ABHR May/Jun 2021

www.bulkhandlingreview.com VOLUME 26, ISSUE 2 | MAY/JUNE 2021

In this issue: Silos and storage Are tailing dams viable?

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CONTENTS MAY/JUNE 2021

18

32

46

50

6 Industry news

30 Weigh batching controls compensate for terra cotta variations

66 In the modern environment are tailing dams viable?

32 Pack to the future

70 ASBSH Member Profile: Peter Copley

18 Replacing the old guard

34 Unleashing the beast – new mega screens for major copper producer

Silos and storage

20 The benefits of automated palletising

36 Svendborg designs smarter, safer brakes

42 Go with the flow

22 Flexible solutions for critical cables

38 Keeping gearboxes rolling

44 Surviving the vermin tide

24 Concrete results

56 Picking the right industrial lubricant

46 Australian made

26 Speedy solution found for challenging energy supply problem

60 Supporting software for simulation

48 Growing trends

62 Condition rating system for structural integrity

50 The nuts and bolts of Scutti silos

10 Women in Industry Column 12 BULK2021 Spotlight

28 Kilic and Kinder grow together

40 Special delivery

52 What are the most common silo design pitfalls?

www.bulkhandlingreview.com VOLUME 26, ISSUE 2 | MAY/JUNE 2021

In this issue: Silos and storage Are tailing dams viable?

BULK2021

ALLIES IN STORAGE

Grain storage silos and conveyor systems specialists

With more than 35 years of experience operating grain handling systems, John White, Allied Grains Systems Managing Director has learned a lot about the industry. He tells ABHR about the company’s biggest asset – its customers – and how the business has achieved repeat business rates of up to 60 per cent.

For the full story, see page 16.

4 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

AUSTRALIA

EDITORIAL

AUSTRALIA

REVIEW

Published by:

REVIEW

Storing for a rainy day 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 Rob O’Bryan E: rob.obryan@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.

It feels like Australian growers just can’t catch a break. Following years of intense drought on the east coast of Australia came one of the worst bushfire seasons in recent memory.

Soon after, flooding rains caused devastation in rural New South Wales, causing untold damage to the region.

To top it all off, a mouse plague – the size of which has not been seen in Australia for almost two decades – has caused havoc following a recordbreaking harvest.

These extreme weather events are going to become a lot more common as the climate changes and will require growers to adapt.

While growers don’t have control over the weather, they can get increased control over their crops through on-farm storage – a trend that has become more popular over recent years.

On-farm silos give growers the option of holding onto their grain, instead of selling it at harvest time when it often has the lowest value. This allows the grain to then be sold months later, when the price of grain has gone up and a bigger profit can be made.

This edition of Australian Bulk Handling Review shines a spotlight on the storage sector, featuring several interviews with silo manufacturers. You can read about some of the latest trends and technological developments.

Silos will also feature at the 2021 Australian Bulk Handling Expo (BULK2021). The event will see key decision makers come together to share their knowledge across a range of industries. In particular, the event conference will provide a platform for academia and the business world to learn more from one another.

It will also host the 2021 Australian Bulk Handling Awards, the only dedicated awards program for the bulk handling industry.

BULK2021 will take place from 8 – 10 September 2021 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. We look forward to meeting attendees in person.

William Arnott Editor - ABHR

Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021 І 5

NEWS

CBH awards three storage expansion contracts THREE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN businesses have won contracts to expand storage capacities at CBH Group’s Brookton, Dale and Hyden receival sites.

Work has already commenced at two of the sites, with Georgiou Group awarded the Hyden contract and Valmec awarded the expansion component of the Brookton work. WCP Civil will work on the Dale program of works.

CBH Chief Project Delivery Officer Pieter Vermeulen says he was pleased to award contracts to WA businesses.

“The contracts each include a program of work that involve installing key infrastructure such as weighbridges, sample huts, electrical work, upgrades to existing equipment and optimising traffic flow,” Vermeulen says.

“This work aims to improve how Work has already commenced at two of the sites.

6 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

quickly we can receive deliveries plus meet the demands at harvest as the pace and size of the crop increases.”

Georgiou Group will build 136,000 tonnes of permanent storage at Hyden through four open bulkheads, install fixed inloading equipment, relocate the sample hut to expand the marshalling area for larger trucks, install a new weighbridge and improve the internal network to optimise traffic flows.

Valmec will add 127,000 tonnes of permanent storage at Brookton.

This includes the construction of four new open bulkheads that will have a combined storage capacity of 114,000 tonnes, the installation of inloading equipment to service the open bulkheads (OBH) and connection to the main power grid. In addition, Valmec will also increase the wall heights of three

existing OBH from 1.2 metres to 1.8 metres to add a further 13,000 tonnes of storage.

WCP Civil will install a 36-metre weighbridge and sample hut, increase the length of an existing open bulkhead and increase the wall height to 1.8 metres to add further permanent storage at the site. Works commence at Dale in early April.

An additional contract for throughput enhancements at the Brookton site is expected to be awarded in the coming weeks. This will include upgrades to several existing conveyors and stackers, installation of dust mitigation equipment and enhancements to key infrastructure to increase inloading capabilities to 500 tonnes per hour.

The projects are intended to be completed before harvest.

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aggrowth.com | @AgGrowthIntl Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021 І 7

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NEWS

Iron ore prices hit new high

Stronger iron ore prices have helped push Australian export values to an expected new high of A$136 billion 2020-21.

GLOBAL IRON ORE PRICES HAVE surpassed the previous record from a decade ago.

The stronger prices have helped push Australian export values to an expected new high of A$136 billion 2020-21, up from the previous record of A$103 billion in 2019-20.

The price has risen by 21 per cent since the start of 2021 and more than 130 per cent over the past year. Futures prices on the Singapore and Dalian exchanges are also at historical highs.

Resources, Water and Northern Australia Minister Keith Pitt says the higher prices reaffirmed Australia’s position as a reliable and stable supplier and underlined the sector’s role in supporting Australia’s economy

throughout the COVID-19 downturn.

“Australia’s resources sector and exports have underpinned our continued economic growth throughout the COVID-19 downturn,” Pitt says.

“It accounts for around 10 per cent of Australia’s GDP and directly employs around 262,000 Australian men and women, mostly in regional areas, and supports more than a million other jobs.

“Iron ore remains our single largest commodity export and it is forecast to earn Australia around A$700 billion from this financial year to 2025-26. Iron ore supports 45,600 direct Australian jobs.

Iron ore spot prices have surged to as high a US$194.5 per tonne, beating the previous high of US$187 from February 2011.”

Pitt says iron ore is a big part of

the resources sector and is forecast to contribute $296 billion in export earnings this year.

With most iron ore contracts priced in US dollars, he says Australian producers are also benefitting from a lower Australian dollar averaging US$0.77 so far in April 2021 compared with an US$1.02 back in February 2011.

Pitt says the high iron ore prices are being driven by strong Chinese production and demand for steel as well as ongoing supply shortfalls from world’s second largest exporter Brazil.

Steel production in China hit a near record 94 million tonnes in March, up 19.1 per cent on the past year. Steel prices in China are also showing significant strength.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021 І 9

NEWS

Michelin to recycle tyres into conveyor belts MICHELIN WILL BEGIN construction on its first tyre recycling plant, in collaboration with Swedish company Enviro, to recycle carbon black, oil, steel and gas into conveyor belts.

Based in Chile, the plant will be able to recycle 27,000 tonnes of earthmover tyres a year.

Scrap tyres will be collected directly from customer premises before being transported to the plant to be cut up and recycled.

Enviro’s technology, which produces new, reusable materials like carbon black, pyrolysis oil, gas and steel, will enable

everything in an end-of-life tyre to be recovered for reuse.

Around 90 per cent of the recovered materials are to be reused in a variety of rubber-based products, such as tyres, conveyor belts and anti-vibration products. The remaining 10 per cent will be reused directly by the plant to generate its own-use heat and power.

Michelin Director of Marketing and Business Development, Hi-Tech Materials Sander Vermeulen says the recycling plant is a major milestone that will enable the company to offer customers a new-generation

recycling solution.

“We are currently in talks with several Chilean mining customers to sign long-term contracts,” Vermeulen says.

“By scaling up Enviro’s technology, we are offering them a solution that will support their environmental objectives and enables the development of a circular economy.”

Construction work will begin in 2021, with production scheduled to begin in 2023. More than US$30 million will be invested in building Michelin’s new-generation end-of-life tyre processing plant.

Mass flow measurement for precise dosing A GERMAN CEMENT manufacturer combines three materials together in a mixing screw – cement, ash and filter powder.

To ensure each of the materials are dosed accurately, the company installed three MaxxFlow HTCs at the discharge point of three different silos.

The MaxxFlow HTC is specifically designed for the flow measurement of dry bulk solids without anything touching the flow.

Due to its independence from angle of the pipework and its low installation height, the MaxxFlow HTC works in applications which previously would have required complicated or expensive mechanical solutions such as impact plates or measuring chutes.

Material falls or slides through an inlet path and runs through the sensor, where the MaxxFlow HTC records the material density and speed. Since the

10 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

material falls from a constant height after emerging from the conveyor, the speed of the product stream is accelerated, but remains constant at the position of the sensor. By using speed measurements, the sensor maintains accuracy even under changing process conditions.

If the material speed varies, for example due to a change in initial speed, then this can also be measured.

This takes place through a runtime measurement with the help of two additional electrodes behind the interior ceramics tube.

In the case of the German cement manufacturer, the MaxxFlow HTC measures high mass flow rates from the exit of pre-feeding devices, such as screw conveyors, air slides, rotary valves or bucket elevators.

The sensor can be installed in freefall sections or in an inclined line and

The MaxxFlow HTC sensor.

transmits the exact measurement data to the control system.

Compared to a baffle plate, the sensor can be installed relatively low – at a height of around 310 millimetres for the cement application.

Additionally, because the sensor is designed to avoid contact with the material, it suffers almost no wear and has significantly reduced maintenance requirements.

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EVENTS - WOMEN IN INDUSTRY

The secret to success In this month’s column as Women in Industry Ambassador, I wanted to reflect on my secret to success – my team.

Rachael Ashfield, Marketing Manager at ifm.

I TRULY BELIEVE THAT YOUR SUCCESS is only as good as the team structure, rapport, and networks that you build, all of which lend themselves to the overall success of the company.

Hearing that I work for a highly technical automation company that sells complex automation and cloud solutions is not what people expect when they meet me at an event and

ask what I do. Especially when I begin by explaining that I am in marketing.

Eyebrows are quickly raised, and I know everyone wonders how I ended up here.

If I think back on my career, I too sometimes ask, “How did I get here?”

From the outside, it might seem like a slow rise to such a senior position, but the journey to head of the marketing division at ifm has been so quick in my eyes. My career has seen me travel pathways filled with triumph, hurdles, and yes, at times, disappointment. But throughout it all, I’ve had a supportive team around me.

While not everyone may have a ‘dream team’ when starting out, I believe you get out of teamwork what you put in. Whether a man or woman in any role within any industry, if you bring a level of energy and conviction of belief to your career journey, the hard work will pay off and successful results will follow.

Even better is when you have worked with a team for a period and have developed great synergies – this builds a solid foundation for success.

Together, you build excitement, engagement and a dynamic that people want to be a part of. Departments can see the rewards of their participation with you when they see the outcomes of the material you produce because of their contribution towards the end goal.

As long as you are passionate, believe in yourself and strive for your best possible outcomes, you will be assured of career success and job satisfaction. It may not be easy and will possibly be a bumpy road along the way, but remember to celebrate the small victories. It is easy to overlook all these important milestones when you are busy working hard for the career highs.

Luckily, Women in Industry is here to help you acknowledge these small wins. We are the supportive team you can count on to be cheering for your success, the network of likeminded women here to help build the excitement and engagement that will see you ooze confidence and work towards those big overarching career highlights.

Ultimately, the foundation of success of women in any industry is the innate desire to achieve results and strive for success in your chosen field. Being able to participate, network and apply your own understanding of people and what drives them will build a strong supportive team to help both individuals and businesses succeed.

One day, your team might even nominate you for a Women in Industry award. Until then – nominate yourself.

We’ll be here, ready to support you.

Rachael Ashfield 2021 Women in Industry Ambassador

The awards recognise success in the manufacturing, mining, engineering, transport and logistics industries.

12 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

Nominations for the 2021 Women in Industry Awards are now open.

Visit www.womeninindustry.com.au to submit a nomination.

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BULK2021

BULK2021 Spotlight: VEGA Australia With BULK2021 fast approaching, ABHR sat down with Alex Mazor, VEGA Australia’s Marketing Manager to learn why the company has signed on as a platinum sponsor.

UNDERSTANDING HOW MUCH product is being stored, shipped or sold is often vital to ensuring operations are safe and profitable, especially when handling bulk materials.

The technology used to handle this measurement has come a long way since the humble scale, becoming more advanced, accurate and automated.

VEGA has been in the business of measurement for more than 60 years, operating across 80 companies.

Its primary function in industry is to provide level and pressure measurement technology for use across a variety of sectors using a range of different technologies.

To connect with potential customers and support the local bulk handling industry, VEGA Australia will be sponsoring and exhibiting at the Australian Bulk Handling Expo (BULK2021), from 8 – 10 September 2021 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Alex Mazor, VEGA Australia’s Marketing Manager, says the team is excited to be exhibit several products, including Bluetooth technologies and working examples throughout the event.

“VEGA will host discussions on the various approvals available and present the inventory management integrations available for level data and monitoring,” he says.

“Some of the benefits of these integrations include better transparency, simplified administration and keeps data information securely within a customer’s system.”

VEGA Australia provides guided radar measurement which are used to improve measurement performance.

Large sensor bandwidth produces very reliable echo signals, which enables a significant increase in measurement accuracy, even at close range.

The use of new antenna

technologies for the 80 gigahertz frequency range has assisted in reducing the interfering signals at close range – resulting in significantly higher measurement reliability right in front of the antenna.

Mazor says this means accurate radar technology can be used in very small vessels to provide non-contact, hygienic and wear-free measurements.

“Furthermore, VEGA Australia also offers point level measurement with vibrating level switches – a technology where a rod or a fork is set vibrating.

When the vibrating probe comes into contact with the medium, the vibration changes and the vibrating level switch outputs a switching command,” he says.

Vibrating level switches are used as overfill protection devices or lowlevel indicators in liquids as well as in granular and powdery bulk solids. This allows for easy installation, setup, and

commissioning without a medium and reliable point level measurement – independent of installation position, pressure, temperature, foam, viscosity, and grain size.

Pressure is another area that the company specialises in. VEGA Australia measures process and differential pressure, level, volume, density, or mass flow through a variety of metal or ceramic cell pressure transmitters.

Mazor says the company is proud to support BULK2021, as the event supports the broader Australian industry.

“BULK2021 is going to be a huge show and we’re all excited to boost our company’s profile through it. There’s a real opportunity here to develop a deeper understanding of the market while helping to grow the bulk handling sector through our latest innovations which are geared towards this industry.”

VEGA Australia will be sponsoring and exhibiting at the 2021 Australian Bulk Handling Expo.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021 І 15

COVER STORY

Allies in storage

John White started Allied Grain Systems in 2004.

With more than 35 years of experience operating grain handling systems, John White, Allied Grains Systems Managing Director tells ABHR the secrets of success in the agriculture sector.

SMITHFIELD CATTLE COMPANY is a family-owned cattle operation that grows and markets cattle both domestically and internationally, located in Proston in the South Burnett, Queensland.

The company is one of the largest cattle businesses in Australia, with two feedlots located in Smithfield Proston (20,000 head of cattle) and Sapphire Goondiwindi (15,000 going on 20,000 head). Here is where the business facilitates feed lotting, crop production, cattle grazing and consulting.

Smithfield Cattle Company operates a silo storage system on these sites and has done so for many years. However, the business began looking to expand its existing grain storage operations to facilitate smoother growth and efficiency.

This is why Jason Shearer-Smith, Managing Director of Smithfield, approached Allied Grain Systems. He says the team handles roughly 50,000 tonnes per year with the existing grain storage system, and he estimated it

16 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

would grow to 70,000 tonnes annually from the end of 2020.

