristics, access, type of liner, and chute dimensions.

Flow aids like air cannons are unsuitable for

this kind of application due to the open structure of the chute at this kind of transfer point as it poses a safety and dust risk.

A better choice is a correctly applied industrial vibrator, in terms of size type and installation will help the material flow down the chute, by effectively increasing the angle of repose by eight degrees.

Where the carryback removed by the secondary cleaners has a higher moisture content and or is inherently sticky, a pneumatic linear vibrator is appropriate, as they are typically used in the conveying and loosening of bulk materials and are especially useful for helping damp materials flow from hoppers and chutes.

The linear action of the pneumatic vibrator is selected to motivate the material by applying constant vibration to the chute.

The dribble chute becomes ‘live’ so the material does not have an opportunity to adhere to the chutes surface, preventing build-up before it can affect material flow.

Factors that need to be considered when selecting a suitable flow aid device include; structure type, build up type, material type (dry, sticky, static etc.), available power sources (electricity or

LEFT: Extreme build up on the dribble chute rendering the secondary cleaner inoperable.

compressed air), and safety requirements (noise levels). For assistance in choosing the most suitable flow aid device, contact ESS Engineering Services & Supplies.

Established in Wollongong, Australia in 1978, ESS Engineering Services & Supplies is an expert in bulk flow aid devices, conveyor belt cleaners and skirting systems.

For more information visit: www.esseng.com.au

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Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019 І 23

INTERVIEW

New CEO’s vision for REMA TIP TOP Growth and innovation are the top two priorities for Karsten Bartnicki, the new Australian CEO of global materials handling specialist REMA TIP TOP, writes William Arnott.

GROWING UP IN GERMANY, KARSTEN Bartnicki is nostalgic about the REMA TIP TOP brand, a key fixture in every kids’ bicycle repair kit. Now, he is the company’s Australian CEO, appointed to the role in late 2018.

He began his professional career as an apprentice boiler maker in Germany 40 years ago, which he says helps guide him as an executive, with valuable insight into what it is like to work in the industry.

“My father once said to me that I would need to learn a trade before I went to study at university. I started my professional life as an apprentice boiler maker, before I got my bachelors, and picked up a thing or two about what it is like to work in that kind of environment,” Mr Bartnicki says.

“Safety is one of the most important aspects of a job – it’s vital we keep our workers safe, especially when they are out there in a hands-on environment.

“During my military career as captain in the German Air Force, I was leading the airbase EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team where safety

24 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

procedures and staying calm under pressure was essential to survival.

“I think the safety culture that has been built in Australia follows this same need. In Germany, safety is executed differently, for example, daily meetings don’t commence with safety moments whereas the business culture here drives that imperative,” he adds.

Materials handling has been central to Mr Bartnicki’s professional career, holding several GM positions in Germany before heading his own engineering office for five years. After this he joined engineering company Sandvik and moved to Shanghai as GM Material Handling China, responsible for projects with Chinese mining companies like Shenhua Coal, as well as heading its global procurement team delivering material handling systems to Africa, South America and Australia.

It was in China Mr Bartnicki met his Tasmanianborn wife, and the pair decided to move to Australia.

Locally, Mr Bartnicki has worked with a number of companies, including Canadian engineering company SNC Lavalin, before signing on with Roy Hill as part of its project leadership team. He was responsible as Roy Hill port construction manager to deliver the port’s landside and marine infrastructure. After a successful handover, Mr Bartnicki provided leadership to a range of operational ramp up and optimisation projects where he saw how important the maintenance service is for improving a mining company’s productivity.

In 2018, he learned REMA TIP TOP was interested in finding a CEO with a strong understanding of the industry, including engineering companies, original equipment manufacturers and mining companies.

ABOVE: Karsten Bartnicki began as REMA TIP TOP’s CEO in December 2018.

LEFT: REMA TIP TOP is expanding its Surface Protection business as more mineral processing plants ramp up.

“It was the perfect fit for me,” Mr Bartnicki says.

“With a dual German and Australian citizenship, I was uniquely placed to understand the culture of the German head office as well as the needs of the Australian customer.”

Driving forward Digitalisation is the future, according to Mr Bartnicki, and plays a critical role in achieving his vision for the company. He outlines the three key drivers of the mining industry: increased productivity, asset availability and cost reduction, all of which he says can benefit from continuous monitoring up to remote operation solutions – in one word: digitalisation.

One of the tools REMA TIP TOP is developing in this area is its Smart Conveyor Solutions, which aims to implement the company’s CARMA asset management approach and Internet of Things technology into remote operating centres.

“Many people in the mining industry are already moving towards smart plants,” Mr Bartnicki explains.

“My vision is to provide smart conveyor solutions where intuitive data analysis of all the conveyor components improves the cost reduction and asset availability, and I’m excited to lead the team towards this.”

REMA TIP TOP’s CARMA approach already allows clients to monitor the condition and implement improvement strategies for conveyor components including idle rollers and conveyor drives using leading maintenance practices. One client found the approach was able to halve its annual roller expenditure while also decreasing unplanned stoppages.

Additionally, REMA TIP TOP uses flow simulations with a discrete element monitoring package to show the material flow through a chute and where it will contact with it. This can be combined with wear protection materials like its REMALOX system, a ceramic and rubber product that increases the lifespan of the chute and extend asset reliability.

The Smart Conveyor Solutions are currently in field testing and could become a part of REMA TIP TOP’s one brand, source and system model as a maintenance, service and monitoring provider.

amount of rare minerals, with cobalt and lithium required to develop and manufacture battery-driven cars. This increase in demand is also why we’re looking to expand our core team, particularly in our Surface Protection business as more mineral processing plants ramp up.

“REMA’s capability servicing customers with remote conveyor solutions to wet processing solutions underpins its ability to be a one source supplier,” he says.

More than 700 people are part of the company’s workforce, with around 1,500 contractors to supplement this. REMA TIP TOP aims to address the skill gap in the market and respond to industry demands by upskilling more workers.

The company has approached government organisations and training funding bodies, to train apprentices at its specialised rubber workshops in Newcastle, Perth and soon in Adelaide. The pilot program has seen new trainees spend 10 weeks at the workshops before heading on site to get experience for the next 24 months alongside skilled workers.

Additionally, REMA TIP TOP aims to encourage more women as part of its team. Mr Bartnicki says there should be equal opportunities for everyone at the company, as he says doing so will be beneficial to the company culture.

“Our key priority at the moment is growth. We’re looking into what we have at the moment and how we can develop our business and products,” he says.

“It’s an exciting time and I’m proud to help lead this development. The first months have been very busy and I am very happy to see how everything is progressing in 2019.”

“The Smart Conveyor Solutions are currently in field testing and could become a part of REMA TIP TOP’s one brand, source and system model as a maintenance, service and monitoring provider.”

BELOW: Safety is one of the most important aspects of the job, according to Mr Bartnicki.

Building up a team Political uncertainty and the price of major export commodities like iron ore and coal can lead to large shifts in the mining industry, however Mr Bartnicki says many commodities operate in market-demand cycles.

Borrowing a German expression, Bartnicki says electric vehicles are selling off the shelves like warm bread rolls, driving the mining industry forward for rare minerals.

“Australia has the advantage of a significant

Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019 І 25

VALVES

Reputation for quality sets Rotolok apart Rotolok set up an Australian operation a few years ago and has been providing its range of valves to the bulk handling industries ever since. General manager in Australia, Nathan Fowle and global business development manager, Julian Walker, speak to ABHR. RIGHT: Rotolok’s test centre houses and incorporates all the company’s products in one location.

SINCE ITS FORMATION IN 1973 ROTOLOK, initially formed to manufacture rotary valves, the Rotolok Group of companies has broadened its base in complementary areas of powder and bulk handling technology. It’s now a highly respected supplier of a wide range of equipment and engineering services to markets worldwide.

Owing to increased demand, Rotolok has invested in more than 50,000 sq.m of warehousing, manufacturing and sales space in North America, France, South Africa, India, and more recently in Australia, which includes the Oceania region.

“The majority of what we design, and manufacturer is rotary valves in materials such as stainless steel and cast iron.

“We also offer conveying diverters, slide valves, butterfly dampers and general powder handling equipment,” said Nathan Fowle.

“Despite our large selection of standard valve designs and due to the nature of our industry we also create a large portion of bespoke solutions for our customers,” he said, “where they are trying to convey a specific product that might not be suited to a standard range of valves.”

Drawing on an impressive engineering history and expertise globally, Rotolok can solve virtually any conveying challenge.

“The sky’s the limit in terms of what we can do,” said Mr Fowle, adding that manufacturing is done in the United Kingdom.

“We have a team based in the UK as well as teams in India and Singapore who have been very supportive over the last few months with projects where we needed large bodied valves delivered to site quicker than what the UK could ship due to time constraints with the end user.

“This has been a valuable asset, and we will continue to work as a global team moving forward.

“In the time we’ve been going, since 1973, we’ve kind of done it all. We’ve come across about every product and way of conveying it,” he said.

Julian Walker, global business development manager for Rotolok (Holdings) Limited, said, “We continually look to grow and invest in the business with a recent example of increasing our presence in

26 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

the Asia pacific region with new premises opening in Singapore in November.”

He explained that the objective in Australia is “to develop our growing presence by demonstrating our knowledge, technology and reliability along with increased stock levels in order to satisfy customer expectations and requirements.”

The company has a sales office and warehousing facility, located in Sydney at premises in Seven Hills.

“Customers want high quality, cost effective valves with delivery in a timely manner and we at Rotolok are able to satisfy that demand,” said Mr Walker.

“Our products are not limited to one particular industry so markets such as mining and minerals, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, flour and feed

milling, animal feeds compounding, animal byproducts, grain and fertilisers would be the main target industries for our products.”

In Australia, Rotolok sees significant opportunities in the mining and food sectors where it believes it has an advantage in offering products that are hygienic, cleanable and removable.

“Even though our valves are manufactured and shipped from the UK, we are very price competitive and we only ask that any new clients wishing to use our valves get a quote and find out for themselves what pricing we can offer ,” said Mr Fowle, adding that Rotolok also offers greater value for money due to the quality of its products.

“The build quality is better,” he said. “The longevity of our valves seems to be far better than a majority of our competition. There are a lot of products coming in from overseas that are designed to do a job, and they do it well just not for long periods of time.

“Customers have valves from us that are going strong after five or even 10 years and as spare parts are available it makes for an attractive purchase long term,” he said.

Mr Walker said, “Our most rewarding projects are when we help contribute to improvements in customer’s profitability.

“Recent work with a multi-national food processing company led to reducing raw product degradation following installation of a special rotor and valve design solution. Less waste and higher yield led to a substantial increase in output, making a very happy customer and quick pay back on outlay.”

Rotolok also has a unique test facility located in the UK that is available to new and existing customers who may wish to test products during the development of new formulations where material handling characteristics are unknown.

“Our experienced Rotolok Group engineers assist in this work. The test plant is set up to be versatile and can be adapted for most bulk handling applications,” said Mr Walker.

The test centre houses and incorporates all the company’s products including rotary valves, plug feeder, dump valve, conveying diverter, dust extractor, dense phase and medium phase pneumatic conveyors, disc air aeromechanical conveyor, bin activator, bulk bag discharger and mixers.

“We have the facility to test specific powders for their handling characteristics such as angle of repose, loose and tapped bulk density so the results can be compared with established and recognised classifications,” said Mr Walker.

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Solids \ Powders \ Conveying \ Processing \ Storage Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019 І 27

STANDARDS

The differences between AS4324.1 and ISO5049.1 The International Standard for bulk materials handling machines was discontinuted in Australia with the introduction of a comparable Australian Standard. However, the two standards vary in a number of respects, explains Richard Morgan from Aspec Engineering.

