Bulk Handling Review Mar 2020

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VOLUME 25, ISSUE 2 | MARCH/APRIL 2020

In this issue: Revolutionising shallow bulk shipping Solving common belt problems Guide to steel rope

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CONTENTS MARCH/ APRIL 2020

44

38

72

78

6 Industry news

44 Automatic lubrication offers better performance

24 Feeding the world

64 New track for TS Global

46 Managing dust emissions during loadout

66 igus puts automated high-speed system into operation

48 Not spilling a drop under pressure

68 Minprovise processes an end-to-end future

30 Unlocking end-to-end solutions

50 Water on dust control is water lost

71 Simulation of success

32 Shifting bulk from the stone age to the space age

52 Plastic silos stand up to scrutiny

72 Dyna engineers solutions for common bulk problems

26 thyssenkrupp to revolutionise shallow bulk shipping

54 Medusa’s gaze turns to conveyor components

34 From gold rush to mining boom

74 BULKtalk: Problems with belts in operation

36 Allies in grain unite to upgrade malting plant

56 Copper concentrate bulk bagger fuels throughput

38 Inside Kinder’s industry training sessions

58 First port of call for dust control

82 ASBSH Member Profile: Alan Roberts

40 Engineering excellent flow

60 Quiet achievers

42 Spare pulleys: hot vulcanised vs cold bonded lagging

62 Weighing the benefits

84 On the path to 100% reliability in the materials handling chain

78 Integrity of large steel ropes

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VOLUME 25, ISSUE 2 | MARCH/APRIL 2020

In this issue: Revolutionising shallow bulk shipping Solving common belt problems Guide to steel rope

FEEDING THE WORLD Driving productivity higher is vital for agricultural infrastructure company Ag Growth International’s mission to ensure the entire world has access to nutritious food. To do so, the company provides a software platform called SureTrack that helps farmers and bulk handlers monitor the condition of their grain and keeps them informed with the latest data. Australian Bulk Handling Review speaks to AGI Business Manager Peter Forster and Dryer Business Development Manager to learn how the technology will affect Australian bulk handlers.

FEEDING THE WORLD For the full story, see page 24.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020 І 3

AUSTRALIA

EDITORIAL

Published by:

AUSTRALIA

REVIEW

REVIEW

Bulk growth 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 William Arnott E: william.arnott@primecreative.com.au Business Development Manager Luke Ronca E: luke.ronca@primecreative.com.au Client Success Manager Janine Clements E: janine.clements@primecreative.com.au Design Production Manager Michelle Weston E: michelle.weston@primecreative.com.au Art Director Blake Storey Design Kerry Pert, Madeline McCarty Subscriptions T: 03 9690 8766 E: subscriptions@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.

4 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/ April 2020

Infrastructure around the country is undergoing a radical transformation.

In Victoria, the State Government has unveiled a pipeline of more than $100 billion worth of new roads, railway, hospitals, skyscrapers, prisons and energy projects to support the rapidly growing state.

Similar investments can be seen in New South Wales, which has allocated $93 billion to developing infrastructure over the next four years, the largest commitment of its kind in the state’s history.

The population of Australia is growing, with Australian Bureau of Statistics projections from 2018 estimating that in just a decade, more than 30 million people will call Australia home. Supporting this growth will require a flurry of construction, which we are seeing begin already, but will also depend upon well-managed agricultural and energy industries.

Bulk handling systems, such as conveyors, silos, stackers and reclaimers, are the technologies that make this possible. But the bulk handling industry can find itself in siloes of its own. For example, the automated technology currently being used by miners to dig up minerals could be put to use in myriad other ways, boosting efficiencies across countless supply chains.

Cross collaboration between industries that may not traditionally have much contact could lead to technologies jumping the gap and improving efficiencies in totally new markets. In addition, engineers grappling with certain problems in their bulk handling systems may find novel solutions.

For example, carry-back, mistracking, spillage and belt damage are just a few of the common issues that can affect a conveyor belt, whether the material is quarried stone or processed sugar. Steve Davis’ most recent BULKtalk column on page 82 details some of the solutions he has found to these dilemmas.

Finally, on behalf of the entire Australian Bulk Handling Review team, we would like to wish Professor Alan Roberts a happy 90th birthday.

His research into the science of bulk solids has been foundational for the industry.

William Arnott Editor - ABHR

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NEWS

GrainCorp picks new CEO THE GRAINCORP board of directors has appointed a new Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, following the completion of its planned demerger of the company’s malt business.

Robert Spurway, currently the Chief Operating Officer, Global Operations at the Fonterra Co-operative Group, was selected for the role.

Spurway has more than 25 years of experience in the food and dairy industries, including multiple senior operational roles with Fonterra and Goodman Fielder Australia and CEO at Salad Fresh and Mrs Crocket’s Kitchen.

He will relocate from Christchurch, New Zealand, and will begin work in the role following GrainCorp shareholder and Court approval of the demerger of GrainCorp’s Malt business.

GrainCorp Chairman Graham Bradley says the Board was delighted to announce the appointment of Spurway, following an extensive local and international search process.

“GrainCorp’s Board is very pleased that Robert has accepted the

role as the next Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of GrainCorp after completion of the demerger,” Bradley says.

“Robert is a proven leader who brings extensive experience in the food and dairy industries, both through operational and executive leadership roles.”

“Robert has led complex operational businesses and overseen transformational change programmes which have delivered significant benefits for customers and shareholders. He has a deep understanding of the Australian and New Zealand agricultural industries, which will serve us well as we continue to evolve GrainCorp’s strategy and customer offering.”

Spurway says he is delighted to be joining GrainCorp as CEO. “GrainCorp is an iconic Australian agribusiness with a long and rich history,” Spurway says.

“I’m looking forward to playing a key role in GrainCorp’s journey as it continues to strengthen its supply chains

Robert Spurway.

and deliver for its extensive network of growers and other customers.”

GrainCorp’s current CEO, Mark Palmquist, will become Managing Director and CEO of the Malt business upon a successful demerger vote

by GrainCorp shareholders at the company’s next Extraordinary General Meeting.

Bulk manufacturers urged to supply North East Link REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW OPEN to supply one of Victoria’s biggest road projects, North East Link, with bulk materials, such as cement, lime, readymix concrete and asphalt.

More than 10,000 jobs and millions of dollars’ worth of contracts will soon be available as the Victorian Government encourages businesses to get involved with the $15.8 billion project.

Sole traders and small to medium businesses are urged to register their details for contract opportunities over the next eight years.

“North East Link is a huge project that will change how we move around

6 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

our city forever – and we need all hands on deck to build it,” Victorian Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan says.

“As we get on with a massive pipeline of major projects, we look to put local jobs first – so put your hand up now to help build North East Link.”

Builders are preparing to start early works on the project soon, with a consortium to be selected by the end of the year to design and build the project.

In addition to delivering the project, the consortium will also need to provide evidence of creating local jobs and training opportunities.

Businesses in the Bulleen Industrial Precinct that have been impacted by the project will be offered additional reskilling and training opportunities.

“We are creating more jobs for Victorians and supporting local industry by inviting small and medium businesses to be part of building our biggest road project,” Jobs, Innovation and Trade Minister Martin Pakula says.

“We know that one of the biggest challenges for local businesses is breaking into new or expanding supply chains and that’s why we’re making sure there are opportunities for everyone to be part of North East Link.”

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NEWS

AGI acquires agricultural software provider AGRICULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE company Ag Growth International (AGI) has acquired an agricultural software provider called Affinity Management.

Affinity was launched in 2007 by Neal Dilawri and offers an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system for growers and agricultural retailers, as well as an agronomy tool.

The ERP software, called Compass, provides full accounting functionality, including management of accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, and inventory tracking.

Affinity current has 18 employees, with headquarters in Ontario, Canada, and makes use of accountants to provide bookkeeping services for its customers.

Compass can also act as a central data repository and portal for information sharing with advisors, agronomists, accountants, lenders and insurance providers.

AGI acquired the company as Affinity’s Compass product suite is highly complementary to the company’s current offering and will be a key component of the AGI SureTrack platform. The transaction was funded by the company’s operating facilities.

Neal Dilawri will take on a senior leadership role with the AGI SureTrack platform and will provide vision and guidance to the platform going forward.

“AGI SureTrack is an independent platform bringing together data across

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the farm, providing our customers with the ability to manage their crop production, manage their overall business, and market their grain based on content and robust traceability,” says AGI President and Chief Executive Officer Tim Close.

“Compass takes AGI SureTrack to the next level, adding comprehensive ERP capabilities for AGI Dealers and agriculture retailers, and significantly adding to our offering for farmers.

“I am looking forward to working closely with Neal in his new leadership role with AGI SureTrack as we continue to grow this platform. I also want to welcome the entire Affinity team to the AGI family.”

Rema Tip Top wins splice contract for Rio Tinto’s West Angelas

Rema Tip Top will splice more than 10 kilometres of new overland conveyor.

MONADELPHOUS has awarded a $1.2 million contract to Rema Tip Top Australia at Rio Tinto’s West Angelas Deposits C & D project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

As part of the contract, Rema Tip Top will splice more than 10 kilometres of new overland conveyor and provide modifications to three existing plant conveyors.

The project will involve more than 39 splices across five conveyors and connect the site with Rio Tinto’s existing West Angelas process

plant and stockyard.

Rema Tip Top Asia Pacific CEO Benedikt Schneider says the company was thrilled to bolster its partnership with Monadelphous and leverage its relationship in delivering for Australia’s largest mining houses.

“We pride ourselves on our ability to provide best-in-class services,” he says.

“As Australia’s only Registered Training Organisation with the ability to train both our own

people and also to develop skilled workers from across the materials processing industry, we take our role of being an expert in conveyor installation, repair and servicing very seriously.

“This new contract with Monadelphous speaks to their trust in our ability to get the job done on time, to specification and with safety performance of paramount importance.”

Works are set to commence in the first quarter of 2020.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020 І 9

NEWS

New waste to energy plant gets VIC EPA approval

The planned facility will be able to process 200,000 tonnes of waste each year.

THE VICTORIAN ENVIRONMENT Protection Authority has given a Melbourne council the green light to develop a waste-to-energy plant.

Located in Laverton North,

the planned facility will be able to process 200,000 tonnes of sourceseparated residual municipal solid waste each year.

According to an EPA statement, the developer, Recovered Energy Australia, propose to deliver approximately 15 megawatts of electricity to the grid each year.

“EPA assessed the proposal against all relevant environmental policies and guidelines and looked at any potential environmental and human health impacts that could result from the facility,” the statement reads.

“The works approval is subject to conditions. These conditions include the requirement for an EPA-appointed

auditor to review detailed design, and for further EPA consideration prior to finalising detailed plans.”

Conditions also require the facility to achieve an environmental performance equivalent to European standards.

Recovered Energy Australia has also secured a planning permit from Wyndham City Council to construct and operate the proposed facility, separate from the EPA works approval.

“Once constructed, Recovered Energy Australia will not be able to operate the waste to energy plant until it obtains an EPA licence,” the statement reads.

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ACCC clears Barro’s investment in Adelaide Brighton

Barro Group acquired a 43 per cent stake in Adelaide Brighton over a number of years.

THE AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released the results of its investigation into the completed acquisition of a 43 per cent stake in cement manufacturer, Adelaide Brighton,

by Barro Group.

Barro Group, a family-owned construction materials supplier and distributor, acquired a 43 per cent stake in Adelaide Brighton over a number of years.

Adelaide Brighton is an ASX-listed manufacturer and supplier of a range of products for the construction, infrastructure and mineral processing markets around Australia.

The two companies each own 50 per cent of Independent Cement and Lime, a supplier of

cement and cement-blended products throughout Victoria and New South Wales.

The ACCC examined the completed acquisition closely because the two vertically-integrated companies have overlap in the market for the supply of cement, pre-mixed concrete and aggregates.

It found Barro and Adelaide Brighton will continue to face competition from Boral, Holcim and Hanson, three large verticallyintegrated competitors with national operations, along with a number of smaller, independent competitors.

“On the basis of the information we have available to us, Barro’s stake in Adelaide Brighton will not substantially

lessen competition,” says ACCC Commissioner Stephen Ridgeway.

“Major rival cement, aggregates and pre-mixed concrete suppliers will continue to provide competition.”

The ACCC’s investigation considered competition impacts on the pre-mixed concrete and aggregates markets in Melbourne, Brisbane and Townsville, where Barro and Adelaide Brighton’s operations overlap and did not identify any areas of concern.

Barro did not seek informal merger clearance from the ACCC prior to acquiring Adelaide Brighton.

The ACCC may reopen its investigation if it receives further information that alters its current conclusions.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020 І 11

NEWS

Samsung signs deal with Glencore for cobalt supply Glencore will provide Samsung with up to 21,000 tonnes of cobalt between 2020 and 2024.

MINING COMPANY GLENCORE has signed a five-year agreement with Samsung SDI to supply cobalt hydroxide for the technology firm’s lithium-ion batteries.

Under the contract, Glencore will provide Samsung with up to 21,000 tonnes of cobalt contained in cobalt hydroxide between 2020 and 2024.

The cobalt will be sourced from Glencore’s mines in the Katanga and Mutanda mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in central Africa.

Glencore Head of Copper and

12 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

Cobalt Marketing Nico Paraskevas says he was pleased to enter into a longterm cobalt supply agreement with a big name like Samsung, which the company has worked with in the past.

“This demonstrates a further continuation of Glencore’s cobalt hydroxide marketing strategy to secure long-term supply agreements with key players in the lithium-ion battery supply chain,” Paraskevas says.

“This also illustrates Glencore’s important role in supplying the materials that enable the energy and mobility transition and Glencore’s

commitment to responsible production.”

The two companies said in a release they are committed to ensuring ethical and responsible production and procurement of cobalt at Glencore’s DRC mines.

Both companies have agreed that Glencore’s DRC mines would be independently audited every year against the Cobalt Refinery Supply Chain Due Diligence Standard, defined by the Responsible Mining Initiative.

Glencore produced 42,200 tonnes of cobalt globally in 2018.

Monadelphous wins $110M worth of contracts A NUMBER OF CONSTRUCTION and maintenance contracts worth around $110 million have been awarded to the Monadelphous Group, including one to construct one of the world’s largest reclaimers and stackers for BHP. The engineering company was selected by BHP to build a reclaimer and two stackers at the South Flank project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

This contract, which was awarded to thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions, is expected to create around 70 jobs and complete in the first quarter of 2021.

Monadelphous will upgrade to BHP’s existing conveyor equipment, power switching and stackers at Mining

Area C iron ore mine site in the Pilbara.

This is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2020.

During the same period, Monadelphous will provide its services to the mining company at Nelson Point in Port Hedland. This is associated with the demolition and rehabilitation of end-of-life facilities and expected to commence this month.

BHP has also extended its existing contract with Monadelphous for the provision of maintenance, shutdowns and off-site repair services for 12 additional months at Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter.

In Queensland, Monadelphous is contracted to provide general

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mechanical and maintenance services for three years as part of Incitec Pivot’s scheduled turnarounds for its manufacturing facilities.

This contract is expected to create around 70 jobs and complete in the first quarter of 2021.

NEWS

Concetti launches new packing line for premade and tubular bags ITALIAN AUTOMATIC bagging company and palletising system manufacturer Concetti has unveiled a new, versatile packing line for the Australian market.

The ‘IGF and form, fill and seal technology (FFS) combo’ automatic system allows users to manage two of the most popular types of flexible packaging for bulk materials with a single machine.

Bulk material producers can fill premade open-mouth bags and bags formed from a tubular reel using FFS technology from the same feeding system, which exploits two different technologies in a compact arrangement.

The ‘combo’ can handle paper,

plastic and laminated raffia bags for the packaging of granular or dusty products, between 10 and 50 kilograms.

Trevor Mitford, Sales Manager at Concetti, says there are many examples of the IGF combo being selected by customers.

“Kolon Plastics in South Korea were bagging 25-kilogram petrochemical pellets into a multi-wall paper sack with pinch top fold and glue. Kolon had two lines installed and were planning a future plant expansion for an extra two lines,” he says.

“This client was considering a change to Tubular FFS but was concerned about the market response. They did not want to make any mistake and lose

market share or waste a significant investment in new equipment.

“Kolon decided to install one line of IGF combo, designed to use their current paper sacks and the Tubular FFS. This installation enabled Kolon to launch the new FFS bags into the market for important research and feedback from clients, without risking market share or investment.”

Concetti bagging and palletising systems are fully Industry 4.0 compliant and can be integrated directly into existing manufacturing processes.

Riccardo Concetti, Sales Director of Concetti SPA says there are many opportunities to make the most of this technology.

BULK2020 rescheduled

BULK2020 will be held in April 2021.

THE 2020 AUSTRALIAN BULK HANDLING EXPO (BULK2020) has been delayed following an announcement from Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison which advised against mass gatherings of more than 500 people from 16 March 2020.

Following this, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews declared a state of emergency, to help mitigate the risks of the COVID-19 virus, which would remain in effect for four weeks.

Under a State of Emergency, Authorised Officers at the direction of the Chief Health Officer, can act to eliminate or reduce a serious risk to public health by detaining people, restricting movement, preventing entry to premises or any other direction considered reasonable to protect public health.

A number of events, such as the Melbourne Comedy Festival and Melbourne Food and Wine Festival have already been postponed.

As part of the response to slow the virus and to keep attendees safe, BULK2020 will now be held in April 2021, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

BULK2020 Exhibition Director Simon Coburn says the decision to move the event was done to ensure the safety of attendees, exhibitors and staff.

“Moving the date back means attendees will be able to network and develop their businesses in a better, safer environment,” he says.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says the government was taking these steps, after agreement from the National Cabinet, which includes the Prime Ministers and all Premiers

and Chief Ministers.

“Make no mistake, the next few weeks and months will be tough for everyone, but we’re doing what is necessary to protect Victorians,” he says.

“Coronavirus will impact the entire Victorian community from business and schools – and that’s why a wholeof-government response is needed as we ramp up our response to this emerging pandemic.”

BULK2020 is still set to be one of Australia’s biggest bulk handling events, bringing the diverse industry together to showcase the latest technologies and innovations.

The show has seen significant interest from international and local exhibitors. By changing the date to 2021, the event aims to avoid the negative impacts of the government response.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020 І 15

NEWS

NSW Ports choose new Chair PAUL MCCLINTOCK WILL STEP DOWN from the position of Chairman of the Board of NSW Ports after more than six and a half years with the organisation.

Patricia McKenzie, currently a non-executive director of AGL Energy Limited and not-for-profit organisation, The Housing Connection, will replace him as Chair.

McKenzie brings many years of experience as a non-executive director and chair of government and private sector organisations with a background in the energy industry.