After reviewing and considering many ideas and concepts to improve the existing systems, the business was

looking for something quick, easy, and reliable to facilitate that growth.

“Allied Grain Systems, by far, was the best at designing a simple, reliable, high-capacity system at a competitive Grain storage can be valuable during times of drought.

price,” Shearer-Smith says.

“The storage system will allow key opportunities such as faster unloading and greater capacity to better manage our harvest.

“We spoke to many manufactures for ideas and concepts. We chose to work with Allied because John White was excellent to deal with and the company was very cost competitive.”

John White started Allied Grain Systems in 2004, using his background in mechanical engineering and mining to design and build grain conveyor and storage systems.

White says the biggest asset for Allied Grain Systems is its customer base – the company has repeat business rates of up to 60 per cent.

“You’re only as good as your last project,” White says. “Our customers are happy about what they’re being offered and some of them don’t go anywhere else because of that.”

Smithfield purchased 4000 tonnes of grain storage from Allied Grain Systems, along with a 75-tonne garner bin and 150 tonne/hour elevator with an eight-way head. The system has been operating for more than a year at this point, and Shearer-Smith says it has been working perfectly with the existing system.

“Everyone has been excellent; John and Ken with design, Muz with the

concrete, and the construction crew were truly professional and easy to get along with,” he says.

“Our Allied Grain handling system is a quality well-designed system that we are really proud of.”

Smithfield is part of Allied Grain Systems’ Mates in Grain program, which aims to build a community of active grain growers to share their stories and advice. It provides a space where other farmers can learn about how to best handle their grain and promotes regional and rural communities.

One of the key things for farmers to maximise their grain process is through on-site storage. White says that more farmers are beginning to store on site as the distance between grain receival sites continues to grow.

“There are around 25 super-sites on the east coast of Australia that are the result of consolidation. As the number of receival sites shrinks, to get the best efficiency from their grain farmer store on-site,” he says.

“This means farmers don’t have to make commercial decisions during the busy harvest time, they can just store it in a bin and work out when to sell later.

In some areas of Australia, harvests can see work happening for more than 24 hours straight.

“If farmers can store on site, that means they don’t have to wait in queues at an elevator terminal. Over the life of the silo, many farmers even end up paying off the cost of the silo within a five-to-six-year period,” he says.

Storage can also prove to be valuable during a drought. Farmers can store grain in bins for a few years. During the recent drought, White says the price of grain more than doubled, meaning that anyone that the ability to hold onto grain was invaluable.

The business has grown almost every year, even during the drought, and is expanding its operations in Young, NSW. Allied Grain Systems bought the building next door and will expand its main workshop and has set up new offices in Toowoomba.

White says the company’s reputation is vital, which is why it aims to produce quality equipment.

“You don’t last long without a good reputation in this industry,” he says. “People in agriculture tend to be passionate about their business and want to know how we will support them.”

“I could send our team out to a project and know they’ll have a really good understanding of what needs to happen. That makes a good impression and supports the industry.”

Allied Grain Systems has repeat business rates of up to 60 per cent.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021 І 17

CONVEYOR GUARDS

Replacing the old guard Developing and producing conveyor equipment made from high density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic instead of steel has proved fruitful for a Western Australian specialist conveyor engineering firm.

IN OCTOBER 2019, DYNA Engineering launched its HDPE Conveyor Guards, made from recycled HDPE plastic.

Conveyor guards prevent personnel from entering the danger zone and contain rogue materials within the conveyor, protecting them from harm.

Traditionally, these guards are manufactured out of steel. However, the vastly lighter weight, safer installation and removal, lack of required painting, and quicker and more sustainable manufacturing process has made the new material popular among mining businesses.

The conveyor guards were the company’s first release in a growing range of HDPE conveying components it now offers, which includes under conveyor guards and wind guards.

Thomas Greaves, DYNA’s General Manager, says the Australian mining industry can and should make a real difference by deploying more sustainable, recyclable and environmentally friendly procedures and processes.

“Because of the incredibly high volumes of materials used in the construction and manufacture of equipment and plant required by the mining and bulk handling industries, there is a real opportunity to do something about improving their impact on the global environment” he says.

“Mining has been at the vanguard of many industry sectors eagerly adopting more sustainable and recyclable innovations. The rush continues to develop further ways of replacing outdated and unacceptable methods and materials with more productive, costefficient, safer and environmentally desirable alternatives.

“Mining Equipment and Technology Services (METS) providers to Australian miners and contractors have been punching above their weight with innovative, new technologies. Engineering

18 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

This vacuum machine will help enable the specialist conveyor engineering firm to double its production output and increase efficiency.

firms have developed and implemented many processes and technology that are proving much better for their customers and far better for the environment.”

New, additional facilities for HDPE manufacturing Dyna’s success has encouraged and enabled the company to invest significantly in additional specialist fabrication and machinery specifically for the manufacture of further HDPE made products.

It has opened an additional workshop dedicated to HDPE manufacture, doubling its floor space, purchased additional equipment to double production and increased its efficiency and turnaround times.

Further research and development work is ongoing to determine which additional conveyor system components will be selected for future HDPE material manufacture instead of steel.

HDPE under conveyor guards were developed using this process. Its panels have been designed to simply slide into two steel support bars, ready for fixing to an existing conveyor truss or stringer structure. To provide additional strength, the guards use an ‘X’ design in the HDPE

routed mesh panels.

This design advantage was developed

by DYNA and can be found on all of its conveyor guard panels, providing them with a unique competitive advantage.

Another example is the HDPE wind guards. These are used to mitigate wind interruptions to conveyor operations and are a sturdy, corrosion and rust resistant alternative to conventional steel.

ISO accreditation underway “After 30 years of operation, we decided it was about time to really put our money where our mouth is and invest in the globally accepted way of helping to ensure that customers get consistent, goodquality products and services, which in turn brings many business benefits,” Greaves says, “The trifecta of ISO accreditation – ISO accreditation for ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 is underway. We’re committed to the implementation of best practice safety, management and environmental behaviour.

“It will also help us minimise waste, increase productivity in the workplace and reduce the number of errors. This is scheduled to be finalised and in place in the third quarter of 2021.”

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The benefits of automated palletising

ABHR speaks with Braden Goddin from Aurora Process Solutions to find out how small businesses can use palletising robots to save time and money.

PALLETISING BULK MATERIALS traditionally involves lifting heavy bags and manually placing them into a pallet in a variety of stack patterns.

One of the main downsides of this task are the chance of repetitive strain injuries. Repeating motions day in day out with heavy objects can cause tendon,

muscular and skeletal injuries over time.

In addition, there is a certain degree of human error that can occur when palletising. If a bag isn’t placed properly, it can mean other bags won’t fit properly, taking up more floorspace or require restacking, wasting precious time.

Braden Goddin, Sales and Marketing

Palletising bulk bags can cause repetitive strain injuries over time.

A bottleneck at the palletising stage means product is not leaving the factory on time.

20 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

Manager at Aurora Process Solutions, says one of the latest issues facing this type of job is the shrinking labour pool.

“Young people are gravitating toward polytechnics and universities.

They are far less likely now than they were 20 years ago to graduate high school and begin working in a factory or a warehouse. This is amplified in rural areas where the young move to cities earlier in their careers, reducing even part time participation in industry,” he says.

Automation is the answer Aurora provides to solve these problems.

The company specialises in helping businesses start automating their processes.

Goddin says a lot of industrial producers are late adopters of the technology, particularly in the seed, grain and stockfeed sectors. However, when companies start thinking about automating, they often overlook the benefits it has for palletising especially.

“Generally, when a business wants to automate, it is thinking about the manufacturing stage of things, not the end of the line packaging stage. It makes sense, especially because it is a higher priority for businesses to manufacture materials with a higher consistency,” he says.

“But conventional production lines are only as efficient as the weakest link. If you have a bottleneck at your palletising stage, you’re not getting your product out of the door. At that stage in the process, you’re also dealing with freight and logistics, which are time bound.

“In this situation, you can’t afford a staff member injuring themselves or

being absent. And if you’re in a seasonal industry, finding labour at the moment is becoming harder and harder – meaning you might not be able to fill a schedule.”

COVID-19 has helped highlight the importance of business continuity, as national restrictions prevented some of Aurora’s customers from operating a maximum capacity, often at times of incredible demand.

One benefit that came as a surprise to some of Aurora’s customers was how much time it saves. Instead of having to spend time coordinating and monitoring manual labour units, business owners can instead focus on more beneficial tasks.

Goddin says small businesses are time-poor at the best of times, so every hour saved is less stress and more time to focus on growth.

“We saw an interesting case where this happened to a client of ours in the seed industry. After installing a robotic palletiser, the rest of the staff were able to knock off work a lot earlier in the day, meaning they were not as tired the next

morning,” he says.

“Not only that, but the staff were working shorter hours and getting through more work.

“Everybody benefits from automation. The business owner can focus more on what’s important, workers are no longer handling dangerous jobs and can add value in other roles, and customers get better quality, more uniform products.”

There are still some barriers to automating a process, which Aurora helps to overcome. The company provides a full end-to-end service, which starts with a discussion to get a clear understanding on what should be automated and whether the numbers stack up.

Aurora has a number of case study sites that it can use to show off how the technology works. It also allows new customers to talk with current clients, who can answer questions and offer advice.

Goddin says there is still a

misconception that robots require a significant amount of technical expertise to use properly.

“That’s no longer the case,” he says.

“The tech these days can be plug and play, a lot simpler than other items of machinery on site.”

“There is low power draw on a lot of the automated palletisers these days.

So long as you have regular scheduled servicing, the cost of ownership of these machines is low.”

After installing the robots, Aurora will provide a scheduled service and support program for maintenance where required.

The company is also available to optimise and modify the equipment as products change and your business grows.

Along with the systems it provides, Aurora can include a virtual reality module suited for industrial applications that provides operators on the ground with clear instructions on how to service and optimise units, or train staff. This is an increasingly popular choice for SME’s in rural or remote locations.

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CABLES

Flexible solutions for critical cables Cables connect machinery to critical power and data. If they’re severed, it can lead to expensive maintenance and repairs. Treotham Automation provides a potential solution to protect these links.

SYSTEM FAILURES ARE OFTEN THE worst-case scenario for bulk material handling operators. In addition to the high repair and maintenance costs, they often lead to significant periods of expensive downtime.

To help operators avoid this, energy chain manufacturer igus has developed a range of products designed for some of the harshest environments and applications, such as deep-drilling rigs.

One such product is the e-loop, a robust energy chain system that safely guides critical cables in vertical hanging applications.

Tim Schneebeck, Industry Manager Oil & Gas at igus GmbH says the e-loop was developed as an alternative to the service loop.

“The three-dimensional energy supply system combines the advantages of a polymer energy chain with a highstrength pull rope,” he says.

“The rope absorbs the tensile forces inside the chain and transmits them to the mounting brackets. This means that the cables remain completely strain-relieved.”

In a traditional service loop, the cables have no guide and no defined bend radius – they cannot move and can break.

Treotham now offers the e-loop with special connectors and cables as a tested and ready-to-connect readychain.

22 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

The cable package consisting of seven chainflex cables is adapted for use in the e-loop from igus.

The e-loop has a defined bend radius to help it withstand vibrations and shocks thanks to polyurethane protectors – ideal for use in drilling rigs or bucket wheel excavators.

The e-loop has also been used on power supply and open cast mining projects.

“We have already won many projects.

Customers often wanted a complete energy supply system with the appropriate essential tests in accordance with VDE and IEC,” Schneebeck says.

Markus Hüffel, Product Manager readychain & readycable at igus GmbH, says the business can manufacture low voltage, completely tested readychain systems with chainflex cables right from the start.

In addition, the company can provide high-voltage cables and special connectors where required.

Treotham Automation, a supplier of electrical components to industrial markets, distributes the technology in Australia.

The company’s cable package for the e-loop consists of seven different types of cable: three single-core cables of different cross sections, a protective conductor, two

data cables and a hybrid cable.

Chainflex cables are available without a minimum order quantity and as they are now available as a catalogue part, there is no lengthy and expensive individual production process.

John Sharp, National Sales Manager at Treotham Automation says delivering the components from a single source provides the customer with significant benefits.

“All of the components are ideally matched, and tests in its 3800 square metre test laboratory, igus can certify this,” Sharp says.

“At the same time, the harnessed readychain system reduces procurement time by almost 90 per cent and assembly time by 68 per cent.

“With the new CFSPECIAL.5 series, there is now also the matching igus cable range for the e-loop. A combination of seven chainflex cables makes cost savings of 35 per cent possible.”

As a result of the system’s success, igus has also expanded the e-loop series to include a version with crossbars every second link. The new version has been specifically developed for stationary applications, for example on shore power supply.

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CONCRETE

Concrete results Equipment proven to last the test of time is how Astec Industries dealer Conequip provides high-performance concrete production plants.

Conequip is ready to supply businesses throughout Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.

PROVEN RELIABILITY IN THE FIELD is one of the most important things a piece of equipment can have, according to Dennis Armstrong, Director at specialist dealer Conequip.

Armstrong himself has almost 30 years of experience working in the concrete sector and has seen firsthand what can happen when unproven technology meets the high demands of the concrete industry.

The materials used for concrete are coarse, which means that wear can become a serious problem. Additionally, many of Conequip’s customers require Many of Conequip’s customers have high production targets, making downtime expensive.

24 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

high production targets, aiming to manufacture hundreds of metres of concrete an hour.

“In this industry, downtime is much more expensive than a repair,” Armstrong says. “You need to have solutions that minimise wear, maximise flow and give you ultimate control to ensure the equipment produces batches to the highest quality.”

“That’s the reason why Conequip’s suppliers won’t use technology that has not been proven in the industry and been working well in the general marketplace for a long period.”

One brand that Armstrong stands behind is Concrete Equipment Company, Inc (CON-E-CO), which was purchased by Astec Industries in 2020, along with BMH systems. At the time, Barry A. Ruffalo, Chief Executive Officer of Astec said that these highly regarded brands would complement Astec’s RexCon brand of concrete products.

“By bringing these product lines together, our global customers will have access to the most robust line of concrete products in the infrastructure industry,” Ruffalo said in a recent release. “Both organisations are an excellent cultural fit with Astec, as they are customer focused, innovative and performance-oriented.”

Armstrong agrees, having worked with Astec’s equipment for most of his career.

As director of Conequip, he helps to distribute concrete production plants and equipment from BMH Systems, CON-ECO and RexCon to the Asia Pacific region.

One of the things he highlights is the fact that CON-E-CO continues to run like a family business, staunchly standing behind its products and insists its suppliers have the same focus. Part of this approach is staying in close contact with customers from day one, to become part of their team.

Armstrong says the business doesn’t want to be a supplier that disappears after the order is received, so it remains available, and part of the team throughout

commissioning and afterwards, to answer questions or provide support if required.

“One of our Australian customers told us that they continue to get business because their own operation greatly exceeded their customer expectations,” he says.

“There are some customers that buy a plant and then years later, may move it to another site. We can provide them with assembly drawings, which may have gotten lost over the years, and continue to support them.”

Providing this high level of support are a team of concrete engineering specialists that have experience working within the sector. Conequip prefers to use specialists over generalist engineers, as it allows them to use their experience to focus on finding specific solutions and equipment for industry related problems.

This experience also helps during the installation phase of a project. Armstrong says that for basic truck mix plants, the company have shown that they can take a plant from ship to fully operational in

just 48 hours, where others may offer a cheaper quote and take months to commission.

“The price on the quote is not always the end price,” he says. “Our team can get things up and running faster and has a significantly lower cost of ownership, meaning our customers save in the long term.”

This lower cost of ownership can be attributed to Conequip’s focus on reliable design and proven technology.

Armstrong says the range continues to grow, as more advanced technology begins to demonstrate its effectiveness.

“Technology is filtering into the concrete industry in places where you initially might not expect it to. Suppliers are looking at the technology that makes the industry more efficient and safer, but we won’t adopt anything until it has been proven to work.”