IN AUSTRALIA, DESIGN STANDARDS FOR BULK

Standard comparison

materials handling machines such as stackers, reclaimers, ship loaders and ship unloaders are published and maintained by Standards Australia.

AS4324.1 Mobile equipment for continuous handling of bulk materials – General requirements for the design of steel structures was introduced in 1995 in response to a number of failures of bulk materials handling machines within Australia. A revised edition of the standard was published in 2017. This Standard specifies general requirements, design loads and specific requirements for structures of mobile equipment for continuous handling of bulk materials, including appliances and machines that are intended to carry out similar functions (e.g. excavators, stackers, reclaimers, ship loaders, ship unloaders).

The Australian Standard calls up other Australian Standards such as AS1170.2 for Wind Loads, AS3990 for permissible stress steel design and AS4100 for limit states steel design. AS4324.1 requires that fatigue design is carried out to AS4100.

There are significant differences between AS4324.1 and ISO5049.1. Generally, machines designed according to AS4324.1 are somewhat heavier than similar machines designed according to ISO5409.1.

A tabulation of differences between AS4324.1 and ISO5049.1 is presented in Table 1.

One of the major differences between the two Standards is with regards to designer interpretation.

AS4324.1 is more prescriptive and gives detailed guidance on how to calculate the various load cases.

ISO5049.1 has more scope for designer interpretation that can lead to a lighter design.

International Standards The International Standards Organisation has a published design standard for bulk materials handling machines such as stackers, reclaimers, ship loaders/ unloaders (ISO5049.1-1980 & 1994). ISO5049.1 has been widely used internationally; however, its use has been discontinued in Australia since the introduction of AS4324.1 in 1995. Steel design requirements for strength and fatigue and wind loading are covered in ISO5049.1. However, these vary from Australian Standard requirements in a number of respects.

28 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

Some points to consider include:

Permanent dynamic effects Are dynamic effects considered in the design load cases?

With ISO such effects are often neglected.

Wind loads Are the wind loads calculated according to AS1170.2?

ISO5049.1 has its own methodology which is different from Australian Standards.

Blocked chute and excess material on the belt

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For the case of a blocked chute, how is the case of a blocked chute and load due to excess material on the conveyor belt calculated?

ISO is not prescriptive in this area which could lead to an underestimate.

FLOW MEASUREMENT FOR DRY BULK SOLIDS

Collisions These can be collisions with an object on the tracks (travelling device obstructed), component collision with a ship (lateral collision of the boom) or collision of a machine with end buffers (buffers). How are the collision cases considered?

AS4324.1 has more onerous requirements – refer to Table 1.

Loss of major components If a major component on the machine were to fall off (such as the bucket elevator), will the machine be stable?

AS4324.1 has more onerous requirements including the need for dynamic multipliers and need for restraints on open bearings.

Boom and counterweight boom suspension Are there two totally independent rope or stay systems?

AS4324.1 requires this to improve safety.

Steel design Is the steel design done according to Australian Standards?

ISO5049.1 uses its own approach.

Fatigue Is the fatigue design done to AS4100?

AS4100 reflects current practice for the design of welded steel structures subject to fatigue loads. ISO5049.1 follows an older methodology for fatigue design which is nonconservative.

There are important differences between AS4324.1 and ISO5049.1 requirements. AS4324.1 is prescriptive and gives detailed guidance on how to calculate the various load cases and which load combinations to consider. ISO 5049.1 uses an outdated “mean stress” approach to fatigue design which is not adopted in modern standards such as AS4100 – called up in AS4324.1.

ISO5049.1 is less onerous in its consideration of dynamic loads and collisions and does not reflect Australian experience with machine failures or additional requirements for redundancy of support systems.

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CONVEYORS

The right conveyor belt for the job Designed to withstand some of the toughest of jobs, Fenner Dunlop’s new KordFlex® conveyor belt was successfully installed in an iron ore company’s operation to extend its belt life.

REDUCING BELT DOWNTIME WAS HIGH ON the priority list for an iron ore mining company in the Pilbara. It had recently extended the shut frequency, however its 28/7 covered steel cord belt construction fell short of its historical two shut rotation changeout target.

The company’s lifecycle had been previously improved by increasing cover thickness on traditional steel cord construction, but an ever-increasing need to reduce shut frequency, eventually the belt reached a point where the machine had reached the original equipment manufacturer’s design capacity.

To find a solution, the company reached out to Fenner Dunlop, which embedded its Engineered Conveyor Solutions (ECS) team to meet the client’s key productivity indicators.

This team began implementing a trial of compound changes, however the thickness of the belt was restricted, meaning no additional weight could be added or the belt would become unbalanced.

To solve this problem, a low stretch, high tensile aramid fabric carcass called KordFlex was installed.

This material had a significant reduction in weight which meant additional weight could be used for the top cover compound to improve its wear resistance.

By changing the material, Fenner Dunlop was able to increase the belt from a standard 28-millimetre top cover and seven-millimetre bottom cover to 32 millimetres and eight millimetres respectively.

30 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

This additional four millimetres on the top cover significantly improved the lifespan of the belt by around 15 per cent to meet the shutdown requirements.

Jimmy Lindgren, Fenner Dunlop ECS Manager, says utilising a lightweight, high strength carcass design permitted the advantage of additional cover gauge that was required to extend belt life.

“Additionally, this belt was locally made in our manufacturing plant in Kwinana, so it gave the client assurance that the quality was going to be according to Australian Standards and we could guarantee quick delivery not to mention allowed the opportunity for the WA client to visit the factory and see their belt being made,” Lindgren said.

“KordFlex has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of all our conveyor belt reinforcements, with more than double synthetic fabrics such as polyester and nylon and five times that of steel,” he adds.

As part of the trial, the ECS team also used Fenner Dunlop’s abrasion resistant conveyor belt

ABOVE: Fenner Dunlop’s teams adopt a cradle to grave approach by working closely with clients.

LEFT: Fenner Dunlop successfully installed an aramid fabric belt on a high-tension balance machine.

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compound Ultra Tuff™ as the top cover.

With a typical abrasion resistance of 20 cubic millimetres, Ultra Tuff has been specifically designed for systems handling high abrasion materials.

“One of the key drivers to the KordFlex success was the innovative highly specialised method of joining the conveyor belt together.

KordFlex adopts a single ply construction and hence traditional methods of joining were not applicable,” Lindgren said.

“KordFlex uses a high intensity splice (HIS) design, allowing for single ply constructed belting to be joined using a vulcanised platen.

“This is the first of its kind to be successfully installed in the Pilbara on a high-tension balance machine and was conducted by Fenner Dunlop’s elite service team that have years of experience in such HIS methods of joining belt.”

KordFlex can be used on systems with a smaller pulley diameter, creating a lighter weight belt that can result in greater energy savings per tonne conveyed.

Fenner Dunlop handled the installation and commissioning of the belt, ongoing inspection and monitoring, performance optimisation and data collection.

The trial has helped showcase Fenner Dunlop’s ability to successfully install an aramid fabric belt on a high-tension balance machine, one of the first of its kind with the ability to extend belt life in the right application.

Mr Lindgren says the success of the install was predominately contributed to Fenner Dunlop’s complete conveyor solutions.

“As a company, we work closely with our clients to ensure they get the solutions they need.

Our teams have a toolbox full of products and solutions available to ensure each project is fit for purpose,” said Mr Lindgren.

“Depending on the situation, our teams adopt a cradle to grave approach by working alongside our clients from a project’s beginning until the very end.”

ABOVE: Ultra Tuff has been specifically designed for systems handling high abrasion materials like iron ore.

CALL THE EXPERTS IN VIBRATION We sell solutions, not just products Phone (03) 9800 6777 or visit enmin.com.au

PACKAGING

A head start on the next century Bulk packaging manufacturer Concetti celebrated its centenary by unveiling an upgraded manufacturing centre that will supply Australian customers.

TO CELEBRATE ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY, Italian manufacturer Concetti has inaugurated its newly expanded manufacturing facility, where it builds packaging and palletising systems for bulk handling companies around the world.

The company first started operating in 1918, when the head of the family, Domenico Concetti, opened a craft workshop in the central Italian municipality of Bastia Umbra. Here, the company began to produce agricultural equipment, focusing on innovation, research and the ability to be flexible to the demands of a competitive market.

In 1975, the company changed its focus to packaging equipment, building a major manufacturing centre at its headquarters. From here, Concetti developed, manufactured and then exported its bulk material filling, closing and palletising systems.

However, as the company grew, the market began to demand even further output, leading the company to begin a major upgrade.

Concetti officially opened its extended manufacturing facility on 15 September 2018, with more than 700 guests invited to the launch.

The five million Euro investment has seen an additional 5,400 square metres of space to the existing site and includes the digitisation of its production and smart technology to simplify manufacturing processes.

Concetti has decided to focus significantly on technical and digital innovation to increase its competitiveness in international markets. To do so, it has installed IT infrastructure shared by the entire company to integrate systems and promote data sharing.

Another central aspect of the company’s innovation process is the strengthening of research and development, to produce increasingly reliable, technologically advanced packaging systems that can also be used thousands of kilometers away, with remote supervision systems.

More than 85 per cent of Concetti’s products are shipped overseas to its clients in 60 different countries, including Australia.

Sustainability initiatives were also included in the upgrade, with a photovoltaic solar power system installed, alongside the introduction of low energy consumption lighting throughout the company. The facility’s waste sorting processes have also been

32 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

improved up to reduce waste sent to landfill.

Additionally, the sandblasting and painting department has been completely renovated to no longer use a solvent-based paint. Instead, an environmentally friendly powder coating is now used, to provide workers with a cleaner and healthier workplace.

Perth-based construction material supplier Westbuild is one example of an Australian company that has benefited from Concettis’s technology. The company purchased a form fill and seal machinery which allowed them to replace traditional paper cement bags with rainproof plastic ones.

This meant its dry-mix concrete and mortars could be stored outside, instead of needing to rely on often expensive warehousing.

Marcus Parlapiano, sales manager of Westbuild, said being able to store pallets outside was a big advantage for the company and its distributors.

“People might think it’s always dry and sunny in Western Australia, but we get our fair share of wet weather in Perth and keeping cement-based products dry is just as important as anywhere in Europe,” he said.

The system is able to process up to 800 bags per hour and includes a single screw weigher and palletiser. It is also equipped with devices that compact the product into square shaped sacs to optimise the palletisation.

Mr Parlapiano adds that the flexibility to allow different products to be handled with all settings changed automatically has saved a significant

BELOW: Concetti’s expanded manufacturing facility has greater automation.

amount of time on short job runs as well.

Similarly, Cheetham Salt, Australia’s largest producer of solar salt, uses Concetti’s technology to handle aggressive materials within limited space.

According to Concetti, the entire line was built and tested in Italy on Cheetham’s own products and bags before being dismantled, packed into containers and shipped 12,000 miles to the site.

“A novel feature is the use of a four-camera teleservice system with hard drive and connection to Concetti in Italy. This has the facility to allow the bagging and palletising areas to be monitored remotely as an aid to fault diagnosis,” the company said.

Concetti has said the increased output of its headquarters will allow it to establish and build upon

partnerships it has developed in Australia.

One such collaboration is with Automaint Solutions, an Australian company headquarters in Keilor Park, Melbourne. The two companies will work together to provide maintenance and technical assistance for Concetti products in Australia.

Telephone assistance will be managed directly by Concetti’s technicians, with field interventions handles

by Automaint engineers within a few hours.