She has previously been Chair at Essential Energy, Healthdirect Australia and Diabetes Australia and has held board positions at APA Group, Transgrid, and Macquarie Generation Limited.

McKenzie says she was pleased to be joining such a strong and reputable organisation.

“NSW Ports manages a $5 billion asset portfolio consisting of NSW’s key trade gateways of Port Botany and Port Kembla, and two intermodal hubs at Enfield and Cooks River,” she says.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity to work alongside both the Board and the executive team to continue to drive sustainable growth of the ports and intermodal terminals.”

NSW Ports Chief Executive Officer Marika Calfas welcomed McKenzie to the role and thanked McClintock for his contribution to the organisation.

“Paul joined NSW Ports in 2013, just after NSW Ports took over management of Port Botany and Port Kembla from the NSW Government,” Calfas says.

“Throughout the years he has helped the business transform into a world class port and logistics manager focussed on driving sustainable growth.

Patricia McKenzie.

“Paul has left an enduring mark on the company and I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank him for his long-standing support of and commitment to the business and his leadership of the Board and guidance to the executive team.”

McKenzie’s appointment took place on 5 March 2020.

Inland Rail to boost Gross Regional Product by $13.3B

Inland Rail will significantly benefit local communities, according to the report.

INLAND RAIL IS SET TO IMPROVE the Gross Regional Product of regional communities across Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland by up to $13.3 billion over the next 50 years, according to a new report released by the Federal Government.

An in-depth study from EY has found potential for industry investment along the rail line to generate billions of dollars in added value over the first 50 years of operation.

Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Minister Michael McCormack welcomed the report as further proof of Inland Rail’s longterm contribution to the growth of regional Australia.

“This new EY report identifies the benefit to Gross Regional Product along the alignment could be up to $13.3 billion over the next 50 years. That is massive for regional Australia and builds on the 16,000 jobs and $16 billion economic boost generated during construction and operation,” he says.

“What the EY report is assessing is the additional benefit to communities

from the opportunities that arise for local businesses and people from the completion of Inland Rail.”

An example McCormack uses is a cereal manufacturer whose freight costs drop by 30 per cent allowing the employment of additional staff or expanding its regional processing to take advantage of Inland Rail’s lower cost and greater capacity and connectivity.

“These investments could support an additional 14,000-16,000 job years in its first decade of operation — that’s 1600 people working full time for 10 years thanks to Inland Rail,” he says.

“With Inland Rail, our regional communities are primed to take advantage of the manufacturing, packing facilities, meat processing plants, regional airports and distribution centres that will establish and expand around the rail line.

“The benefits of this project are going to be felt across generations. Right now, young people from regional areas are directly benefiting from working on Inland Rail’s construction including the 656 locals who have worked on the project in the Parkes region and

the more than $75 million spent with local businesses.”

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the report was further demonstration of the significant economic contribution Inland Rail would make across regional Australia.

“This work again shows how Inland Rail is helping drive increased investment, growth and more jobs across regional Australia now and well into the future,” Cormann says.

“Inland Rail is not only a major freight line which massively expands our trading infrastructure. It will also continue to generate significant investment opportunities across the many regional communities it touches.

“From the Parkes logistics hub to Narrabri’s plans for an inland port and industrial precincts in Toowoomba and Wodonga, the first wave of developments are taking shape. We are very confident that many other regional towns in and around the Inland Rail corridor will secure further significant investment, development and job creation opportunities for their towns on the back of this exciting project.”

Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020 І 17

NEWS

Port of Melbourne gets green light for $125M upgrade THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT HAS approved a $125 million proposal to improve freight infrastructure at the Port of Melbourne.

A new on-dock rail has been green lit, as part of the State Government’s plan to continue driving economic growth at the port.

Minister for Ports and Freight Melissa Horne approved a proposal by Port of Melbourne Operations that will see an investment of $125 million in new rail infrastructure.

Improving rail access to the Port of Melbourne is a legislated condition of its lease, with its delivery part of a wider push to improve rail

freight across Victoria. Each year the port contributes $6 billion to the Victorian economy.

The State Government is also supporting the Port Rail Shuttle Network to connect freight hubs in Melbourne’s north and west to the port. This project would include new intermodal terminals planned at Truganina and Beveridge, new automated signalling for faster rail freight to Geelong Port and improvements in the regional rail freight network.

To make on-dock rail possible, the Port of Melbourne will introduce

a $9.75 per twenty-foot equivalent unit charge on imported containers.

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The Victorian Government will closely monitor the progress of the project, scheduled for completion in 2023, and keep looking at ways improve port pricing and access, in turn keeping Victoria’s regional exports cost-competitive and growing the state’s economy.

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Trial to transform sugar cane and wood waste into aviation fuel The Queensland Government has invested $159,000 into the project.

A QUEENSLAND RESEARCH PROJECT could see the state’s sugar cane waste and wood waste transformed into sustainable aviation fuel.

The Queensland Government has invested $159,000 out of its $5 million Waste to Biofutures (W2B) Fund to support the project, being undertaken

by Gevo Inc, a producer of low-carbon renewable fuels.

The company will partner with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) to see if sugar cane and wood waste can be turned into fuel.

State Development Minister Cameron Dick says Gevo has previously supplied the renewable fuel used in Virgin Australia’s trial of sustainable aviation fuel at Brisbane Airport in June 2019.

“Sustainable aviation fuel provides an alternative to fossil-based jet fuel and offers environmental benefits by reducing the carbon footprint of plane travel,” he says.

“This project will also help position

Queensland as a world-leading location for investment in the manufacture and distribution of this fuel in the global bioproducts and services market.”

Dick says Gevo’s participation in the successful sustainable aviation fuel trial at the Brisbane Airport led to the company considering Queensland as the location for its first biorefinery outside of the United States.

“These ongoing partnerships have the potential to bring even more business to Queensland, as demand for biofuels grows,” he says.

“Having the ability to turn our agriculture waste into sustainable fuel means more jobs in agriculture and biofutures across our regions.”

Gevo Chief Executive Officer Patrick Gruber says Queensland is rich in renewable biomass resources and has expressed the desire to invest in the future of biofuels.

“This opportunity opens the door for the development of a project that

supplies low carbon gasoline to not only Queensland, but also the possibility to supply commercial quantities of 2G sustainable aviation fuel to the Brisbane Airport,” Gruber says.

“This would expand upon our demonstrations of sustainable aviation fuel supply to commercial airlines, like those conducted with Virgin Australia.”

QUT project lead Professor Robert Speight says the university was excited to be working with Gevo in assessing opportunities for developing biorefineries in Queensland.

“This project is an opportunity to further leverage QUT’s expertise in scaling and commercialising industrial bioprocesses,” Speight says “With our state’s large sugar resources, strong innovation, environment and growing demand for renewable products like sustainable fuels, Queensland is well placed for the commercial development of these industries.”

Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020 І 19

NEWS

Works underway on $193M Port of Townsville extension

The upgrade is the largest extension in the port’s 156-year history.

CONSTRUCTION IS HAS BEGUN on a $193 million upgrade to the Port of Townsville as part of the largest expansion in the port’s 156-year history.

The expansion will allow cruise and commercial vessels up to 300 metres in length to safely access the port.

A 2.2-kilometre protective rock wall is being built at the port, which will help enable the construction of up to six new berths.

More than 70 port staff, suppliers and rock wall construction employees will be involved during this phase of works.

Queensland Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad says the upgrade would provide a significant boost for jobs and the North Queensland economy.

“This is the biggest change to the port in almost 30 years and is one that

20 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

will support jobs in Townsville for decades to come,” Trad says.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey says the Port of Townsville is the gateway for projects as far away as Mount Isa. “We’ve seen trade at the port increase 4.7 per cent with 7.68 million tonnes of freight going through its gates, alongside 16 cruise ships visited the city bringing with them 20,000 visitors,” Bailey says.

“It’s why the Queensland Government is investing in a $193 million upgrade of the port channel, $40 million Berth 4 upgrade and $48 million intermodal facility.”

State Member for Townsville Scott Stewart says the port is a critical regional hub that drives economic growth,

generates jobs, and plays a significant role in Australia’s defence capabilities.

“It’s great to see the contractor recruiting locally to help lay at least 600,000 tonnes of rock,” Stewart says.

“Holcim has put on more workers to meet the contract from its Roseneath quarry, while HY-TEC also has a contract to supply rock from its quarry at Calcium.”

The new rock wall will take around 12 months to complete, extending approximately 550 metres seaward, with the northern side approximately 1100 metres in length.

It will form a protective bund around a 62-hectare reclamation area to begin the port’s seaward expansion.

Construction will occur from Monday to Saturday during daylight hours.

Victoria could see start of second gold rush MINERALS EXPLORATION spending in Victoria has hit its highest peak since records began, with Resources Minister Jaclyn Symes claiming the state is

The mining industry supports more than 16,000 jobs in Victoria.

seeing its next gold rush.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) found exploration spending growth to be almost seven times more than in 2014, reaching $34.7 million.

ABS data has also shown Victorian mining employment has risen 41 per cent during the last financial year, supporting around 16,000 jobs across the state.

Resources Minister Jaclyn Symes says more gold is being found every year and interest in exploration is growing.

“Now is the time for companies to invest in Victorian minerals exploration,” she says.

“Our minerals sector is extremely important for regional jobs – it’s really exciting to see this kind of confidence in a sector that’s going from strength-tostrength.”

In February, 30 applications for exploration licenses were issued, the highest monthly number in five years.

The Victorian Government expects this number to grow with the North Central Victorian Goldfields Ground Release tender process.

The gold industry has also benefited from the rising price of gold, which have reached a seven-year high following market volatility and a crash in crude oil prices.

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NEWS

Victorian infrastructure projects to see recycled material boom A NEW INITIATIVE FROM THE Victorian government is set to boost the use of recycled material in rail and infrastructure projects.

According to Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan, Recycled First brings a uniform approach to the existing “ad hoc” use of recycled products on major infrastructure projects.

The program will incorporate recycled and reused materials that meet existing standards for road and rail projects – with recycled aggregates, glass, plastic, timber, steel, ballast, crushed concrete, crushed brick, crumb rubber, reclaimed asphalt pavement and organics taking precedence over brand new materials.

“We’re paving a greener future for Victoria’s infrastructure, turning waste into vital materials for our huge

transport agenda and getting rubbish out of landfills,” Allan says.

“Recycled First will boost the demand for reused materials right across our construction sector – driving innovation in sustainable materials and changing the way we think about waste products.”

“Companies interested in delivering major transport infrastructure projects will be required to demonstrate how they will prioritise recycled and reused materials, while maintaining compliance and quality standards.”

In addition, contractors will need to report on the types and volumes of recycled products used.

The policy will not set mandatory minimum requirements or targets, Allan explains. Instead, a project-by-project approach will allow contractors to

liaise with recycled materials suppliers to determine if there are adequate supplies of the necessary products for their project.

“Work is already underway with current construction partners to ensure more recycled content is being used on major projects, in addition to the new Recycled First requirements,” Allan says.

According to Allan, recycled demolition material was also used to build extra lanes along 24 kilometres of the Tullamarine Freeway, as well as the Monash Freeway and M80 Ring Road.

“The state government is also reusing materials created by its own projects, with 14,000 tonnes of soil excavated from the Metro Tunnel site in Parkville now being used in pavement layers on roads in Point Cook,” she says.

Victoria’s new initiative aims to increase the uptake of recycled materials in infrastructure projects.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020 І 23

COVER STORY

Feeding the world Agricultural infrastructure company Ag Growth International strives to achieve its goal of feeding the world with continuous innovation and technology.

AGRICULTURE IS ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S most exposed industries to climate variability with droughts, floods and fires all capable of destroying crops and livelihoods.

According to the National Climate Change Adaption Research Facility (NCCARF)’s 2012 Adapting agriculture to climate change report, these extreme weather events are critical drivers of agricultural profitability, the most pervasive being drought. “[Drought] disrupts cropping programs, reduces stock numbers, and erodes the productivity and resource base of farms, threatening long-term sustainability,” the report reads.

It also found that, by 2030, rainfall is projected to decrease by two to five per cent across Australia, except in northern parts of the country.

The economic impacts of these events are widespread, costing the agricultural industry billions of dollars.

The National Farmers Federation’s (NFF) Food, fibre & forestry facts report estimates the gross value of Australian agriculture would fall from $62.208 billion in 2018-19 to $59.353 billion in 2019-20, primarily due to the drought.

Building infrastructure that improves resilience is key for agricultural businesses to thrive in a changing market and environment.

In addition, the NFF says efficiency gains through new technologies and farm management practices have enabled Australia to stay a step ahead of international competitors and led to productivity growth.

Driving productivity higher is a key goal for agricultural infrastructure company Ag Growth International (AGI), which provides the tools needed for farmers, ports, food manufacturers and bulk handlers to adapt and grow.

Peter Forster, AGI Business Manager, says an essential part of

providing food security is to control and validate grain conditions correctly.

Through AGI’s extensive product catalogue they deliver solutions for storage, handling, processing, technology and structures for farm and commercial applications.

“Keeping grain in pristine condition is the objective of any farmer or commercial operator,” he says. “AGI’s conditioning technology enables the operator to achieve these complex and demanding challenges.”

As part of its offering, the company has developed a software platform called SureTrack, which aims to help farmers make the most out of their resources and help bulk handlers effectively manage inventories.

The platform allows users to access data to select seed, make irrigation and field management decisions, manage grain after the harvest, and know when and where to market grain.

AGI provides agricultural infrastructure around the world.

24 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

The company has been involved in the Australian market for more than 37 years.

SureTrack helps farmers and bulk handlers get the most out of their resources.

Condition monitoring The platform includes a sophisticated control system for condition monitoring, using drying and rehydration curves across a number of grain varieties. Coupled with internal and external temperature and moisture sensors, SureTrack bin manager also helps operators manage the quality of their product.

This information can be accessed directly through email or a mobile app to keep operators aware of the state of their grain no matter where they are.

Jeff Cruzen, Dryer Business Development Manager at AGI, says the system will add value for the customer.

“In today’s world, the food industry is trying to track product from seed to table,” he says. “SureTrack is an additional way to do this while providing quality at the end.”

Three major factors in improving grain are drying, cooling and fumigation.

Cruzen, who has more than 21 years of experience with grain drying, says the process must consider each of these factors to ensure the grain remains within the ideal parameters.

“Drying is made up of three components – air, heat, and time,” he says. “There are a lot of variables to consider, like the overall quality of the crop, ambient temperatures, relative

“Keeping grain in pristine condition is the objective of any farmer or commercial operator. AGI’s conditioning technology enables the operator to achieve these complex and demanding challenges.” humidity, the genetics, chemicals in the growing season or overall conditions during the harvest season.”

Correct cooling levels, especially in hot and humid climates such as Australia, help reduce mould, insect growth and lets the grain be stored for longer. In particular, some crops, like malt barley, need to be cooled to reach the quality levels required of the manufacturing process.

What makes cooling difficult is the availability of fresh and dry air. To make the process easier for grain handlers, AGI has built climate control and cooling objectives into its digital platform and can model a user’s operation to correctly size fans. This modelling helps inform the correct aeration flooring and vent distribution for the design and can be used to implement automated cooling control.

Insects have the capacity to destroy the quality of a crop, making fumigation an essential process. However, fumigation protocols require time and the correct concentration of gas levels to work effectively.

AGI’s silo-sealing technology is based on Australian Standard AS2628. A sealing membrane is installed into the silo vents, transitions and doors, as well as a recirculation and pressure-relief system.

Forster says that the company can take this to the next level by using carbon dioxide sensor technology.

“By achieving early detection of insect and mould development, this enables a farmer or operator to make an initial decision that eliminates product spoilage,” he says.

He adds that the digital tools available in the SureTrack platform provide the agricultural industry with the knowledge it needs to improve the adaptability and resilience of the entire supply chain.

“Feeding the world is our goal at AGI and to do that we need the infrastructure and technology to process and protect millions of tonnes of inputs and crops flowing around the world daily,” he says.

“By slashing supply chain inefficiencies and improving the quality of grain we already have, the industry is better placed to get food to the people and animals that need it.”

Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020 І 25

SHIPPING

thyssenkrupp to revolutionise shallow bulk shipping Most bulk material ports are relatively shallow, but the costs of dredging mean this is unlikely to change. Fortunately, there is now a solution to improve throughput without dredging – the Transmax.

Bulk ports are often shallow, limiting access to modern bulk carriers.

THE ESTIMATED MAJORITY OF global export ports for bulk materials are geographically remote and not sufficiently dredged to handle modern bulk carriers.

Typically, iron ore is transported by 180,000 deadweight (dwt) capsize bulk carriers, which require 19 metres of water depth under the keel. However, Australian ports such as those at Port Hedland, Newcastle and Whyalla often don’t meet these requirements.

This is partially because dredging is very expensive, with costs increasing exponentially when dredging hard materials. Further, environmental requirements and regulations can present far-reaching challenges.

This is a major constraint for the development of ports’ throughput and economic growth, which is why mining materials handling supplier thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions entered into a partnership with Australian-based infrastructure company National Ports Corporation

26 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

to develop the Transmax.

The Transmax is a self-unloading, super-shallow draft bulk carrier that aims to redefine transhipping operations in shallow water ports globally. The vessel opens draft limited ports around the world to far greater

thyssenkrupp designed all material handling equipment installed on board the Transmax.

tonnages with no dredging, capital expenditure, or change to materials handling process or equipment.

It can traverse fully loaded, 24/7, into any limited draft port in the world, including Port Hedland, Newcastle and Whyalla, with cargo capacity far greater than existing industry capability for a given draft and unrestricted by tide limitations.

The Transmax is a 190,000 tonnes dwt on a 14-metre draft transhipment bulk carrier. Currently the existing capacity on the same draft is 120,000 dwt. thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions has equipped it with cargo handling systems such as an on-board travelling ship-loader.

The Transmax is equipped with bow and stern thrusters to make the vessel highly manoeuvrable, and vacuum or magnetic mooring systems for fast mooring and unmooring.

The vessel can be loaded at berths using existing ship-loaders or can be loaded directly from a shore conveyor at the rate of up to 20,000 tonnes

per hour, avoiding the capital cost for conventional marine berth and travelling ship-loader. This represents a substantial saving in capital expenditure.

It can also self-unload its cargo into any size ocean-going vessel, including the 400,000 dwt Valemax or at the port of destination at the rate of up to 13,000 tonnes per hour in a safe and environmentally-friendly manner.

When compared with prevailing technologies that have a maximum unloading rate of 5000 tonnes per hour, the Transmax outperforms by delivering a 260 per cent improvement on current unloading rates and 100 per cent for current loading rates.

Each self-propelled Transmax can be custom designed to the water depth available at each port. For example, a 61,000 dwt Transmax can transit a port with water depths of only 6.5 metres, a major improvement on existing capacities.