“On the plant side of things, we’ve started to implement tablet-based controls for aggregate handling and cloud-based batch systems. Through

BMH, we can offer concrete recyclers to handle returned concrete and wash out from trucks. We offer moisture probes to identify the moisture level in the aggregates, as well as in some mixers.”

Currently based in New Zealand, Conequip remains ready to supply businesses throughout Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.

During Covid lock downs, the business transferred online, with support provided via video conferencing where necessary.

During this time, parts and support have remained been available without interruption.

The company grew during this time and is now busier than ever before as the market begins to bounce back. Armstrong says Conequip is looking to expand its staff to keep up with the demand.

“We’re available 24/7 – my phone is always on and beside me,” he says.

“Luckily, because of the nature of the product, that support is rarely required, which is great for us and for our customers.”

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CONVEYORS

Speedy solution found for challenging energy supply problem When geological challenges threatened coal supply to the Mount Piper Power Station, Mobile Conveyor Services was called upon to deliver a unique solution.

GEOLOGICAL CHALLENGES AT Centennial Coal Company Limited’s Springvale mine led to quantity and quality concerns for Energy Australia and the Mount Piper Power Station (MPPS).

MPPS is situated near Lithgow, NSW, and generates 1400 megawatts of power annually.

In response, MPPS needed to conserve coal, effectively reducing output. One alternate source of coal was Centennial’s Airly mine at Capertee, 30 kilometres north of MPPS. However, Centennial’s Lidsdale Siding at Wallerawang was not designed for receiving coal – the siding was used for loading coal for export.

With its history of solving difficult bulk handling problems using innovative conveyor-based solutions, Mobile Conveyor Services (MCS) was called upon to help design, build and install a train unloader and connection to the existing overland conveyor feeding MPPS. Russell Hart, Centennial’s Group Manager Projects, says Mobile Conveying

By the end of November 2019, the unloader was comfortably meeting the target train unloading time of three hours.

26 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

Coal discharged from the train is conveyed up the ramp and directed to a telescopic radial stacking conveyor that builds a stockpile over an MCS-built stockpile reclaimer.

Services were involved from the outset, working quickly to conceptualise a mobile rail unloading solution to meet this challenge.

“When coal production challenges presented themselves at Springvale Colliery in early 2019, Centennial set about developing an opportunity to rail in coal from their Airly Mine in support of Energy Australia’s Mount Piper

power station,” Hart says.

“Once the solution was agreed and approved, Mobile Conveying Services then rapidly procured, mobilised, constructed and commissioned the mobile system in an incredibly compressed schedule.”

Making the most of a compressed space With MPPS looking to be back in full operation by the time of the peak summer demand, the pressure was on to find a solution that was not only functional but also quick to implement.

The most viable location for a train unloader was in the coal spillage sump beneath the existing train loading bin.

Under normal operation, this spillage sump would collect overflow from the loading process and would be cleaned out by skid-steer loader, accessed by a short, inclined ramp.

As the pit was significantly smaller than any off-the-shelf train unloader, it required a solution purpose-built for the dimensions of the pit.

To quickly gauge the size of structure that could be used in the pit, MCS technicians used angle iron and clamps

to assemble a mock-up conveyor frame inside the pit and then used that mock-up as a guide for the final structure.

Two feeder conveyors were fitted side-by-side in the pit, with deflector plates fitted to direct material onto the belts. Access for maintenance and repair is less than ideal but was the best that could be achieved within the constraints of the area available.

The coal discharged from the train is conveyed up the ramp and directed via transfer conveyors and an overland conveyor to a telescopic radial stacking conveyor (1200 millimetres wide belt, 46 metre reach) that builds a stockpile over an MCS-built stockpile reclaimer that was the only major piece of equipment fabricated in the MCS factory.

Six modified containers were used to form side walls to guide stockpiled coal into the openings to the belt. The use of containers reduced the need for fabrication, helping to achieve the tight construction schedule.

Conveyors from the reclaimer then linked with the main power station feed overland conveyor, via another 60-metre reach radial stacker.

Commissioning A team of MCS people led by Operations Manager Steve Valpreda worked in conditions that were often challenging to assemble and test the conveyor system.

Mobilisation to site commenced on 12 September 2019. A trial train ran over the unloader on 22 October, with minor modifications made and implemented in time for a second train unloading on 28 October.

These modifications included shadow bars on the impact bed and upgraded conveyor drives and the second trial confirmed their success in addressing the initial hurdles.

Operation commenced in early November, with performance fine tuning continuing alongside. By the end of November 2019, the unloader

was comfortably meeting the target train unloading time of three hours. By varying train speed over the unloader based on how the material was flowing, an unloading time of two hours could be achieved.

Valpreda praised the commitment of the team he led, saying, “the conditions were cramped and dirty, but the boys were fully committed to getting the job done, committing not only their labour but also their ideas of how we could solve the problems.”

“We have many people with a trade background who also operate equipment and that helps us to develop simple, practical solutions to problems we are faced with,” he says.

“The local community has been great in supporting our work. We stayed at the Royal Hotel and they had meals for us, even when we got back dirty and outside normal meal times. Central Crane Services were helpful when we needed cranes and handling equipment.”

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CONVEYORS

Kilic and Kinder grow together Kilic Engineering has saved money, time and stress thanks to Kinder Australia’s complete conveyor solutions.

Kinder Australia and Kilic Engineering worked closely to find new applications for components and equipment.

KE specialises in creating bespoke solutions and often has highly specific engineering challenges as a result.

28 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

WHEN DELIVERING MACHINERY TO the agricultural industry, manufacturers have a clear deadline – harvest.

Kilic Engineering (KE), a South Australian-based manufacturer, understands how vital it is for grain handling companies to have the equipment they need at this critical time. Its mission is to build strong relationships with its customers to deliver on their expectations.

To do that, KE depends on its own suppliers’ transparency and expertise.

The business specialises in creating bespoke solutions for its customers and as a result, often has highly specific engineering challenges.

Susan Collier, Operations Manager at KE, says finding a supplier that can go the extra mile and support the KE team with complex questions is vital.

“It’s a hard quality to find,” she says.

“Some companies will have one or two workers that go above and beyond, but when an entire business operates with a passion about what they do – that is what

helps them stand out.”

In 2012, KE changed the design of its bunker stacker from a tube to an open belt conveyor. It began searching for suppliers that could provide suspended trough idlers that could do the job.

According to Collier, Kinder Australia has the perfect solution. The two businesses had worked with each other before and have since collaborated closely on finding new applications for components and equipment.

“We challenged them to supply our complete roller and pulley system,” she says. “Sean Kinder worked with our draftsmen to get the technical aspects right and further increase our efficiencies.

“We’ve been very fortunate, as it’s not just the products that Kinder provides, it’s the complete company and service offering,” she says.

Kinder’s quoting process includes an estimated delivery time for all components. For certain items, lead times can potentially take up to 12 weeks to supply, which is why the company offers to hold a certain amount of stock in Melbourne to improve supply times.

The support and transparency have been critical for KE, as it reduces the build times on its machines.

Charles Pratt, Operations Manager at Kinder Australia, says understanding the needs of the other business partner is how Kinder can provide its support.

“Understanding what makes the other company tick and what they’re looking for leads to a mutually beneficial path forward,” he says.

“What has helped Kilic Engineering grow with us is our commitment to stocking the majority of the parts we supply them, even though they’re special items. This streamlines the supply chain and means we can provide a ‘just in time’ source of all the accessories they need, even though they are bespoke.”

Kinder offers a similar service to other organisations that require it, such as power stations, large scale mining

operations and ports.

It uses a System Applications Products (SAP) system to handle the inventory management reporting. Both parties agree to a certain level of minimum and maximum stock holdings, which helps the system to create a list of suggested quantities and items to include in the warehouse.

Pratt says that this system helps Kinder manage its warehouse in a professional and economic way.

“If you don’t have something on hand when you say you do, you might as well not have had an agreement. We don’t want to let the team down and can’t afford to do so, which is why we carefully manage our stock levels.”

In addition, Kinder has a comprehensive engineering team, with more than seven qualified engineers trained in conveyor design and bulk materials handling. The team can supply drawings and help design the overall equipment to help optimise the final product.

Kinder can also travel to meet with prospective clients to further discuss the details of a project. Meeting face to face, or virtually, helps Kinder understand exactly what its customers’ needs and how best to deliver it.

Pratt says Kinder has created a customer service culture that focuses around asking the right questions.

“Providing customer service at a high level isn’t about telling, it’s about asking and finding out. You’re never going to sell someone something if you don’t know what their actual problem is, and to find that out you have to ask questions,” he says.

Kinder also aims to provide a one stop shop experience for its customers like KE. “If you were doing renovations and went to a paint shop, only to find out they don’t sell the brush or the paper, you’re not providing a service that a customer will find attractive.”

“When a company like KE is looking to building their equipment, they want a single point of contact for all the

components. Whether it’s a pulley, roller, electrical safety device, tracking accessories, belt cleaner, the belt itself or the chute liners, they can buy everything they need from us.”

KE changed the design of its bunker stacker and needed new trough idlers.

SCREW CONVEYORS

Weigh batching controls compensate for terra cotta variations Flexicon’s bulk bag dischargers and flexible screw conveyors are blending clay and grog to create the ideal mix for terra cotta.

GLADDING, MCBEAN IS AN American manufacturer of terra cotta products with a century long history. The company mines clay from its own reserves and combines traditional methods with modern technology to create roof tiles, floor and paving tiles, clay pipe, ornamental pieces, and architectural elements for buildings.

To streamline batching and mixing of clay blends for different products, the company installed five bulk bag dischargers and five pairs of flexible screw conveyors from Flexicon to automatically deliver weighments of bulk ingredients for blending of clay compounds. The system cut dispensing and weighing time for each batch by half and reduced out-of-spec material and scrap by 95 per cent.

Compensating for raw material variations Clay is a natural material that varies in composition, so the company must determine the ideal ratio of ingredients for various products.

Joe Parker, Gladding, McBean Operations Manager, says the company has to ensure what it creates in the lab will translate into the final material “The only way to accomplish that is to maintain precise control of production,” Parker says.

Clay is sourced from the company’s nearby mine, classified, and loaded into bulk bags at the plant. Crushed, recycled ceramic material called grog is the other major component used in the manufacturing of terra cotta.

Previously, operators retrieved clays and grogs from bins, weighed them on a scale, and transferred them to the mixer using an open trough conveyor.

30 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

A forklift inserts the bulk bag into receiving cups atop the discharger frame.

The new batching system, supplied by Flexicon, integrates bulk bag dischargers, flexible screw conveyors and a central weigh hopper, all of which are actuated by programmable controls.

The system allows Gladding, McBean to vary bulk bag discharging, conveying, weighing, and mixing on a batch-bybatch basis according to recipes developed in the lab. A human machine interface (HMI) includes options for automatic or hand-mode operation, as well as setpoints, adjustments, status, start/stop, completion and other parameters.

Once the recipe is programmed for a batch, each ingredient is conveyed by a flexible screw conveyor from a bulk bag discharger to a central weigh hopper.

Load cells supporting the hopper transmit weight gain amounts to the controller, which steps-down the conveyor’s feed rate to dribble before stopping it

once the precise batch weight has been gained. The system weighs up to 30 batches per day, with improved accuracy and reduced labour.

How clays and grogs are batched and blended Five, forklift-loaded BULK-OUT BFF model bulk bag dischargers stand side by side. An operator attaches a bulk bag to the steel lifting frame by sliding the bag straps into four Z-Clip strap holders. A forklift raises the lifting frame with the 909-kilogram bag of clay or grog intact, into four self-centring cradles atop the discharger frame.

With the bag in place, the operator opens a 305-millimetre-diameter iris valve, pulls the bag spout through it, and closes the valve before untying the spout.

The operator can then open the iris valve gradually to prevent bursts of material

into the hopper, and displaced dust from escaping the enclosed system.

FLOW-FLEXER massaging devices on each discharger raise and lower opposite edges of the bag at timed intervals to promote flow. If more flow is required, each floor hopper is equipped with a pneumatic turbine vibrator.

The clay or grog is transferred to the 1133-litre capacity central weigh hopper by flexible screw conveyors in two stages to accommodate the plant’s limited floor area and headroom. Each conveyor extends either 4.6 or 6.1 metres, depending on the position of the discharger and the need to route the conveyors under the roof trusses or between the truss components.

Each conveyor consists of a polymer tube with an inner flexible screw, which is driven above the discharge point, avoiding material contact with seals.

Material moves through the transition discharge adapter of the lower conveyor into the inlet of the upper conveyor.

Custom-engineered masts support the top end of the first conveyor and the bottom end of the upper conveyor.

The upper conveyor gravity discharges into the weigh hopper, which is 1.2 metres in diameter and suspended 5.7 metres above the floor.

Parker says most batches of clay mix weigh 454 kilograms or 341 kilograms, with a typical loading/blending cycle requiring 10 to 15 minutes. After blending

The operator pulls the bag spout through the iris valve and closes the valve before untying the bag spout and closing the access door. The valve is opened gradually to prevent bursts of material and dust.

with water, the batch is delivered to the appropriate process elsewhere in the plant.

“The system allows us to blend up to five different types of clays or grogs,” Parker says. For example, the dischargers might handle bulk bags of two kinds of clay and three grogs, delivering the correct amount of each for a given batch.

Weighing in on batching performance The versatility of the system makes it cost efficient,” says Egidio Modolo, plant manager. “It’s a simple, straightforward process, and an efficient way to measure and transfer clay to the blender.”

He says that no maintenance was required in the six months since installation, and that throughout discharging, conveying, and mixing the enclosed system prevented dusting.

“We can make a small or large batch, and alter the recipe and raw materials,” Parker says. “Currently we have two different clays and three different grogs.

We can change that any time.”

“It gives us the ability to be accurate in spite of clay’s unpredictability. Now we have a tool for our team in the lab to create a mix that will allow us to be very precise with our final product specifications.”

Microscopically, clay is very abrasive and can destroy just about any equipment used over time. Parker says one of the reasons the company chose the system was for simplicity of maintenance due to few moving parts, minimising downtime.

With the system in place, Parker says it will open up possibilities for other types of products and materials that need the same type of batching accuracy.

AUTOMATION

Pack to the future Concetti’s automated packaging lines are making work safer, more effective and leaving operators happier. ABHR speaks to Trevor Mitford, Concetti Sales Manager, to find out how.

TREVOR MITFORD REMEMBERS how busy production halls were in the 1970s. He describes the facilities as busy, with dozens of people working across multiple lines to package material into bags.

Back then, he says, automated machinery was an uncommon sight and most of the work was performed manually.

“With up to three people working on one bagging line, a few people palletising and someone operating a forklift, there’d often be around six or so people per line. If you’ve got a facility with five lines, that’s 30 people in a production hall at the same time,” he says.

Mitford, now a sales manager at the Concetti Group, has worked on almost every aspect on a production line since he was 16 years old. Now, he helps businesses upgrade and automate their infrastructure to substantially increase efficiency.

Automation in the sector is not a new development. In 1968, Teodoro Concetti laid the foundations for the company when he created and patented one of the

The Internet of Things allow Concetti to take advantage of greater device connectivity to help monitor and optimise performance.

32 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

Concetti focuses on designing machines that can automatically handle product changeover.

first machines for bagging bulk products.

Seven years later, the business began offering turnkey solutions that handled weighing, bag feeding, bag closing and palletising.

This technology developed over the decades, incorporating new electronic equipment and digital technology to make it more accurate and easier to operate.

Mitford says that now, many of those production halls are massively automated

in developed companies.

“If you were to walk into one of those production halls now, there might be around five to six people on the floor, one person on each line and one to operate the forklifts,” he says.

“In some cases, this can go even further through the use of automated guided vehicles in warehouse environments – effectively creating a fully automated packaging line from hopper to pallet.”

Over the past few years, Concetti has focused on designing machines that can automatically handle product changeover.

In many production facilities, a single line can be responsible for packaging multiple products. For example, a pet food manufacturer might change a line from a beef flavoured product to a chicken one or change from a 10-kilogram bag to a 25-kilogram one.