ABOVE: The inauguration of Concetti’s expanded manufacturing facility in Italy.

BELOW: Concetti’s new net weighing and filling station for single loop bags will deliver greater efficiencies.

New bag filling station delivers automation Concetti has launched an automatic bulk bag (FIBC) weighing, filling and closing system designed for a single operator. The new net weighing and filling station for single loop bags can fill up to 180 bags per hour.

The system is designed to automate a traditionally manual process which would normally require three employees, reducing costs and improving workplace safety.

Machine operators using the new design should only place bags onto the filling sprout, while all subsequent steps such as bag inflation, alignment of the filling neck, transfer to the sealing station, and heat sealing are all carried out automatically within the system. The full bags will then be removed by the forklift truck at the end of the filling line.

Adjustable filling systems enable bags of different heights to be filled, alongside precise electronic weighing.

The bagging system is also able to handle aggressive and corrosive materials, with the FIBC system manufactured entirely from stainless steel and can be wet washed to prevent scaling.

The single loop sacks used are polypropylene with an internal liner for heat seal closure.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019 І 33

CHUTE DESIGN

talk

Best practice in chute design - Part one The first in a series of articles addressing systems involving chutes, which explores how the multiple functions of such systems can result in designs that leave safety, operation and maintenance legacies.

STEVE DAVIS In his regular BULKtalk column, Steve Davis* of Rio Tinto considers the basics of bulk handling that sites often struggle with.

In Nov/Dec 18 he shared his insights gained from more than 30 years in bulk materials handling. *Steve Davis is the principal advisor – bulk materials process at Rio Tinto, based in Perth.

Steve has worked in bulk handling for 30 years, for both resource companies and professional engineering firms, in Australia, South Africa, the Middle East and Canada.

His experience encompasses such commodities as iron ore, coal, potash, phosphates, petcoke, sulphur, sands and grain.

CHUTE SYSTEM FUNCTIONS Transfers from conveyor to conveyor, chutes feeding to conveyors and chutes discharging from conveyors are all systems that have multiple functions.

The primary chute function is to contain, direct and deliver bulk material at a nominated rate to a receiving conveyor, bin or stockpile. Containment includes dust and cleaner discharge. Delivery should be at a speed and direction matching the receiving belt or to a bin or stockpile at a point appropriate to correct filling. Incorrect delivery can lead to accelerated conveyor belt wear, skirt blowout, belt drift and other loading problems. Eccentric loading to bins and stockpiles can affect structures, accelerate wear, cause offset stacking and other operating problems.

Most parts of a chute system will need adjustment, or will fail or wear out with time. Well-

RIGHT: A complex chute system with multiple diverters.

designed chute systems anticipate and minimise the failure and wear mode impacts. Well-designed chute systems provide safe and considered approaches to all aspects of maintenance required. In many operations, the cost of labour and production downtime required for a repair far exceeds the cost of the components. There are excellent designs including features to reduce the outage time and site labour content for repair work. The combination of extended life and ease of repair will add significant uptime to chute operations.

Chutes are usually a guard. Chute systems must comply with the requirements of the AS/ANZ 4024 Safeguarding of Machinery series and other applicable legislation in Australia. Similar legislation exists in many other countries.

Chutes protect personnel from contact with ore moving at high velocity, from rotating components such as pulleys and drives, and provide safe access for operation and maintenance activities.

Integrate chutes into adjacent guards to cover nip points on pulleys and belt transitions, shuttles and trippers. Chutes may support electrical and control components, and must comply with AS/ANZ 3000.

Chute systems can include drive components, tramp magnets, sampling systems, dust extraction and/or suppression systems, flow diverting and other functions. Parts of the chute can move in shuttles or diverters, yet the chute should still maintain the key functionalities in all positions.

Plant layout and design Chute systems are easier to design if the geometry of the plant provides in-line or rightangled transfers. Other alignments are feasible but may require more space or height for an effective design.

Chute systems are always a compromise if there is insufficient space and height in the layout for all required functions at the detail design stage.

Early definition in plant layout should provide sufficient space for required chute functions, and

34 | Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

product drops for no reason; conveyors cost more to build and operate and additional liner wear and attrition of bulk materials result.

Many chute system designs prioritise ease of installation. Installation occurs once only; operations have to work and maintain the systems daily for over 20 years. Design should provide and document the safest and simplest access and procedures to remove and replace maintainable items.

Chutes flange connections, access doors and panels may have “M20 bolts at 100 mm centres�.

Many of these connections have little or no load, and if made well will seal sufficient for purpose.

Use locating pins and minimal bolts to expedite installation and removal. Check to see that it is possible to remove every nut and bolt using standard tools.

LEFT: Chute did not need to be this high.

BELOW: Does the chute flange join need so many bolts?

Cleaners

gives flexibility for an effective design. It is always possible to use less space as the design is refined, but difficult to add this back.

Unfortunately, we see chutes installed with the original configuration having survived transition from concept through various feasibilities and the design process. These give large conveyor lifts and

Belt cleaners are integral with a discharge chute, and define several aspects of the system. Location of supports, maintenance method, and discharge trajectory are all fundamental to best cleaning.

Cleaner selection is a priority, and the chute design should match cleaner supplier recommendations from the start. Changing the cleaner supplier late in the development of the chute system to save procurement dollars usually results in a clash of intent. The cost to modify the chutes to accommodate a late change, or ongoing cleaner problems, is higher than any saving.

Cleaners wear out. Installed in the correct location relative to the belt and maintained, often monthly, most cleaners work well. Access

Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019 | 35

CHUTE DESIGN

RIGHT: Chute liners intended to minimise wear; poor flow results in build-up and blockage.

to adjust and to remove cleaners should consider elevation and width of walkways, position of handrail stanchions and other obstacles such as drives. Consider cleaner designs that give easier maintenance from outside of the chute. These also need sufficient access.

Cleaners discharge material in separate trajectories to the main discharge. Consider this early in the design, as higher transfer may be necessary.

Wear and material flow Chute designs must provide wear resistance, but not at the expense of controlling flow. Some bulk materials do not generate significant wear and flow easily, eg. salt, where stainless plate may still show printed cast marks after several years’ use. Other bulk materials, such as iron ore, can be extremely abrasive and have poor flow properties when wet.

Adopt a good combination of chute wear liner and flow control to match the bulk material.

Material flow data for the bulk material gives guidance on the key flow parameters. Assumptions based on textbook data or “similar” materials are suspect.

There are specialised material test laboratories in Australia and globally, and the costs are small relative to the potential loss from non-performing chutes (and bins, stockpiles etc.). The tests should be performed using representative bulk material samples and on the wear liner(s) that could be used in chutes. Interpreting the output from tests requires some knowledge. Test the bulk material and use the results for chute design.

Simulate both wear and flow in a Discrete Element Model (DEM) during chute design. The chute DEM should represent the build, using the fabricated shape rather than a smooth or contrived surface. The DEM should use representative, characterised bulk material particles. DEM modelled flow of identical spheres through a perfectly smooth curved chute is not representative; even spherical sulphur granules vary in diameter. Calibrating DEM models from an existing chute flow is beneficial for upgrades but difficult for new projects. Add Computational Flow Dynamics (CFD) for dust and airflow simulation to give a complete picture, and for best dust management.

Other options for modelling bulk flow in chutes are the scale modelling facilities that are available in Australia. These models generate considerable discussion on the use of scale bulk materials and scale up of the final design. They are mature techniques after many years of refinement.

DEM and other models do not tell the whole story. They reflect a moment in time with specific

36 | Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

bulk material properties derived from a small test sample. DEM cannot compensate for manufacturing and installation deviations, change in bulk material properties, surging, water sprays, damage and wear unless developed to do so at extra cost. Generally, models give a clear indication of something in a design that is unlikely to be functional, but not a precise indication of a faultless outcome.

Bulk material flow is the main function of a chute. The design should consider the discharge from the chute to the next conveyor or to a bin or stockpile. The chute design might also consider whether airflow created by the movement of the bulk material creates or manages dust emissions.

Use the model to design dust extract locations and shapes.

Wear liners wear out. Better flow control and better wear materials allow liners to last longer, but they will need replacement.

Chutes do not contribute to the bottom line of an operation, but the loss of a chute reduces overall availability in most operations. The best chute designs consider how best to safely rotate wear components in the shortest practical time.

Designs should be modular, with rotable suitably sized components and consideration of access with minimal collateral component removal.

Do not forget lifting lugs and WLL for each rotable piece and the manual that tells how to do the change out.

Wear liner materials and installation practices have developed significantly in recent years. Design of chutes to protect the liner using ledges and boxes may not be the best flow solution when smoother surfaces with better wear materials are available.

Use appropriate wear materials and thicknesses to match the expected wear rates at each location; chutes can, and in many cases should have multiple different liners to suit. Any gap, ledge, bolt recess, valley, protrusion in the flow may initiate chute wear and blockage.

There are several innovations in lining practice available in Australia, including ongoing material development, various single sided liner replacement processes, single sided skirt liner access, adjustment and replacement, remote liner wear monitoring and life prediction. Consider best options in design and selection.

Fabricate part or complete chutes solely from wear material when possible. Rotation of chute modules for off site repair is much quicker and safer, and generally better quality than insitu liner change.

Consider proprietary chute systems that are available from various suppliers in Australia. In the

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Low power consumption Reliability

right application, there have been some excellent success stories for these chutes, combining wear resistance, excellent flow and a systematic approach to a maintainable chute system.

Chute adjustment Generally, chutes are designed for flow based on a small sample of bulk material. This cannot give precise designs. Chute components are often adjustable for repositioning during commissioning, and if conditions change. Poor performing chutes can result if not adjusted after installation.

In some cases, design makes it difficult to adjust position easily, in others it seems that the operators had no guidance, and did not recognise the benefit of adjustability.

Provide good access and simple methodology to adjust chute components. Adjusters that extend into walkway space are an HSE hazard. Access to adjust chutes can be too difficult, such as chute cover removal to reposition the hood/deflector.

Chute adjustment facilities should consider height adjustment as well as horizontal and tilt adjustment.

Removable sections are part of the adjustment facility in some chutes.

Aerobelt

“Welldesigned chute systems provide safe and considered approaches to all aspects of maintenance required.”

TM

Low wear and tear Low Maintenance High Capacity Light weight belt Steep angles of inclination High belt speeds Dust tight

Belt conveyor

Both belt and product are carried on a cushion of air

Complete settling of material on belt True belt tracking Simple conversion form open to closed conveyor

For further information contact:

Aerobelt Australia Pty Ltd Phone 02 4631 2919 Mobile 0419 279 566 Fax 02 4631 2915 Email info@aerobelt.com.au

www.aerobelt.com.au

AIR-SUPPORTED CONVEYORS

Walking on air with Aerobelt conveyors By using a film of air, Aerobelt Australia is helping businesses reduce their energy, maintenance and downtime costs.

WHEN A MALT PRODUCER IN VICTORIA wanted to develop a new plant, it turned to Aerobelt for expert advice on the best conveyor systems to get the job done.

Due to the process and material, the conveyors were required to be corrosion resistant and have a carrying capacity of 180 tonnes per hour.

Additionally, a wash down feature was needed in the head station to control contamination and build-up of material during the malting process.

In order to supply the 12 conveyors needed for the upgrade, the company reached out to Aerobelt to take advantage of its unique technology.

Some of the key benefits of Aerobelt’s conveyors are their energy efficiency, low maintenance and lightweight, covered construction. Instead of using conventional carry idlers, a number of holes positioned in the trough skin creates a small film of air between itself and the belt.