Franz-Maria Wolpers, Senior Executive in the Mining Technologies business unit of thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions says the company is delighted to be helping its clients solve one of the most complex challenges when operating in shallow, restricted and remote ports.

“In addition to opening up access to those ports the new system dramatically increases self-unloading rates into any type of bulk carrier to the port of destination through a thyssenkrupp materials handling system,” Wolpers says.

“In cooperation with National Ports, we are thus offering mining companies and port operators worldwide significant efficiency improvements, including faster materials handling at lower cost and reduced environmental risk”. thyssenkrupp has designed, built and guaranteed all material handling equipment installed on board

China China is the biggest importer of iron ore in the world. Australia and Brazil are the major exporters of iron ore in the world. The distance from Brazil to the markets of China, is about three times more than from Australia.

In an effort to reduce the freight costs, Chinese ship owners operate a fleet of very large bulk carriers.

Only three ports in China can accommodate these 400,000 dwt vessels.

By positioning the self-propelled Transmax in deep water near the Chinese port of destination, Chinese ship owners could deliver bulk commodities with a supersized Valemax directly to any port in China.

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SHIPPING

“In cooperation with National Ports, we are thus offering mining companies and port operators worldwide significant efficiency improvements, including faster materials handling at lower cost and reduced environmental risk.”

the Transmax, including the onboard ship-loader.

Australian ports The average vessel loading iron ore at Port Hedland has a deadweight of 180,000 tonnes on 18.2-metre draft, while Port Hedland’s inner harbour and the access channel has a water depth of 14.5 metres.

Laden capesize bulk carriers can only depart the Port Hedland harbour at high tide. The window of transit time for laden capesize vessels at Port Hedland is restricted by the tide and the shallow channel of 14.5 metres.

The average operating time available for laden capesize vessels to traverse the harbour and the channel is limited to about three hours every 12 hours.

As a result of tide limitations,

large ocean-going bulk carriers often must depart the berth short loaded, representing an extra cost for mining companies. This means miners exporting iron ore out of Port Hedland are forced to depart at high tide.

As a result, the port authority has made the decision to let five to eight capesize vessels depart at the same time in a convoy. Should one of the cape-size vessels in the convoy break down while transiting the channel, it could create a major financial and environmental disaster (In 2016, 55 incidents were reported transiting the channel).

According to the Pilbara Ports Authority, the maximum throughput capacity of the port is 577 million tonnes per year. This could be increased by approximately 10 per cent by reducing the departure time between vessels, therefore increasing

the number of vessels transiting the channel in convoy. Increasing the number of vessels transiting the channel in convoy will increase the risk of accidents.

In addition, with a number of new miners competing for limited slots on the tide, Port Hedland is expected to reach its maximum capacity in less than three years. Once the maximum capacity is reached, this will prevent the future growth to all the mining companies operating out of Port Hedland including BHP, FMG and Roy Hill.

A fit for purpose, fully-loaded 190,000 dwt Transmax can traverse the Port Hedland harbour and channel 24/7 unrestricted by tide limitations.

By doing so, it would open the draft limited ports of Port Hedland to far greater tonnages with no dredging, no capital expenditure, nor change to materials handling process or equipment. This could double the maximum estimated throughput per year at the congested port of Port Hedland and would be a significant increase in revenue for the Pilbara Ports Authority and royalties payable to the State Government of Western Australia.

The Transmax can self-unload its cargo into any size ocean going vessel.

28 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

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INTERVIEW

Unlocking end-to-end solutions Rema Tip Top has turned its focus to Australian heavy industry, partnering with a local business to offer complete end-to-end solutions. ABHR speaks with Michel Ciepelinski, the company’s Director of Sales and Operations to find out more.

AT THE DAWN OF A NEW DECADE, unforeseen ‘black swan’ events have caused significant upsets to the global supply chain.

With tensions between the United States and China, a new virus causing billions of dollars to be shed from global markets and the United Kingdom officially leaving the European Union, trade has become increasingly volatile.

Michel Ciepelinski, Director of Sales and Operations at Rema Tip Top, says these threats have the potential to significantly impact a number of sectors, including bulk handling.

“The markets around the world are changing,” he says. “We’ve seen what happens when China slows trade going through its borders and how threatening that can be.”

“In Europe we’ve also seen this with Germany stepping out of the coal and nuclear industries.”

However, it’s not all doom and gloom for global company Rema Tip Top. The company began its almost 100-year history in Germany, where it grew to be a major international player in the automotive rubber sector. Since then, it has developed further industrial capabilities, providing specialist rubber lining, wear and corrosion protection, and conveyor maintenance.

Ciepelinski says it’s important now more than ever to have a reliable partner in business that has the resources and expertise to react quickly.

“We’re a global company, with

30 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

operations in more than 150 countries around the world. As one of the biggest providers in a niche market, we are always looking towards the future.”

With Europe stepping away from heavy industry, the company has begun to emphasise its ability to supply lightweight belts and protective coating for industries such as the food market.

At the same time, it has identified Australia as a country where heavy industry is set to expand, especially in the mining and infrastructure construction industries.

“Australia is a very important region for Rema Tip Top,” Ciepelinski says.

“Mining is a huge market and is very likely to stay that way long into the future.”

But, according to Ciepelinski, the company doesn’t want to be just known as the ‘conveyor belt company’, and as a result has been developing new offerings and partnerships to provide end-to-end solutions.

Turning the key Rema Tip Top’s main objective in Australia is to improve the availability and efficiency of plant. Previously, it has strived to do so through rigorous research and development to create long-lasting and effective products, along with dedicated after sales support.

However, the company has bolstered its capacity to install and maintain conveyor systems for Australian mining companies.

In January, Rema Tip Top entered

Rema Tip Top Director of Sales and Operations, Michel Ciepelinski.

a partnership with a leading civil, structural steel, mechanical and piping company called Drew Project Services.

This means the company could call upon its partner to help supply detailed design and fabrication, earthworks, form work and steel fixing, concreting, project management and supervision, heavy construction, site installation and commissioning, specialised welding and cutting, crane operation and rigging, painting, and blasting services.

According to Steve Hipwell, Rema Tip Top’s National Projects and Tenders Manager, the partnership allows Rema Tip Top to focus on the broader infrastructure needs of its customers.

“We’ve long been recognised as a leading provider of products and services that help keep Australian miners on the move,” he says.

“From conveyor belt design,

“From conveyor belt design, componentry and specialist repair services, we’ve been able to hone our skills over decades to become expert in the installation, maintenance and the replacement of conveyor belts globally.”

The company can draw on its global support network to provide end-to-end solutions.

componentry and specialist repair services, we’ve been able to hone our skills over decades to become expert in the installation, maintenance and the replacement of conveyor belts globally.

The partnership is just one way

the company has developed from a product provider to a services company, particularly when it comes to offering expertise to greenfield development.

The company can also draw on its worldwide support network to help build projects of any size. Its staff are qualified in project management that will see development from feasibility studies, design, engineering, tendering, commissioning and delivery.

Ciepelinski says mining companies see conveyor systems as a means to an end and want to simplify the process where possible.

“At the end of the day, a mining company is not interested in conveyors, they’re interested in selling their products,” he says.

“That’s why we want to support

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SENSORS

Shifting bulk from the stone age to the space age ABHR speaks to John Leadbetter, Managing Director of Vega Australia, to learn how sensors can make work safer, smarter and more efficient.

THE HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE IS a long and storied one that stretches for thousands of years to the Neolithic era. It was then that societies around the world began moving away from practices of hunting and gathering to farming.

This shift allowed for larger settlements to develop, which grew into villages, then towns, and then cities.

The tools used by farmers also began to change, becoming more advanced and productive.

This trend continued into the 21st century. John Leadbetter, Managing Director of Vega Australia, says the continuous development of new technologies, particularly when it comes to the internet of things and automation, has seen the sector jump from the stone age to the space age.

“How we handle grain has dramatically changed over the past few decades. For example, traditionally to check the volume of a silo would

32 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

require manual dipping,” he says.

“This would be performed once or twice a day per silo and would involve someone climbing to the top of the structure to do it. When you consider some operations have around 30 odd silos, this would be happening quite often.

“With the advent of workplace health and safety regulations, constant working at heights is now frowned upon, as it puts employees at greater risks, so the industry began to look at ways this could be done safer and better.”

Vega’s response was to design technology that made life easier for bulk material handlers in the form of radar sensors, differential pressure transmitters and level switches. These devices make use of Bluetooth technology, allowing operators to use a smartphone or tablet app to instantly check levels.

Radar technology has been used to collect level management readings since 2004. They work by producing radio

waves and detecting the echoes, which are then converted into an electronic signal to be displayed on site or incorporated into a process control or managment system.

An example of a radar-based sensor is the VEGAPULS 69, which was the culmination of three years of research and development.

It features an improved dynamic range, giving it the ability to make the returned echo a significantly stronger signal. This allows it to remain locked on for processing.

The level transmitter operates at a frequency of 79 gigahertz, providing an enhanced focusing capacity. This helps reduce the influence of background noise commonly found in complex internal structures such as silos.

Bulk solids with a poor reflective quality can also be measured by the system, due to the addition of new microwave components, allowing the VEGAPULS 69 to detect even the

smallest of reflected signals.

Leadbetter says that inventory management has become a critical part of the bulk handling sector and its future.

“At the end of the day, inventory is money. Knowing how much you have and where it is gives you better control of how you distribute your product,” he says.

“Everything comes down to automation, and as the industry moves to more advanced IT systems, the need to know where material is will become even more important.”

He adds that while there has been a push towards an automated industry, there are still some apprehensions.

Price is one of the most common roadblocks for companies, but just as the price of consumer electronics has dropped over the past two decades, so too has the price of certain bulk handling technologies.

Another reason why some companies still shy away from automation is the fear of the unknown. Automation can be

scary and seen as something that will end up replacing a person, or something that hasn’t been completely tested yet.

Leadbetter says these perceptions

Leadbetter explains that listening to its customers and the broader bulk handling market is vital for Vega, as it bases its technological

“With the advent of workplace health and safety regulations, constant working at heights is now frowned upon, as it puts employees at greater risks, so the industry began to look at ways this could be done safer and better.” are outdated, as the technology has been thoroughly researched and found to make workplaces safer and more efficient.

“We’re now seeing people in commercial roles get involved with automating systems,” he says. “They can see the advantages straight away.”

“Because they’re the decision maker, anything that helps them embrace change and override potential worries about this tech helps adoption across the broader market.”

developments around feedback.

“We want to learn what our customers require and how we can make that work for them. It’s crucial we work with the industry as a result,” he says.

“It also gives us a chance to make face to face connections, which are very important. At the end of the day, we’re not a website or e-shop, we’re real people that can understand someone’s need and demonstrate capabilities.

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BELTS Fenner Dunlop is celebrating the 80th anniversary of its Footscray plant.

From gold rush to mining boom With more than 100 years of history, Fenner Dunlop is a key player in the Australian Market. ABHR looks at how the company has grown and developed over the decades to where it is today.

FENNER DUNLOP’S HISTORY CAN be traced back to 1890 when two British conveyor belting tradesmen, Arthur and Charles Hopkins, began to manufacture leather belting in Melbourne.

In 1891, Australian George Odlum joined them, forming Hopkins Bros & Odlum. The company went on to prosper during a boom period in Australia’s mining industry. At the time, the company made belting for Mt. Morgan in Queensland, Broken Hill in New South Wales, Mt. Lyell and Mt. Zeehan in Tasmania, and Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie in Western Australia.

As technology developed, eventually rubber and textile belts gained popularity, becoming the prototypes of the products found in today’s market. In 1940, the company started manufacturing at a site in West Footscray, only eight kilometres from Melbourne’s central business district, deliberately located with easy access to the main highways.

In 2020, Fenner Dunlop is celebrating the 80th anniversary of its Footscray plant, which the Australian Heritage Commission has recognised as a building of regional historical and architectural significance. Outside the factory stands the original Apex

34 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

Belting neon sign, one of the oldest in Melbourne, which harkens back to a brand with almost 70 years of history.

The Apex Belting brand was formed in 1952 and can still be found on all Fenner Dunlop belts.

The company has made significant progress since opening its factory.

The manufacturing facility has been upgraded over time.

Weaving capacity was established in 2003 in a strategic move that aimed to showcase the organisation’s commitment to local manufacturing.

Fabric is produced in-house, helping Fenner Dunlop maintain stringent quality standards, reduce lead times and material waste. International

Standards Organisation 9001:2015 informs the basis of the quality management system, which is supported by continuous improvement initiatives to increase performance.

“We’re proud to be celebrating the 80-year milestone of our plant in Footscray. Our commitment to customer service is stronger than ever, and we have a plan for growth which will see us deliver even more for our valued customers,” says Hong Koh, Fenner Dunlop Manufacturing Manager.

Growing forward Over the years, Fenner Dunlop has evolved from being a traditional belt supplier to providing head-to-tail conveyor solutions. As part of this, the company offers a suite of services it calls ‘engineered conveyor solutions’ (ECS).

This strategy was implemented in 2012 and looks to tackle complex engineering challenges facing mining companies.

One example is when a local longwall coal producer in New South Wales contacted Fenner Dunlop’s Australian Conveyor Engineering (ACE) team to develop a unique trunk cover.

A 3.2-kilometre-long trunk conveyor system was needed to improve the mine’s productivity, which currently produces 5.5 million tonnes of coal each year. The system needed to include all the terminal equipment, from the transfer and impact station to the drive head, loop take-up, belt maintenance and boot end. The challenge for the engineering team was to ensure all of the equipment was roof mounted and fitted with a power of 2250 kilowatts.

Fenner Dunlop ACE worked alongside the site installation and maintenance teams to develop a system that not only met the specifications, but increased the mine’s safety and ease of installation, operation and maintenance. Integrated belt maintenance, support frames, extra-wide access platforms and rail-mounted transfer components were also included in the conveyor, which is now hard at work.

Similarly, Fenner Dunlop ACE has redesigned a rockbox transfer system and ongoing conveyor modifications at another underground coal mine.

Water was causing ongoing effects to the mine’s conveyor systems and components but due to the low height, typical dewatering systems were not practical with the amount of coal, sandstone and mudstone being mined. The challenge was to design a dewatering system that could isolate the water with the existing rockboxes and reduce the liner wear and chute damage.

Fenner Dunlop ACE designed a low-height dewatering transfer rockbox that uses auger and cutter blade technology.

It uses a dedicated dewatering vibrating screen. This has significantly increased water separation performance and increased the residence time of the product in the dewatering circuit, maximising availability.

Since its implementation, the system effectively removes the water from the coal flow, ensuring the product settles efficiently with the water directed to the sump. This new technology can extract significantly more amount of water from the burden than existing technologies while operating in heights of four metres.

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SILOS

Allies in grain unite to upgrade malting plant In 2019, Allied Grain Systems was contracted to upgrade one of the largest malting plants in the southern hemisphere.

ABHR speaks to John White, the company’s Managing Director, to learn more.

BOORTMALT IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S largest malting companies, with a global production capacity of three million tonnes.

The company describes itself as “masters of malt”, in part due to its influence over every link in its supply chain, from seed to malt, to ensure a high level of quality.

In 2019, the company announced it had acquired agricultural company Cargill’s global malt business and 16 malthouses across nine countries – including Australia.

One of these sites, located in WA, was to undergo an upgrade. According to John White, Allied Grain Systems Managing Director, the site had grown over the decades to become one of the largest malting facilities in the southern hemisphere.

To ensure it would continue producing malt of the highest quality possible, Allied Grain Systems was contracted to upgrade the facility.

“We were involved in coming up with the design for the new cleaning plant,” White says. “However, one of the challenges we faced was fitting it onto the existing site without disrupting operations.

“There were a number of civil works that needed to be done in a confined space in order for the upgrade to work, on top of finding a way to increase the storage capacity at the site.”

Allied Grain Systems is well acquainted with the Western Australian facility, having worked with major maltsters like Boortmalt before on other sites around the country. The team’s previous experience with Boortmalt meant Allied’s staff knew

The site is one of the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

36 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

the level of quality that was expected from such an upgrade.

The team started works in May 2019, taking control of the entire upgrade process, from initial concept to pricing, to design and decommissioning. Allied Grain Systems prides itself on being a one-stop shop when it comes to grain infrastructure, especially for sites that require uninterrupted production.

White says this approach is easier for both the customer and his team. It means the customer doesn’t need to worry while Allied Grain Systems get on with the work.

“These kinds of sites are often built in urban areas without an abundance of room,” White says.

“We had to be especially accurate when building 3D models. Our engineers made sure what was being planned would actually fit into the system and comply with Australian Standards for access and safety.”

Much of the upgrade works occurred during mini-shutdowns or in off peak times such as weekends. Collaboration with the operations staff was vital to ensuring this went off without a hitch.

Due to Allied Grain Systems’ previous strong relationship with the workers at the site, both companies enjoyed a strong working relationship.

Part of this comes from Allied Grain Systems’ strategy of immersing its staff in the project so they can quickly react to unforeseen circumstances before they snowball into a bigger problem.

This could be finding underground electrical cables that weren’t detailed on any diagrams or drainage systems that hadn’t been included in plans.

Safety was a major factor in the works as well, as White says Boortmalt maintains similarly high standards.

“One of our big drawcards is our dedication to safety, and we were able to meet our clients need in that respect,” he says.

“Across all of our projects with Boortmalt, we’ve not had one medically-treated injury or lost time injury over 10 years.”

One reason for this track record is due to Allied Grain Systems supervisors that oversee the entire project, including other trades.

White believes that Allied Grain Systems manufactures some of the best grain storage vessels in Australia for malting applications. The company offers a range of different silos, including flat bottom and cone silos to fit the specific needs of the customer.

These can range from 250 tonnes to 30,000 tonnes for flat bottom silos and 10 tonnes to 300 tonnes for cones. All silos are built to Australian Standard 2628 (2010), which mandates silos be gas tight and sealable, suitable for fumigation.

Upgrade works began in May 2019.

Durability and weight were major considerations for the Boortmalt upgrade, as the silos also provide support for overhead structures, conveyors and walkways. Each are made from abrasionresistant materials and have heavy-duty wall sheets, up to 12 millimetres thick.

Works are still ongoing and are

expected to be complete in April 2020.

White says his team have enjoyed working with Boortmalt and would like to continue that relationship.

“We appreciate everything they’ve done for us and want to continue supporting them as a business,” he says.

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TRAINING

Inside Kinder’s industry training sessions ABHR learns more about Kinder Australia’s training sessions and how it can help bulk handlers improve their operations.

A CONVEYOR BELT THAT ISN’T running is not usually making its owner money. Unscheduled downtime costs can add up and lead to unacceptable losses in productivity and profitability.