When this happens, the entire line needs to be updated to ensure the product remains uniform and that there is minimal cross contamination. This can take up to 30 minutes, if not longer, when performed manually. Concetti’s automated lines can handle this format change and perform them within 60 to 90 seconds, reducing downtime significantly.

Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things have further augmented Concetti’s

offering, allowing the company’s machines to take advantage of greater device connectivity to help monitor and optimise performance.

Mitford says this technology is what enabled companies to react and adapt quickly to COVID-19.

“Social distancing and COVID-19 have drastically changed whole aspect of the working environment” he says.

“Businesses have an obligation to protect their employees and their production. If COVID-19 had come around five years ago, the industry wouldn’t have had the tools to safely separate employees due to the ergonomics of their facilities.

“Concetti has focused on making production less reliant on the workforce and making it easy for a single operator to manage a line, improving safety significantly.”

Traditionally, packaging lines are made up of multiple devices that perform different functions, such as weighing, bagging, printing and palletising. Each of

these devices would often have its own control panel and require an operator to move from one panel to another to ensure it was operating effectively.

Concetti found that this was often too difficult for one person to handle, leading to multiple operators working on the same line. Instead, Concetti adds as much automation between each component so that a single operator can comfortably manage the machine.

When the company is undertaking a project, one of its sales team will speak with the current operation team and actively involve them in design discussions.

Mitford says this involved asking them questions about what they are facing the most difficulty with, which material is hardest to work with, or what formats are challenging to implement.

Following this, the company designs and installs the line in its Italian factory, using the customers product to test its effectiveness.

“We invite our customers to Italy to witness the tests and we always encourage they bring along the lead operator – the person that is going to be in charge of the line when it is installed,” Mitford says.

“This keeps them included in the project and means that when the machine arrives on site, they have a sense of ownership. A happy operator is important and finding out what makes their life easier is part of this.”

Concetti’s packaging lines are designed with an easy-to-use human machine interface, along with an intuitive touch screen and graphic interface. Ease of maintenance is also a main factor.

Automatic cleaning systems can be installed to reach difficult spots and have proved popular among operators, as it reduces time spent working close to messy and unpleasant material.

“A happy operator means a happy production manager,” Mitford says. “And a happy production manager often means a healthy bottom line.”

BRAKES, THRUSTERS, COUPLINGS, SHEAVES, OPERATOR CHAIRS & CONSOLES

SCREENS

Unleashing the beast – new mega screens for major copper producer Schenck Process has created one of the largest multi-slope banana screens ever to be built, rivalling its predecessor ‘the Beast’.

CANADIAN-BASED FIRST QUANTUM Minerals Ltd (FQML) is one of the world’s leading copper producers, exporting to customers worldwide. While its focus is on copper, FQML also produces nickel, gold, magnetite, zinc, and other by-products.

The company operates mines in several countries and employs around 20,000 people world-wide.

With its history dating back to the mid 1990’s in Africa, the company has steadily grown, largely through project development and acquisition. In 2010, FQML made four acquisitions, which included Trident/Sentinel in Zambia and Ravensthorpe Nickel in Western Australia.

Following a corporate acquisition in 2013, First Quantum assumed an 80 per cent equity interest in the Panamanian company that holds the Cobre Panama concession. Since then it has increased its interest to 90 per cent.

Spanish for ‘Panama Copper’, Cobre Panama is one of the largest new copper mines opened globally in the past decade. Located 120 kilometres west of Panama City, the production complex includes open pit mining, a processing plant, a 300-megawatt power station and an international shipping port.

At full current capacity, the plant can process 85 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of ore to produce more than 300,000 tonnes of copper per year along with gold, silver and molybdenum.

Although FQML’s head office is in Canada, the company also has offices in the UK, Australia and South Africa.

FQML’s Australian office has been described as the ‘epicentre’ of the company’s projects capabilities.

Over the past few years, the company has commissioned the design of some of the largest mineral process equipment ever made. In 2017, First Quantum

34 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

approached Schenck Process regarding the supply of mill discharge screens for Cobre Panama’s SAG mills, which are among the biggest in the world. The resulting design was a monster mill discharge screen, that was later dubbed the ‘Beast’.

Amit Parimoo, Vice President for Original Equipment at Schenck Process, says that by the time Schenck got involved, FQML were already quite advanced with the design and construction of the plant “As well as designing a screen that could handle the throughput volume from the mills, it also had to fit within a tight footprint. That was the most challenging part for us,” Parimoo says.

Schenck Process delivered three of these screens to Cobre Panama in 2018 and the processing plant went into commercial production in mid-2019.

The same screens were subsequently

retrofitted at First Quantum’s Sentinel operations in Zambia.

Based within FQML’s Projects Group in West Perth, Project Manager Aaron Fields is a professional mechanical engineer with more than 25 years of experience managing mineral processing projects in both Australia and overseas. Having joined FQML in 2017, Aaron became involved in the Cobre Panama development and remains part of the team responsible for the mine’s ongoing success.

“When First Quantum bought the Cobre Panama mine and restructured the project, it was conceived for a 74 mtpa throughput,” Fields says.

“Mid-project, we increased that to 85mtpa by making some changes to the milling and flotation circuits, but there were already elements of the plant that were capable of 100mtpa. We always had the intention to ramp up quickly to Cobre Panama is one of the largest new copper mines opened globally in the past decade.

85mtpa and then stretch beyond that to 100mtpa.

“Despite the challenges of COVID, we are currently doing well as we work towards our 85mtpa continuous throughput target. Also, over the last 6 to 12 months we have scoped some concurrent, complementary projects that should allow us to reach 100mtpa and beyond.”

One of these improvement projects involves the installation of a new screening facility between the complex’s primary and secondary crushers. The intention is to minimise fines in the feed to the secondary crushers, freeing up valuable crusher capacity. The installation of a third secondary crusher is also planned.

The new screening facility will require three screens each capable of handling up to 8000 tonnes per hour of primary crushed ore, with the oversized material feeding the secondary crushers and the undersized material bypassing the crushers and heading directly to the

grinding mills.

Based on the positive experience that FQML had with the supply and performance of the mill discharge screens, the company approached Schenck Process for assistance.

“When we develop a good relationship with a supplier and they prove to be what we would like them to be in terms of technical innovation and support, we tend to go back and work with the same people. This was definitely a factor in our decision to work with Schenck Process on this project,” Fields says.

Responding to FQML’s requirements, Schenck Process’ Australian based engineering team created a new hybrid design which it says will be the largest multi-slope banana screen ever to be built. The result is a screen that measures 4.3 metres wide and 9.7 metres long.

Like Schenck Prosses Beast SAG mill screens, the excitation force of the new SLD4397DXX ‘mega’ screen is delivered by four DF704 exciters mounted on two

unitary beams. But unlike the Beast, the new screen’s drive assembly incorporates a unique twin gearbox arrangement driven via a single motor, ensuring effective exciter phasing.

FQML’s Board gave the greenlight to Cobre Panama’s improvement project in December 2020. Pleased with Schenck Process’ new design, in January FQML awarded the company an order for the three new screens. These huge machines will be built at Schenck Process’ new Jandakot production facility in Western Australia and are expected to be shipped to site by the end of 2021.

“We are really pleased to be chosen to play such an important role in the ongoing success of Cobre Panama. Our purpose-built production facility in Jandakot is equipped with four 40 tonne cranes, allowing our teams to safely handle very large equipment with ease.

With a total transport mass of around 89 tonnes, these huge screens will challenge our facility’s impressive lifting capability,” Parimoo says.

BRAKES

Svendborg designs smarter, safer brakes

ABHR speaks to Rex Sinclair, National Sales Manager at Altra Industrial Motion, to learn why the company’s brand Svendborg brakes has built a reputation of reliability.

THE BULK HANDLING INDUSTRY IS home to some of the largest machines in the world, allowing workers to handle thousands of tonnes of material.

Ensuring these machines operate safely is at the core of Svendborg Brake’s design philosophy.

Rex Sinclair, National Sales Manager at Altra Industrial Motion, Svendborg’ s parent company, says you only discover the true price of safety when it fails.

“Svendborg has been involved in the Australian mining industry for more than 40 years and has become recognised as a global market leader,” he says.

“They were one of the first brake systems that became established in the industry and have stood the test of time.

Some of its brakes are still in use after 40 years of operation.”

The reliability of the brakes comes down to the vast amount of research, testing and development Svendborg invests into its products. The company ensures its products can withstand some of the harshest environments on earth, using industrial grade freezers in its Denmark facility to ensure its brakes will work in areas

The reliability of the Svendborg’s brakes comes down to a vast amount of research, testing and development.

36 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

The SOBO IQ is a closed loop-controlled system that gives operators constant stopping times and distances.

like Mongolia or the Arctic.

Corrosion testing machines are also in use, with the brakes subjected to salt baths to test if they can endure a marine and port environment.

Sinclair says this testing is vital because bulk handling operations tend to be in areas with hostile environments.

“It’s not enough to just look at a brakes price tag because if the cost is too low, it can cost you dearly overtime,” he says.

“Investing into quality brakes that are long-lasting, safer and require less maintenance will save you money in the long term.”

To further enhance a brake’s safety, Altra Motion Australia also offer the Soft Braking Option (SOBO) IQ system.

The SOBO IQ is a closed loop-controlled system that gives operators constant

stopping times and distances.

Stopping too hard can cause the material to spill or damage to the belt itself, often one of the most expensive pieces of equipment. The SOBO avoids potential flow-on effects, such as blocked chute overflows and gives operators greater control over how the equipment will work.

The SOBO control system has a backup that will kick in even if there is a complete loss of power resulting in a safe controlled stop.

Sinclair says that Svendborg’s research and development has expanded beyond just braking systems and now includes Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) integration.

“The benefits of IIoT in the world of brakes, power transmission and motion control products are to

reduce unscheduled maintenance and downtime and to remove the root courses for failure,” he says.

“Svendborg connects digital and analogue sensors onto the brakes, which feeds data to the cloud and gets calculated and analysed. This can then be used for predictive maintenance, stopping any potential problems before they even start.”

The IIoT system has been installed across several bulk handling applications, including a 5700-tonne bucket wheel excavator at a large coal mine. The excavator works close to its theoretical output of 5500 cubic metres per hour and relies on nine travel drives to move it.

Svendborg Brakes suggested its latest IIoT solution to minimise downtime and reduce the costs associated with scheduled and emergency maintenance. The mining company agreed to upgrade all nine braking systems

in the excavator’s travel drives.

Sensors then collected data about system pressure, brake pad wear, the brake position of the piston, brake fluid level and temperature and sent them to the cloud. There, advanced, AI-driven data analytics is used to extract information on the status of the brakes and their components and provide crucial predictions on expected equipment failure.

The data can be accessed remotely, halving regular inspections, and reducing maintenance costs significantly. Pleased with the results, the mining company decided to install the system on every new installation.

Sinclair says Svendborg Brakes is just one brand under Altra Industrial Motion’s 28 brand umbrella.

“Our service team is factorytrained, which means we send them to various factories over the globe to see the manufacturing process in person.

They are trained in both technical and

The SOBO gives operators greater control over how the equipment will work.

practical programs by qualified professionals,” he says.

“When we sell a product, we will support it for its whole life. Our customers want to know that when they buy a product, they’ll be able to depend on us,” he says.

“This leads to greater uptime, as our staff assists during scheduled shutdown periods. Keeping everything in working order avoids potential unwanted delays and downtime.”

BEARINGS

Keeping gearboxes rolling Bearings play a critical role inside industrial gearboxes. ABHR speaks to Graham George-Davidson, Sector Manager, Power Transmission at Schaeffler, to find out how the company’s X-life range keeps this equipment rolling.

Schaeffler’s smart, online-connected products gives end users access to a vast amount of data about what is going on inside a machine.

MINING IS A TOUGH INDUSTRY THAT requires some of the largest machines in the world to operate in harsh conditions.

The gearboxes used to power these machines are no different.

Graham George-Davidson, Sector Manager, Power Transmission at Schaeffler, says that during the COVID-19 pandemic, equipment was pushed as hard as possible to enhance throughput.

“When you need to drive the equipment as hard as you can, you want the toughest bearings that can support any additional loads.”

Schaeffler’s range of X-life bearings have been designed to handle this kind of pressure. They are designed to have dynamic load ratings up to 15 per cent higher than previous generations, with an increase in rating life of up to 60 per cent under the same operating conditions.

George-Davidson says, “For example in Industrial Gearboxes, X-life bearings

38 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

contribute significantly to improving the overall profitability of the application in the sense of total cost of ownership”.

The X-life range achieves this with advanced manufacturing technologies and optimised internal designs. This produces uniform surfaces and contact areas and an optimised load distribution within the bearing. Friction behaviour is improved, and the basic dynamic load rating is considerably increased, leading to an increase in basic rating life.

“This all leads to greater cost effectiveness, longer service life, higher reliability, increased performance, reduced weight, reduced grease and oil consumption which are all clear customer benefits when using X-life products”.

Digitalisation is incorporated into Schaeffler’s manufacturing process and has become a core part of the business’s offering as well.

Online condition monitoring of industrial gearboxes George-Davidson says one feature that has become vital among industrial gearbox manufacturers and end users is online condition monitoring. Utilising Industry 4.0 technology allows users to link up their equipment to gather live data on how the equipment is functioning.

Traditionally, operators may incorporate offline condition monitoring technology which would be collected physically and periodically and often sent off site to be analysed. This would only provide a snapshot of the situation, making it hard to see if any trend was emerging.

With Scheffler’s smart onlineconnected products, end users have access to a vast amount of data about what is going on inside a machine.

The company can predict and avoid unfavorable conditions that can cause

damage, so operators have less machine downtime due to failures or unpredicted maintenance intervals.

The company provides tailor-made solutions to suit end users’ needs for both new build equipment and repaired equipment.

George-Davidson says the technology has been proven to work and is already up and running in the wind turbine sector for many years.

“Turbines are often in remote locations, so the data is sent via the cloud to our diagnostics team locally, who can then alert the customer if there is anything they need to know,” he says.

“Schaeffler has a deep understanding of its bearings and specific application knowledge and can really pinpoint the important defects that are or may

“In the future, we hope to have predictions that can pinpoint specifically how much time is left before a bearing requires servicing, which could then link to Schaeffler’s own supply chain and tell the factories to begin building a certain

amount to meet demand,” GeorgeDavidson says.

“By enhancing the knowledge, we have at our fingertips, we can further improve the equipment used to keep vital industries rolling.”

The X-life range is built with advanced manufacturing technologies and optimised internal designs.

cause problems.”

The next development Schaeffler is working towards is sensorised bearings, which would see the sensors used to measure the speed, torque and wear incorporated into the bearings themselves.

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SILOS AND STORAGE

Special delivery Nelson Silo’s strategy of shipping pre-assembled silos has allowed it rapid installations. ABHR speaks to the company’s Managing Director to find out more.

ERIC NELSON BELIEVES THE quicker equipment can get up and running, the quicker the customer can start making money.

That’s why his business, Nelson Silos, ships its products on one or two pieces.

“Silos that come in pieces or that need to be entirely put together on site can take weeks to install, depending on the size or the support structure” he says.

“There’s an opportunity cost to that downtime. The longer it takes to install the silo, the longer it takes for the customer to start generating returns.”

Nelson’s silos are joined together and assembled in the factory. They’re then either split into two pieces or three pieces for particularly large silos and shipped around the country by the company’s fleet of heavy-duty trucks.

The company has been shipping silos this way since 1962, developing experience in handling oversized loads and a close relationship with road regulatory agencies. Riding alongside the trucks are Nelson Silo’s specialised pilot cars, equipped for onsite work and driven by the installation team.

While enroute, the customer is provided with the specifications it needs to prepare the foundation, following a soil test and geotechnical analysis. Once on site, the installation team fit out the silo while it is horizontal, reducing the time spent working at heights. When it’s ready, a pair or cranes lift it up and move it into position.

Nelson says installations can take as little as three days to complete.

“One of our silos was delivered to a gold mine in Western Australia, transported in two, large pieces – each about 18 metres long,” he says.

“The sections are manufactured, tested and fitted together in the factory environment, meaning we know the product will be installed as intended.

This method keeps it all simple, safe and effective.”