As the system lacks belt carry rollers, there is a significant reduction in start-up inertia, allowing the belt to run with lower tension and smaller drives than an equivalent roller conveyor. This also has the benefit of not agitating loads like a traditional conveyor would, meaning there is less product loss, pollution and abrasion.

38 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

With the exclusion of side carry rollers, the overall weight of the system is significantly reduced, allowing for lighter construction and supporting steelwork to be installed. As the system’s only moving parts are the return rollers, it is often cost effective to perform maintenance using a mobile maintenance platform instead of access walkways.

For the upgrade, Aerobelt provided 12 conveyors with a belt width of 1,000 millimetres and a length of 416 metres, at inclinations from zero to 15 degrees. The belts are able to reach speeds of 1.75

ABOVE: Aerobelt Australia worked closely with Sluis, the Aerobelt OEM in Europe.

LEFT: Aerobelt creates a cushion of air to reduce friction and energy costs.

metres per second, with a 7.5 to 22-kilowatt drive power.

The system was specifically designed with the Aerobelt’s capabilities in mind and was able to make the most out of the technology.

Some conveyors in the new plant are now fully covered, saving the capital costs of fully enclosed gantries, with a steelwork design changed to an open construction.

Simon Kutassy, mechanical engineer at Aerobelt Australia, says one of the key benefits Aerobelt provides for materials such as grains, malt and rice is the fact the carry side of the conveyor is a sealed unit.

“When material is carried there is a continuous skin underneath, with covers on top to ensure the entire conveyor is water-proofed,” he said.

“The cover also helps to keep any dust that would be generated contained and keeps the materials being handled protected from any contamination.

“It also has the advantage of lower noise emissions due to the lack of moving parts,” Mr Kutassy adds.

Adv_australia_dic_18.pdf 14/12/18 a15:57 Aerobelt is also able1to transport variety of

product and have been used by its customers for specific applications across a number of industries.

The company offers a range of installation services depending on a project’s needs and is able to meet any combination of supply, installation and commissioning requirements.

ABOVE: Aerobelt’s conveyors are lightweight and require little maintenance.

PNEUMATIC CONVEYING

Development of design models for the transport of alumina on air-gravity conveyors Experts from TUNRA Bulk Solids, the Centre for Bulk Solids and Particulate Technologies and Zhejiang Construction Engineering Group, examine various conveying models for air-gravity conveyor flows.

AIR-GRAVITY CONVEYORS, COMMONLY referred to as air-slides, are widely used in industry to convey bulk materials with the advantages of low particle velocities, low levels of particle attrition, potentially very high conveying rates and low power consumption.

Most current designs are based on empirical design charts and past experience as there have been relatively few investigations attempting to model the flow of aerated powders on air-gravity conveyor systems.

In this paper, ANSYS FLUENT has been used to simulate the air-gravity flow, where a steady, three-dimensional fluidized granular flow is considered in a rectangular channel having frictional side walls for different flow conditions.

The results of simulated bed heights along the air-gravity channel are discussed.

Moreover, this paper reports on work which attempts to develop a fundamental conveying model for air-gravity conveyor flows in inclined channels with an emphasis on the conservation of momentum taking into account the rheology of the gas-solid mixture.

The conveying model shows the relationship between mass flow rate and bed height. The developed model well predicts the steady flow bed heights for each mass flow rate.

A sensitivity analysis has been carried out which demonstrates that the conveying model can be applied to powders in a fluidized state to predict the bed heights of the flow under inclination angles between 1° to 10°.

Introduction Air-gravity conveyors, commonly referred to as air-slides, are widely used in industries now to convey bulk materials with the advantages of low particle velocities, low levels of particle attrition, potentially high conveying rates and low power consumption. Powdered materials, like cement, alumina, plastic metal powders, soda ash,

40 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

coal dust, flour, resins, etc., have already been conveyed successfully in industries using these systems [1, 2]. Several early investigations of airgravity conveyors were carried out three to four decades ago [3-7]. Botterill et al. [3] determined the rheological behaviour of fluidized bauxilite by using a modified Brookfield viscometer in a closed-circuit open channel. The fluidised solids conveying experiments [5] in a channel with a porous tile distributor base also showed the expected rheological behaviour. These studies established that the fluidised solids in an airgravity conveyor are likely to exhibit rheological behaviour. Therefore, the measured parameters for this behaviour of a given material can be used as material properties to develop model describing its flow behaviour in an air-gravity conveyor.

Some research has been conducted to investigate the effects of operating parameters experimentally and theoretically. Gupta et al [8, 9] investigated the influence of the operating parameters on the material mass flow rate and bed depth at a range of conveyor inclinations. An empirical correlation was proposed by Gupta et al [10] to predict the performance of the airgravity conveyor, which showed a good agreement with the observed material mass flux. Recently, Savage and Oger [11, 12] reviewed the selected experimental studies of air-gravity conveyors and developed a model to predict air-gravity flows.

Their study was the first successful attempt to model air-slide flows that considered the detailed mechanics of fluid-particle interactions and three dimensional flows. The predicted velocity profiles had parabolic shapes that were in good agreement with the previous experimental results. The bed height along the airslide flow channel, however, which is also a very important factor in industrial design, was not included in their study.

The current designs of air-gravity conveyors are usually based on empirical design charts and past experiences. Therefore, there is a need

to conduct further research into the factors in a downward slope air-gravity conveying system that can assist system design. This study aims at providing a fundamental understanding on air-gravity flow behaviour with an attempt to predict the bed height using three-dimensional CFD analysis as well as the development of a mathematical conveying model.

2. Experimental In this study, the air-gravity conveyor data from Tomago Aluminium was used for the verification of CFD simulation. Also, the fluidised bed bulk density and material rheology property, which are required for the determination of bed heights in the development of mathematical model, can be tested using the following techniques.

2.1 Onsite data The air-gravity conveyor data was based on Tomago Aluminium Report #7792-R1, which was commissioned by Tomago Aluminium to provide an assessment of four existing air-gravity conveyors used to transport fresh and fluorinated alumina.

The fluidised bulk density of fresh alumina was 921 kg/m3, with an average particle size of 70 Îźm.

Fresh alumina was fed into air-gravity conveyor by means of a chute and it was a vented system. The length of air-gravity system was 53.8 m, the square cross section was 120x120 mm and the inclination angle was 3.0° to the horizontal. There were four test points (Test Point 1 at 90 mm, Test Point 2 at 1590 mm, Test Point 3 at 3090 mm and Test Point 4 at 4590 mm) to measure the bed height of alumina along the channel at the first five meters.

For the calculation, the initial bed height was considered equal to the bed height at Test point 1 (90 mm). The fresh alumina test data was used to compare with the CFD simulation results.

Fig. 1 Schematic diagram of the experimental setup [13]

The experimental apparatus shown in Fig. 2 was used to conduct the rheology tests. It was designed by combining a fluidisation apparatus with a rotary viscometer.

2.2 Material property testing The fluidised bulk density is determined by the apparent bulk density when a material is in the fluidised state. The technique to measure the bulk density was derived from a typical fluidisation test.

The experimental apparatus used to conduct the measurement is schematically shown in Fig. 1. Air from the compressor was fed into a flow controller regulating the air mass flow rate from 50 mL/min to 30 L/min. A polyethylene porous sheet (mean air permeability of 10.9 m3/min) was placed between the air and the testing powder. Two pressure taps at a fixed distance (145 mm) were used to measure the differential pressure across the material bed via a differential pressure transmitter. The pressure results were stored in a computer through a data logging device.

Fig. 2 Schematic diagram of the testing rig combined by a fluidisation apparatus and a rotatory viscometer [13]

3. CFD Simulation 3.1 Simulation settings CFD was employed to simulate air-gravity flow, and this study included the steady, threedimensional fluidised flow in a rectangular channel having frictional side walls at different flow conditions. Eulerian model was used in the simulation. Parameters, like solid shear stresses, solid pressure, radial distribution function and granular temperature, were considered. The simulation started with a given mass flow rate of

Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019 І 41

PNEUMATIC CONVEYING

granular material at the inlet. Meanwhile, air came from the bottom of the channel bed at the fluidised velocity to fluidise material. The gravitational forces initially accelerated the flow down the inclined channel and then the velocity and solid concentration profiles gradually evolved. The frictional stresses on the sidewalls tend to resist the motion and the flow in the channel will reach an equilibrium state when the frictional wall stresses are in balance with the gravitational forces in the streamwise direction. This state corresponds to a fully developed channel flow where the bed depth remains constant.

The CFD computations of the fluidized granular flowing down inclined channels were carried out by considering a 12 m length channel with a 120x120 mm square cross-section based on the data from Tomago Aluminium report #7792-R1. The use of 12 m channel length in the simulation instead of the original length of 53.8 m was to reduce the computational time. Also, this length is 100 times of the channel height, so that it may be assumed to be long enough to reach a reasonable steady flow.

3.2 CFD simulation results The results for solid volume fraction on the longitudinal plane are shown in Fig. 3 for the mass flow rate of 4.31 kg/s. Alumina had a higher solid volume fraction at the bottom part of channel compared to the upper part as the flow progressed.

It also shows that the solid volume fraction at the end of the channel was about 0.25, and the bed height decreased along the channel until it reached a relative constant depth. The CFD results are in a reasonable agreement with the measured bed heights as shown in Table 1.

The boundary of material bed can be defined as where the volume fraction is equal to 0.2. Table 1 lists the bed heights predicted by CFD simulation as well as the measurements at four test points. It can be seen that the height of alumina bed decreased along the channel with a sharp decrease at first meter and a slight drop at following two meters for all the three mass flow rates. The bed heights estimated by CFD at the first point were higher than the measurements. The reason is that in CFD simulation a full bed height at the channel inlet was used for all the cases, which was higher than the onsite bed height at inlet. For the mass flow rate of 4.31 kg/s, the simulated bed heights were 65 mm at Point 1, and reduced to 40 mm at Point 2.

The bed heights continued to decrease and reached 35 mm at Point 4. The slowly decreasing trend of the bed height was in accordance with the onsite experimental data. The simulated results for the other two mass flow rates (5.00 kg/s and 5.75 kg/s) also followed the similar trend.

The CFD predicted bed heights along the channel length and the onsite measurements are plotted in Fig. 4, where a good agreement can be observed. The CFD results show that the bed heights at 12 m were 26.0, 27.7 and 30.0 mm for mass flow rate of 4.31, 5.00, and 5.75 kg/s, respectively. It can be derived that the bed height within 12 m channel length did not reach the constant values. The increased length will be required to obtain the final bed height in CFD simulation, however, this would result in the greatly increased computational time and cost. Therefore, an advanced mathematical conveying model needs to be developed to predict the bed height for a steady flow (a constant bed height).

Fig. 3 CFD simulation results of solid volume fraction on the longitudinal plane

Table 1. Predicted by CFD and measured bed height at four test points Fig. 4 CFD predicted and onsite bed heights along channel length

4. Mathematical model 4.1 Mathematical conveying model

It has been found that the solid volume fraction profiles are comparable for varying mass flow rates.

42 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

A mathematical conveying model for airgravity conveyor flows in an inclined channel is to be developed based on the conservation of momentum considering the rheology of the gas-solid mixture. This model will demonstrate

the relationship between mass flow rate and bed height.