This is exactly what Kinder Australia is trying to avoid.

In his role as Field Applications Specialist, Tim Storer helps bulk handlers diagnose problems in a conveyor system and what can be done to address them. This typically comes in the form of maintenance and preventative maintenance.

In one analogy, Storer compares it to household upkeep.

“Rather than wait for the roof gutters to start leaking and damage the house, find the flaws early and get a new system installed,” he says.

Storer and his team help identify what to look for to solve common problems. Material spillage is one he encounters the most, as it has the potential to fly under the radar. From

a quarry maintenance point of view, staff see rocks all day long, which can cause workers to minimise or even normalise the problem.

However, spillage presents some serious problems if left unchecked. It can lead to equipment being worn out or taking damage. It can also create safety issues for staff as a tripping or striking hazard and means a certain amount of material is being lost.

If a conveyor system is spilling material at a transfer point due to ineffective equipment, increased throughputs or certain applications, it is key to ensure staff working near the plant are quick to catch issues at their earliest stages.

Kinder’s training sessions aim to do this by teaching multiple levels of employees. Fitters, welders, engineers and asset managers all come together to learn what can be done to improve their operation.

“We generally have a meet and greet Kinder Australia’s training helps workers identify ways of improving operations.

38 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

Tim Storer.

session at the start so that everyone can get comfortable,” Storer says. “While we may have 20 people working under the same banner, they potentially have never met each other, working at plants more than 300 kilometres away from the other.”

Attendees are given some homework before the session begins. They’re told to find something on site which has been causing issues. This becomes the first part of the training session and helps Kinder’s team establish what kind of training is needed.

This could be a quarry trying to move a particular material on a conveyor system, which tends to bend or break. The problem gets floated around the room, with everyone able to chime in and discuss where the problem could originate.

“The training sessions are very open and hands on. We can see what some of the issues are for the client and can talk about potential solutions and applications that can make their lives easier,” Storer says.

Kinder avoids taking a one-sizefits-all approach, as that doesn’t engage with the client’s needs. Two quarries could be dealing with similar problems but may wildly vary when it comes to equipment and methods.

Storer says by keeping the focus on the client, everyone gets more value.

“You can really turn people off when you start sounding like an advertising pitch,” he says. “People can tell if you’re just trying to sell them something.

“What we try to do is remain neutral and help them find the best way forward, not flash them a catalogue.”

The training sessions have hands-on components.

Kinder began running the training sessions in 2016 and was met with encouraging feedback. The company has since focused more of its efforts in engaging with its customers to provide knowledge and engineering expertise.

According to Storer, this has helped break down the barriers between Kinder and its customers, who are now more likely to pick up the phone and call if they’ve got a problem. It’s also helped break down barriers with

participants, who have reported having better connections across their own organisations.

Due to its success, Kinder plans to expand the training sessions interstate.

Currently, they are held at Kinder Australia Headquarters in Melbourne, which allows guests to tour the factory and see how Kinder manufactures its products. The team is working on hosting an event in South Australia and Queensland in the near future to make it more accessible to clients around the country.

“The training sessions have helped spread awareness about what technology is available on the market and awareness of how Kinder can help,” Storer says.

“Kinder has committed to investing back into the industry and the customers that support us. By doing so, it helps them feel more comfortable approaching us and gives them an avenue for aid if they start encountering bulk handling issues.”

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FLOW AIDS

Engineering excellent flow Brad Pronschinske, Global Flow Aids Manager for Martin Engineering, explains how different flow aids can be used to resolve a number of bulk material handling issues.

TO ACHIEVE A CONSISTENT FLOW, conveyors, chutes and vessels handling large volumes of bulk material must be designed to accommodate the cargo they will be handling.

Designing a conveyor and chutework that can handle every material situation is virtually impossible. Materials with high moisture content can adhere to walls or even freeze during winter temperatures.

Continuous operation can compress the material, and physical properties often change due to natural variations in the source deposits. At times, the system can become completely blocked by just a small change in these parameters.

To overcome these issues, a variety of devices collectively known as flow aids can be employed.

What are flow aids?

Flow aids are components or systems installed to promote the transport of materials through a chute or vessel.

Because they affect a conveyor’s loading, flow aid devices can also impact spillage and dust. By designing active flow aids into a conveying

A series of air cannons can be programmed to deliver precisely-timed operation for maximum benefit.

40 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

system, the operation gains a level of control over the material that cannot be obtained with static approaches (such as low-friction liners) alone.

When employing flow aids, it’s critical that the chute and support components are sound, and the flow aid be properly sized and mounted. This is because the operation of these devices can create potentially damaging stress on the structure.

The best practice is to use the flow aid as a preventative solution to be controlled by timers or sensors to prevent material buildup, rather than waiting until material builds up and restricts the flow. Using a flow aid device in this way saves energy, reduces noise and improves safety, since the flow aid runs only when needed while still reducing buildup and plugging.

Air cannons One solution for managing material accumulation in chutes and vessels is the low-pressure air cannon. Also known as an ‘air blaster’, it uses compressed air to deliver an abrupt discharge to dislodge the buildup. Basic components include an air

reservoir, fast-acting valve with trigger mechanism and a nozzle to distribute the air in the desired pattern to most effectively clear the accumulation.

Compressed air (or some other inert gas) in the tank is suddenly released by the valve and directed through an engineered nozzle, which is strategically positioned in the chute, tower, duct, cyclone or other location. Often installed in a series and precisely sequenced for maximum effect, the network can be timed to best suit individual process conditions or material characteristics.

Air cannons can be customised for specific service environments, with different air blast characteristics created by manipulating the operating pressure, tank volume, valve design and nozzle shape.

A new process has been developed for installing air cannons in hightemperature applications without a processing shutdown, allowing speciallytrained technicians to mount the units on furnaces, preheaters, clinker coolers and in other high-temperature locations while production continues.

The technology is designed to dramatically reduce expensive downtime associated with traditional installation methods, which require that high-heat processes be halted to allow core drilling and mounting of the cannons. This new approach allows technicians to add air cannons and nozzles to an operation while it’s in full swing, without disrupting the process. It’s been proven in dozens of installations to date, helping hightemperature processes maintain effective material flow and minimise shutdowns, improving efficiency while reducing lost production time.

Engineered vibration The age-old solution for breaking loose blockages and removing accumulations from chutes and storage vessels was to pound the outside of the walls with a hammer or other heavy object.

A better solution is the application of engineered vibration, which supplies energy precisely where needed. This

reduces friction and breaks up the material to keep it moving to the discharge opening, without damaging the chute or vessel.

Vibrators reduce the cohesion between the material particles, and the adhesion between the particles and the container wall to increase the material flow. The devices activate the material inside a chute or bin by energising the outside of the structure’s steel walls and transmitting vibratory waves into the bulk solid.

Linear vibration is the best solution for sticky, coarse, high-moisture materials.

A convenient test is to take a handful of material and squeeze it into a ball. If the material readily remains in the ball after the fist is opened, linear vibration is probably the best choice.

In contrast to linear designs, rotary vibrators create a vibratory force through the rotation of an eccentric weight, which creates a powerful vibration much as a household washing machine does when its

load is off-centre. They supply an energy best suited to moving fine, dry materials.

Vibration can induce stress into metal structures, and the walls may need to be reinforced at the point(s) of application.

Vibrators are typically installed on a mounting plate or channel that spreads the vibratory energy (and the weight of the device) over a larger surface area.

Because flow-aid devices often use compressed air or other energy sources that can create a stored energy hazard, it is critical to follow lockout/tagout/ blockout/testout procedures. Even though buildup in a chute may still be in place, its hold on the chute wall might be weakened to the point that a slight disturbance during maintenance can cause it to fall.

There is also an electrical shock hazard when working on the control systems.

To prevent the possibility of remotely energising devices during maintenance and testing, appropriate safety procedures must be in place to prevent unintended actuation.

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PULLEY LAGGING

Spare pulleys: hot vulcanised vs cold bonded lagging Spare pulleys are often vital to a mining operation, but if not stored properly, can degrade rapidly. David Molesworth, Director at Elastotec, explains how to keep them in the best possible condition.

WHEN A PULLEY NEEDS REPLACING, it is often key to do so quickly. This is especially true in an emergency changeout due to catastrophic pulley failure, but also helps in planned maintenance shuts.

To provide a level of speed and efficiency in this process, spare pulleys are often held in inventory. In both cases it is essential that the spare is completely serviceable and ready to be used – any deterioration of the lagging in storage presents a major problem.

Spare pulleys are usually held on site where storage conditions can vary substantially from mine to mine. They should be packaged in such a way that the lagging is protected from direct

Corrosion of the pulley shell along the join between two strips.

42 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

Figure 1. Hot vulcanised lagging – no edge lifting after exposure to wet and corrosive conditions.

exposure to sunlight, as this will protect the rubber portion of the lagging from degradation over time.

Additionally, packaging should be designed so that the pulley will not ‘sweat’ due to moisture or condensation developing inside the packaging. This increases the risk of corrosion and lagging adhesion problems. Ideally, spare pulleys are stored inside a warehouse in dry conditions, but this is not always possible.

In some situations, like one that a major Queensland coal terminal faced, more of the maintenance budget is spent on spare pulleys than operational pulleys due to the deterioration of spares during the typical storage time of five to 10 years.

The coal terminal had found that replacement of the cold bonded lagging on the spare pulleys was a significant part of this cost.

Some of the common signs of deterioration of cold bonded lagging during storage include: • Lifting of the lagging at the edges of the pulley • Lifting of the lagging along the

joint between two strips • Opening up of the joint between two strips (this allows water to penetrate the lagging and start corroding the pulley shell).

Hot vulcanised lagging offers significant advantages over cold bonded lagging when pulleys are held in storage for extended periods and in less than ideal conditions.

The advantages of hot vulcanised lagging are due to the much better adhesion between the lagging and the pulley shell (100 per cent rubber tear adhesion is the standard) and also to the elimination of any joins between the lagging strips.

Figure 1 shows how hot vulcanised lagging eliminates the problems of lagging lifting at the pulley edge and of separation of the lagging along the joints between strips.

Hot vulcanised lagging helps give maintenance personnel peace of mind, as their spare pulleys in storage will have the lagging ready for operation when needed.

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INDUSTRY 4.0

Automatic lubrication offers better performance By harnessing the power of automation, Schaeffler significantly cuts the amount of manual labour and downtime required for bearings in bulk systems.

AS WITH MANY INDUSTRIAL components, bearings require the right amount of lubrication to function. Too little can mean frictional forces intensify wear, while too much can cause pressure to build and raise internal temperatures.

Manually lubricating these components takes time and manpower that could potentially be spent elsewhere on more productive work.

This problem is what Schaeffler’s Concept2 aims to solve. The device provides a constant and optimal supply of lubrication to the contact points of the rolling bearing.

Mark Ciechanowicz, Schaeffler Industrial Services Manager, says that by installing the system, manual resources are not needed to feed grease into the bearing – it happens automatically.

“A lot of the issues we face when it comes to bearing failure is actually lubrication related. By installing a Concept device, bulk handlers can cut a considerable amount of downtime.”

The Concept2 is Industry 4.0 compatible, can be controlled externally as required, and are easy to integrate into machine operations. It can lubricate up to two points and has different lubrication intervals for each outlet. The device has a wide operating temperature range, making it suitable for harsher environments, and monitors the dosing and filling levels.

Traditionally, Schaeffler is a bearing original equipment manufacturer.

However, according to Ciechanowicz, the company has looked to expand its capabilities, now offering bearing products and everything around it.

This includes services like mounting and dismounting, alignment, lubrication and condition monitoring.

The company believes condition

44 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

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Schaeffler helps its customers detect and avoid potential trouble through its condition monitoring solutions.

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monitoring contributes to high availability and longevity for machinery and plant.

Ciechanowicz says there has been a big push from the bulk handling industry to move towards a digitalised approach.

“Our customers are demanding systems that can be automated and integrated into a process. We’re especially finding large mining companies are well and truly down this path and want that technology from suppliers,” he says.

“In Australia, we have an online monitoring centre that can see the status of sensors connected to a 4G or 3G router, such as the Concept2. Reliability engineers view alarms daily and put together a comprehensive report for customers, so they know straight away if there is a condition change.”

Schaeffler helps its customers detect and avoid potential trouble through its condition monitoring solutions. Smartconnected devices detect a variety of factors, such as alignment of shafts and belt pulleys, vibration, lubricants and temperature to determine if intervention is needed.

This increases machinery and plant service life, the performance of production lines, and helps to reduce the total costs of ownership. In addition, the company offers permanent onsite support for its clients through servicing contracts and can provide emergency assistance.

Companies that are looking to improve expertise in rolling bearings and condition monitoring also have access to Schaeffler’s training and consultancy portfolio. Training is available worldwide, with the standard program of courses designed to give in-depth knowledge for day-to-day operations.

Ciechanowicz adds that Schaeffler provides turnkey solutions for customers in the bulk handling sector through its extensive support network in Australia.

“Local support is extremely important, because when our team goes to visit customers, it’s easier to do so if they’re close at hand,” he says.

“We have offices located around the country that work autonomously to a certain degree to ensure we offer the support needed.”

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DUST CONTROL

Managing dust emissions during loadout Austin Anderson, Content Marketing Manager at Vortex Global, explains how the company’s loading solutions reduce risks to the environment and workers through reduced dust.

LOADING DRY BULK SOLIDS CAN be a quick and effective solution for transporting product, but while the process provides many benefits, there are considerations that must be taken into account.

Dusts released into the atmosphere during loadout can have a plethora of negative effects on nearby populations and ecosystems. Dust can pollute waterways, contaminate nearby homes, businesses and vehicles, and if inhaled, can create health risks.

When properly applied using proprietary engineering controls (headchute, spout, dust collection), dust-free loading can be achieved.

Vortex Loading Solutions offers

a complete line of versatile options specifically designed to capture fugitive dusts, prevent material waste and ensure plant and environmental safety in the loading process with low maintenance and service expenses. Compared to traditional industry loading equipment, Vortex Loading Spout Systems offer many key benefits. Among them is the Vortex Filtration System.

A Vortex Filtration System is specifically designed to: 1. Displace dust-laden air from its source.

2. Separate dusts from the air.

3. Re-entrain the filtered dusts back down into the load.

4. Exhaust the cleaned air to atmosphere.

They are engineered to capture the

fugitive dust emitted from the spouts and deposit it back into the material flow during the loading process, eliminating material loss. These systems are more cost-effective than a free-standing dust collection system, which often requires the installation of additional ductwork, discharge airlock and some way to reintroduce the material back into the system.

These very compact systems are used in conjunction with standard volume loading spouts in enclosed, open, or combination loading applications. They have a unique square-shape and are designed with a narrow profile to reduce stack-up height, as available space at the loading station is often limited, which allows for a lower profile and compact model.

Pulse jet system An automatic pulse jet filter cleaning system uses high-pressure compressed air to purge trapped dust from the filters and send it back down the spout and into the vessel.

Throughout the loading process, the pulse jet system cycles from filter to filter.

Once the loading process has completed and the blower is shut down, one final cycle frees the remaining trapped dust and sends it down the spout and into the load.

Continuously purging the filters of dust throughout the loading process increases filter life, minimises materials waste, and allows the filter system to maintain consistent suction.

Filter cartridges

Vortex Filtration System – Model 70 being manufactured and inspected by a Vortex employee.

46 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

Vortex Filtration Systems are ‘active units,’ meaning an air withdrawal forcibly pulls displaced air and dusts through the filter cartridges to initiate the filtration process. These systems feature pleated polyester filter cartridges that are easily

replaceable through a quick-look filter cartridge access, reducing maintenance downtime. Panels are hinged and secured by a stationary clamping mechanism to accelerate the inspection and maintenance processes, and for access without additional tools.

Easily visible Magnehelic pressure gauges indicate when it is time to change the filters. These cartridge filters feature a reducing coupler above them that draws the air directly through. This design requires fewer parts that can wear or fail, keeping maintenance costs low.

The multi-stage filter located at the bottom of the spout can be used for dust control in longer spouts with extended travel distances. It performs much like the compact in-line filter, except that it has four high-volume exhaust blowers.

The unit pulls the material dust within the outer sleeve upward and into pleated cartridge filters. This system can be used as a stand-alone filter or in conjunction with the standard

compact in-line filter.

The Vortex Filtration System is not a dust ‘collector’ – it is a dust ‘filter’. This means dusts are temporarily captured before being purged back out of the filter cartridges and back into the material flow stream. Improved management of dusts at the point of loading instead of routing them to a central dust collection system leads to improved profitability and increased service life. If required, the Vortex Filter can be hooked up to a dust collector.

Available material contact options in a dust filter include 304 stainless steel, 316L stainless steel and A36 mild steel providing solutions for a number of applications, including food-friendly options.

Vortex Telescoping Loading Spouts equipped with a Vortex Filtration System are ideal for the loadout of open, semienclosed and closed vessels including trucks, railroad cars, tankers, ships, barges and open stockpiling.

Magnehelic pressure gauges are easily visible and indicate when it is time to change filters.

Standard volume filter systems / Compact in-line filter systems: • Model VFS-10: 400 cubic feet per minute load rate capacity at eight inches static pressure. Features four cartridge filters.

• Model VFS-25: 1000 cubic feet per minute load rate capacity at eight inches static pressure. Features eight cartridge filters.

• Model VFS-40: 1600 cubic feet per minute load rate capacity at eight inches static pressure. Features eight cartridge filters.

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REFUELLING SYSTEMS

The system does not allow a tank to be filled over a certain level.

Not spilling a drop under pressure Pressurised refuelling systems help maintain the vast fleets of machinery working in bulk handling operations but carry with them particular safety risks. This is why JSG Industrial Systems supplies a solution that avoids risks and losses.

HEAVY-DUTY MACHINERY USED in bulk handling requires significant amounts of fuel. In particular, a mine site could have dozens, if not hundreds, of vehicles and systems operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, that need to be ready and fully operational.

For decades, refuelling these vehicles has involved using pressurised fuelling systems.

Preeth John, Business Development Manager for fuel management products at JSG Industrial Systems, explains that these are not like the bowsers at a petrol station.

“We’re talking about some of the biggest machines in the world, bigger in many cases than those used in construction, so that means their fuel tanks can’t be filled conventionally,” he explains.

“Some of them have tanks with capacities higher than 4500 litres. Mining companies run efficient operations and simply don’t have the time to wait.”

Pressurised shut-off systems utilise a build-up of tank pressure and a pressure sensing fuel nozzle to shut off fuel flow when the tank is almost full. Because these machines are being refuelled day in, day out, constant expanding and contracting can put pressure on the tank.

Another issue facing operators is

48 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

safety. Once the system shuts off due to the pressure build-up in the tank, diesel fuel can still be pumped into the tank, overfilling it and causing diesel to spill. This not only wastes fuel but has environmental and safety consequences.