40 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

Nelson Silo installations can be installed within days.

Transport plays a major role within the business. The company owns a fleet of eight prime movers and eight low-loader trailers, along with three heavy trailers.

This allows the company to deliver silos to Darwin, Port Headland or Kalgoorlie itself, instead of through contractors.

The fast installation process has proven to be popular among industrial customers, and demand for the silos has led Nelson Silos to expand its factory in Rochester, Victoria.

The aim is to be able to build several large silos for multiple customers at the same time.

“We’ve had quite a few customers come back to us for repeat orders,” Nelson says. “To cater for the lead

times the customer requires, we need to significantly increase our fabrication capacity.

“The Rochester factory will be expanded by 2000 square kilometres and will have a large paint spray booth.”

It is also looking to expand its operations on Australia’s east coast. With operations in Parkes, New South Wales, and southern Queensland, the business is positioned to support the northern NSW region.

“There’s a big demand for these silos there,” Nelson says. “Larger companies are starting to re-evaluate expansions in the future and recent issues with global supply chains have highlighted how important it is to buy local.”

SILOS AND STORAGE

Go with the flow Material flow problems in silos can slash productivity and safety. Oli Vibrators has a solution.

FLOW OBSTRUCTION IN SILOS come in all shapes in sizes, from plugging, to bridging, ratholing, or hang-ups. Each can halt material flow and cut into productivity.

The causes of these problems are as varied as the materials that get stored.

Lime, for example, is hydroscopic and tends to pack under its own weight.

Dew that forms on the interior of the silo’s walls can cause caking, which can lead to blockages.

Mark Thompson, Managing Director of Oli Vibrators, says unfortunately, not all silos are suited for every product, and this can cause issues that may require costly redesigns or modifications.

“Things like bulk density, the material’s moisture content or even the loading temperature can lead to a reduction in flow,” he says.

“In some circumstances, these

flow problems can become dangerous.

If you’ve got bridging high up in a 30-tonne silo and then it’s suddenly let go, the forces mean the silo can be jeopardised, potentially risking collapse.”

One practice to get material flowing again is to strike the silo or hopper with a hammer or heavy piece of wood, to shake up the blockages. However, this not only does damage to the asset but can also increase the chances of flow problems by creating misshaped areas in the silo.

“Every time you hit a vessel with a hammer, it creates a potential hang-up point for the material. I’ve seen silos with ‘hammer rash’ where people have been constantly belting it. Seeing a bin or hopper with hammer rash is a sure sign there is an area in the process that needs addressing,” Thomson says.

Because silos can be quite tall,

Using a hammer to clear blockages can severely damage the asset.

Vibrators can be used to improve flow for granular materials.

42 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

this swinging may need to take place at heights, adding additional hazards to the process. Over the long term, it can also cause muscular-skeletal or hearing injuries.

Oli’s solutions to these productivity blockers are its range of fluidisers and industrial vibrators. The company specialises in breaking the friction that occurs between the walls of the silo and the material itself.

The company works with its customers to determine what flow aid works best with the material and application. In a cement plant, fluidisers will often be used as the particle side is small enough to be percolated with air, creating a barrier between the material and the silo wall.

Fluidisers are installed in the cone of a silo, running through a programmable logic controller to turn off and on where appropriate to

save energy. Granular products aren’t conducive to air, as the particle size is often too large or jagged. For products like seed, grain, mung beans or rubber crumb, vibrators are used.

The company has operated in Australia for more than two decades and has built up expertise in providing the right tools for the job.

Thompson says Oli Vibrators’ staff are knowledgeable about its products and know how to apply them to all kinds of situations.

“Our staff have worked with silos and materials handling for years and we have enough case studies under our belt where we can use previous experiences to find new solutions,” he says.

“What sets us apart are the high-quality materials and precision engineering that goes into making each of the vibrators. The company is based in Italy and imports its products from overseas where they must meet rigorous Australian and International quality assurance standards.

“They’re also virtually maintenance free and easily replaced. Once fitted, they go about their business based on the operation. They can be programmed to work in conjunction with the process and are energy efficient.”

Oli Vibrator’s mission statement is ‘when you need it, where you need it’. To deliver on that, the Australian business keeps plenty of spares on hand if required and can call upon all 22 of the global company’s trading subsidiaries.

Each product also comes with a two-year warranty, which includes full replacement or repair of the product.

Thompson says fast after sales support is critical to many of its customers, who are have a limited timeframe to work in.

“That’s why we offer around the clock support. If a process fails in a food manufacturer’s production line in the middle of the night, we can get a solution sent over to get everything working again by morning,” he says.

Oli products are virtually maintenance free and easily replaced.

Storing the Nations’ Grains since 1969 www.hesilos.com 1800 046 046

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SILOS AND STORAGE

Surviving the vermin tide HE Silos has branches located in Forbes and Gunnedah NSW.

Following years of drought, fire, floods and pestilence, eastern Australia is now facing a mouse plague. Stevie Leigh Morrison and Karen Jolly from HE Silos explain how proper on-farm storage keeps farmers’ money in the bank.

RURAL EASTERN AUSTRALIA IS IN the grips of mouse plague that locals say has grown to biblical levels.

As the drought began to break in certain areas of the country, farmers benefitted from a bountiful harvest.

However, Karen Jolly, Regional Sales Manager – Grain Storage at HE Silos, says it meant that farmers were dealing with storage issues relating to the mouse plague.

“The last harvest was huge, breaking records all over the place, but farmers were limited when it came to how to store that grain,” she says.

“As a result, they’ve had to store their excess grain in sheds, bags, trucks or wherever it would fit.”

According to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), where there are grain crops in Australia, there are usually mice. The rodents are prolific breeders, able to give birth to a litter of up to 10 offspring every 20 days and can fall pregnant as soon as they give birth.

The CSIRO says that often, they reach near plague proportions before farmers are even aware of the problem, and at that stage it becomes difficult

44 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

and costly to control.

“A mouse population density of about 800-1000 mice/ha is considered a mouse plague. Anything over 200 mice/ ha is said to cause economic damage,” the CSIRO said.

The last major mouse plague Australia suffered occurred in 2010/11 and affected three million hectares of crops in eastern Australia.

Steve Henry, CSIRO ecologist, said in a 2017 blog post that there are three key factors that can contribute to a plague – climate, food and breeding.

“Because mice aren’t spending all their time hunting for food, they have time to get down to business and procreate,” he said.

On-farm storage is becoming more popular, according to Stevie Leigh Morrison, Business Manager at HE Silos.

“In 2016, around 70 per cent of grain was stored on the farm. This has gone up much higher since,” she says.

“Farmers want better control of their future and their business. They want to be able to market their grain when its profitable instead of selling it to a bulk storage handler at harvest.

“There’s a need to farm smarter,

not harder. You need to look at the big picture, capitalise on grain operations and find out how to have as much control over the grain as possible to get the best return on investment.”

HE Silos manufactures silos ranging from four-tonnes to cone base designs with capacities of up to 500 tonnes and flat bottom units of up to 1000 tonnes.

It specialises in creating custom silos, designed to fit any application.

It services more than just the grain industry, building silos for breweries, flour mills, plastics, and even to store small Styrofoam balls used in beanbag manufacturing.

The company designs its silos to last, using some of the thickest materials in the industry to ensure each silo can withstand Australia’s harsh conditions. Some of the company’s silos have been in operation for more than 30 years and continue to operate efficiently.

Sealed silos help protect grain from mice and other rodents, along with other pests and insects that destroy the quantity and quality of the crop.

Morrison says that fumigation is vital for keeping grains at a high quality.

“Research has found insects and

other pests to be the number one cause of grain degradation,” she says. “If we could reduce grain lost from insect activity by two per cent, that would equate to around half-a-billion dollars in Australia’s grain market.”

This is why the company developed its thermal insect control system.

Traditionally, farmers would need to climb to the top of the silo to drop the fumigants into the silos. Morrison says this adds unnecessary risks, as it requires someone to carry dangerous chemicals up the length of the silo.

The thermal insect control system is installed at chest level, removing the requirement to climb anything. Once the chemicals have been placed into the chamber, ultraviolet light and thermal air currents help the fumigants flow around the silo.

Morrison says the company’s silos are 100 per cent compliant with the Australian Standards, especially when it comes to sealing.

“All of our silos are built and pressure tested using the five minute half-life test

set out in the Australian Standards for the chemicals usage,” she says.

“When delivered on farm, we do an additional test to show the customers that it has met the standards, and it gives us an opportunity to teach the customer how to do a pressure test as well.”

A core part of HE Silo’s after sales service is education, which is why it provides a platform for anyone in the industry to learn more about how to get the most out of a silo.

Jolly says HE Silos is a family business and knows that farmers also don’t operate on a nine to five schedule.

“We’re always there to help our customers – even if it’s on a weekend,” she says. “Just because it’s a Saturday doesn’t mean farmers aren’t working.

Taking five minutes out of my day to solve a problem our customers might be having makes everyone’s lives easier.”

“Our customer retention is high – they’re growing their operations and coming back to us knowing we offer quality and safety.”

Sealed silos help protect grain from mice and other pests.

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SILOS AND STORAGE

Australian made The Kotzur Group has registered with the Australian Made Campaign, earning the green and gold logo. ABHR learns why the company is proud to be known as a local manufacturer.

ACCORDING TO THE 2016 CENSUS, 836 people live in the southern New South Wales town of Walla Walla. It was here in 1953 that Ray Kotzur founded his family business with the aim of supporting the local farming community through general engineering services.

Since then, the company has grown significantly, transforming from a generalist fabrication shop to a specialist manufacturer of equipment for the storage and handling of bulk solids.

Raquel Kotzur, Marketing & HR Officer of the company, says more than 20 families in the town are involved in the business, either via direct employment or as part of a local small businesses supplying to Kotzur.

“At Kotzur, we employ close to 200 people, with around 125 working at the Walla Walla site,” she says.

“Wherever possible, we perform the task in-house instead of relying on external providers. It’s part of our values as a company – we’re family owned and run in a regional town and we want to support the local economy.”

The Kotzur Group registered with the Australian Made Campaign and have been approved to bear the green and gold kangaroo logo. The logo, a registered trademark, can only be used on approved products that meet the criteria set out by the Australian Consumer Law. For a product to qualify as Australian made, it needs to have had its substantial transformation in Australia. This means that the goods are fundamentally different in identity, nature, or essential character from any input items that have been imported into the country.

Raquel says registering with the Australian Made Campaign helps customers recognise instantly where the company’s silos are manufactured.

“As soon as you see that kangaroo, you know you’re supporting an Australian business,” she says.

The primary material used in

46 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

Kotzur manufactures its silos to meet the Australian Standards.

available. Strategically, we’re also a lot closer to our suppliers meaning that if something were to disrupt global trade – like the blockage of the Suez Canal or COVID-19, we are less likely to be affected.”

Kotzur also works to reduce its emissions by minimising international shipping and the use of solar panels at its factories. At its Walla Walla sites, renewable energy makes up around 35 per cent of the electricity used. The company has also begun using electric forklifts and electric laser cutting machines.

More than 20 families in Walla Walla are involved in the business, either through employment or as suppliers.

manufacturing silos is steel, which Kotzur tries to source as much from local sources as possible. A small volume of product needs to be imported where Australian suppliers are unable to meet certain specifications.

Andrew Kotzur, Managing Director of the company, says Australian steel is a world class material.

“It’s also important to know the origins of your raw materials. When we buy steel made in Australia, we have direct access to the manufacturer and can build a relationship with where the steel is made,” he says.

“This allows us to source materials in particular sizes that normally aren’t

Building to Australian Standards Because Kotzur equipment is built locally, the business adheres to relevant Australian Standards. These include AS 3774-1996, which specifies loads on bulk solids containers, AS 2628-2010 which specifies sealing requirements for grain-storage silos, and AS/NZS 1170.2:2011 and AS 1170.4-2007, which specifies procedures for determining structural designs to resist wind and seismic forces.

Andrew says these design standards are tailored for the Australian environment and are some of the only standards in the world that provide guidance for designing silos for these conditions.

“The Australian Standards were

Kotzur tries to source as much steel from local sources as possible.

some of the first to provide solid guidance on the design, fabrication, erection, and modification of steel structures and silos,” he says.

“There is no legal requirement for

an imported silo to meet the Australian standards, which are relatively conservative. This is important when it comes to safety.

“When designing to the code,

particular attention is paid to vertical axial load – the load trying to drag the wall of the silo down. Building with this in mind provides a higher level of safety than what has been used in the past.”

Designing silos that meet these standards does add a level of cost to the process. Thicker and heavier materials provide greater levels of durability and safety, but often cost more.

However, Andrew says Kotzur is focused on driving costs down to provide the best value for money over the total lifespan of the asset.

“Another area we focus on is gas sealing and fumigation. Doing that well and with a system that lasts adds costs, but it then becomes a value proposition for the end user. Reliable insect control adds to their bottom line and will likely be more cost effective in the end.”

The company aims to continue improving its manufacturing facilities in Walla Walla and in Toowoomba and is working to increase its throughput to meet high levels of demand.

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SILOS AND STORAGE

Growing trends ABHR investigates some of the latest trends in the agricultural sector and how farmers are reacting to a changing climate and a need for increased storage.

RESEARCH FROM THE AUSTRALIAN Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) has found Australian agriculture is getting bigger.

In the Snapshot of Australian Agriculture 2021 report, ABARES notes that this in part due to new technologies and management practices that have boosted cropping volume. It also found that the largest and most productive farms are driving industry-level trends in performance.

ABARES also found that as the number of farms decreased, farm sizes had increased in terms of both total receipts and land area.

“Increased farm size has also supported improved productivity through several channels: access to better technology, better and more flexible labour management (which supports higher labour productivity), better knowledge management, diffusion of better farm management practices, and access to positive economies of scale,” the report found.

“All these changes have been enabled by the deregulation of most agricultural markets and economy-wide microeconomic reforms.”

It also says that maintaining productivity growth and continued innovation is required if Australia remains internationally competitive.

However, in recent years, agricultural productivity growth has slowed. While ABARES found that farmers are adapting to changing climate conditions, and in so doing, have partly restored productivity growth, this has not been enough.

Ag Growth International (AGI) thoroughly involved with these consumer trends as an international manufacturer of agricultural equipment.

Paul Brisebois, Senior Vice President AGI Canada says increasing size has been a key priority for farmers around the world.

“In farm and commercial applications, we’re seeing the market continues to move toward larger storage options,” he says.

“The main drivers for adding storage are; increases in production, value of the crop, ability to the market the crop and simplifying operations on the farm.

“Farms are usually located in rural areas, where it’s getting harder to find labour. Everything we do, whether its silos, portable handling or adding technology to our equipment, is about simplifying as much of the process as possible.”

Peter Forster, AGI’s Business Manager for Australia, says climate change has made the growing seasons more irregular, adding more stress to harvests.

“The defined weather patterns are no longer there, and harvests can come

earlier, putting more strain on farmers,” he says.

“Being able to store, dry, cool and rehydrate grain in a bin helps mitigate risks and allows farmers to capture higher margins during the season.”

AGI employs hundreds of engineers located across the globe who are responsible for designing bigger and better silos. At the heart of the design is the silo structure. AGI’s engineers use the codes established for calculating grain loads, snow, wind, and seismic loads and pair them with the required steel strengths, calculated by corresponding steel codes. Finite element analysis can help direct the design and how the silo sheets, stiffeners, wind rings, roof sheets and reinforcements will interact.

Keaton Friesen, Engineering Manager at AGI’s MFS division, says larger silos reduce the price per tonne and removes multiple foundations’ requirements.

“As silos have gotten larger, AGI has invested in equipment to manufacture heavy wall sheets and gauges. That has allowed us to grow the size of the bins, and use the steel more effectively and efficiently,” he says.

“AGI can also coordinate between its divisions with the large portfolio of products they have. We can add accessories to help move the grain, for aeration, or monitoring.”

AGI employs hundreds of engineers to design bigger and better silos.

48 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

Silo size is a key priority for farmers around the world.

Smarter silos Brisebois says another trend that has grown in popularity is smarter storage.