For the case of a fully enclosed flow, an analogous analysis by Han [14] can be used to determine the velocity field developed by a nonNewtonian fluid in an enclosed rectangular channel with a constant cross-section. A fully developed flow is assumed so the streamwise velocity Ѿx in the axial x-direction depended only on z and y and the cross channel velocity components are negligible. So Han’s streamwise momentum equation on y-direction can be simplified, and the x component of conservation of momentum can be given by:

At 0 < z < H (H is bed height), the rheology of the gas-solids mixture is assumed as a power-law type, which is commonly used to describe the shear thinning effect, and the velocity distribution of airgravity flow is given by:

where

embodies a power-law correlation; đ?&#x153;&#x201A;đ?&#x153;&#x152; is consistency; đ?&#x2018;?đ?&#x153;&#x152; is the flow index, which can be expressed as a function of density and determined by the rheology tests of the aerated material.

At 0 < z < H, the velocity distribution of the flow can be solved by integrating Eq. (2) and Eq. (3) with the boundary conditions: đ?&#x153;?zx= 0 at z = H and đ?&#x2018;Łđ?&#x2018;Ľ= 0 at z = 0.

Then, đ?&#x2018;Łđ?&#x2018;Ľ(đ?&#x2018;§) can be obtained as:

Fig 5. Stresses acting on surfaces of element.

where đ?&#x153;&#x152; is material bulk density, t is time, P is the pressure, đ?&#x2018;Łđ?&#x2018;Ľ, đ?&#x2018;Łđ?&#x2018;Ś and đ?&#x2018;Łđ?&#x2018;§ are velocities at x, y, z directions, respectively. đ?&#x153;? is shear stress, and the usual suffix notation đ?&#x153;?ij is applied to indicate the direction of stresses, as shown in Fig. 5. The surfaces i and j in đ?&#x153;?ij indicate that the stress component acts in j-direction on a surface normal to i-direction.

For a steady air-gravity flow,

4.2 Conveying model results

For the vented system (the top covers allow for effective venting of the air that filters through the material that is being conveyed), the driving pressure gradient term in Eq. (2) for the fully enclosed flow can be replaced by a term that physically corresponds to the streamwise gravitational component of the particles weight, i.e.

The same operational parameters from alumina air-gravity conveying data were used to calculate the bed height at steady state using the proposed conveying model. Due to the lack of information on material properties đ?&#x153;&#x201A;đ?&#x153;&#x152; and đ?&#x2018;?đ?&#x153;&#x152;, these properties of alumina reported by Chen [13] can be used, which were expressed as a function of density by Chen [13]:

However, the density used in conveying test was 921 kg/m3 rather than 825 kg/m3 in Chenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s study

Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019 Đ&#x2020; 43

PNEUMATIC CONVEYING

[13]. The appropriate adjustment, i.e. application of the offsetting values with a constant slope, has to be made as it can be assumed that alumina may have same rheology behaviour. Then, the corresponding properties for the material used in the onsite tests can be derived.

In Eq. (4), the velocity distribution (đ?&#x2018;Łđ?&#x2018;Ľ) was assumed to follow the power-law fluid conveying model. By applying Eq. (5), the steady flow bed heights for each mass flow rate can be obtained. A constant velocity and bed height can be achieved when the frictional wall stresses are in balance with the gravitational forces in the streamwise direction. For each given flow rate, the corresponding bed height has been calculated using the proposed model. Table 2 lists the model and CFD results obtained from the end of air-gravity channel. The calculated constant bed height was 24.9 mm at the mass flow rate of 4.31 kg/s, while it increased by 1.1 mm when the mass flow rate increased to 5.75 kg/s. It was found that the bed heights predicted by this model were lower than the CFD results. This is because the simulated bed height by CFD did not reach the constant value due to the use of shorter channel length than required for steady flow. This indicates that if the flow in CFD continued to progress, the difference in the results between conveying model and CFD simulation would be reduced.

Table 2. Comparison between mathematical conveying model & CFD results

The estimated bed heights by conveying model at various bulk densities of 850 - 921 kg/m3 are shown in Fig. 6. Three mass flow rates had a similar decreasing tendency with the increase in bulk density. For the mass flow rate of 4.31 kg/s, the bed height decreased from 32.2 mm at 850 kg/ m3 to 24.9 mm at 921 kg/m3, which in consistence with the empirical relationship between bed height and bulk density. Also, for each given bulk density, the bed heights increased with increasing the mass flow rate, which shows that the proposed conveying model can provide the satisfied results at the well-fluidised state. However, the excessive bubbling existed at a bulk density of lower than 850 kg/m3 due to the largely increased air velocity, which would reduce the accuracy of the conveying model. Therefore, the conveying model developed in this study may not be suitable for the excessive bubbling condition.

44 Đ&#x2020; Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

Fig. 6 Relationship between bed height and bulk density

Fig. 7 Relationship between bed height and inclination angle

Fig. 7 presents the bed height results as a function of inclination angle. It can be seen that the bed height exponentially decreased while the inclination angle increased. For the mass flow rate of 4.31 kg/s, the bed height reduced from 52.7 mm at 1° to 10.9 mm at 10°.

At each inclination angle, a higher mass flow rate resulted in a higher bed height.

5. Conclusion This study provided a fundamental understanding on air-gravity flow behaviour with an attempt to estimate bed height using threedimensional CFD analysis as well as the development of a mathematical conveying model. CFD analysis was used to simulate the air-gravity flow well for various flow conditions. The simulated bed heights along the air-gravity channel gave the reasonable depictions of the observed flow behaviour. A fundamental conveying model for an air-gravity conveyor flow in downward inclined channels was developed based on the conservation of momentum, taking into account the rheology of the gas-solid mixture. The model described the relationship between mass flow rate and bed height.

The bed heights at steady flow state were well predicted using the conveying model for each mass flow rate, and the material bed heights increased

with the increase in mass flow rate. A sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the conveying model can be applied to powders in a fluidised state to predict the bed heights of the flow under the inclination angles between 1° to 10°.

Additional studies on airgravity conveying experiments with other materials are needed to further develop the conveying model, and the velocity distribution can be measured to improve the CFD simulation.

Authors Hongliang Ding1,2, Bin Chen3, Kenneth Williams1, Mark Jones1 1.Centre for Bulk Solids and Particulate Technologies, The University of Newcastle, Australia.

2. Zhejiang Construction Engineering Group Co.,Ltd. Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.

3.TUNRA Bulk Solids, The University of Newcastle, Australia.

Acknowledgement: The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from Chinese Scholarship Council.

REFERENCES: 1. C.R. Woodcock and J.S. Mason, Bulk Solids Handling - An Introduction to the Practice and Technology, Blackie and Son Ltd, 1987.

2. D. Kunii, O. Levenspiel, Fluidization Engineering, Krieger. Huntington, New York, 1977.

3. J.S.M. Botterill, M. van der Kolk, D.E. Elliot and S. McGuigan, The flow of fluidized solids, Powder Technology 6 (6), pp. 343-351,1972.

4. J.S.M. Botterill and D.J. Bessant, The flow properties of fluidized solids, Powder Technology, 8 (5-6), pp. 213-222, 1973.

5. J.S.M. Botterill and D.J. Bessant, The flow properties of fluidized solids, Powder Technology, 14 (1), pp. 131-137, 1976.

Nomenclature đ?&#x153;&#x152; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The mass density of the individual solid particles, kg/m3 P â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Pressure, Pa đ?&#x153;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Shear stress, Pa đ?&#x153;&#x201A;đ?&#x153;&#x152; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Consistency-density function đ?&#x2018;?đ?&#x153;&#x152; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Flow index-density function đ?&#x153;&#x192; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The inclination angle, degree đ?&#x2018;Łđ?&#x2018;Ľ â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Velocity at x direction, m/s đ?&#x2018;&#x161;đ?&#x2018; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mass flow rate, kg/s H â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Bed height, m

6. J.S.M. Botterill and B.H. Abdul-Halim, The open-channel flow of fluidized solids, Powder Technology, 23 (1), pp. 67-78, 1979.

7. B. Singh, T.G. Callcott and G.R. Rigby, Flow of fluidized solids and other fluids in open channels, Powder Technology, 20, pp. 99-113, 1978.

8. S.K. Gupta, V.K. Agrawal, S.N. Singh, V. Seshadri and David Mills, An experimental investigation on a fluidized motion conveying system, Powder Technology, 167, pp. 72-84, 2006.

9. S.K. Gupta, V.K. Agrawal, S.N. Singh, et al., Parameters Affecting Fluidized Motion Conveying of Fly Ash, Particulate Science and Technology, 27, pp. 469-487, 2009.

10. S.K. Gupta, V.K. Agrawal and David Mills, A model for fluidized motion conveyor transporting fly ash, Experimental thermal and Fluid Science, 34, pp. 1042-1048, 2010.

11. S.B. Savage and L. Oger, Airslide flows, Part 1 - Experiment, review and extension, Chemical Engineering Science, 91, pp. 35-43, 2013.

12. L. Oger and S.B. Savage, Airslide flows, Part 2 - Flow modelling and comparison with experiments, Chemical Engineering Science, 91, pp. 2234, 2013.

13. W. Chen, The rheology of aerated fine powders: theory and application in pneumatic conveying systems, PhD Thesis, The University of Newcastle, Australia, 2013.

14. C.D. Han. Rheology and Processing of Polymeric Materials: Volume 2: Polymer Processing, Oxford University Press, 2007.

Call for Abstracts Extended until 30th January 2019 Papers are invited on the following areas: ARE YOU A DESIGNER / MANUFACTURER / ICBMH 2019 sponsors: Storage / Handling: characterisation; RESEARCHER / OPERATOR OF BULK SOLIDS HANDLING SYSTEMS / EQUIPMENT / STORAGE? bin, hopper, chute & stockpile design, simulation; research & education, lifeIf so, you can now expand your capabilities by joining cycle costing and maintenance; mixing, the Australian Society for Bulk Solids Handling. blending and segregation The Society has a mission to enhance the discipline of bulk Transportation: belt, pneumatic & solids handling through research, education and sound hydraulic conveying; road & rail; ship engineering practice.

For further information on the Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities, constitution and registration procedures, contact:

loading/unloading

Energy, Resources, Environment: storage, feed, transportation, characterisation of biomass, agricultural & waste materials; waste utilisation opportunities; dust & www.engineersaustralia.org.au/Australian-Society-Bulk-Solis-Handling particulate characterisation.

Australian Society for Bulk Solids Handling The University of Newcastle University Dr, Callaghan, NSW 2308 Phone: (02) 4033 9039 Email: Danielle.Harris@newcastle.edu.au

Media Partner:

13th International Conference on Bulk Materials Storage, Handling & Transportation Surferâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Paradise Gold Coast, Australia 9-11th July 2019

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ASK AN ENGINEER

PNEUMATIC CONVEYING

Q. What do I really need to know about pneumatic conveying?

A. IN OUR GLOBAL CONSULTING ROLE, WE SEE the good, bad and ugly of pneumatic conveying (PC) systems and in many instances, they are both bad and ugly1. The good news is that the underpinning science is well established and if applied at the design stage can ensure it is one of your best engineering decisions. The secret to success is homework, as every PC system is bespoke and requires a degree of process customisation and support.

Specifying a PC system is usually a one-shot play due to the cost and degree of supporting value chain customisation required to accommodate it.

Most of the problems we see can be traced back to design stage failings, however these are insider insights that are not often publicised creating a jaundiced view of the risks, sometimes referred to as supervisor bias.

A bias recognised is a bias neutralised so awareness is critical and in this article we would like to take you behind the glossy brochures and share some all too common examples of what can often go wrong with PC systems and how to avoid them.

Controlled flow is at the heart of many manufacturing value chains, however, the state of the matter involved makes a big difference.

Moving process fluids for instance is a familiar

and relatively straightforward engineering exercise characterised by: • a closed (fully contained) system • minimal moving parts • layout flexibility - degrees of freedom •p redictable design outcomes/operating behaviour • c ontinuous flow which can be easily metered, controlled and automated • robustness and low maintenance.