John says that in many cases, overfilled tanks can spill onto the operators themselves, or onto the turbo of a vehicle, presenting a serious fire hazard.

“The fact of the matter is, any diesel leak is a big risk. The costs can range from minor loss of vehicle efficiency or spills on the ground to a catastrophic fire leading to the loss of life,” he says.

“All it takes is one accident and then the entire site is shut down to go through an occupation health and safety audit, not to mention the potential for tragedy.”

He adds that some sites continue to operate with traditional systems, and can go for long periods of time without an issue, but questions whether it is a risk that is worth taking.

This is why JSG Industrial Systems provides a non-pressure refuelling system from Flomax International. The system is made up of three parts, the fill point, the fuel vent and the signal line. The signal line is used to actuate shut-off based on

A safety bulletin (SB15-03) from the NSW Trade and Investment, Resources and Energy found that “there have been several related incidents of diesel fuel fires occurring on mobile plant equipment while being refuelled”. The report found that the refuelling systems relied on the build-up of pressure. It was pointed out that the systems failed to contain the pressurised fuel, spilling it onto the hot turbo of the engine, inadvertently creating a fire.

The report advises when using a pressurised system, special consideration needs to be taken into account. These could include, but are not limited to: • Creating control measures for when the diesel fuel is spilled • Carry out analysis on failures that might occur • Locating fuel vents away from ignitable elements such as turbos • Ensuring the tank design can handle constant pressurisation on a cyclic manner.

Doing so can cost businesses time and money to comply with, and would include significant amounts of training for the staff and operators.

the tank level and does not require tank pressure, reducing stresses acting on the fuel tank. The system also does not allow filling once the tank is full, meaning it cannot cause overfill issues.

for refuelling heavy duty diesel machinery.

“This reduces the environmental impact from having diesel spills or tank damage when refuelling,” he says.

“Each system can save businesses

“The fact of the matter is, any diesel leak is a big risk. The costs can range from minor loss of vehicle efficiency or spills on the ground to a catastrophic fire leading to the loss of life.”

Fuel enters the tank through the fill point, causing air to escape through the fuel vent. Once the fuel level reaches the fuel vent, a float valve shuts fuel flow through the signal line, shutting a valve at the fill point to shut down the incoming fuel. As long as the fuel level in the tank remains at the fuel vent, the signal line will keep the system shut-off to avoid overfilling.

John says this is by far the safest and most reliable technique used in the field

time and money and also have peace of mind that their operators are safe.”

Non-pressurised refuelling systems have been implemented across a range of industries, including mining, rail, road fleet vehicles and marine applications.

JSG Industrial Systems supply the systems along with the proper training and technical guidance for installation and use, to ensure operators are less likely to be faced with dangerous scenarios.

JSG supplies the systems from Flomax International.

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DUST CONTROL

Water on dust control is water lost Reducing water use has both economic and environmental benefits, which is why Perth-based company Rainstorm has made its mission to fight water waste in dust control.

AUSTRALIA IS THE DRIEST INHABITED continent on the planet, suffering through a number of protracted droughts and water restrictions.

On top of water’s role for sustaining life, it is also used in a number of heavy industry applications. One such role is in dust suppression systems to ensure workers and the nearby environment aren’t harmed by hazards in the air.

However, Mason Trouchet, Group Technical Sales and Marketing Manager at Rainstorm Dust Control argues that every drop of water spent on dust control is a drop of water lost.

“I am a firm believer in effective dust control treatments to conserve water and improve health and safety measures, especially for large-scale mining applications,” he says.

Trouchet is part of the product development team for Rainstorm and is involved in establishing dust control services and procurement technology transfer in international markets.

He adds that recent advancements in dust monitoring and modelling are

PDX helps reduce dust without using water.

50 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

transforming Rainstorm’s clients’ ability to implement effective control measures.

One such system is the Point of Dust Extinction or PDX. PDX is the result of more than 25 years of research into non-standard ore and soil stabilising agents, developed by combining surfactant wetting agent formulations with novel, biological-based (rather than chemical), active ingredients. This highly-concentrated liquid biochemical is biodegradeable and non-toxic.

It aids wettability and friability, helping lower ultra-fine ore dust extinction moisture (DEM) and improving material handling of ore movements. When added into the mining ore stream, PDX significantly reduces dust, lowers the water levels required for DEM and minimises the environmental impact in comparison with petroleumbased water extenders.

How it works PDX is made up of three components: Dispersants, trace elements and organic compounds. Dispersants in PDX help reduce the surface tension of water and promotes the uniform transmission of moisture throughout the ore. Water adhered to the fine particles is released, which can result

in a significant reduction in the volume of water required for DEM. Trace elements in PDX assist ionic exchange reactions between fine particles in the ore. Ionic bonds are formed as a result of the attraction between oppositely-charged ions and ionic exchange is the capacity of ions to exchange with other ions which have a smaller charge net. In addition, much of the adsorbed water at the interface of the clay particles is altered to improve moisture-to-surface-area wetting ability for the long term.

Organic compounds in PDX serve primarily to modify excess ion exchange points in the ore lattice and alter the behaviour of adsorbed water.

PDX is more effective when added to an ore body early in the materials handling process, with immediate chemical changes to fine particles becoming apparent. Mechanical mixing through the material handling process creates a uniform moisture content within the ore, minimising the amount of additional water required in the process stream.

It also generates permanent physical and chemical changes in ore without affecting downstream processing.

Rainstorm recommends injecting

PDX alongside deluge water sprays at bin loading areas, at the primary and secondary crushers and at transfer points.

PDX is only effective on the fines components of the ore, with application rates capable of being finetuned to suit fines and lump ratios. An application rate of one litre of PDX for 10 to 25 tonnes of ore fines is recommended, depending on the site conditions.

Bulk supply of the product is available throughout Australia, with an extensive distribution network in the Pilbara, Western Australia, currently in place.

Fighting dust with fog Rainstorm also helps reduce dust emissions through fog systems, which deliver a smaller water particle under pressure to match the dust particle’s size. The dust particles increase in molecule weight, meaning it drops to the ground faster using less water and without affecting the ore’s moisture content.

dust being generated by blasting.

The solution was to replace rock stem with a specialised Stem Gel LR2, which provides major containment impacts on blasting efficiency. Pressure waves contained in the rock help bring about greater fragmentation and a number of downstream benefits.

“The subsequent benefit of that powerful containment is a sizeable reduction in noise and dust,” Trouchet says.

“As the gel is expressed from the blast and becomes airborne, dust particles flocculate in mid-air and fall to the ground.

“In the past, drill and blast technologies have focused on explosives, detonation timing hole stability and moisture. Very little attention has been given to containment. It’s that

Fog systems come in modular size power packs for industrial applications in mining and shiploading activities.

Positive displacement pumps deliver the fog through a multi-line manifold system along a flexible high-pressure hose close to the source of dust. Adjustments to pressure can fine tune the fog to match the required conditions and lines can be attached via a cable extension close to the dust generation area, minimising the impact from air velocity.

Defeating dust Rainstorm has been in operation in Australia for more than 29 years and has since become a major player in the dust control space.

Trouchet says data has driven the development of new innovations in dust control, along with strategic partnerships.

An example of this can be seen in Rainstorm’s partnership with Pressure Wave Systems (PWS), which has developed a way of tackling the difficult problem of

unique characteristic of Stem Gel to measurably reduce noise and dust output from blasting that makes it such a massive game-changer.”

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SILOS Enmach maintains a national fleet of installation vehicles that can erect a silo within hours.

Plastic silos stand up to scrutiny Australian manufacturer Enmach offers silos with competitive durability and a 20-year lifespan, but they’re not made of steel.

AUSTRALIA IS A LAND OF EXTREMES, with temperatures ranging from highs of more than 40°C to below freezing. According to Geoscience Australia, sometimes these can be experienced on the same day.

In addition, Australia’s sunlight is some of the harshest in the world. The Bureau of Meteorology says ultraviolet (UV) light exposure and rates of skin cancer in Australia are some of the highest on the planet.

With such a hostile climate, Enmach has designed its outdoor bulk handling products to use polyethylene instead of steel, aluminium or fibreglass.

Jon Bowder, Director of Enmach, says the Bundaberg-based company reinvents products made from traditional materials to extend their lifespans.

“Enmachs’ poly products are lighter, have some of the world’s best UV protection ratings, resist rust, and have compounded colour that won’t fade or scratch off,” he says.

The company has been in operation

52 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

for 30 years and offers silos in capacities from one tonne to 50 tonnes or 1.7 cubic metres to 60 cubic metres. These are suitable for bulk storage of a variety of products and can be used in any industry, from mining to farming, water clarification to breweries, fertiliser to coffee bean storage.

Because of their construction, poly silos are lighter, resist rust and have some of the world’s best UV protection ratings. They are also typically deigned to be 10 to 30 millimetres thicker than the equivalent steel structures.

This additional thickness gives poly silos an advantage when compared with steel, according to Bowder, as it helps to keep material cooler during the day while making temperature changes at nightfall occur at a more gradual pace.

“All silos heat up during the day and then on nightfall the outer steel skin of a steel silo cools rapidly,” he says.

“The insulation properties of polyethylene keep your material cooler resulting in reduced

incidence of sweating.”

Another issue that affects steel silos is rust. Poly silos remove the threat of degeneration and are highly corrosion resistant. The poly silo sits in a galvanised steel frame with a stainless-steel knife gate at the outlet of the silo. Any bolts through the silo wall are all constructed from stainless steel to further enhance its rust and corrosion resistance.

To give customers peace of mind, Enmach offers a 10-year warranty on its poly silos and will deliver and install them Australia wide. Enmach maintains a national fleet of trained drivers with crane-equipped trucks who can erect and bolt down a silo within hours. It also offers a full custom manufacturing service for polyethylene-molded and steel-fabricated products.

Bowder says Enmach combines innovation and durability with a highly equipped, in-house research and development department and a focus on service.

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ENGINEERING

Medusa’s gaze turns to conveyor components Precision maintenance company ThermAlign has unveiled the Medusa, a portable monitoring system designed to find and stop faulty components in their tracks.

THOUSANDS OF COMPONENTS are used in large-scale bulk handling systems, each of which has its own function within the parent assembly.

If one of these components is to fail, it can result in massive flow-on effects for an operation’s overall productivity.

However, in a maze of moving parts, finding the culprit can be harder than it sounds.

“Anything mechanical that moves has the capacity to break, whether it’s in a conveyor, excavator, gearbox or superstructure” says Scott Henderson, Director of service and consultation company ThermAlign.

ThermAlign started in 2014 off the back of a large company that worked closely with the British military, providing precision maintenance

for helicopters. The company, based in Melbourne and made up of staff that wanted to transition to the bulk handling sector and away from reactive maintenance, offers the same services for other types of complex machinery.

Typically, ThermAlign staff will begin consultation with a client to first define the problem then determine its potential causes, the risk it poses to the organisation and the likely sources.

The company will then develop a testing plan to align the analysis to the objective. Once onsite, Thermalign can quickly deploy monitoring equipment such as motion amplification or vibration analysis to find the root causes of the problem.

Henderson says it is critical to fix the root causes, rather than its symptoms.

The Medusa can make use of almost any kind of sensor input.

54 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

“For example, if there is part of a structure that keeps cracking, it is best to find out why instead of just fixing the crack itself,” he says.

“If there is a weakness in the structure, we can use our systems to identify what is forcing the crack.

In the example, this could be from a pump, fan or gearbox that had been transmitting vibrations through to the structure itself.

To fully utilise the complementary nature of its system, the company has launched a new, portable, online monitoring and diagnostics system called Medusa.

The Medusa processes anywhere from four to 20 sensors at one time and is equipped with an integrated logging dashboard. This means it can provide in-depth analysis of equipment condition on site or remotely.

“Pressure, flow, valve position, temperature, vibration, tension, dial indicators, position sensors, rotation detectors, the Medusa can handle just about any type of input required.

Whatever you’ve got, we’ll look at it,” Henderson explains.

The breadth of information integrated into an online monitoring system helps derive information and insights, improve flexibility for troubleshooting and can allow for indepth and holistic remote analysis.

One of the most effective times to deploy the Medusa is during the commissioning phase. This is because when installing a new conveyor system, or upgrading an existing one, there are countless ways for something to fail or be affected by the works. If a fault is identified early enough, then it can be managed before it has the chance to begin costing productivity or profitability.

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BAGGING SYSTEMS

Copper concentrate bulk bagger fuels throughput By implementing an automated bulk bagging and palletising system, Vale has improved its capacity, flexibility and safety at one of the largest mining facilities in the world.

VALE CANADA LIMITED OPERATES one of the largest integrated mining facilities in the world in Sudbury, Ontario. The complex has been in operation for more than 100 years, mining and processing ores containing nickel, copper and other metals.

In 2012, the Sudbury plant began a billion-dollar Clean Atmospheric Emissions Reduction (AER) project to reduce sulphur dioxide stack emissions by 85 per cent.

Previously, Vale refined nickel and copper in Sudbury but after analysing the total life of the mines and the longterm projections of mine capacity in the region, the company decided to focus on nickel production and sell copper concentrate to other companies instead of refining it in-house.

The ore mined on site is first ground

into a flour-like powder, says Tom Zanetti, Senior Project Manager on the Clean AER Project. A flotation process removes waste rock and the resulting bulk concentrate is sent to a smelter, which produces a high-grade material containing both nickel and copper.

Another flotation process separates the nickel and copper concentrates before Vale refines the nickel concentrate into metal on site.

The copper concentrate, after de-watering and drying, has a texture similar to that of sand and contains 60 to 70 per cent copper. It is conveyed to two large feed hoppers positioned above the dual bulk bag filling stations, each hopper holding 10 tonnes, enough to fill five bulk bags.

Vale worked with Canadian company Ionic Engineering to design a material Filled bulk bag is removed from holding bin at the end of the 7.5 metre long roller conveyor.

handling system capable of packaging the concentrate into bulk bags at a rate of 24 to 32 tonnes per hour by integrating a Flexicon automated bulk bag filling system.

To handle the volume, Francois Nzotungwanimana, Operations Manager at Ionic Engineering and Project Engineer on the bulk bagging project, specified the dual bulk bag fillers, roller conveyors and a central pallet dispenser comprising the Flexicon system.

In addition, Ionic designed the electrical and control systems, sourced labelling machines and other equipment, designed safety systems and performed the systems integration including programming, electrical and safety. The Ionic Engineering team also performed additional mechanical design and safety engineering.

Pallets automatically dispensed to bulk bag fillers Flexicon’s Project Engineering Division integrated a pallet dispenser, pallet turntables, two 7.5-metre-long roller conveyors, and two swing-down bulk bag fillers into the process. The pallet dispenser is positioned between – and at a right angle to – the mirror-image bag filling lines.

A forklift loads 10 to 14 pallets at a time onto the pallet dispenser. When one of the bulk bag fillers calls for a pallet, the dispenser lifts all except the bottom pallet, which is sent to the left or right filler by the powered roller conveyor.

A turntable then rotates the pallet 90 degrees to align it with the filler.

Automating bulk bag filling operations Once a pallet is in place, the filler’s swing-down fill head lowers and

56 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

Load cells measure weight gain of the bag, allowing a PLC to stop filling the bag once it reaches target weight.

pivots from horizontal orientation to vertical, positioning the discharge chute and bag strap hooks within reach of an operator standing on the

plant floor. This eliminates the need to step on roller conveyors or strain to reach overhead connection points, improving the site’s safety processes.

After the operator has placed the bulk bag loops over automated latches and fits the bag spout over an inflatable spout seal, the rest of the filling cycle can be completed automatically with the push of a button.

The fill head pivots back to horizontal, raises to filling height and inflates the bag to remove creases.

After several safety conditions are met, a knife gate valve opens, allowing the respective overhead feed hopper to gravity-discharge into the bulk bag at maximum feed rate. This occurs as displaced air from the bag is vented through a filter sock to contain airborne dust.

At timed intervals, a densification deck below the pallet vibrates to stabilise the bag while load cells continually monitor the weight of the

copper concentrate as the bag is filled up to two tonnes.

The controller closes the knife gate valve, releases the bag loops and deflates/ disconnects the spout. A powered roller conveyor then moves the palletised bag out of the filler and onto several accumulating powered roller conveyors.

The filled bag stops at the last accumulating conveyor where an automated labeller applies an identification label, before being rolled onto a gravity-feed roller conveyor toward a ramp that stops it in position for unloading. A forklift can then transfer the bags to a storage area, ready for shipment to customers.

By using the dual bulk bag filler configuration, Vale was able to benefit from improved capacity, flexibility, and redundancy for its bag filling process in the limited space available. Automatic pallet dispensing also reduces the wait time and the likelihood of worker injury.

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MEMBERSHIP IS OPEN TO ALL PRACTITIONERS IN BULK SOLIDS HANDLING AND RELATED TECHNOLOGIES.

PORT EQUIPMENT

The company’s grabs are designed to be robust.

First port of call for dust control Reducing dust and spillage is key for ports that must comply with strict environmental regulations. New Zealandbased Page Macrae Engineering specialises in solutions for both.

WHEN IT COMES TO DRY BULK cargoes, one of Victoria’s busiest ports is working with Page Macrae Engineering on a dust control solution.

The port sees more than 11 million tonnes of product across a range of industry segments, including wood chip, fertiliser and break-bulk cargo flowing through it to the tune of more than $7 billion worth of trade.

Handling dusty dry bulk cargoes must be done following state environmental protection guidelines, with operators required to do everything in their power to reduce the chance of dust emissions and spillage contaminating the local environment.

The port reached out to Page Macrae Engineering to help replace their current equipment, to ensure it could continue to meet their obligations.

Peter Swan, General Manager of Sales and Marketing at Page Macrae Engineering, says the company needed a versatile solution, as the port services many different customers and materials. They required equipment to load out to trucks or switch to conveyors filling the port’s warehouses.

“We have worked with the port for many years and began drawing up several concept designs, informed by site visits,” he says.

58 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

“After evaluating different options with the client, we settled on a proposal for two rail-mounted dust controlled port hoppers with a bespoke rotating discharge conveyor arrangement.”

The hoppers include a robust system with a focus on dust containment.

The hopper’s dust control and filtration systems minimise dust emissions into the air and spillage onto the wharf, enabling the port to keep its operation clean without impacting productivity.

Special attention has been paid to ensure the hoppers can integrate into the versatile operation. They have been designed to be easy to clean when foodgrade grain needs to be handled and are rugged enough to handle more dusty and abrasive materials.

Page Macrae Engineering also included a radio link in the design. This allows the hoppers to communicate with other equipment such as conveyors to manage the feeding process and assist customers that require batch weighing into trucks.