By adding temperature and moisture detection cables, farmers can wirelessly and remotely monitor what is happening in their silos at any time. It’s even possible to automate fans and other equipment to respond to the internal

environment of the silo.

“AGI is investing heavily in the SureTrack platform, which enables farmers to make the most of the resources they have and assists producers to manage inventories effectively,” he says.

“This trend of increasing technology is going to be a pervasive trend. Our end customers on the food side of the

business are constantly asking questions about where the food comes from.

Traceability of food from field to plate will become more important, and having the data throughout the supply chain will be critical for the future.”

Monitoring technology is a significant part of AGI’s Australian offering, particularly for keeping materials cool, nutritious, and properly fumigated.

Forster says the new technology getting developed will help take the market to the next level, particularly when it comes to supply chain management.

“The Australian market is going through a period of reinvestment.

Consumer confidence and food security are becoming an important trend to focus on, especially within periods of drought,” he says.

“AGI expects the Australian market to continue to be a growth opportunity in the future, and we aim to continue expanding our portfolio of turnkey solutions.”

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SILOS AND STORAGE

The nuts and bolts of Scutti silos Meccanno sets allow builders to make models and devices with simple strips and bolts. Silo manufacturer Scutti is using a similar method to provide cost effective, transportable silos for the bulk handling industry.

IN 1898, FRANK HORNBY CREATED the Meccano model construction system. Small metal strips, plates, wheels and gears are connected together using nuts and bolts to build working models and mechanical devices.

The toys went on to be a great success, finding popularity around the globe for more than a century, with annual exhibitions showcasing some of the engineering feats its users have built.

However, this method of bolted construction can be used for more than just toys. The Italian silo manufacturer

Scutti’s silos are built entirely through bolted construction.

50 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

Scutti has developed a range of silos that are built entirely through bolted construction.

According to Damian Thorpe, Product Manager for Reagent Plants & Silos at Transmin, the silos can be constructed safely, with minimal welding and without sacrificing strength or durability.

“In fact, the Scutti silos can even be assembled on the ground and then lifted as modules for construction, meaning there is no need to work at heights or complete hot-works (welding/grinding) on site,” he says.

Scutti’s silos are manufactured in Italy, designed to be containerised and shipped anywhere in the world.

This allows the shipments to be made using existing supply chains and infrastructure, avoiding the need for specialised heavy vehicles.

Transmin, the exclusive distributor of Scutti products for the Asia Pacific region, was attracted to this unique method of manufacturing and shipping.

Scutti standardises its products, taking advantage of an economy of scale within its own manufacturing process and quality control, using Industry 4.0 technologies such as robotics.

The flexibility and ease of manufacturer makes the silos cost effective and easy to set up in some of the most remote sites.

To ensure the silos are fit for purpose in Australian conditions, the company modifies the silo design to meet the Australian Standards. This often includes additional handrails and guarding.

Thorpe says Transmin can further customise to meet a site’s needs, whether that’s improved safety features, additional equipment or specific sizing.

“We can increase the wall thickness of the silos to prevent abrasion and corrosion and can use a higher grade of

Scutti silos can store most bulk solids.

paint to withstand the harsh Australian sun or tropical rains,” he says.

Originally built for the cement and lime industries, the silos can store most bulk solids, including, soda ash, sand, crushed glass, sugar or grain. Transmin have found the silos to be popular in the mining and minerals processing industries with a smaller portion from water and wastewater treatment.

Thorpe says these industries are risk averse and will often ask for additional features to keep employees safe.

“Most customers in other sectors, like the cement industry, would use a basic cage ladder to access the roof of the silo. However, in the minerals sector, we have been asked to provide a stair tower to reach the roof,” he says.

“Not only is this safer, but we have designed the stair towers to also use a bolted construction format, reducing the need for welding to reach heights.”

Scutti and Transmin also offer

additional equipment, such as screw conveyors, dust filters and powder valves along with the silo. In addition, the silos can be equipped with Scutti’s own condition monitoring system.

Thorpe says level and pressure instrumentation have become popular add-ons in the Australian market, as they allow operators to access information without needing to physically visit the silo.

“We can also supply all instrumentation for level and pressure as well as incorporate static weighing of the silos via a load cell system, as well as have dynamic weighing on the discharge equipment such as loss-inweight feeders or weigh screw feeders,” he says.

To support companies during and after installation, Transmin also operate an aftermarket team made up of spare parts specialists, on-site service technicians and off-site engineers, based in Perth. These specialists are sent

Transmin modifies silo designs to meet the Australian Standards.

out to sites around the world to ensure any issues can be cleared up as quickly as possible.

In addition to the Scutti silos, Transmin is an original equipment manufacturer for the bulk material handing industry, with equipment ranging from rock breakers to low profile feeders.

Thorpe says the range of equipment available to the company allows it to design fully engineered turnkey solutions.

“Our product offering means we can provide the equipment for most bulk handling projects, whether it is for a flocculant preparation facility or an agricultural lime silo,” he says.

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SILOS AND STORAGE

What are the most common silo design pitfalls?

Enes Kaya, a Project Engineer at Jenike & Johanson, explains how to avoid some common mistakes in silo design.

Cohesive arching.

ENES KAYA Enes Kaya is a Project Engineer at Jenike & Johanson.

After a brief stint in consulting, he decided to forge a career in the mining industry, predominantly focusing on bulk material handling and processing equipment design.

Prior to Jenike & Johanson, he worked on a variety of greenfield and brownfield projects, spanning from design, fabrication, assembly, and construction. His prior hands-on experience equips him with a wholistic understanding of bulk material handling equipment, and he enjoys coupling that experience with the science lead approach to assist clients in solving their bulk material handling problems.

FROM ONE ENGINEER TO ANOTHER, don’t fall into the same bulk material handling traps that I have in the past.

Improper storage silo/bin design can have serious repercussions to a process, and you do not want to be on the receiving end of an irate client, or even worse, be tied up in litigation due to structural failure of a storage silo.

Thankfully, I haven’t been involved in a litigation, but I have received, prior to working at Jenike & Johanson, bad feedback from an irate client regarding a silo design that did not align with their expectations - it wasn’t pleasant.

I am now aware of the pitfalls that lead to improper silo design and can share what to avoid, saving you the grief of going through it yourself.

To correctly design a silo or storage bin, it helps to first highlight some common pitfalls that can result from poor design.

Common issues: 1. I nadequate outlet size to overcome cohesive arching (bridging) or ratholing 2. H opper walls that are too

An example of ratholing.

52 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

The discharge equipment (i.e., feeder or gate) is critical to mass flow. It needs to draw material uniformly by activating the entire cross section of the outlet. If the hopper is designed for mass flow but you do not have a correctly designed feeder, you may still suffer discharge issues as the feeder may only be drawing from a portion of the hopper outlet. In fact, you may convert the mass flow bin into a funnel flow one!

Hammer rash on a hopper.

shallow to promote flow 3. Poor interface design between silo/ hopper and the feeder 4. I nadequate live capacity 5. F low rate limitations (often due to a fine powder) 6. E rratic flow (either insufficient or uncontrolled) 7. N on-homogeneous flow due to particle size segregation Often, vendors will recommend methods to activate/encourage flow from silos, whether it be with the use of vibratory dischargers, air cannons, sonic horns, or other. Effectively, the purpose of these is to ‘shock’ the contents of the silo and promote flow.

Fluidisers, common with fine powders, is another flow promotion method.

While using fluidisers is not necessarily poor design, it’s important to ensure that the material characteristics allow for their use as the powder’s flow behaviour may be transformed into liquid flow.

Flow patterns Jenike originally defined two flow patterns, funnel flow and mass flow, in the 1960’s. In funnel flow, the material is stagnant along the walls, and the material moves in the centre flow channel, i.e. it funnels within itself.

Unfortunately, with most bulk materials in funnel flow, this flow mode has the propensity to encourage the formation

of stable ratholes and/or cohesive arching, exacerbate segregation, cause erratic or limited flow, and potentially flooding with fine powders. In contrast, in mass flow all material is in motion during discharge provided that the material flows on the walls due to a combination of low friction and sufficiently steep hopper slope.

In funnel flow, the hopper is usually less steep than mass flow, therefore you can achieve the required storage capacity with a shorter overall silo height often resulting in economic savings. Be cautious here however, as ‘live’ capacity may not be the same as storage capacity. With funnel flow and a cohesive material that induces ratholing, the ‘live’ capacity may only be 10-20 per cent of the total storage capacity yielding a disadvantage. The selection criteria for a funnel flow silo are straight forward. If the material is coarse, free-flowing, nondegradable, and if segregation is not an issue in your process, then the material can be handled in a funnel flow silo. The savings in head room has allowed you to reap the benefits of the cost savings.

If, however, the material does not satisfy all of the requirements above, you must handle the material in a mass flow silo to ensure reliable and controlled flow. Often the costs of rectifying the design later, or the continued/prolonged reduction in throughput rate, are immensely higher than the capital expense incurred at the onset. Recall the true engineering success is in silo discharge reliability and not silo “storage” or holding capacity, which is elementary volume calculations.

The discharge equipment (i.e., feeder or gate) is critical to mass flow.

It needs to draw material uniformly by activating the entire cross section

of the outlet. If the hopper is designed for mass flow but you do not have a correctly designed feeder, you may still suffer discharge issues as the feeder may only be drawing from a portion of the hopper outlet. In fact, you may convert the mass flow bin into a funnel flow one!

Storage and operating requirements Now that we are aware of the common design flaws and we understand silo flow patterns, we need to consider the storage and operating requirements; essentially, the basis of design (BoD).

Generally, design engineers place all their focus on the design criteria.

This includes consideration of the required storage capacity, discharge rate, feeding method, fabrication materials, safety and environmental considerations, and any local design standards and specifications. What remains unclear to most, as it was to me, is that all of the design criteria are linked directly to the bulk material flow characteristics. It’s like trying to design a liquid pipeline without knowing the specific gravity, viscosity, or required head pressure. Without understanding a bulk material’s flow properties, you will not achieve an effective and reliable flow system. In short, the bulk material characteristics give you the parameters to achieve the BoD. The caveat, however, is that unlike liquid applications, bulk material flow characteristics can be vastly variable and can depend on common factors such as particle size, shape, moisture, as well as external environmental conditions of temperature, humidity, pressure, and storage time at rest. Thus, there can be significant risk using data from a standard library or a similar process you experienced elsewhere.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021 І 53

SILOS AND STORAGE

Funnel flow and mass flow patterns.

“Knowing what I know now, how would I have approached the design process and BoD differently? For starters, one of the first steps would have been to request a flow properties test report, ensuring we can be in full compliance to the BoD. As the saying goes, ‘knowing is more than half the battle.’”

Bulk material characteristics Material flow properties must be measured prior to any design to predict and understand how the material will behave in the process and equipment.

If you don’t have the characteristics, you are effectively designing blind; as an aside, this is frequently the reason Jenike & Johanson are engaged to develop retrofit solutions to a materials handling issue. In fact, this happened to me. The critical parameters for bin/silo design are: •P article size distribution, shape, and bulk density range •O perating conditions such as temperature and relative humidity • Storage time at rest •M oisture content range (most

54 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

materials become more difficult to handle as this increases) •C ohesive strength (to define the dimensions required to overcome arching and ratholing) •W all friction (to determine the required hopper angles and surface needed for mass flow) •P ermeability (to understand the possible effects to flow rate in fine materials) •A brasiveness (to understand if special liners or materials are needed to avoid wear) •F riability (to determine if particles are sensitive to breakage during handling) Knowing what I know now, how would I have approached the design process and BoD differently? For starters,

one of the first steps would have been to request a flow properties test report, ensuring we can be in full compliance to the BoD. As the saying goes, “knowing is more than half the battle.”

Determining the material properties under representative handling conditions will provide you with the critical information needed to design handling equipment to not only store material, but to also reliably discharge it. That is how you can avoid a common material handling “trap.”

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

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

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LUBRICATION

talk

Picking the right industrial lubricant Steve Davis, Senior Bulk Handling Expert at Advisian, discusses the topic of lubrication and why some greases may be inadequate for certain applications.

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

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.

LUBRICANTS ARE GENERALLY considered oil or grease. There are other solid lubricants such as graphite and molybdenum disulphide for particular applications, and sometimes included in grease and solid bearings. Many other liquids, including water, can be used as a lubricant. This article focussed broadly on the basics relating to oils and greases, as these are the most used in the bulk materials industry in my experience.

So, why do we use a lubricant?

Fundamentally the use is to reduce the effects of friction.

This is done by creating a film between components that are moving in relation to each other. The smoothest finishes in the industry are quite rough on a microscopic scale, and the moving surfaces look like the sketch in Figure 1.

The most common lubricant is oil. This can be mineral, semi or full synthetic. All oils are mixed with a selection of chemical additives depending on the application and brand. These include detergents, corrosion inhibition, antioxidant, alkalis, anti-wear, viscosity modifiers, extreme pressure, dispersants, anti-foam, and many others.

Additives improve oil life, provide multigrades and provide specific benefits for each application.

The most important parameter in oil is kinematic

56 | Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

Figure 1: On a microscopic scale, even the smoothest of finishes are quite rough.

A lubricant film separates components and reduces friction.

viscosity, measured in centistokes, cSt. The scale is exponential, and we purchase ISO grades. The ISO grade indicates the viscosity at 40°C. Viscosity changes with temperature, decreasing as temperatures increase. For example, an oil with 68 cSt viscosity at 40°C will reduce to about 8 cSt at 100°C. Viscosity is the main indication of the capacity of the oil to form a lubricating film. Hydraulic oils tend to be lower viscosity, typically ISO 32 to 68. Gearbox oils have higher viscosity, typically ISO 220 to 460 or more.

Overall ISO range is generally from ISO 10 to ISO 1500, but can be higher or lower.

The three inputs that determine oil viscosity selection are load on the lubricated components, speed of relative

movement and operating temperature. Correct selection is complex, but typically higher speeds need lower viscosity oils, heavy loads and higher temperature need higher viscosity oils. It is relatively common to have lightly loaded slow running bearings where the standard lubricant can’t form a film and failure occurs.

Automotive applications generally use SAE grade oils, and these viscosities are measured at 100°C. The oils are the same, but additives are for automotive application. An SAE 30 oil is comparable with an ISO 100 oil.

We often see multigrade oils in automotive use. These include viscosity modifying additives that will see SAE 10W-40. The 10W, for winter is to give easier cold starting and economy with

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the oil gradually becoming equivalent to SAE 40 at operating temperature in the engine. Transmission oils are typically higher viscosity. I use 85W-140 in my differentials. SAE “S” and “C” codes are mostly about additive packs, which vary with supplier. All are supposed to comply with the relevant testing that matches the vehicles recommended minimum.

Regardless of type, oil function is to provide a film to separate the rough sliding /rotating surface. In most applications the relative movement of the surfaces is sufficient to pull oil into the gap between the surfaces and general a hydro-dynamic film, if the correct oil has been selected and is kept clean and changed when required. All oil companies will provide guidance on these aspects.

Greases have a ‘soap’ base that acts as a sponge to retain lubricating oil. They are used where oil alone would not remain in place or where oil circulation and sealing would be complex.

Typical grease application is a rolling element bearing in an idler roll or in a plummer block housing, common on conveyor pulleys. The grease carries the oil and acts as a seal and carries dirt when purged. The oil is the lubricant.

Greases can also be used for open gear lubrication, typically loaded with many solid lubricants and other things. There are many good products but they are not always universal in application. Then there is ‘blackjack’ which is usually solvent diluted bitumen or similar to give stickiness and loaded with solids and additives. These give wide ranging outcomes in both consumption rates and lubricating ability.

Various grease soaps are available, lithium and lithium complex are the most common, but calcium, sodium, aluminium, and others are available for specific use. Soaps have an ‘equivalent’ to viscosity in the National Lubricating Grease Institute (NLGI) grade. This runs from a very liquid 000 through 00, 0 1, 2, 3 up to 6. This grade is tested at 25°C. Table 1 and 2 give context.