In direct contrast, the controlled movement of bulk solids, especially powders, is complex.

However it is possible to circumvent this complexity and therefore realise many of the benefits associated with fluid flow (above) through PC. Piggybacking on an engineered gas moving system, PC systems use the moving gas to transport particulates through a pipeline either in full suspension (dilute phase) or in the form of moving dunes or plugs (dense phase). In the context of modern plant design, the lure of the benefits associated with this hybrid (two-phase) approach has seen PC become a popular choice in recent years.

In the right application, specifying a PC based system can indeed be the answer to your bulk solids transportation dreams and one of the best and most productive engineering decisions of your career.

ABOVE: In this regular column, experts from specialist bulk materials engineering firm Jenike & Johanson answer readers’ queries around problems at their sites. In this edition, the firm’s vice president, senior consultant and director of education, Eric Maynard looks at pneumatic conveying. Since joining the firm in 1996, Eric has published more than 40 articles on the storage, flow, and pneumatic transport of bulk solids. In addition to being responsible for internal training of new engineers at Jenike & Johanson, Eric is the principal instructor for the “Flow of solids in bins, hoppers, chutes, and feeders” and “Pneumatic conveying of bulk solids” courses sponsored four times per year by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Continuing Education Program.

Eric has designed more than 750 bulk material handling and conveying systems for various powders and bulk solids, with a special focus on the cement, power, and mining industries.

LEFT: Aha… definitely got it this time. Just hit it here and we will remove the blockage once and for all!

46 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

Conversely, it can also turn out to be your worst nightmare, an ever-present and graphic reminder of folly.

When it comes to PC and the final outcomes, there is usually nothing in between these extremes.

In this sobering context, it is important to understand what makes the difference between success and failure.

For the uninitiated, PC is simply the transportation of dry bulk solids using a moving gas. There are variations on the theme and although the science exists, it is seldom applied at the design stage. The primary reasons for this include: •a pparent simplicity (save the particles, there is only one moving part-the gas mover) • t he false economies of design cost and schedule savings • l oose performance accountabilities.

The majority of PC installations are based on rules of thumb and empirical experience with “like systems”. While the concept of PC is simple in essence and the complexity of bulk solids flow behaviour has been largely circumvented, every application is unique in some way and the physics underpinning two-phase flow needs to be recognised and respected. It’s the underestimation of this complexity this leads to the many problems observed.

In general, these design phase failings fall into three categories.

Incorrect strategic approach: Within the definition of PC there are a wide range of variations, each with application specific pros and cons - is your choice informed by your unique situation and the science?

Tip: If your preferred advisor/supplier has not come to you with a table of PC options rated against the specifics of your application and a justified recommendation go-forward approach then you may be missing out on a better option.

Failure to understand of the bulk material from a PC perspective: Physical properties (and their normal variation) of the actual bulk material involved - explosiveness, attrition, hygroscopic, abrasiveness, permeability need to be measured and shown together with their variation, in the basis of design.

Fluidisation behaviour - how does your bulk solid behave when it is aerated compared to when it has been at rest for extended periods? If the PC crashes and the material settles out, can it be restarted?

Tip: if you supplier does not ask for a sample of your solid for characterisation testing, you could be heading for a world of pain.

Failure to take a systems approach to the design: Not matching hardware to your bulk materialsRelying on past designs or variations based on dubious empirical correlations and “library values”.

Glossing over the hydrodynamics of the systemthe gas and solid pathways are usually quite different yet dependent on each other for success.

Understanding this dynamic at design stage is important from the pressure drop, wear, materials degradation and overall operability and reliability perspective.

Failure to ensure all the elements, such as blowers, feeders, pipeline, elbows, locks, separators, filters, are matched to each other with clear accountability.

Tip: Matching is usually an iterative process best done in the virtual world during the design stage rather than trial and error modifications in the physical world once it is built.

Establishing a formal study period ahead of the commitment to the detailed design/specification phase is the great way to create the schedule space and send the message to everyone involved that there is always homework when it comes to PC systems and that it is a pre-requisite to progressing.

In most instances it is a deeply regretted folly to skip on any of these points. Common yet highimpact failings that can be traced back to the design phase include:

ABOVE: Pneumatic counterintuition: the harder you hit, the worse it gets, the more you hit. Science is the only way out of this vicious cycle.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019 І 47

PNEUMATIC CONVEYING

RIGHT: Figure 1: Lifecycle Risk and Impacts: Pneumatic Conveying Systems

Insufficient conveying capacity (reduced solids throughput)

Line plugging - physical obstruction (full or partial) of the flow path

Process impact(s): Process bottleneck (unlike other conveying systems the capacity limit of a PC system is usually finite and difficult to significantly upgrade without duplication)

Process impact(s): Reduced throughput, line shutdown (value chain productivity, loss of revenue), increased maintenance costs.

Primary and secondary root cause(s):

•B ulk solid related - cohesiveness (increased cohesiveness due to temperature, condensation or due to high pressure impacts) - leading to accretions.

•C onveying air related - poor (heterogeneous) velocity profile/unknown pressure drop profile leading to saltation, leaks (either loss of vacuum in a negative pressure system or loss of air volume in a positive pressure system).

•S ystem related - line design (layout, diameter), bends (number, geometry, orientation), abrupt direction changes, contact surface finish, startup/re-start philosophy - leading to high velocity impacts, heterogenous velocity profiles, “gravity” and two-phase operating regime issues (mode switching).

•B ulk solids related - unexpected bulk (deaerated) flow behaviour… leading to starvation via hopper obstructions, feeder issues, interface devices-rotary valves.

•C onveying air related - air mover type selection and specification… leading to insufficient volume capacity for given pressure profile, lack of containment/leaks, using too much air – leading to wear issues or reduced conveying capacity.

•S ystem related - mode (lean vs dense phase, pressure-vacuum), line design (layout, diameter), bends (number, geometry, orientation) - leading to sub-optimum gassolid interactions.

Note: There is a nasty anti to this capacity risk and that is the tendency to overdesign in an attempt to compensate for the uncertainty that comes from a lack of science.

While this approach can sometimes address the throughput issue, it always comes with a significant capital cost and life of asset operating cost penalty as well as unexpected operating consequences as the turndown ratio of PC systems is relatively small. This type of defeatist strategy can work for some engineering applications, but PC is not one of them.

48 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

Primary and secondary root cause(s):

Wear and particle attrition - physical degradation due to mechanical action Process impact(s): Reduced system availability and increased sustaining capital costs, product contamination, off-specification product (size and shape changes, foreign matter contamination, line shutdown (value chain productivity, loss of revenue), increased maintenance costs, environmental exposure (toxicity, explosibility, reactivity).

Primary and secondary root cause(s): •B ulk solid related - material abrasiveness not taken into account, no understanding of the velocitypressure-material abrasiveness relationship – leading to uninformed design decisions.

•C onveying air related - poor (heterogeneous) velocity profiles - leading to regions of high velocity and/or high impact pressure, wear and attrition affected by power law of gas velocity.

•S ystem related - inappropriate materials of construction, line design (layout, diameter(s), transitions), bends (number, geometry, orientation, downstream effects) - leading to high velocity impacts, heterogenous velocity profiles.

To avoid these three headline problems as well as the many others that can be encountered when it comes to PC based systems, the most important thing is to do the homework and resist the various biases that work against proactivity and eliminating problems before they get baked into the design.

There is no place for the ‘trial and error engineering’ approach when it comes to PC systems.

General recommendations Always measure your bulk solid properties even if they are considered a commodity. Testing should always be informed by a considered basis of design that describes the feed now and in the future and

acknowledges that the process itself can impart important changes e.g. segregation, elutriation, degradation as well as moving air properties (temperature, moisture content). For example, fly ash, a coal combustion residue, has been effectively conveyed for decades; however, with implementation of air pollution control (APC) systems the fly ash properties have dramatically worsened, and PC systems that previously exceeded expectations now no longer work effectively.

Take a system view at the design stage and appreciate that the interaction between the bulk solids and the system creates a unique dynamic where there are many interdependent options, hence an iterative process is required for optimum results.

PC systems offer many benefits highly prized in the current process environment however the performance outcomes tend to be polarised at the extremes. To ensure your system is successful you need to make sure there is a formal study phase ahead of the detail design. While there are complexities and traps, the underpinning science is well established; it just needs to be applied.

Do you have a bulk solids handling question? Jenike & Johanson has developed the science of bulk solids flow and specialises in applying it to solving the most challenging bulk solids handling problems. So why not put them to the test with your question? The harder, the better!

REFERENCES: 1, Maynard, Eric P, 2011. Solving common pneumatic conveying problems.

Australian Bulk Handling Review , May/June, pp. 2-7.

Note: The advice here is of a general nature. Specific solutions are very sensitive to their circumstances; therefore, you should consult with a specialist in the area before proceeding

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We carry numerous types and quantities of buckets in stock to ensure we can meet client needs.

MINING EQUIPMENT

World first for thyssenkrupp in the Pilbara Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions (Australia) has been awarded one of the largest fabrication and construction projects the company has ever handled in Western Australia.

IN A CONTRACT VALUED AT AROUND A$250

ABOVE: Ben Suda, head of sales at thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions (Australia).

million, thyssenkrupp will design, supply, construct, and commission large-scale stockyard machines for the BHP South Flank iron ore project. thyssenkrupp will supply two stackers that deposit iron ore into stockyards for loading, and a reclaimer for loading the ore into trains for transport to Port Hedland. The machines will have a capacity of 20,000 tonnes per hour, making them the largest rail mounted stackers and reclaimer in the world.

The design of the machines incorporates the latest Australian design standard requirements, and technology improvements centred on safe construction, operation and maintenance activities.

“This is a very large deal for thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions and we are grateful to BHP for the confidence they have once again shown us,” Ben Suda told ABHR. The company’s head of sales said “We have a solid track record delivering stockyard equipment like this

50 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

to BHP which has allowed us to demonstrate that thyssenkrupp is a low risk and reliable supplier.

“Unlike much of our competition, thyssenkrupp maintains an engineering centre of excellence for this type of equipment right here in Perth. This along with our service support centres in Perth (Henderson) and the Pilbara (Port Hedland), and our extensive use of local subcontractors, is an advantage,” he said, as it allows interaction within the same time zone and demonstrates long term commitment to mining in the region.

The South Flank project is targeting first ore in 2021. Generating roughly 80 million tonnes of output per year, it will fully replace production from the existing Yandi mine which is reaching the end of its economic life. The project is expected to create many opportunities for Western Australian suppliers.

Andrew Howie, CEO thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions (Australia), said, “This project highlights our capability to deliver major engineering and

LEFT: thyssenkrupp will supply two stackers that deposit iron ore into stockyards for loading, and a reclaimer for loading the ore into trains.

BELOW: The BHP South Flank iron ore project is in the central Pilbara region of Western Australia. Image: BHP.

construction projects in Western Australia. We are focused on providing opportunities for local businesses and communities and it is exciting to see our relationships with local clients and partners continue to grow.”

Mr Suda confirmed, “thyssenkrupp will be manufacturing these machines in WA utilising both internal resources and local subcontractors.”

The industrial solutions business area of thyssenkrupp partners with industry to provide engineering, construction and service of industrial plants and systems. Based on more than 200 years of experience, it supplies tailored, turnkey plants and components for customers in the chemical, fertiliser, cement, mining and steel industries.

For this project, thyssenkrupp worked closely with BHP to ensure the South Flank stackers and reclaimer are world class and designed to meet the company’s meticulous standards.