Swan adds that a lot of effort goes into educating the operators on how to properly use the machinery.

“We make sure our team are on hand to teach the operators the ins and outs of the system and run them

through what to do in the field while a vessel is being unloaded.” he says, “We have found that most operators prefer this one-on-one, handson environment.”

Page Macrae Engineering is based in New Zealand and has equipment in major ports around Australia. With such a large international customer base, its staff are constantly on the move, visiting sites and customers.

Bruce Ennis, Business Development Manager - Product Solutions at Page Macrae Engineering, says getting out of the office and meeting the client is the first step for the company’s engineers, as it helps them get a good grasp of the issues at hand.

“It’s not about us going over there and knowing what’s best, because most of the time, the site staff know what the issues are and what they need to fix them,” Ennis says.

The company has more than 60 years of experience when it comes to engineering solutions for bulk handling ports, with more than 200 skilled team members.

This knowledgebase has helped Page Macrae Engineering develop a suite of solutions that have found homes in ports around the world. Some of its most popular products are the

Enviro-Max range of dust-controlled hoppers and bulk grabs, designed in consultation with operating staff, port authorities and stakeholders to ensure

a site gets a fit-for-purpose solution for their operation.

The company also provides a range of mechanical wire and chain and

Page Macrae Engineering specialises in bespoke products for bulk ports.

diesel-hydraulic grabs for operators looking to keep operating costs low while maintaining high productivity and digging capacity.

With a low centre of gravity, the grabs can be operated on steep cargo profiles without rollover, allowing for a safer and more productive discharge.

They are ideal for difficult to handle cargos such as soda ash and fertiliser, as the overlapping blade seal and serrated bucket teeth minimise product loss and dust emissions.

Ennis says when it comes to product development, Page Macrae Engineering’s customers predominantly value simplicity.

“We’ve learned they’re looking for machines that are simple to operate, clean and maintain. They want dust control and want to minimise operating costs. This is why we are focusing on providing efficient dust control outcomes without interruption to business.”

POWER TRANSMISSION

Quiet achievers ABHR speaks to Mark Phelan, Managing Director of Altra Motion Australia, to find out how the company’s brands are being used across the country.

ONE OF THE LARGEST POWER transmission and motion control systems manufacturers is working in the background of the Australian market, though many may not even know it.

Altra Motion Australia, the local subsidiary of global company Altra Industrial Motion, has been active in the bulk handling space for more than 85 years. In fact, according to the company’s Managing Director Mark Phelan, its components can be found in conveyor systems and bulk handling equipment right around the country.

The secret behind the company’s growth has been a number of acquisitions. It has strategically purchased high-profile, quality brands to add to its portfolio of mechanical,

“Each of our brands is committed to the guiding principles of providing the right solution in collaboration with our customers, supported by the best possible ongoing technical support, with a relentless focus on continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.”

Brands under the Altra Motion Australia umbrella: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Ameridrives Bauer Gear Motor Bibby Turboflex Boston Gear Delroyd Worm Gear Formsprag Clutch Guardian Couplings Huco Industrial Clutch Inertia Dynamics Kilian Lamiflex Couplings Marland Clutch Matrix Nuttall Gear Stieber Stromag Svendborg Brakes Thomson TB Wood’s Twiflex Warner Electric Warner Linear Wichita Clutch

60 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

hydraulic, electromechanical and pneumatic power transmission and motion control components and systems.

These brands provide speed, torque, positioning and braking functions for myriad bulk handling machines.

They are highly diverse and used for conveyor braking systems, drivetrain couplings in extreme conditions, power take-off for precision motors and even specialised bearings embedded into medical robotics.

However, because the company’s brands are marketed under their own names, the parent company itself has stayed out of the spotlight. This is set to change, according to Phelan, who says the new objective of the business is to combine the strengths of all the brands to offer the right solutions for customers across Australia and the Oceania region.

“Each of our brands is committed to the guiding principles of providing the right solution in collaboration with our customers, supported by the best possible ongoing technical support, with a relentless focus on continuous improvement and customer satisfaction,” he says.

Altra has around 10,000 employees located in countries across the world.

In Australia, its team is supported by an extensive authorised reseller and service centre network, which is set to develop even further.

All international staff are trained within the company’s manufacturing

An Ameridrive Gear Coupling, one of Altra Motion Australia’s many product offerings.

facilities, through structured training programs to ensure they can exceed the company’s standards and provide the best engineered solutions.

Phelan says collaboration and consultation are the key strengths of the business, not simply filling an order book. He sees the value of long-term relationships with its customers and partners.

“Every employee that has direct contact with our customers are engineers, driven to find new ways to solve problems with our array of equipment,” he says.

“There is a specific focus on research and development in addition to technical customer collaboration. We don’t spend our time developing what we think the market will desire, we develop the technology based on what our customers are asking for.

“We also aim to create the most innovative solutions, with the latest technologies, materials and engineering designs. As a result, Altra’s products provide the most economical total cost of ownership.”

Customer collaboration Altra’s technology has been used to great effect across a number of Australian projects. An example can be seen when a major Australian energy company needed reliable replacement low speed backstops (LSBs) for use on six incline conveyors.

The conveyors moved coal out of a mine and into an adjacent power station, but the existing LSBs often

needed to be replaced due to premature failure after two years. With around 20 LSBs on site, costs and downtime – including labour, large crane requirements and the new backstops – associated with the frequent replacements grew significantly.

The customer consulted with several clutch original equipment manufacturers before ultimately deciding to work with one of Altra’s brands, Stieber. One of the main requirements was that the new backstops had to fit in the same envelope and use the same mounting and anchor points as the existing competitor units.

Stieber’s engineering team worked closely with the customer to develop a cost saving drop-in replacement backstop that used most of the parts of the existing torque arm arrangement.

The new backstops would only require an initial inspection after a full five years of service, significantly reducing

Altra Motion Australia Managing Director Mark Phelan.

costs when compared with the previous LSBs. Stieber’s backstops were designed to be easily overhauled at least four times, giving them an estimated service life of around 20 to 25 years.

Phelan says customers have a great

1800 689 433

deal of respect for the way Altra helps them find solutions.

“Customers are the catalyst for our success, which is why we put all of our effort into ensuring they get the best quality product possible,” he says.

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WEIGHING SYSTEMS The company’s weigh belt feeders are highly customisable.

Weighing the benefits Customisation is king for Australian equipment manufacturer Tecweigh, which aims to weigh anything its customers convey.

WHEN CONVEYING BULK materials, it is often vital to know exactly how much is being moved. If an operation doesn’t have an accurate understanding of just how much material is being handled, it can negatively affect process monitoring, storage management and feed metering.

Usually weighing equipment is selected during the planning stages of a project. According to Barry Gamble, Business Development Manager at Australian weighing company Tecweigh, this period is a crucial make or break moment for project profitability.

“When a company is putting together their overall bulk handling operations, during the planning phase is where process optimisation using weight is crucial,” he says.

“This is why it is important to have a trusted partner that can supply precision weighing equipment early on in the process.”

Tecweigh is the designer and manufacturer of in-motion weighing and metering products for a wide range of materials. Founded in 1973,

62 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

the company specialises in providing customer-focussed solutions to various industries across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.

An example of this is Tecweigh’s range of weigh belt feeders. The company offers several models of weigh belt feeders, available with throughputs from 100 kilograms per hour to more than 1000 tonnes per hour. Models range from medium to ultra-heavy duty for blending, loading or truck filling.

The company uses stainless steel, hermetically-sealed IP68 load cells designed to provide accuracies of ± 0.5 or ± 0.25 per cent for its weighbelt feeders and conveyer belt scales. The weigh idler system has been designed to be easy to calibrate to provide consistent accuracy.

Their range of Volumetric and Loss in Weight Feeders have a range from 1 to 32000 litres per hour with Single or Dual Drives.

Gamble says customisation is part of the company’s adage, ‘if you can convey it, we can weigh it’.

“Custom designs are our standard,” he says. “Whether its chemicals, crushed

Tecweigh equipment is highly versatile and can be used for a variety of materials across a number of industries.

• Quarries, Sand and Gravel • Product Recyclers • Brick, Block and Cement manufacturing • Mining • Building Materials manufacturing • Food Processing • Dairy • Plastics • Pharmaceuticals • Wood Chips • Glass • Grain • Food Manufacturing • Power and Energy • Ceramics • Powdered metals • Water and wastewater treatment • Powder and Granule Feeding and Blending

stone, sand, coal, or materials that are low density, sticky, or abrasive we specialise in building the equipment needed to accurately weigh it.”

“Our products are also designed for heavy-duty work and have been proven over time to be accurate in some of the world’s harshest environments.”

Tecweigh can manufacture weigh belt feeders to specific lengths and widths from Powdercoated Mild Steel or Stainless Steel to best fit the requirements of the application.

In addition, because the company is based in Australia it can also offer local after sales support. Tecweigh maintains a significant stock inventory for its conveyor belt scales, volumetric feeders, and weigh belt feeders. It also offers Field Service Support and spare parts supply.

Gamble says the company is looking to expand rapidly throughout Australia and is putting a significant amount of resources into providing exceptional interstate service.

“Tecweigh’s experts have more than 100 years of experience providing bespoke bulk weighing solutions.”

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BELT TRACKING

The conveyor belt tracking system makes minute adjustments every time the belt begins to wander.

New track for TS Global Australian conveyor accessory manufacturer TS Global has entered into an exclusive distribution partnership with one of the world’s leading suppliers of belt tracking solutions.

A MISTRACKING CONVEYOR BELT can become the source of a range of issues on a bulk handling site.

When a conveyor belt wanders, it can begin to spill material onto the ground around it, decreasing the productivity of the conveyor and potentially creating significant safety and environmental hazards.

In addition to this, mistracked conveyor belts can begin to impact the conveyor structure. Over time, this will cause the conveyor belt to wear and lead to premature replacement of this expensive component.

To prevent conveyor belts from wandering, South African manufacturer Tru Trac has developed a conveyor belt tracking system that constantly makes minute adjustments every time the belt begins to wander. This is achieved by the conveyor belt coming into contact with the tapered roller, without requiring servos or guide rollers. The tapered roller creates a rotations per minute differential and directs the conveyor belt back to the centre of the conveyor.

Due to Tru Trac’s design, the belt

64 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

trackers require almost no maintenance.

They are a sealed unit, meaning all that they need is to be kept clean and undamaged. The rubber lagging is long lasting and can be upgraded with polyurethane lagging for use in high wear applications.

Developed originally in 1995, the system has gone on to win a number of design awards all around the world.

In November 2019, the company joined forced with leading conveyor accessories manufacturer TS Global, who became the exclusive Australian distributor.

TS Global distributes a range of conveyor accessories and polyurethane components and has a firm focus on delivering high-performance and low maintenance products.

Graham Holford, General Manager of TS Global said Tru Trac’s a global reputation for their innovative thinking and attention to quality made them the perfect fit for the company’s product offering.

Jonathan Rogoff, managing director of Tru Trac, agrees and says the decision was based around a good reputation and shared values.

“The distributors we appoint must have a focus in supplying conveyor equipment, excellent market penetration and an experienced technical sales and service team,” Rogoff says.

In addition, TS Global purchased a significant amount of stock from

Tru Trac to ensure the majority of products are available in Australia, which Rogoff says was a key part of why TruTrac selected TS Global.

Jamie Whybrow, Sales Engineer at TS Global, says this is important for local customers, as delays end up costing them significant amounts.

“Any site suffering from a belt tracking issue doesn’t want to wait. If they’ve got a problem today, they want a solution today,” he says.

“As with anything manufactured internationally, shipping lead times can take weeks, which is not acceptable for most sites. It’s important to us and our customers that we maintain a wellstocked inventory.”

Within their Newcastle warehouse, TS Global currently stocks the entire standard range of Tru Trac products, including flat return trackers, dual roll return trackers, and compact versions for use in tighter confines.

In addition to the stock holding, TS Global is also able to supply custom belt trackers to suit specific applications or systems, along with food-grade lagging and paint specifications suitable for coal ports.

TS Global’s national distribution network allows it to sell directly to the market and offer after sales support, such as monitoring the performance of the trackers and can call upon Tru Trac’s manufacturing expertise to solve any issues if they arise.

CABLES More than 10 billion test cycles per year are carried out with e-chains and chainflex cables.

igus puts automated high-speed system into operation Motion plastics specialist igus has commissioned a new outdoor automated test facility for long-distance polymer energy chains.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES facing power plants, mines and cranes is guiding data, energy and media safely over long distances.

High speeds combined with a high fill weight can pose problems for certain energy supply systems, such as motor cable drums, busbars and festoons. An alternative to these is igus’ energy chain systems from Treotham.

Also known as power chain, drag chain or cable chain, energy chain systems supply, guide and protect moving cables for automated equipment.

They make use of highly durable plastic, which is light and suffers from significantly less wear compared with metal components near sand or saltwater.

Energy chain systems can move over distances of more than one kilometre with a fill weight of 50 kilograms per metre.

They guide flexible cables smoothly with low-friction in long travels through guide troughs and enclosures.

To guarantee customers the energy supply system will work reliably over

66 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

long distances, igus has now begun operating a new automated test facility.

New test rig for long distances Energy chains and cables are tested at the igus outdoor facility in the south of Cologne, Germany, at a speed of up to eight metres per second on a track of 200 metres, which corresponds to a 400-metre-long travel. With additional units, travels up to 1000 metres could be simulated in the future.

The automatic system accounts for a wide range of applications in terms of acceleration and speed. In addition to the mechanical load caused by the movement of the transfer vehicle, environmental influences act unimpeded on the tested energy chains and cables. The test rig is part of the industry’s largest 3800 square metre experimental laboratory.

More than 10 billion test cycles per year are carried out with e-chains and chainflex cables at a total of 180 testing stations. Around 4100 energy chain system tests are performed annually

on 180 systems such as the climate chamber or on robots.

The P4 series of roller chain is tested in outdoor facilities and has been used in more than 1000 crane and gantry applications worldwide. These applications have included travels of up to 800 metres, speeds of more than five metres per second and several million cycles with low vibration and traversing noise.

Rollers integrated in the chain link reduce friction to a minimum and increase service life. Due to the offset between upper run and lower run, the plastic rollers are not rolled over, and instead roll past each other to allow smooth running. As a result, the coefficient of friction decreases, and the drive power is reduced by 57 per cent.

Polymers also further increase the service life of the energy chains. For example, in the P41.56 for long distances, lubrication-free and maintenance-free tribo-polymers are integrated in the bearing for pivoting motion, which doubles the service life of the energy chain.

MINERALS PROCESSING

Minprovise processes an end-to-end future With Minprovise’s all-encompassing skills in minerals processing, it is no surprise that the company is chasing a bigger goal: to be an end-to-end solution provider.

MINPROVISE IS ON TRACK to make project execution easier and smoother for its clients in the mining, bulk handling and infrastructure industries.

The specialist equipment and services provider is in the process of consolidating its expertise through the establishment of its new Project Services division.

Minprovise has built a solid pipeline of on-site maintenance, shutdown work and fabrication jobs since founder Graham Townsend established the company in 2004.

The company initially focussed on the installation, maintenance and shutdown services of crushers, before expanding its expertise into other areas of fixed plant including apron feeders, screens and belt filters. It further increased its product and services offering through partnering with OEMs to supply equipment, parts and products that were complimentary to the current suite of services.

“Our skills grew as the number of people in the business grew,” Minprovise’s Executive General Manager, Projects and Value-added Services Nino Fasolo says.

Iron ore mine expansions have guided an overwhelming number of requests for quotes.

68 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

It is now within the company’s capacity to integrate these strengths into a broader solution offering for its existing clients, enabling increased efficiency and productivity for projects.

The company has enjoyed rapid expansion over the past 12 months and Minprovise’s long-term strategy of providing an end-to-end solution for clients has led to the creation of the Project Services division to further support this growth.

“We decided to go top-down: What do we need to do to set up a new business division?” Fasolo explains.

“We appointed an accomplished

Projects Director and went on to create an organisation structure that encompassed the skills and expertise required to deliver an end-to-end solution to our clients”.

This has included the appointment of an engineering manager and execution managers. Minprovise also employs mechanical, structural and electrical experts in these sub-divisions who are responsible for launching the projects won by the company, on time and within budget.

“Minprovise has such a nimble management team. We have an entrepreneurial way of thinking that feeds off how our owner Graham

Townsend has conducted the business since 2004,” Fasolo says.

“We tend to think and act pretty quickly, including the way we’re setting this division up for success. We have all the resources to back what we promise to deliver.”

Minprovise’s new division complements and builds on its core capabilities and services.

Fasolo says the number of projects coming online and expansions being considered, the demand in the market to provide project services, equipment and products has increased.

“This [high demand for quotes] is actually the biggest challenge we’re facing right now, where we are responding to quotes on a daily basis,” he says.

Even taking into account the high demand, Minprovise is equipped with skilled employees and the appropriate tools to meet clients’ needs.

Minprovise has the ability to offer

design, engineering, supply, fabrication, installation and commissioning services and on-site maintenance all in-house, which helps to give them an edge in the market. This also enables Minprovise to build, own and operate plants, on the basis of a cost-per-tonne arrangement.

The Project Services division will oversee and execute these projects.

With any growth within an organisation comes an ongoing need for diligence in health and safety practises and procedures, which Fasolo says Minprovise is prepared to stay on top of.

“We’re proactive in all levels of the business, to the extent of our executive team dedicating a lot of their time in the field to ensure that people stay safe and are compliant with health and safety regulations,” Fasolo says.

Minprovise is not only capable of winning bigger projects that require a safe delivery of end-to-end solutions but is also geographically advantaged with branches throughout Western Australia.

The organisation now boasts four major locations throughout the state, with three business divisions and workshops in Perth’s industrial hub of Welshpool and a fourth located in Karratha for Pilbara-based projects and time efficiencies. These locations each consolidate and expand on Minprovise’s continuously expanding list of capabilities, with corrosion control, abrasive paint and blasting and scaffolding hire services as new additions in the last six months.

Fasolo is optimistic about Minprovise’s prospects for the rest of 2020. He foresees “a lot of growth” ahead for the company as the concept of the new division gains traction.

“There are a lot of projects that we’re working on at the moment – a lot of industry expansion in the infrastructure side of things – positioning Minprovise as part of that growth,” Fasolo says.

“I’m confident we’ll pick up our fair share of those projects going forward.”

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SOFTWARE

DEM software provides engineers with the data they need to tackle complex problems.

Simulation of success Discrete element method modelling software gives engineers all the information they need to design bulk handling systems. ABHR speaks to Peter Rizkalla, Rocky DEM Product Manager at LEAP Australia, to learn more.

TO OPTIMISE THE DESIGN OF A BULK material handling system, it is important to have as much information as possible. Without having a good understanding of how material flows through a system, it can be difficult to achieve the throughput targets required.