In the resource and other industries, we have standardised on LGEP2 for across site purposes. Lithium Grease with Extreme Pressure additives and NLGI grade 2. No mention of the oil viscosity in the description. In some locations this one grease is used for every application as it is the only one available. Every oil company supplies a version of this grease, and it is a good general-purpose grease. We pump

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LUBRICATION

it into bearing across site and never give a second thought to whether it is appropriate for the duty.

LGEP2 is water resistant, but not to salt water. It is relatively stable at temperatures up to 130°C and under shear. I have seen LGEP2 with base oil viscosity of ISO 460, ISO 680, and ISO 1000. I have no doubt there are others outside this range. Is the grease on your site appropriate for those slow heavily loaded overland conveyor pulley bearings, or the trunnion rolls on car dumpers? Are you seeing bearing failures from overload, metal to metal contact, seizure? Perhaps the grease is incorrect?

One article that I have read suggests that up to 80 per cent of bearing failures are due to incorrect lubrication. First call should be to a bearing specialist.

They have software that will model the application and pass judgement.

We all use many conveyor idlers.

When purchasing, apart from attention to sealing, balance, weight and all the good things we can get these days, do we consider all the load conditions and the lubricant grease requirement that

Table 1: NLGI grade

Table 2: Types of grease soaps

58 | Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

would suit them? From the lowest loaded wing roll in the smallest conveyor to the highest loaded centre roll?

The discussion that led to this article was about some large bearings that would be running at slow speed and high load, and likely to be above 60°C operating. Could the bearings work with LGEP2? The answer is yes, provided the oil viscosity was at ISO 1000 grade.

Relubrication was expected to be twice a year. Site grease had ISO 460. To use the grease with lower viscosity oil, we could theoretically consider a larger bearing or multiple bearings, but the rolling elements on a large bearing would rotate at a slower speed and there was a limit on available space. We could have installed oil lubricated bearings, but this adds cost and complexity and takes more space. I would keep a special grease gun and a special reminder to relubricate and make sure that the regrease fittings are unique. Maybe a sign that says do not relubricate?

Perhaps two or three greases are needed on site. It’s easy enough to manage, we seem to be able to manage different oils. There are several sizes and types of grease nipple (zerk) available.

Designate one for each grease and have separate guns and pumps. Use different size and type of cannisters where automated.

Don’t confuse incorrect selection of lubricant with incorrect use. If oils are not monitored, filtered, and changed when needed they will fail. If oil leaks it can’t lubricate. If there is too much or too little grease in a bearing its life will be reduced. One of the most common issues I see is the use of cheap and useless breathers on gearboxes and hydraulic reservoirs. Even if a good

breather filter is fitted, it does not last forever and will not work if buried in spillage.

If grease is dirty when pumped in, or the fitting is dirty, contamination will get in and damage bearings. Grease seals are meant to keep grease in and dirt out, but they can do neither if damaged or buried in dirt. Regreasable systems need real attention to the grease path through the equipment. New grease must get into the bearing and flush old grease out through the seals. I have a concern with plummer blocks that have greased seals. If the bearing is not flushed at the same time as the seal, does dirty grease from the seal get pushed into the bearing?

Oils can be mixed, but not on a random basis. If you must do this, make sure that the two oils are compatible before use. More than likely it will be the additives that are incompatible but beware mixing mineral oils with synthetics and synthetics with synthetics.

Grease is more complicated, as the oils in greases may be compatible but the soaps not or vice versa, or both.

There are many conflicting opinions on the internet, so don’t take a chance.

American Society for Testing and Materials Standard D6185, Standard Practice for Evaluating Compatibility of Binary Mixtures of Lubricating Greases provides guidelines for testing for determining grease mixing compatibility.

Who provides the equipment used for relubrication on your site? Could there be residue of a different lubricant or be dirty or did they bring the wrong lubricant with them and use it anyway?

Always check out before pumping something new into a bearing or gearbox.

What is the potential cost if a pulley bearing or gearbox collapses? It could be more than just financial and production.

The lubrication industry is huge, and the knowledge base includes most circumstances. I have found that OEMs, bearing suppliers and oil companies all have good resources and generally will assist. We also have many specialised organisations that monitor oil, instigate forensic analysis and the like.

Would a little more attention to lubrication and assessment of failed components lead to improved reliability and up time?

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SOFTWARE

Supporting software for simulation Peter Rizkalla, LEAP Australia’s Product Manager of Rocky DEM, explains how the program can be combined with other software to maximise the benefits of simulation.

ROCKY IS A 3D DISCRETE ELEMENT method (DEM) program that quickly and accurately simulates particle behaviour within bulk materials handling systems.

One of the programs key features is its integration with the engineering simulation software Ansys for finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD).

Rocky’s integration into the Ansys Workbench framework, allows Rocky users to share common geometry across multiple systems or to transfer the results from one solver to another allowing multi-physics simulations to be conducted. A user can start with any geometry in Ansys Spaceclaim and share this between Rocky DEM, Ansys Fluent and Ansys Mechanical.

DEM-CFD coupling with Rocky DEM and Ansys Fluent In many cases, the solution of the discrete particulate phase does not accurately describe how a system performs, as there are external factors that can influence the overall bulk flow behaviour.

For example, consider the fish feeding device in Figure 1 that distributes fish food pellets radially from a central location. If we were to solve this using DEM alone, air resistance would be ignored, and the pellet trajectory distance would be overestimated. By taking the drag force into account, we can estimate the landing location with a reasonable degree of accuracy. To complicate matters even more, an appropriate drag law must be selected that takes particle shape and alignment with the flow into account.

Figure 2 adopts a one-way coupling approach which is typically used in situations where the fluid field affects the particle flow, but the particle flow does not, in turn, affect the fluid field.

60 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

Figure 1: Fish feeding device rotating and distributing cylindrical fish food pellets

This method is particularly useful for simulating dilute flows.

For dense flow systems on the other hand, where the feedback of the fluid flow on the particle flow is important, a two-way coupling approach must be used. In both approaches, the particles are solved in DEM using Lagrangian particle tracking by explicitly solving the equations that govern translational and rotational particle motion along with the energy balance on the particle. These equations consider the forces and torque on particles due to the fluid phase.

In the two-way coupling, given the pressure and fluid velocities computed by Ansys Fluent, Rocky DEM computes the volume fraction of the particulate phase and the momentum and energy exchanged between particles and fluid phases. These terms are then transferred to the CFD solver, which uses this information to solve

the equations that govern the fluid flow, updating the pressure and fluid velocities and temperature in cases where heat transfer is important. This two-way exchange of information continues for each new time step until the full granular-fluid model is revealed.

There are many applications requiring a fully coupled two-way solution such as fluidised beds, pneumatic and hydraulic conveying, slurry mills and slurry transport.

Multiple domains with non-conformal and moving meshes are used.

Custom particle shapes are used to accurately predict the tablet heating as hot air flows within the equipment, by considering both convective and conductive heat transfer. This simulation allowed engineers to predict the residence time and temperature distribution of particles for different operational conditions.

Lagrangian Multiphase Models Particles treated as discrete DPM & DDPM

DEM

MPM

Dilute to dense systems

Sub-grid Soft-sphere model

Super-grid Hard-sphere model

ROCKY

rocky-dem.com

Rocky DEM as a component system within Ansys Workbench.

Using the right solution for the right application There are already many comprehensive multiphase models within Ansys Fluent, making model selection little overwhelming or sometimes confusing.

The main advantage of the FluentRocky DEM coupled approach is that since particle-particle and particleboundary interactions are solved and all forces acting on particles are computed on the DEM side, cases in which particles have unique, non-spherical shapes can be accurately solved.

Rocky’s precise shape representation combined with its laws for computing the fluid forces on particles, increases the accuracy of the models. Adhesive and cohesive materials can also be modelled using one of the adhesion models available in Rocky DEM. As each individual particle is tracked by the DEM solver, the complete history is available for all particles inside the domain. This builds up the level of information that can be extracted from a coupled simulation and providing better insight into a problem. In cases where particles are too small to model individually, Rocky provides a coarsegrain modelling approach allowing a ‘pseudo’ or scaled-up particle size to represent many smaller particles.

To ensure accuracy is maintained when particles are larger than the CFD mesh cell, a new volumetric diffusion mapping approach has been implemented.

DEM-FEA coupling using Rocky DEM and Ansys Mechanical Imagine you’re tasked with designing a bucket conveyor system or bracing support frame for a transfer chute hood.

How would you approach such a project?

One way would be to start with a known design, run some hand calculations with some assumptions, and perform a field test. Then in the likely event it fails on the first trial, make design changes based on your best assessment and try again. This physical prototyping approach involves a lot of time, cost, and physical effort, not to mention the potential safety risks associated with any physical testing.

Alternatively, high-fidelity simulation tools like Rocky DEM and ANSYS Mechanical can optimise the process and design parameters in a virtual environment.

DEM allows users to evaluate particle trajectories and bulk flow phenomena and interactions including

inter-particle and boundary forces.

FEA allows users to determine the impact and severity of these forces on the underlying structure helping to rocky-dem.com troubleshoot systems subject to failure and optimise their layout.

By coupling the two simulation techniques, engineers can make less assumptions about loads acting on structures. A typical example is the load acting inside a bin or silo during discharge. With the absence of DEM, the assumption commonly made is to treat the internal load as a hydrostatic pressure which varies with height.

Experience has shown that this can lead to an overestimation of the loads, therefore leading to an overly conservative design.

During a simulation, Rocky DEM calculates the loads on each node of the boundary mesh. These loads are then exported as a pressure field for further analysis using Ansys Mechanical, which uses either a profile preserving or force conservative mapping algorithm. This is accomplished via Ansys’ external coupling feature within Ansys Workbench allowing dissimilar meshes to be used for the DEM and FEA models.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021 І 61

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

Condition rating system for structural integrity Inspection is required to determine the physical condition of a structure. Effective inspection programs play a significant role in minimising structural failures and extending the life of the structure. Grace Go, Richard Morgan and Frank Gatto from Aspec Engineering explain.

INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURES FOR mines, ports and heavy industry require significant capital investment in physical assets as a necessary part of their operation. Some facilities are well advanced in their design lives and the intention is to continue to use them in excess of this period. There is also a need for ongoing upgrades to these facilities to improve occupational health and safety standards and to improve productivity and throughput.

Operators and owners need to manage their assets effectively and should aim for an optimum risk profile which matches the risk for the business.

Too high a risk can lead to unacceptable costs due to unexpected failures and shortened useful life. Too low a risk can mean high costs due to over-design and excessive maintenance.

Effective inspection programs can play a significant role in correctly assessing the risk level of structures, minimising the risk of structural failures, focusing on the required type of maintenance and extending the life of the structure.

Degradation will occur over time on industrial structures due to factors such as impact damage, corrosion and metal fatigue from repetitive and dynamic loading. These can lead to a reduction in structural reliability during an asset’s design life.

To understand the rate at which degradation is occurring, traceability is required so that a recording can be made at the same locations on the structure during subsequent inspections.

A condition rating system is then utilised to track the level of degradation over time. As part of this, the authors have developed a classification system for different types of structural damage such

62 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

as steel corrosion, protective coatings, structural welds, bolts, steel damage etc.

This has been widely used in the industry for many years. The system uses a one to five scale for classifying damage ranging from pristine to unserviceable. The system allows for a consistent rating while being relatively easy to use and adaptable to electronic recording in the field.

wrong repair strategies being adopted.

Many systems are based heavily on rating the physical appearance of a defect rather than the effect on which the defect has to the integrity of the structure. This may lead to misdirected expenditure or expenditure at the wrong time in the assets’ life cycle, leading to increased costs.

Purpose of inspection system

Condition rating system

An inspection system for industrial facilities should provide guidelines for setting up and undertaking a regular inspection programme. The purpose of this system is to allow: •R ecording of structural condition in a systematic and repeatable manner •P rovide a better understanding of the risks and criticality of various components •H elp provide a planned approach to remediation and maintenance.

In Aspec’s inspection system, structural conditions are recorded in a systematic and repeatable manner using a condition rating system.

The following criteria are used for steel to identify defects and quantify the current condition of the industrial structure components for assessing remaining life. Defects of a condition rating of four or above generally require some form of repairs or ongoing monitoring.

Control against risks

Protective Coating (PC)

Routine inspections are a control against specific risks.

The main types of structural integrity risks are: •C orrosion which is mostly related to time and environment •F atigue damage which is related to the load and accumulation of load cycles which is closely correlated to throughput rates and cumulative tonnes • I mpact damage, which can occur at any time, and therefore requires a relatively short inspection interval Risk is often not adequately considered in the inspection process, nor when it comes to prioritising repairs.

Failure to consider risk may lead to higher inspection costs and funds not being allocated to the right areas or the

PC1

As new (no visible damage)

PC2

Minor damage <2 per cent

PC3

Minor damage >2 per cent, <5 per cent and/or degradation of top coating

PC4

Damage >5 per cent, top coating flaking, peeling etc.

PC5

Paint system totally ineffective and/or degradation of top coating

Protective coatings are the first line of defence against corrosion which reduces both strength and fatigue resistance.

Inspection and repair of paint coating is the main defence against premature failure of this type. Once the paint coating is damaged, corrosion of the underlying steel will occur.

housekeeping assessment is a visual inspection by the structural engineer or inspector.

Steel corrosion (SC)

Figure 1: Example of PC5.

This protective coating assessment is a visual inspection by the structural engineer or inspector and is not intended to replace routine inspection by a protective coating specialist.

Housekeeping (HK)

HK1

No spillage, clean

HK2

Little spillage (<10 per cent area)

HK3

Minor spillage (10-30 per cent area)

HK4

Major spillage (30-60 per cent area)

HK5

Extensive spillage (60-100 per cent area)

Site housekeeping is important to prevent spillage and overloading of structures as well as injuries to site personnel. Areas of poor housekeeping where there is a build-up of material that remains moist for long periods can also cause corrosion.

Inspection of housekeeping should include areas such as accessways, conveyor spillage trays and buildings. The state of housekeeping is often an indicator of how seriously the organisation is addressing structural integrity and safety.

The appropriate method of

SC1

No loss of section

SC2

Localised pitting

SC3

Extensive pitting

SC4

5 to 10 per cent loss of section if widespread 10 to 25 per cent loss of section if localised

SC5

>10 per cent loss of section if widespread >25 per cent loss of section if localised

Corrosion is defined as the deterioration of materials through chemical or electrochemical attack. Industrial processes such as coal wash-plants, fertiliser production, and other industries which produce corrosive materials affect the rate of corrosion. Corrosion can be accelerated in sections which are highly stressed, and the rate of deterioration increases with time.

The appropriate method of steel corrosion assessment is a visual inspection by the structural engineer or inspector with thickness testing as required.

Steel damage (ST)

ST1

As new (no damage)

ST2

Minor damage

ST3

Section damaged in several areas

ST4

Severely damaged or buckled or cracked

ST5

Section completely missing

Steel sections can exhibit excessive deformation if damaged.

Dents, buckles or ‘out-ofstraightness’ in beams and columns can reduce the structural strength significantly. Even though the section may still be standing, the risk of collapse (due to high winds, vehicle impacts, spillages) may be unacceptable.

Another form of steel damage is cracking. The main cause of steel section cracking is fatigue or fracture due to issues such as: • Poor detailing/design • Excessive loads • Cyclic loads • Corrosion • Poor workmanship • Defective materials • Changes in the loads • Temperature effects Some of the direct consequences of cracking include reduction in strength of the section, redistribution of load to other sections and failure of the section and excessive distortion of other sections.

The appropriate method of steel damage assessment is a visual inspection by the structural engineer or inspector followed by non-destructive testing (NDT) where appropriate.

Figure 4: Example of ST4.

Steel bolts (SB)

Figure 2: Example of HK5.

Figure 3: Example of SC4.

SB1

As installed

SB2

Minor corrosion

SB3

Corroded and/or loose nut

SB4

Advanced corrosion and/or <25 per cent missing bolt(s) from bolt group

SB5

Extensive corrosion and/or ≥25 per cent missing bolt(s) from bolt group

Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021 І 63

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

The main cause of damage to bolts is corrosion. This may be caused by temperature variations, wetting and drying of the surface, for example, areas in a splash zone, damp material build-up, that is, air and water near surface and dissimilar metals.