“Whilst this is a new design tailored for the production requirements for South Flank, the core design elements are based on proven operations developed through decades of experience delivering stockyard equipment all over the world,” said Mr Suda.

“This ensured that whilst these machines will be largest capacity in the world, BHP can have the confidence that the design elements are proven and based on a massive global installed base.” thyssenkrupp has tendered for other packages however its key focus was the stackers and reclaimer.

“Whilst I can’t go into detail as to what else we tendered for, our range includes a large assortment of minerals processing, materials handling and other mining system equipment,” said Mr Suda. “As such, we will typically try to be involved as a competitive tenderer anywhere that we can add value in these equipment spaces.”

First blast marks new stage for South Flank Late last year, the first blast was fired at BHP’s South Flank project, marking the next major step in its development.

BHP reported that around 8.9 million tonnes of material would be removed ahead of first concrete pour in early 2019 for the 40Mtpa Primary Crusher 1.

The South Flank teams have been busy constructing road networks to enable the early mining activity and construction access ahead of the build of Primary Crusher 1.

Located near BHP’s Mining Area C operations, South Flank will replace production from the Yandi mine.

About 9,000 people are expected to be engaged in the South Flank work force over the life of the project.

Expanding the existing infrastructure at Mining Area C, the project involves construction of an 80 Mtpa crushing and screening plant, an overland conveyor system, stockyard and train loading facilities, procurement of new mining fleet and substantial mine development and prestrip work.

South Flank is expected to produce ore for more than 25 years and will contribute to an increase in the BHP Western Australia Iron Ore average iron grade from 61 per cent to 62 per cent, and the overall proportion of lump from 25 per cent to approximately 35 per cent.

BHP also anticipates that about 85 per cent of the A$5.2 billion project spend will be awarded to companies based in Australia, about 90 per cent of which will go to companies based in Western Australia.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019 І 51

CONVEYOR CLEANING

Kinder collaboration keeps quarry conveyors clean By installing a conveyor belt cleaning system designed by Kinder Australia, a Victorian quarry has been able to significantly improve productivity by eliminating carry back material fines.

LOCATED IN NORTH WESTERN VICTORIA, a basalt quarry had encountered a common conundrum leading to lost productivity.

Material fines were travelling down the conveyor belt, especially during the winter months, which had a tendency to cling to the belt and accumulate on the return rollers. This build up led to complications such as potential belt mistracking and increased power usage.

To find a solution, the quarry contacted conveyor company Kinder to investigate.

Consultations with the quarry staff and the Kinder Technical Applications team began looking at different ways to reach the site’s productivity goal. Reducing maintenance and cleaning costs were highlighted as priorities, as the time spent manually clearing away the material fines could be better spent elsewhere.

The quarry had been operating an incline conveyor system for many years at that point, so to implement a reliable and effective cleaning system, the solution needed to account for factors such as hard to reach tail pulley locations and the tilting incline conveyor itself.

After the consultations, the maintenance team decided unanimously to install K-Rotabrush conveyor belt cleaners. These consisted of a rubber brush design and featured a high performance,

ABOVE: The K-Rotabrush is able to be installed where there is limited space.

RIGHT: There are three types of brush bristle designs available: rubber, nylon full filled and nylon spiral wound.

52 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

uniform rotary action to sweep the excess fines off from the belt where space was limited.

By doing so, the amount of carry back material on the return rollers was greatly reduced, which helped to stabilise belt tracking, improved conveyor operation and overall plant efficiency.

The K-Rotabursh performs the cleaning action without compromising belt wear, helping to extend its wear life. An external contractor was involved

with the belt cleaner installation, and has had minimal maintenance throughout its lifespan, with almost no adjustments required.

Additionally, as a result of the belt cleaner installation, the quarry has been able to eliminate carry back issues and extend belt wear life due to correct conveyor belt tracking.

The system has also reduced the risk of injury and the associated costs of clean up.

The system supplements previously-installed Kinder products, such as the K-Commander Self Centring Idler, which helps the quarry address onsite belt tracking and excessive material spillage issues. K-MotorShield Motor Covers have been employed to extend motor life and reduce maintenance, while K-Sure Support Belt Support Systems provide consistent and stable support at the quarry’s main transfer points.

Four months after the initial installation of the K-Rotabrush, the quarry maintenance teams have reported less production downtime, with operators becoming more efficient and able to dedicate their time on other daily duties instead of manually shovelling material fines.

Kinder says it is pleased with the results and will continue to spread the successes achieved to date with group training sessions and operational improvement meetings.

Compact cleaning solution with range of brushes K-Rotabrush Conveyor Belt Cleaners are equipped to handle some of the most challenging belt cleaning and product finishing applications.

By using a segmented rubber bristle or nylon design, the product is able to handle difficult applications such as salt, sugar, fertiliser, wood dust, cement dust and carbon black, in situations where space limitations may apply.

Its proprietary rotary action sweeps dry, wet, sticky, hydroscopic, statically charged or abrasive materials off the conveyor belt without compromising belt wear.

Installation of the system is simple and requires minimal maintenance, with designs available between 450 to 2,400-millimetre belt widths.

A variety of stainless-steel shafts, mounting plates and size configurations are available upon request.

Key features: • Compact and standardised belt cleaning system • Delivers superior cleaning performance without compromising belt wear • Unique power driven modular brush assembly • Proprietary rotary action, sweeps, wet, dry, sticky hydroscopic, statically charged and abrasive conveyed materials off the conveyor belt.

• Simple to install and minimal maintenance requirements.

Brush Bristle Design Type: • Rubber • Nylon Full Filled • Nylon Spiral Wound

INLINE MASS FLOW WEIGHING & SAMPLING

CAPTION HEADER: caption

10 Peekarra Street, Regency Park, SA 5010 Phone: 08 8118 6466 Email: sales@ flowforce.com.au www.flowforce.com.au Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019 І 53

VIBRATORS

The flow-on effect Enmin Vibratory Equipment is helping companies keep their materials and profits flowing with its range of industrial vibrators.

MANAGING THE FLOW OF PRODUCT IS VITAL for handling materials in bulk, as the freer the flow, the more economical the process becomes.

However, issues can arise when certain materials have been stored for long periods of time, compacting and becoming slower to flow. The solution for this, is often as simple as shaking the product loose.

Manually tapping hoppers with rubber mallets can be time-consuming and inefficient, which is why Enmin offers a time and cost-effective alternative, says general manager Anthony Gallaher.

“Fitting a vibrator requires minimal changes to a hopper, as it is attached via a mounting plate to the outside. If there is a gate or door, the vibrator can be automatically activated whenever it is opened, meaning no more stopping to free the materials,” he says.

“Because there are no internal modifications to the structure required, installation can be completed in a matter of hours.”

Individual hoppers can vary in size, shape and the material it holds, which can make it difficult to fix flow issues with a generic solution.

This is why Enmin offers custom solutions and can re-draw technical drawings to show the exact positioning of the vibrator according to a customer’s needs. In addition, the company provides the mounting plate, pneumatic control system, pipes and fittings as part of the installation process.

With more than 40 years of experience in the market, Enmin also offers full site audits to provide advice on how the industrial vibrators can be best used to encourage productivity.

A range of vibrators is available, including ball, piston and two types of turbine vibrators, with costs varying depending on the size and application.

Enmin’s industrial vibrators can also be equipped with quick release air fittings and mufflers for environments where noise can be an issue.

54 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

For applications where cleanliness is required, the company provides a range of vibrators made from plastic and stainless steel that have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Additional modifications are available for vibrators that need to withstand Australia’s harsh outdoor environments. Ball covers have been designed from stainless steel to improve their robustness and models can be painted with a stainless steel paint called Steelite to reduce wear and corrosion.

Mr Gallaher says Enmin that will last anywhere from five to 15 years of service with the proper maintenance.

“It is important to ensure the air that is going to the vibrator is clean and regulated, alongside a yearly clean of the vibrator’s internal parts,” he says.

“By performing regular preventative maintenance and depending upon the environment it’s located in, an industrial vibrator can last for up to 25 years,” Mr Gallaher said.

For more information visit: www.enmin.com.au

ABOVE: By decompacting materials, industrial vibrators can improve the flow of product.

BELOW: Enmin offers a range of different industrial vibrators.

SAVE THE DATE

1ST - 3RD APRIL 2020

MELBOURNE CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE

EQUIPMENT

Using hydraulic tools for the heavy lifting Hydraulic tool technology specialist, Enerpac has introduced to Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea a range of hydraulic pumps and lifting equipment that is ideal for jobs that require a combination of portability, speed and safety.

RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE industries present some of the most challenging heavy lifts, because of the large and sometimes irregularly shaped loads that must be balanced and positioned safely and time-efficiently.

The towers, tanks, turbines, transformers, crushers, conveyors, mills and process infrastructure involved in project development and maintenance all need to be lifted and shifted with considerable care – yet with the minimum delay feasible to ensure multi-billion-dollar projects proceed without the huge costs associated with delay.

Two of Enerpac Heavy Lifting Technology’s timesaving solutions employed in such applications include the SFP-Series split flow pumps; and the EVO-Series PLC-controlled synchronous lifting systems.

The latest SFP-Series electrically driven 700 bar split flow pumps are an ideal solution for lifting applications with multiple lift points where lifting synchronisation of a maximum ± 4% is appropriate to ensure safety of the job. Where such limits are appropriate, the SFP-Series split flow pumps are a safe and economical solution to ensure load is evenly distributed over the lifting points, says Enerpac.

The load can be lifted simultaneously using single or double-acting cylinders. Depending on the application, the lifting points can be operated individually or simultaneously.

For even more precise lifts, split flow pumps are complemented by the PLC-controlled EVO-Series Synchronous Lifting Systems, by which one person can safely control multiple cylinders from a single point.

These systems link to Enerpac high-tonnage cylinders using stroke sensors’ signals for synchronised lifting and lowering of multiple lifting points.

Depending on the model and sophistication

56 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

required, EVO systems can extend from EVO B units – with pumps controlling 4 or 8 lifting points – through to custom-engineered systems governing scores of cylinders with total lifting capacities of thousands of tonnes.

Toughest-yet heavy tonnage cylinders New generation Enerpac high-tonnage cylinders are engineered to meet demand for heavy lifts in some of the harshest environments.

Enerpac’s Summit Edition HTC models – in standard capacities from 50-1000 tonnes – are designed to provide optimum reliability, durability, cost-efficiency and safety for industries and farflung projects that cannot afford downtime as

ABOVE: Enerpac SFP-Series split-flow pumps.

BELOW: Enerpac splitflow pumps were used in Australia to lift and lower into place large conveyor sections, achieving far more efficient installation procedures.

operations staff work to complete projects within demanding time frames.

Summit Edition cylinders are particularly suited to industries including mining and energy, onshore and offshore oil and gas, construction and infrastructure, bridges and pipeline plant, heavy manufacturing, materials handling, process engineering and maintenance across diverse industries.

New HTC engineering incorporated into the cylinders includes advanced bearing and sealing technology to extend the boundaries for eccentric loads, while reducing cylinder maintenance intervals, says Enerpac national sales manager Darryl Lange.

“The effects of corrosion and scoring are no longer a concern with the Summit ranges because of the cylinders’ black nitrocarburization surface treatment for improved load and wear resistance, plus corrosion protection.”

Summit Edition cylinders are also highly compatible with Enerpac’s PLC-controlled synchronous lifting systems, which simultaneously control multiple cylinders used to precisely lift, shift, balance and position structures sometimes weighing many thousands of tonnes.