In some cases, it is almost impossible to get this information simply due to how a system is built or operates. In other cases, building a prototype is prohibitively expensive and not worth it in the long run.

This is where simulation software can add value, and according to Peter Rizkalla, the industrial use of DEM software such as Rocky DEM is becoming more and more popular.

“A lot of engineers are confronting problems in the design of machinery

but can’t get the data they need, no matter how many sensors they have,” he says.

“This can be particularly important for equipment operating close to capacity or in extreme conditions, such as transferring wet, sticky ore. In addition, there can be a safety aspect to this, as not all equipment is safe to access while it is operational.

“All of these problems are addressed by simulation software which provides all the data you need to make an informed decision.”

LEAP Australia has a number of software offerings, such as ANSYS and Rocky DEM. Rocky DEM uses the Discrete Element Method (DEM) to simulate the movement of granular material and the way it interacts with a bulk

handling system. It allows engineers to visualise the general flow trajectory to understand forces, velocities and how they affect critical points in a system.

This can help to find where spillage, breakage or wear may be an issue and allows for changes to be made early in the design phase.

“Our main objective is to educate Australian engineers on how DEM simulation applies to their work and the many benefits of using Rocky for DEM,” Rizkalla says.

“The uptake of Rocky over the past six to seven years has been quite staggering. We’ve had lots of interest, especially throughout the mining hubs, Western Australia and Queensland, and Rocky DEM has proved very popular with bulk materials handling product designers and engineers.”

Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020 І 71

ENGINEERING

Dyna engineers solutions for common bulk problems Local expertise, design and manufacturing are Dyna Engineering’s tools to solving the challenges facing Australian conveyors.

WHEN THOMAS GREAVES, GENERAL Manager of Dyna Engineering, began doodling on a piece of paper one afternoon, he did not expect it to amount to anything revolutionary.

However, when his father Graeme (the founder of the company) walked past, the two of them had a lightbulb moment.

One of the designs that Thomas had drawn was an X pattern for a

Thomas Greaves (left) and his father Graeme(right).

72 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

conveyor guard. One thing led to another, and suddenly what started off as an idle drawing became what Thomas calls a game changer for the conveyor industry.

This design, exclusive to Dyna Engineering, offers significantly greater strength and allowed the company to manufacture the conveyor guard out of recyclable/recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE).

“Conveyor guards in general are

The deflection differences between a conventional HDPE conveyor guard (bottom) versus DYNA’s new ‘X’ design HDPE guard is clearly shown in these diagrams.

used to protect personnel from harm associated with conveyors, either by preventing them from entering the danger zones or to contain rogue material within the conveyor,” Thomas says.

“The ‘X’ design in our mesh gives

more strength and better deflection properties than other HDPE guards on the market. Our patented ‘X’ shape design increases the guard’s strength substantially (up to 60 per cent) in comparison to standard square mesh panels.

“So, as well as delivering reduced deflection, it is well above the minimum Australian standard, which will help keep personnel safe,” he added.

Dyna Engineering is a family-owned company that operates out of its head office in Perth, Western Australia.

It specialises in the design and manufacture of conveyor equipment and related services that can be tailored to an extensive range of applications, operations and conditions.

The company keeps its finger on the pulse when it comes to the problems that face conveyors in Australia and aims to create products that make life easier for all involved. An example of this can be seen in its Dyna FastFit Scraper.

“If you’ve ever had to remove a primary or secondary conveyor scraper for maintenance or blade replacement, you’ll know how awkward, difficult and dangerous it can be,” Thomas says.

“That’s why we wanted to design a better solution that allows quick and easy removal of the scraper assembly from the chute.”

By redesigning the primary and secondary scraper assembly, maintenance work on scrapers can be conducted safer and easier, outside the chute.

“It makes the job of the plant fitter a breeze by allowing fast removal of TrampAd.qxp_Layout 1 3/2/20 4:34 PM Page 1

The X design in the mesh helps provide better deflection.

the scraper from the chute,” Thomas says. “There is no need to get inside the chute, eliminating the need for scaffolding and confined space permits.”

All of the work can be completed from outside the chute, simply by removing two bolts so the scraper shaft and blades can be removed in one motion. This means all of the maintenance can be done in a location where fitters can work in an ergonomically correct working position.

Safety is also improved by allowing the scraper assembly to be removed from the often high and awkward confines of the chute.

Dyna’s FastFit Scraper solution has been designed to be simple enough that even a novice can quickly learn. It allows for the removal of the scraper shaft and blades without losing any of the settings as the system is self-aligning, selflubricating and self-locating. A short demonstration video can also be found on the company’s website.

Stainless steel is used for the construction to avoid corroding, rusting or paint damage and they are available in primary and secondary versions with polyurethane and carbide blades for belt widths from 350 millimetres to 3500 millimetres wide.

Dyna Engineering is proud of being fully Australian owned and operated, and as its manufacturing is largely done locally, components can be made in as little as a couple of days. This has a lot of appeal when compared to the usual weeks or months which can apply to others sourced from overseas.

“A major reason for this has been our focus on providing consistent quality and honouring our delivery promises,” says Dyna’s Sales Engineer Reddy Emmadi.

“Over the years, we have built a strong and loyal band of clients.

We have absolutely no intention of letting them down through unacceptably long lead times for off-shore manufacturing.”

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CONVEYORS

talk

Problems with belts in operation STEVE DAVIS In his regular BULKtalk column, Steve Davis considers the basics of bulk handling that sites often struggle with.

He shares his insights gained from more than 30 years in bulk materials handling.

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.

As an engineer tasked with solving problems, Steve Davis, Senior Bulk Handling Expert at Advisan, follows up on his last article in the Jan/Feb edition of ABHR to discuss some issues affecting troughing belts.

MANY ISSUES WITH CONVEYORS ARE THE result of cumulative impacts.

As an example: A splice starts to fail. Cleaners are lifted to avoid damaging the splice because there is no time to fix it. Carry back creates significant spillage under the conveyor with build-up on idlers and perhaps take up and some pullies.

Build-up and spillage cause mistracking. The belt cuts through structure and damages the edge, dropping more spillage. The belt may run from under the skirts, which become damaged and score the belt. Higher local tension from the take up spillage overstress the carcass and cords pull through covers and splices start to pull apart.

Mistracking gives high spillage and contact with chute.

74 | Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

The pulley lagging is damaged. The belt eventually must be replaced but other damage and spillage result.

This sequence may take days, or longer. Cost and time to repair is significantly longer than a splice repair, and consequences may be ongoing if all issues are not addressed. There are many chains of events where rectification of the initial problem is far more cost effective.

Damage or upset When a conveyor has been operating consistently for years and there is a change in belt performance linked to a new belt, many don’t look deeply at the history for a root cause. A new belt does not change loading or temperature, condition and alignment of structure, idlers and pullies, or cleaners and skirts, unless these were changed or damaged too. Large reduction in carcass life, early splice failure and poor tracking compared to the previous belt is often the result of the belt change.

Check the history, especially if new to the problem.

Typical issues can include: • Vague specifications or low stock results in a belt different to the original. I have seen cover materials change, edge (not centre) split belts, split belts where chemicals are present, lower carcass rating, mismatched carcass and width in repairs.

Ensure the correct belt is procured.

• Splice kits are out of date or inappropriate for new cover rubber.

• Supplier does not or was not asked to provide an appropriate splice design, so the previous is used.

• Supplier minimum bend is ignored. Supplier does not see the profile and data so cannot ensure accuracy.

• A conveyor, which had been previously upgraded with a new belt specification had a replacement belt of the original type supplied as the spec was not changed in the system.

Results of incorrect supply may be immediately noticeable, such as tracking and splice failure. Other problems may take some time to be obvious, such as wear rate, impact/ gouge resistance or chemical attack.

Sudden change to the operating condition of a conveyor are often the result of change in recent history.

Conversely, when a conveyor component is changed or repaired, it is likely a subsequent change in belt performance results from change, and not the belt itself.

Rip in top cover and skirt wear lines.

The quick fix The mining industry likes a ‘quick fix’. We seek a cheap, short outage solution to every problem. Use the root cause to assess validity, which in some cases may justify a quick fix.

A poorly tracking belt rarely responds to installation of a single tracking frame. I saw one conveyor with six different tracking frames from

six analyses, all installed incorrectly and all failed due to being buried in the spillage that caused the tracking issue.

The forces that cause mistracking is introduced to the belt, so understand and remove it.

I have seen repeat failures where

the solution was to change the failed item in regular maintenance when a small engineering change would cure the problem. Time and money are unavailable for a permanent fix, but unplanned failure or multiple fixes are ok.

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CONVEYORS

Puncture and broken cord from a rock between pulley and belt.

The cost of a permanent fix may be higher than a quick fix.

Multiple outages and fixes soon exceed the permanent fix and more maintenance increases the risk of injury. Increased cover thickness or ultra-wear-resistant covers, at higher cost, may last longer but addressing the load point issues will reduce wear continuously.

Belt tracking

When the cause of damage to a conveyor belt is obvious, and not a result of the belt itself, how does replacing the belt without addressing the cause and expecting a longer life make sense?

• If the wear on a belt is two parallel lines that match the location of the skirts, it is probably the skirt and load arrangement that is faulty. If lines are elsewhere look for damaged cleaners or jammed rocks and liner plates.

• If the cover wear is uneven across the belt, then it is likely that the load chute does not present the material at best velocity and direction.

• If belt edge is torn, cracking or showing cord stress, then most likely causes are overstress from poor transitions, curves and other changes, tension increase, buildup on pulleys and idlers, too small diameter pulleys or contact with structure or frames.

A belt on a conveyor tracks well when all the lateral forces on the belt are in balance. Experience shows that short belts, feeder belts, and higher-tension belts are less able to accommodate changes in the forces, yet an overland with little elevation might be obviously misaligned, have spillage and the belt tracks acceptably.

Often a belt tracks just off centre, doesn’t move much, has a minor cyclic movement, or tracks a little differently with a different load. If there are no other problems, it is best to monitor rather than trying to correct. Belts can work for years yet never track perfectly.

When a belt does not track centrally on the conveyor, there are several potential causes: • Belt or its splicing may be faulty.

It is unlikely to be fixed without addressing the belt, Often, no amount of tracking methods or devices will solve the issue. This fault is usually obvious immediately after splicing. Sometimes a ‘bent’ belt can straighten after a period of operation, but not misaligned splices.

• Off centre loading, variable loading, skirts that are set too wide, differences in skirts along and across the conveyor are common mistracking causes. Rectification may be relatively simple, such as a liner system upgrade, or more complex such as a chute replacement.

• If splices fail, determine the cause.

• Poor alignment of the conveyor

The blind eye

76 | Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

itself is a major cause. This can be initial installation, change with time, the result of a maintenance event, ground subsidence, or damage to the structure from impact. Poor alignment can be fixed by realigning or repairing so that all pullies and idlers are on the conveyor centreline and according to design inclinations.

Tracking frames may correct some of these issues temporarily.

• Wind can cause erratic tracking problems, especially if intermittent and the mistracking is short duration.

Occasional tracking severe enough to dump all material on the floor yet fully regain normality should consider weather at the time. Wind guards are a solution.

• Cover wear and carcass damage or cord failure changes belt stress distribution and force balance that produces mistracking.

• Mechanical issues can cause mistracking and damage to belts.

These include seized idler rolls, damaged lagging, jammed tracking frames, change in position of shuttles and trippers, collapsed tripper wheels, take up trolley movement and damage, seized take up sheaves, cleaner and plough damage and many other issues.

• Spillage causes many issues on conveyors. When it buries or builds up on idler rolls or pulleys, and on structures and walkways this changes the forces acting on the belt and causes mistracking. Build-up on idler rolls and pulleys makes the belt track towards the larger effective diameter. Burying idler rolls in spillage increases drag on rotation requiring more force from the belt to turn them. Eventual seizure occurs, which places more drag on the belt.

Build up on pulleys can puncture the belt and eventually the pulley will be damaged.

Spillage on gravity take up weights is commonly seen. With a dense ore, it is easy to double design belt tensions. This changes transition loads, causes belt lift off, can destroy idlers and pulleys, all of which leads to mistracking and often worse.

Carry back falls from the conveyor

when the belt passes return idlers and is characterised by piles of spillage under several or many rolls. These piles will continue to build and bury the conveyor.

Belt ploughs are installed on ground level tail ends. There is nowhere for the cleaned material to go, and this can bury the tail end.

Examples An alumina belt has been replaced every three years. A grade M belt was purchased for a lower price.

Lifespan dropped to six months due to splice failure from alumina attack. It took several iterations of the short life before this was evaluated.

A heavy-duty conveyor with a shuttle had erratic tracking issues. Several tracking frames of increasing complexity were installed.

A specialist checked and correlated the tracking issues with the shuttle position. Shuttle rails were worn due to poor support structure and caused misalignment. The rails were not inspection items.

A conveyor belt lasted nine years from commissioning to replacement due to cover wear. An ‘identical’ specification belt was sourced at a lower cost. The new belt covers wore out after a third of the tonnage of the previous belt. The cost of belt is less than half the total cost of installation – a 20 per cent saving in purchase price might save 10 per cent on total cost. If the belt does not last as long as before the saving is soon lost.

Conversely, if testing is completed on the belt before purchase, and the belt lasts longer at the same price, there is a real saving.

During commissioning of a new plant, a specialist was called to look at conveyor belt damage after running in.

Perfect grooves in line with skirts were noted, and the grooves went into the carcass for the full tape length. No-one watched the belt during run in. The belt had to be replaced.

After changing to a thicker belt on an existing conveyor, the conveyor would not pull away. Skirts were adjusted into the top cover and stalled the motor.

Skirt adjustment solved the problem.

Cover damage in centre from trapped object and on right edge from skirt seal.

Chutes and loading Chute design, wear liners and changes in material flow properties are responsible for many tracking issues.

Chutes should be designed to load materials centrally to the receiving belt as close to the direction and speed of travel as possible. Central loading gives balanced load on the belt. When material is loaded off centre, gravity moves the belt sideways to put the combined centre of gravity on the conveyor centreline. Mistracking results.

To combat this, enough side force must be applied to push the combined weight away from the centreline. A few tracking frames can’t do this, and therefore side rolls are being installed the full length of many conveyors. The side rolls do not move the mistracking belt but stop it from moving too far. In previous times we walked a conveyor tapping idler frames until the tracking stabilised. Safety issues rightly prevent this today, side rolls are an effective option.

• I still see many chutes that are designed with unchamfered valleys, intersects and ledges that provide good anchor points for sticky material build-up. The chute may not block but build-up and release

will change the flow pattern and alter belt loading.

• Chute performance changes with material flow properties. It is common to see dry hard iron ore load perfectly, but when wetter ores are loaded the chute performance changes.

The wetter ore does not flow down the liners the same as the dry ore, changing the point of impact on the belt. This is difficult to predict, and redesign might be the best solution. Some types of chutes, such as Gulf ‘stall flow’ are better able to accommodate ore variation.

• Chute wear liners are often selected from standard shapes. This is good for standardisation of spares. Selection generally does not consider the impact of gaps between liners, ledges at the top of the lined surfaces, irregular areas where a standard does not fit etc. These gaps, joints, even bolt recesses all provide potential anchor points for build-up of fine material.

As the liners wear the effect changes, sometimes better, sometimes worse.

Adding in random ‘chocky blocks’ and other stop gap repairs can really impact flow.

Belt problems will always be with us, but by determining the cause we can improve performance.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020 | 77

ROPES Proper maintenance is key to ensure longevity.

Integrity of large steel ropes Aspec Engineering explains steel wire ropes – how to care for them and their limits of degradation.

A WIRE ROPE CONSISTS OF MANY wires twisted to make a complex structure combining axial strength and stiffness with flexibility in bending.

Modern ropes are available in a wide range of constructions. They can have different levels of helical complexity and wires of different diameters in combinations to achieve an acceptable performance in a wide range of applications.

The term ‘wire ropes’ includes strands and wires. A strand is a group of wires laid helically in successive layers over a straight central wire. Wire rope, on the other hand, consists of typically six strands laid helically over a central core, which may consist of twisted fibre or a smaller independent wire rope.

The reliable and efficient behaviour of a wire rope and its durability under a given set of working conditions are largely governed by its size (rope diameter size), construction (rope components and arrangement) and method of fabrication, quality (rope tensile strength grade), lay and type of core.

Different configurations of the material, wire, and strand structure will provide different benefits for the specific lifting application, including: • Strength • Flexibility • Abrasion resistance • Crushing resistance

78 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

• Fatigue resistance • Corrosion resistance • Rotation resistance Ropes are referred to by a diameter size. The true or actual diameter of a wire rope is the diameter of a circumscribed circle that will enclose all the strands.

The construction of a rope for any given application should be suited to the equipment and to the conditions under which it will operate. In general, having many small size wires and strands produces a flexible rope with good resistance to bending fatigue.

Rope lay refers to the way the wires in the strands and the strands in the rope are formed into the completed rope. The core of a wire rope runs through the centre of the rope and supports the strands by maintaining their relative position under loading and bending stresses. A number of core types are available, and each gives specific properties to the rope.

Strand vs rope For a given cable diameter, there are usually many more wires in a rope than in strand. The smaller wire diameters and the doubly helical wire paths in a rope are responsible for many of the differences between the behaviour of wire rope and strand. Rope is a little more flexible axially than strand but much more flexible in bending. This bending flexibility is the reason why wire rope

is widely used as a tractive element over pulleys and winch drums in mines, cranes, and many other machines.

In most tension structures, such as suspension and cable-stayed bridges, fixed length pendants for draglines, and stacker/reclaimers, strands are used because there is no requirement for a low bending stiffness. The advantages of strand for these applications include greater axial stiffness (greater strength to weight ratio) and improved corrosion resistance due to its larger diameter, closely packed wires, and heavier galvanising. Disadvantages include a larger coiling diameter for delivery, careful packing and attention during transport, and more careful handling.

Causes of failures The types and distribution of wire failures are generally a good indication of the cause of deterioration of a strand. Some typical types of wire failures include tensile, fatigue, corrosion and mechanical.

Whenever tensile failures are detected, the loading on the rope and factor of safety should be checked. Tensile failures can be an indication of an inadequate factor of safety especially if heavy impact loads on the ropes can occur.

Fatigue appears to be a major factor in the failure of ropes. There are not a great deal of test results due to the cost of testing full-size ropes, and available

results show a significant amount of scatter between tests on similar ropes.

On heavy strands, the end terminations are generally made from steel sockets to enable load transmittal between the structure and the cable. The load is carried through the socket forging or casting to the rope by adhesion between the rope wires and the material used in the socket. Typically, the material used in the socket is epoxy resin or zinc metal.

Test results show that even for the same type of end termination, cable fatigue life varies depending on the workmanship of the termination and any secondary effects due to restrained bending and corrosion.

Corrosion failures result from operation in wet, salty, acid, or other chemical conditions, which produce various degrees of corrosion and pitting.

Every effort should be made to minimise the effects of corrosion by removing the causes, using galvanised rope where suitable and improving lubrication.

Mechanical damage can be seen as nicking or gouging of outer wires and can be due to careless handling, slapping against obstructions, and collisions and impacts. Also, ‘birdcaging’ effects (the springing of wires away from the core or inner strands) can be due to the sudden release of heavy loading.

Failure strength of strands Fatigue appears to be a major cause of failure in steel strands. Historically, the majority of failures for strands appear to occur near the end terminations and can be attributed to bending fatigue, possibly accentuated by corrosion.

Bending and twisting of the wires due to loading and unloading, and contact stresses between individual wires can have a significant effect on the fatigue behaviour of strands.

Research has shown that contact stresses can govern fatigue life particularly for large diameter cables.

Dynamic effects such as digging loads

on draglines and reclaimers are a common source of stress fluctuations in wire ropes.

These can lead to secondary bending stresses at the end terminations as well as fretting fatigue between individual wires.

Wire breakages can occur at the internal wires because the contact stresses at the internal wires can be higher than the stresses at the outer wires.

Based on recent work undertaken on materials handling machines (stacker/ reclaimers) by Aspec, the fluctuating load in the boom pendants due to digging and material on the belt appears to be about five per cent of the maximum breaking load. The number of digging cycles over a 25-year period is about one million.

Therefore, we would not expect fatigue of the pendants on these types of machines to be a problem. However, secondary effects due to dynamics from machine movement and wind, poor rope condition, lack of lubrication, and the condition of the end terminations may significantly decrease rope fatigue.

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ROPES

Wire rope is critical for a number of bulk handling machines and systems.

High-capacity winch ropes In order to provide the higher factors of safety for materials handling machines such as shiploaders to the latest standards, higher capacity rope types have been developed. Wire ropes commonly used for shiploaders are Turboplast and Paraplast ropes. Depending on the shiploader specification, a shiploader may have luffing, shuttle and telechute ropes.

These ropes support vertical and horizontal movements of the shiploader boom and telechute to load bulk material into ships. As these ropes are exposed to the salty, marine environment, corrosion protection of ropes, especially the core, is critical.

Wire rope discard recommendations Failures in wire ropes can occur due to internal or external wire breakages or failure at end terminations.

Internal wire failures are not common in areas away from the end terminations, however, appropriate testing methods are required to detect these internal defects.

80 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

The grounds for discarding wire ropes are varied depending on the application, the degree of risk if the rope breaks in service, the environmental conditions, and the extent of inspection. Some commonly used criteria include: • A percentage loss of tensile strength and therefore factor of safety • A maximum number of broken or cracked outer wires • A maximum percentage of allowable wear on the outer wires • Kinking or ‘birdcaging’ of wires.

• As a guide, for a decrease in actual rope diameter greater than 3 per cent for rotation-resistant ropes or 10 per cent for non-rotation-resistant the rope shall be discarded even if no broken wires are visible.

Section 14 of AS 2759:2004, Section 6 of ISO 4309:2017 and A112 of AS 4324.1:2017 outline rope discard criteria.

It is also important to have the knowledge of the performance of previous ropes used in the same application and factor it in the rope discard process.

Care and maintenance Use of corrosion-resistant galvanised rope, lubrication and checking the condition of end terminations can help avoid potential rope failure. Reducing dynamic effects is beneficial as machine digging or wind can cause the ropes to oscillate excessively.

Inspections and appropriate testing methods are also required to detect internal defects such as internal wire failures that commonly occur in areas away from the end terminations. A nondestructive testing (NDT) system as a supplement to visual inspection can also be employed to monitor internal degradation.

Lubrication Lubrication is applied during the manufacturing process and should penetrate all the way to the core. This inhibits possible rotting of the fibre core.

Lubrication of wire ropes will reduce the resultant friction within the rope as well as the friction between the rope and drum or sheaves. However, pre-lubrication only lasts for a limited time and should be reapplied periodically during service.

Field lubricants can be applied by spray, brush, dip, drip or pressure boot.

Various types of greases are used for wire rope lubrication. There are two types of wire rope lubricants, penetrating and coating. Penetrating lubricants contain a petroleum solvent that carries the lubricant into the core of the wire rope then evaporates, leaving behind a heavy lubricating film to protect and lubricate each strand. Coating lubricants penetrate slightly, sealing the outside of the cable from moisture and reducing wear and fretting corrosion from contact with external bodies.

Both types of wire rope lubricants are widely used. However, most wire ropes tend to fail from the inside which means the centre core needs to receive sufficient lubricant to maintain the rope’s useful life. It is recommended that penetrating lubricants are used either alone or in conjunction with a coating lubricant.

Wire rope lubricants can be petrolatum, asphaltic, grease, petroleum oils, vegetable oil-based or lanolin based.

Where environmental considerations

govern, lanolin-based lubricants are commonly used.

Lubricating working wire ropes is a difficult proposition, regardless of the construction and composition. Ropes with fibre cores are somewhat easier to lubricate than those made exclusively from steel materials. For this reason, it is important to carefully consider the issue of field relubrication when selecting rope for an application.

The first consideration when changing lubricants is whether the new lubricant and the in-service lubricant are compatible. This issue can impact flushing and change-out decisions as well as result in significant costs.

Inspection Although wire rope is tough and durable, regular inspection must be carried out for safety and its condition must be maintained to extend its service life. The proper frequency and degree of inspection depends largely on the possible risk to personnel and machinery in the event of rope failure.

A magnetic rope test is a nondestructive testing that uses an electromagnetic instrument to examine the rope. It measures the magnetic flux leakage of a magnetized rope.

For initial inspection, ISO4309 recommends that when it is the intention to use electromagnetic means of NDT as an aid to visual examination, the rope should be subject to an initial electromagnetic NDT examination as soon as possible after the rope has been installed. For subsequent inspections testing frequency should be based on expected rope life operating cycles, operating conditions and rope constructions.

AS 4812:2013 recommends that frequencies do not exceed one sixth of the expected rope life, with a limit of between six and 30 months depending on the type of rope.

Inspection should be carried out following an incident that could have caused damage to the rope and/or its termination, or if a rope has been brought back into operation after dismantling followed by re-assembly.

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MEMBER PROFILE

MEMBER PROFILE:

Alan Roberts In each issue, ABHR profiles a member of the Australian Society of Bulk Solids Handling. In this edition, we look at the work of Alan Roberts AM, who has played a key role in the development of bulk solids science.

Emeritus Professor Alan Roberts AM has been conducting research and consulting in the field of bulk solids handling for more than 60 years. He has been a leading educator and expert in the field who has published five design manuals, 11 book chapters and more than 600 research papers on various aspects of bulk solids handling. Despite having formally retired at the end of 1993, he remains active in his research, consulting and mentoring roles.

The beginning Alan’s interest in bulk solids handling began when he was a part-time student completing a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) degree at the University of New South Wales. His final year project dealt with the performance of screw

conveyors handling grain. In 1958 he was appointed to an academic position in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Wollongong University College, where he commenced his follow-up research on screw conveyors along with his newfound interest in granular mechanics. That led to his enrolment for a PhD degree which he completed in 1962.

Through his library research he became aware of the pioneering research on bulk solids handling being conducted in the United States by Dr Andrew Jenike.

During a sabbatic leave period in 1963/64 at Cornell University in the US, he took the opportunity to invite Andrew to visit Cornell to present a seminar. Alan still recalls Andrew’s comment, “it took an Australian to invite him to Cornell”.

On returning to Wollongong from the

Alan Roberts (left) and TUNRA General Manager Tim Donohue (right).

82 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

Alan Roberts teaching bulk solids handling in Japan.

US in 1964, Alan was keen to follow his newfound interest and passion for bulk solids. Together with Peter Arnold, a flow property test laboratory was established, and associated research programs and industrial consulting commenced.

Bulk solids handling as an integrated research, industrial and professional discipline in Australia had begun.

The University of Newcastle and TUNRA At the beginning of 1974, Alan moved to the University of Newcastle to take up his Professorial Chair appointment in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

He was elected Dean of the Faculty of Engineering in the same year, a position he held for 20 years until his retirement at the end of 1993. He was also appointed to the Board of the University’s research Company, TUNRA, remaining as a Board Director for 31 years.

Following his bulk solids research and industrial consulting interests, Alan established, in 1975, the research and consulting group, TUNRA Bulk Solids Handling Research Associates (TBS).

Over the 45 years of its existence, TBS has provided services to the industry and is internationally recognised for its contribution to research and its industrial interactions.

In 1995, the Centre for Bulk Solids and Particulate Technologies, a joint Centre of the Universities of Newcastle and Wollongong with Alan as Director and Peter Arnold as Associated Director, was selected to be one of the Australian Research Council’s (ARC) Key Centres of Teaching and Research. While the funding cycle from the ARC was six

His studies have taken him around the world.

years, the centre continues to operate in a self-supporting mode.

Professional identity With the aim of establishing bulk solids handling as a recognised, professional engineering discipline, Alan played a major role in the formation of the National Committee for Bulk Materials Handling within the Institution of Engineers, Australia (now known as Engineers Australia). The first major international Bulk Materials Handling conference was held at the University of Newcastle in 1983. The National Committee was re-organised becoming the Australian Society for Bulk Solids Handling. Alan has remained as a member of this committee to the present date.

Alan has been a regular participant at international conferences, presenting by invitation on a number of occasions. Over his professional career he has been involved in presenting short courses on bulk solids technology to industry groups. Apart from Australia, these courses have been presented in other countries including Germany, the Netherlands, France, Norway, England, Turkey, South Africa, India, US and Canada.

The driving influence of Alan’s extensive consultative experience linked to TBS is the importance of university and industry collaborations.

“There is no doubt that the problems in industry are most often orders of magnitude more difficult than the level of research knowledge to solve those problems,” he says.

“So we apply the research

Alan was elected as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1990.

knowledge we have gained, supplemented by practical experience and basic engineering know-how to achieve solutions.”

Honours and awards Alan holds a Bachelors (Mechanical Engineering), PhD and honorary DUniv and DSc degrees and has received a number of distinguished awards.

These include: • The Engineering Applied to Agriculture Award of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (UK) in 1962 • Institution Award Medal in 1967 • Sir George Julius Medal in 1982 and AGM Michell Medal in 1989 of the Institution of Engineers, Australia • Award of Distinction, International Powder and Bulk Solids Conference, Chicago USA in 1986 • Trinity Solids Handling Award, Institution of Mechanical Engineers (UK) in 1994 • ASBSH Award in 2000 • Lifetime Achievement Award of the British Materials Handling Board in 2007.

In 2010 he was awarded the Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal, the highest award of the Institution of Engineers Australia.

Alan was elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering in 1989, Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Engineers, Australia in 1992 and Fellow of the Royal Society of NSW in 2018.

He was elected Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1990 and awarded the Centenary Medal from the Australian Government in 2003.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020 І 83

DEM

On the path to 100% reliability in the materials handling chain TUNRA Bulk Solids worked with Roy Hill to solve a number of materials handling challenges by using the discrete element method, site experience and extensive knowledge on bulk behaviour.

THE BULK MATERIALS HANDLING supply chain consists of multiple transportation and storage operations for receiving, unloading, stocking, and transporting raw and processed materials.

Transfer chutes are a key component in the efficient operation of this handling chain, though they too frequently become bottlenecks that limit performance.

Common issues arising in poorlydesigned transfer chutes include blockage, spillage and wear, and it is often the case that these do not receive the necessary attention during the design stage, leading to downtime and requiring remedial actions to optimise flow.

The application of the discrete element method (DEM) has become more prevalent as a solution to such industrial problems in an attempt to address the limitations of traditional methods based on material trajectories.

Modern analysis methods, especially DEM, have been applied to improve operating conditions across Australia and worldwide. This case-study, which was presented at the 13th International Conference on Bulk Materials Storage, Handling & Transportation, focuses on how TUNRA Bulk Solids has worked with Roy Hill in the solution of various materials handling challenges through FIG 1.

Phase 1 design for the proposed lower chute.

84 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

the application of design principles with the use of DEM, coupled with site experience and extensive knowledge of bulk materials behaviour.

A number of issues were addressed as part of this scope, including material build-up, liner and belt wear, and central loading of the receiving conveyor. The successes seen in this study significantly contributed to the first ever week of 100 per cent equipment availability for process plant inflow system at the Roy Hill mine.

Application 1: Background Roy Hill commissioned an engineering company to design modifications for two chutes, CVR123/023 and CVR223/023. Ore had been building up in the chutes which lead to unscheduled downtime and impact idler failure was occurring on the receiving conveyor due to the unfavourable loading conditions.

This particular project was approached in two phases. TUNRA Bulk Solids was first engaged for a third-party review of the new design, which was already in the process of being implemented.

Upon completion of Phase 1, a need for further improvements became apparent, and TUNRA was engaged to propose modifications to the installed insert.

The challenges The proposed new design transitions from a rock-box chute to a sliding chute, so as to account for changes in the material being handled (Figure 1). TUNRA Bulk Solids conducted DEM simulations with a selection of parameters based on a combination of tools such as flow property data, experience, and feedback from site. Appropriate calibration

is of utmost importance to adequately represent material flow, and TUNRA often works in conjunction with site experts to adjust the simulation parameters accordingly.

The independent review showed that the new proposed design for the lower insert demonstrated less total build-up, but also revealed the wall inclination angle in the lower part was too shallow for this specific material. This would be likely to lead to build-up in that region, which would require further maintenance actions to maintain reliability. This would also have consequences with regards to attempting a ‘softer’ loading onto the receiving conveyor when handling sticky materials.

Due to the advanced timeline of the project, this third-party review was conducted concurrently with the implementation of the proposed modifications, which meant that the findings could only be used as a riskmitigation measure at that stage. Phase 1, therefore, resulted in recommendations for further improvement of the chute, which would become the focus of Phase 2.

The solution After Phase 2, improved reliability was achieved through the following main modifications: • Selection of a more appropriate rear wall slope angle to ensure flow and limit build-up • Greater convergence of the insert side walls along with loading higher on the insert to likely improve control over the discharge of ore flow • Extension of the lower insert to attempt to improve the soft loading effect and loading symmetry (as the gap between the bottom of the insert and the top of the receiving conveyor was shown to be too high).

FIG 2.

investigation to reduce belt wear and assess the possibility of extending the maintenance interval to two cycles (24 weeks). Such an ambitious target would likely require a thicker belt cover in addition to the design modifications to the chute for improved flow.

Section view showing the flow of sticky ore through the chute (a) initial design (b) Phase 1 improvement (3rd party) (c) Phase 2 improvement (TUNRA).

For the purpose of illustrating these changes, Figure 2 shows the three chutes (initial design followed by the first proposed redesign and the improvements proposed in Phase 2).

The outcomes Improved performance was subsequently verified on site, as shown in the diagram and graph below.

Application 2: Background / Challenge One of the critical pieces of equipment at Roy Hill’s plant is the lump stacker.

Upon project commencement the plant required a 12-week shutdown cycle, with the receiving conveyor belt in the lump stacker being replaced every shutdown. TUNRA Bulk Solids was commissioned to conduct an

The approach Further to learnings of the previous project, the following steps were taken in the investigation: a) Roy Hill engaged multiple vendors for submissions on the refurbishment of the lower feed chute to improve flow and reduce receiving conveyor wear b) TUNRA conducted an independent review of all of the vendor proposals, providing a high-level assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of each option c) Roy Hill completed their own evaluation based on a number of factors (including the TUNRA

Medusa

DEM FIG 3.

and new chute design can be seen in Figure 4, with changes to the chute liner material and side walls in addition to the angle change. The improved loading scenario can be seen in Figure 4 (b) vs (c).

Roy Hill lump stacker components, with this study targeting the feed chute.

review), and awarded the contract to the successful vendor d) TUNRA performed a complete review on the new proposed lower feed chute and offered further recommendations for improved flow outcomes.

The solution The key modification was to make the angle of the chute shallower, which increases the wear inside the chute but decreases the wear on the receiving belt. Given that the specific focus of the project was to decrease belt wear, this was an acceptable compromise. However, attention should be given to the fact that it may be the case where a modification to ‘improve’ a certain aspect may worsen another aspect, and all aspects shall be taken into account when proposing a design. A potential solution to this new issue (chute wear) is to ensure the selection of liners that are able to reach the set maintenance periods, thus meeting operational requirements.

A comparison between the existing

FIG 4A.

The outcomes Once again, improved performance was subsequently verified on site, through comparisons between site photos and the DEM wear profiles.

When installing the new proposed chute on site, at first with the same original belt, a 12 per cent wear reduction was observed. The same comparison in the DEM model yielded a reduction of 15 per cent. This difference can be explained by the complex nature of wear mechanisms and assumptions made in the DEM model, and is considered acceptable by industry standards.

Another observation from site was that the new chute completely eliminated failure of impact rollers, which had previously been observed as one to two rollers needing replacement in each maintenance shutdown.

After this initial assessment, in the next shutdown, the belt was replaced by a new one with a thicker top cover. So far, feedback from Roy Hill is that the new belt has exceeded expectations in terms of performance and the initial objective of reaching 24 weeks has been reached.

Concluding remarks DEM is a powerful tool which can deliver a range of successful outcomes. However,

FIG 4B.

(a) New chute design for the lump stacker – reduction in loading angle from 73o to 68o (b) Existing chute design showing ore splash zone at loading point and flat profile and (c) new chute design showing optimised design and parabolic loading profile on receiving belt.

86 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: March/April 2020

FIG 4C.

as with any numerical modelling tool, the inputs are of critical importance.

In these two case studies, such inputs were established through careful consideration of a range of factors, including experience with modelling technique and laboratory test data, but perhaps of most importance was the site validation and feedback.

FIG 5.

Comparison of wear in the feed chute between site and DEM modelling.

By working closely together with its clients, TUNRA Bulk Solids delivers customised solutions to complex industry problems in all aspects related to the design of reliable materials handling and storage facilities. These services range from the characterisation of bulk materials under various operating conditions, to advanced calibration techniques, to the application of DEM simulations and verification with site observations.

TUNRA’s expertise also include acting as a third-party independent reviewer, as well as independent testing of conveyor components such as belts and idlers.

Authored by Tim Donohue (TUNRA Bulk Solids), Nat Williams (Roy Hill), Shaun Reid, Bin Chen and Jens Plinke (TUNRA Bulk Solids).

For more information on projects like this and how TUNRA Bulk Solids can help your business, contact the authors through shaun.reid@ newcastle.edu.au

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