“Safety has long been a major feature of Enerpac cylinder designs, and these cylinders lift our outstanding safety record further,” says Mr Lange.

cylinder on a single charge.

ZCs save users time and money by eliminating the need for a generator and extension cords.

The brushless 1.0 kW (1.4 hp) motor and 3-stage pumps maximise pump and tool productivity while minimising heat build-up and downtime. Safety of the pump is enhanced by a 3m pendant cord for hasslefree operation.

The 700 bar (10,000psi) ZC Series pumps combine the performance of an electric pump with the convenience, portability and stumble-free safety of a battery pump that is ideal for applications where emissions and noise are concerns.

The new generation cordless pumps – featuring a rechargeable 82V lithium ion battery with long run times, even under extreme site conditions - work well in remote locations where there is no access to power, as well as indoor uses where trip hazards, ergonomics or size are a concern.

Available in single-acting, double-acting and Power Seater Post Tensioning models (weighing 29.7-33.3kg), the pumps provide a high-flow cordless solution for a range of applications. These may include lifting, shifting, cutting, pressing, gear pulling and other workshop maintenance tasks; foundation work; post-tensioning and rail, road, civil engineering and infrastructure development on sites as diverse as mining and energy, construction, oil and gas exploration and development; water and

LEFT: New generation Enerpac hightonnage cylinders are engineered to meet demand for heavy lifts in some of the harshest environments.

ABOVE: Summit Edition cylinders are also highly compatible with Enerpac’s PLC-controlled synchronous lifting systems.

BELOW: Enerpac’s ZC series high performance pump.

pipeline projects.

For more information call 02 8717 7200 or email: info@enerpac.com.au

Quiet, environmentally harmonious pumps “These advanced technology pumps – with impressive run times and national service backing from Enerpac – are among the first of a stream of high-technology products Enerpac is introducing to save users time and money,” says Enerpac engineer Tony Cooper, who is Asia-Pacific marketing manager responsible for introducing the new ZC-Series to the region.

He says the technology is a high-flow cordless solution with an 8-litre reservoir capacity, 0.52l/min flow at rated pressure and reduced noise level of 80 dB a maximum. The pumps are designed to handle, for example, 50 lifting cycles with an RC1006 95-tonne cylinder, or 90 cycles of the equally widely used RC504

Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019 І 57

ENGINEERED SOLUTIONS

CONVEYOR CLEANING

A guide to conveyor belt cleaning solutions When it comes to conveyors, cleanliness is not just next to godliness, it’s imperative for a profitable, productive and continuous operation.

THERE IS AN INCREASING NEED FOR owners and operators of conveyor belt systems to have a clear understanding of the different types of cleaning equipment available, the features and benefits of different cleaning techniques, as well as where the cleaners should be located for optimum results.

The head culprit – carryback Material transported on a conveyor belt is discharged at the head pulley. However, a small percentage of this conveyed material will not be discharged with the bulk of the load stream - it will stick to the belt surface. Carryback (or carryover) is the term used for this residual material. It causes spillage along the return strand of the conveyor

which, if left unchecked, will quickly build up and drop off causing a variety of increasingly expensive and extremely serious problems.

This is why you need up to date and efficient belt cleaning equipment properly fitted and constantly operating on all of your conveyor systems.

The amount of carryback on a return conveyor can be affected by: •T he consistency of the material - whether it is dry or wet •T he characteristics of the material - whether the product comprises large lumps or fine dust •T he mechanical design of the conveyor – e.g. the belt speed and pulley diameter

In this regular column, experts from specialist bulk materials engineering firm DYNA Engineering solve some common issues associated with materials handling. In this edition, the firm’s senior project and sales engineer Reddy Emmadi, provides helpful information about one of the more common areas of concern – choosing the optimum conveyor belt cleaning equipment. He can be contacted on 0400 022 928 or +61 (0)8 9473 4304, or at email: reddy@ dynaeng.com.au.

LEFT: DYNAFastFit Spray Bars are a unique design that employs a fully retractable spray bar mounted in a stationary shaft to form a two-part assembly.

58 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

RIGHT: A spray bar is a pipe arrangement with several evenly spaced spray nozzles fitted.

Range of cleaning equipment

RIGHT: The spray nozzles are used to disperse a liquid, usually water, in a desired pattern over an area, to increase the liquid’s surface area, or to create an impact force on a surface.

Most belt cleaning techniques are aimed at removing the greatest possible percentage of carryback at the source, that is at the head/discharge pulley. A very comprehensive range of conveyor belt cleaning equipment is available, broadly broken down into contact cleaners and non-contact cleaners. The most common contact cleaners are: •P rimary, secondary and tertiary scrapers •B rush cleaners •V -Plows or Return Ploughs.

Non-contact cleaners used most often are: •A ir knives •S pray bars.

Focus on spray bars A spray bar is a pipe arrangement with several evenly spaced spray nozzles fitted.

The spray nozzles are used to disperse a liquid, usually water, in a desired pattern over an area, to increase the liquid’s surface area, or to create an impact force on a surface.

Water is distributed across the belt surface to clump materials together within the water, creating a mud or sludge, so it can be more effectively scraped from the surface. Or the water is used to impact the surface to dislodge particles from the belt surface and flow away with the water during the scraping process.

Depending on the characteristics of the materials being conveyed and the intended application, spray pressure and pattern play an important role to achieve your best outcome.

Usual location of the spray bar

onto the belt surface. The water is used to soften the carryback and wash away particles into the chute to be re-combined with the material flow. In this configuration, the secondary scraper, located after the spray bar, finishes the cleaning of the conveyor belt and also removes any remaining water from the conveyor belt.

Spray bars can be configured in many ways depending on the application, space and surrounding structure. Some common examples include using the secondary scraper shaft as the spray bar or mounting a separate spray bar between the scrapers.

Another common configuration is to install spray bars between the secondary and tertiary scraper. This adds an additional level of cleaning that will result in the best possible clean for the conveyor belt.

Dust suppression assistance Spray bars can also be used in dust suppression applications. When dust forming materials are aerated or exposed to moving air streams, particles can be separated and carried away in the air. In the case of materials being conveyed, the belt velocity or even a gust of wind can result in dust generation. In these cases, simply wetting the surface material can be an effective counter measure.

Another main dust generating location is where the material is disturbed. Well known locations can include loading points, chutes, crushers and screens.

Spray bars can be effective in many of these locations to reduce the amount of dust that is allowed to escape into the surrounding environment. In this case, the liquid is atomised into the air as mist, forming water droplets that are used to capture dust particles. The droplets are either sprayed toward the source of the dust or redirected with a fan towards the dust generating location. Dust will be captured by the droplets and carried towards the ground by gravity.

Normally located between the primary and secondary scraper, a spray bar is designed to position the spray nozzles in the most effective position in relation to the conveyor belt surface.

Both distance and angle to the belt surface need to be optimised for the highest cleaning efficiency.

After the primary scraper has performed its initial cleaning function, some material may still be present.

To further decrease carryback, water is sprayed

Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019 І 59

CONVEYOR CLEANING

Benefits of DYNAFastFit Spray Bars DYNAFastFit Spray Bars from DYNA Engineering are a unique design that employs a fully retractable spray bar mounted in a stationary shaft to form a two-part assembly.

With the stationary shaft remaining in its location, the spray bar can be removed simply and safely by disconnecting from the water supply and removing two clips. Then the spray bar can be retracted from the stationary shaft in a matter of seconds. No need for stoppages. No need for highly skilled labour.

There are no tools required to remove the spray bar. No need to remove guards, and the opening left when the spray bar is removed complies with AS 4024 Safety of Machinery.

DYNAFastFit Spray Bars can be designed for a vast range of applications, flow rates and supply pressures.

Configured to suit almost any application, they are made from stainless steel for a long-lasting solution. They will not rust or corrode and are suitable for non-potable water sources including high salinity water, recycled process water.

Safer maintenance When the spray bar is removed from the stationary shaft, maintenance can be performed in a safe and ergonomic location. This allows maintenance personnel to quickly remove any sediment build up from the pipe and unblock any clogged nozzles from outside of the chute.

Blockages are a common point of failure when using water sourced from recycled process water or dam water. The spray bar can then be simply returned to its original position, water supply connected and returned to operation.

Because this can be done safely while the conveyor is running, there is no need to wait for the next shutdown. This ensures cleaning efficiency is maintained and carryback is kept to a minimum throughout the production cycle.

DYNA Engineering is an Australian owned and operated company with its head office and factory located in Perth. The company specialises in the design, manufacture and supply of conveyor equipment and related services which can be tailored to an extensive range of applications, operations and operating conditions.

These designs incorporate common components and assemblies which allow easy modification from one design to another on short notice. As an example, its DYNAFastFit range of belt cleaners and adjusters can be converted from polyurethane to carbide blades without major modifications or replacement. Products are of robust construction that allows them to withstand extremely harsh operating environments. DYNA Engineering thoroughly test its products in both workshop and onsite situations to ensure they work as intended and to industry safety standards.

RIGHT: Parts of the DYNAFastFit retractable spray bar: 1. Retractable spray bar; 2. Positioning collar; 3. Far side mounting collar; 4. Stationary shaft; 5. M12x25 bolt; 6. SS R clip; 7. High impact nozzle; and 8. 1â&#x20AC;? HEX plug.

5

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For more information contact DYNA Engineering on (08) 9473 4300 or freecall 1800 801 558 Email: dyna@dynaeng.com.au Web: www.dynaeng.com.au

60 Đ&#x2020; Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

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Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019 І 61

MEMBER PROFILE

MEMBER PROFILE:

Wei Chen In each issue, ABHR profiles a member of the Australian Society for Bulk Solids Handling (ASBSH).

We speak to Wei Chen, Senior Research Scientist of process control at heavy engineering company Bradken Limited.

I have been a member of ASBSH since…

January 2014, after I started working for the Centre for Bulk Solids and Particulate Technology at the University of Newcastle.

I am a member of ASBSH because…

ASBSH provides the latest technological development for the bulk solids handling industry, which helps me to continue learning and adapting.

Continuous professional development is imperative to be able to keep innovating.

I got into bulk handling...

During my PhD study in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Newcastle. I enjoyed the challenge of identifying the variety of bulk solids and the corresponding method to handle each type.

I love my current work because...

It not only utilises my skill and knowledge of bulk handling to solve industry problems and add value to commercial operations, but it also involves ongoing research and innovation that gives me a sense of fulfillment.

In my role it’s important to...

Be open minded to new ideas and new methods of solving problems. From my point of view, it is essential to ask myself and my colleagues why we are creating the designs and solutions in the current fashion seek to improve on them.

The project I am most proud of is...

The design of the 38-foot grinding mills for the Freeport Corporation in North America. We were able to derive mechanical designs and numerical simulations which matched the client’s operational metrics. This not only created commercial value for the business, but also showcased the application of numerical modelling through discrete element modelling (DEM) for assessing mechanical designs.

My career highlight is...

Winning the best paper award from Iron Ore 2015 International Conference.

Our paper was acknowledged by industry peers for its use of DEM to address the challenges of handling wetsticky iron ore when mining activities occur under the water table.

I am inspired by ...

Emeritus Professor Alan Roberts from the University of Newcastle. Alan has been a role model for me in work ethic as well as being truly interested in solving the mystery of bulk solids science. One of Alan’s sayings is, “Bulk solids is not rocket science, it is harder”. He keeps me constantly challenged and seeking a sense of wanting to constantly improve.

When I am not working you will probably find me...

In a small workshop in my backyard where I practise carpentry. I believe a great engineer needs to not only design, but also to build, so it’s here where I attempt to advance my prototyping skills.

62 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: January/February 2019

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