The direct consequences of bolt corrosion include: •E xcessive wear on non-aligned mechanical components •R eduction in the load carrying capacity of joint and spreading of the load to other parts of the section and other parts of the structure • Excessive distortion of the section • Increased vibration •F ailure of the section and excessive distortion or failure of other parts of the structure The appropriate method of assessment of structural bolts is a visual inspection by the structural engineer or inspector.

Steel welds (SW)

SW1

No defects

SW2

Localised weld defects

SW3

Minor weld defects

SW4

Several weld defects and/or minor cracking or corrosion

SW5

Weld missing, extensive weld defects or extensive cracking

Figure 5: Example of SB5.

64 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

Figure 6: Example of SW5.

Table 1: Condition rating descriptions (Engineers Australia)

A (Green)

B (Blue) Welding and fabrication defects can greatly affect the performance and longevity of steel structures. Weld defects include geometric imperfections, cracking, inclusions, porosity, incomplete fusion/ penetration etc.

The appropriate method of assessment of structural welds is a visual inspection by the structural engineer or inspector and NDT where appropriate.

This one to five scale condition rating system is compatible with the system used in the Infrastructure Report Card published by Engineers Australia in 2010 as shown in Table 1.

Overall level of degradation of assets Once the inspection has been completed using the above condition rating system, the condition ratings can be aggregated to obtain a sitewide summary of the condition of the structures using the Engineers Australia system. An example is shown below.

Figure 7: Overall condition rating of the structures on a site.

C (Yellow)

D (Orange) E (Red)

Fit for current and intended purpose in terms of asset condition, committed investment, regulatory appropriateness and compliance and planning processes Minor changes required in one or more of the above areas to enable asset to be fit for its current and intended use Major changes required in one or more of the above areas to enable asset to be fit for its current and intended use Critical changes required in one or more of the above areas to enable asset to be fit for its current and intended use Inadequate for current and future changes

Each structure is coloured to indicate its overall condition. Such a summary is beneficial to the owners to plan budget priorities.

A well-developed inspection system is essential to keep a record of the defects and identify where further investigation or repairs are required. Defects of a condition rating of four or above generally require some form of repairs or ongoing monitoring.

Through inspection, risks and criticality of components can be better understood and industrial structures can be efficiently maintained and their useful life extended.

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TAILINGS

In the modern environment are tailing dams viable?

Tailing dams have been an essential part of the minerals extraction process. However, history shows that serious environmental and safety issues are associated with tailing dams. Dr Thomas Bunn from TUNRA Bulk Solids writes about options that can solve these problems and may be economically viable in the longer term.

TAILINGS DAMS ARE AN ECONOMIC solution to the management of refuse. The cost of tailings dams is somewhere in the range from $1 per tonne to $5 per tonne of tailings deposited, and, adding societies true cost, it could be argued the cost is actually between $2 per tonne and $10 per tonne. Indirect costs include: ongoing insurance, monitoring, groundwater contamination, dust contamination, and loss of real estate value in areas on and around the dams.

The main hazard the dams present is an unacceptable high historical rate of failure, which typically causes substantial losses, including the loss of lives. Failures occur due to: • I nadequate design and/or construction Mining tailings after dam collapse in Brumadinho, Brazil.

66 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

•R ainfall events in excess of the design allowances • Seismic activity causing re-liquefaction It is of major concern that tailings dam failures continue at a high rate.

Unfortunately, the number of major incidents continues at an average of more than one per year. During the last 10 years, the rate has been four per year. Similar data for the previous half century indicates a failure rate of two per year [1]. Tailings dams are supposed to last forever, but experience shows that minor and major spills pose a serious environmental threat that stays behind when the mine closes.

Several characteristics make tailings dams more vulnerable than other types of retention structures, namely:

•E mbankments formed by locally collected fills (soil, coarse waste, overburden from mining and tailings) •D ams subsequently raised as solid material coupled with a severe increase in effluent •L ack of regulations on specific design criteria •L ack of dam stability requirements regarding continuous monitoring and control during emplacement, construction, and operation •H igh cost of maintenance works for tailings dams after closure of mining activities •M ining industry changes mean the rates of refuse vary with market conditions (due to changes in yields from process plant and capacity of process plant). This means the planning

of dam raisings is often lacking during a cyclical mining boom •C hanges in mining and processing techniques are always occurring, and again the planning of dam raisings is often lacking due to unexpected capacity changes The main cause of historical dam failures was rainfall events, followed by occurrences associated with seismic liquefaction. Over 90 per cent of incidents occurred in active mine tailings dams, and only 10 per cent refer to abandoned dams.

Due to the nature of mining and mineral processing, the volumes of mining wastes are significantly larger than those of both domestic and industrial wastes. The material stored in tailings dams is usually very fine.

This material is placed hydraulically, is loose and is at, or above, the saturation moisture content. Any major movement of the retaining boundaries of the impoundment can induce shearing strains that disturb the structure of the tailings mass, inducing a rapid rise of pore water pressures and liquefaction of a section of the impoundment. An event like this can cause even greater pressures to be applied to the retaining boundaries.

Failure of the retaining dam can release liquefied tailings that can travel for great distances, and because of its greater specific weight, destroy everything in its path. Water will flow through and around buildings, but liquefied tailings can destroy the structures. Historically the tendency is for tailing dams to become ever higher and impoundments ever larger.

Why are we still building tailings dams?

Why does everyone keep building tailings dams? Governments demand bonds for their security, so the rehabilitation money is locked away at the start of the mine, and can’t be used creatively on alternatives.

A mining company will fully appreciate the cost of maintaining a disused tailings dam, especially one that can’t be acceptably rehabilitated because it continues to release leachates and consolidates, thus requiring maintenance to occur indefinitely. However, if ongoing

TABLE 1 SUMMARY OF COSTS COMPARISON COSTS

TAILINGS DAM

BOUND STABILIZED FILL

Direct

$1/t to $5/t

$6+$5+$2 to $5=13/t to $16/t

Indirect

$1/t to $5/t

No indirect costs

TOTAL

$2/t to $10/t

$13/t to $16/t

It can be shown that bound stabilised fill could increase the value of the land. If we look at a hypothetical location in rural Australia for a dam or filled area about 10 metres deep, this can be converted to a real estate cost.

TABLE 2 REAL ESTATE COSTS TAILINGS DAM

BOUND STABILIZED FILL

Land cost

$20/m2 to $100/m2

$130/m2 to $160/m2

Typical unimproved land value (rural)

Less than $0.5/m2

More than $0.5/m2

The results demonstrate there is little commercial viability for good bound stabilised sites.

monitoring and insurance for a tailings dam is say $0.01 per tonne, the total net present value over 30 years is $0.2 per tonne at five per cent discount rate. This indefinite cost is low and sustainable in the long term for many big mining firms who are planning on growth. The mining firm can rely on the fact that permanent consolidation of a tailings dam will occur, one day in the future.

Most decisions about tailings dams use a probability factorised cost for various potential failure events.

However, society should be wary of this, by learning from the loss of the Challenger Space Shuttle. This space vehicle was designed for a failure rate lower than 1 in a 100,000 event according to all the experts before the disastrous event involving the loss of the shuttle and its crew, but after investigation it turned out to be 1 in 100. This was an error in the failure rate estimate of 1,000 times, and it was not due to poor science, which was very detailed, but due to the variability of human behaviour, from the designer to the operators [2].

Many tailings dams around the world today claim to have catastrophic failure rates lower than one in a million, yet the actual statistics indicate this is overly optimistic by a few orders of magnitude.

What if we reconsider the indefinite time cost of a rehabilitated tailings dam, whether the rehabilitation was entirely successful or not (as defined

by negligible leachates escaping or maximum consolidation)? Statistically at some point in the next 10,000 years, an earthquake, volcano, 1 in 10,000-year flood, tsunami or any major event will occur at every tailings dam site. The risk of a catastrophic failure of a tailings dam, which is currently estimated as a one in a million event, has a one in a hundred chance of occurring in this timeframe. And if the one in a million evaluated risk was in error by 1,000 times, like the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster, then this catastrophic failure will occur 10 times, and society will have to clean it up 10 times.

Alternative disposal methods Tailings are a mixture of particles, water and chemicals left over from the processing plant. If it is ‘chemically bound’, it makes a solid. This ‘bound’ solid can be quite useful in construction and landfill as the noxious chemicals are locked in the solids matrix. For example, a steep valley could be made less steep to prevent erosion or an old mine pit could be filled, making the land more suitable.

As the most common binder is cement, suitable placement characteristics can be achieved with the addition of only two per cent cement by weight. At $285 per tonne, cement represents an additional cost to the tailing disposal system of less than $6 per tonne. The binding of particles in an

Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021 І 67

TAILINGS

Aerial view of the tailings dam and processing plant at a gold mine.

inert matrix can occur through different chemical reactions. For this assessment, we will assume that this binding occurs using standard grade cement.

Most binders are sensitive to the presence of water, especially where the binding reaction requires a specific concentration. If dewatering is not required, then the only additional cost will be the $6 per tonne. However, if dewatering is required the following additional cost will occur: •T hermal drying (which is expensive at $30 per tonne) •M echanical drying using belt press vacuum filters (which is less than $5 per tonne), or •A dding dry material such as fly-ash or ground blast furnace reject material.

The addition of this material at 25 per cent concentration may attract a cost of $5 per tonne.

The next cost after binding is materials

68 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

handling. In normal tailings dam systems, a slurry pipeline provides lowcost transport with centrifugal pumps and the flexibility of a short pipeline to get to the emplacement sites. A typical paste system including a binder to create useful landforms requires a paste pumping system or trucking. Pumping the tailings as a paste would add an extra cost of between of $2 to $5 per tonne.

Example of changing an industry from slurry to paste production The disposal of power station ash in Australia has been undergoing a significant shift in emphasis during the past ten years. In older power stations, fly ash and bottom ash were transported to a tailings dam in two purpose-built systems: •T he first system was for fly ash (dust).

The dust was removed from the boiler gas passes by either fabric filters or

precipitator collection systems. The dust was hydraulically evacuated from the fabric filters or precipitator storage hoppers on either an intermittent or continuous basis and sluiced to the dust plant. In the dust plant, the sluiced dust was mixed with large quantities of water and pumped using centrifugal pumps as lean phase slurry with a Cw (solids concentration by weight) <10 per cent.

•T he second system was for bottom ash, which was intermittently dumped from the wet bottom ash hopper into a sluiceway and sluiced to the ash plant. In the ash plant the sluiced bottom ash was first crushed to < 25 millimetres, mixed with large volumes of water and pumped using centrifugal pumps as lean phase slurry Cw (solids concentration by weight) <10 per cent.

The slurry pipelines discharge into a

the size is reduced to < 8 millimetres, is also pneumatically conveyed to the HCSD storage silo. The ash from the HCSD storage silo is mixed as high concentration slurry Cw of 63 per cent in a mixing plant and pumped using diaphragm pumps at a flow rate of 100 m3h-1 to the disposal site in a 150 millimetres diameter pipeline with a pressure of 3 megapascals.

Materials handling solution for alternative disposal to underground voids

tailings dam simply called the ash dam.

The water from the ash dam is recycled back to the power station for reuse. The water used for ash disposal systems could either be fresh or salt water depending on the power station location.

For newer power stations and as a retrofit to existing stations, an alternative ash disposal system is one where both the bottom ash and fly ash are mixed and pumped as high concentration slurry to a disposal site.

At a retrofit power station, fly ash is removed from the precipitators or fabric filters by a pneumatic conveying system and conveyed to a High Concentration Slurry Disposal (HCSD) storage silo.

The bottom ash is removed from the boilers by a dry removal system and after passing through a hammer mill, where

Using mineral processing tailings to produce paste backfill with a binder is well proven and documented in specific engineering publications, such as the Australian Centre for Geomechanics.

This field of extensive and proven commercially viable research is primarily aimed at increasing mining extraction ratios with structurally competent backfill.

An important way in which paste backfilling is beneficial is through reduction of adverse environmental effects of tailings dams. There are numerous underground mine voids being filled with tailings in Australia, South Africa and elsewhere. It is not always possible to put all tailings back underground due to insufficient underground voids, but tailings dam sizes can be significantly reduced.

Chemically bound and stabilised tailings are already status quo in metalliferous mining where improved mining efficiencies have justified the additional cost as a backfill.

In the coal industry in Europe, Deutsche Montan Technologie (DMT) developed a coal mine backfilling system that was installed in the 1990s at the Walsum Mine [3]. The mine is being backfilled with residual material from processing and combustion of coal, including incineration of domestic refuse and sewage sludge. This system had a mixing and pumping station on the surface which delivered a 100 m3 h-1 at 12 megapascals of paste according to specific criteria to match both desired high solids content and low-pressure loss. The paste is pumped through pipes to the coal faces

using powerful piston pump. This system successfully pumps the paste up to 12 kilometres through a 200 millimetres pipeline to the working face at a depth of 800 metres. The paste is deposited in the goaf by using trailing pipes. The paste accumulates in the collapsed mined area and does not flow to other areas of the mine. Unlike the conventional hydraulic stowing methods, there is no necessity to capture the conveying water and pump it back to the surface.

A paste for backfill can be prepared from refuse material from a coal washery, that is thickener underflow material and ground rejects. A paste pumping trial conducted at the University of Newcastle indicate the material comprising finely ground reject mixed with thickener underflow material can be pump at a Cw up to 75 per cent.

This paste could be left in the pipeline for long periods and the pumping system restarted, and it could be pumped long distance for depositing underground.

There are alternatives to tailings dams and these should be considered by any mine. Serious consideration should be given to the acceptance of one in a million failure rates with numerous failures of tailing dams resulting in loss of life, destruction of homes and infrastructure and environmental pollution. Although current practices attempt to mitigate these risks, claiming that catastrophic events are reduced to the level of one in a million or less, there is still some argument that this may not be enough, and may not be achievable when considering the longevity of the dam and human factors involved in design, building and maintenance.

The principle of returning the refuse to the place of origins as a backfill is a logical solution that should be pursued where possible. The principal of using dewatering, binder and paste pumping for dry-stacking new dams or landforms should be pursued to eliminate risks of tailings dams. Technologies to implement alternative methods exist and are proven. The additional cost of this could be justified by closely examining the true indirect costs.

References 1 https://www.wise-uranium.org/mdaf.

2F eynman R., “Personal Observations on the Reliability of the Shuttle” http://www.fotuva.org/feynman/challenger-appendix.htm1.

3M ez W., and Deguchi G., Goaf Cavity Filling. A Special Paste Backfill Method for the Coal Mining Industry, Power, Volume 49, No. 253, 1999, pp 56-62.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021 І 69

MEMBER PROFILE

I have been a member of ASBSH since...

it is a great way to stay up to date with what is happening in the bulk solids industry, as well as network with other materials handling professionals. I first joined because I had been working in other industries for a short time and wanted to refresh my knowledge of the industry quickly, and have stayed a member ever since.

when I was on the design team for a Pilbara Iron Ore mine, and worked on it from pre-feasibility through to commissioning, designing conveyor systems, chutes, and bins, as well as selecting components and managing their fabrication. Even now in a different role and with a different company I occasionally still get a chance to visit that site and see how things are functioning. It’s certainly very satisfying being able to see your ideas on paper come to fruition.

I got into bulk handling because...

My career highlight is...

I spent three months on site at a minerals sand mine for my work experience, and I was hooked. That site had both conveyors and pumping systems for transport, and one of the plants was on a barge – it opened my eyes to the variety of problems that are faced in bulk handling, and that every day in the industry would be different.

achieving my Chartered Status and registrations on a professional level as a recognition of my efforts in the field, and on a personal front, it would have to be the travel working in this field has afforded me.

2015

I am a member of ASBSH because...

MEMBER PROFILE:

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

We speak to Peter Copley, Engineering Manager at Conveyor Products & Solutions.

To join the ASBSH, visit bit.ly/3aibXNf

I am currently researching... materials – that’s a very general response I know but because of the variety of materials I use or specify in my current role I try to keep abreast of new developments that may have benefits in our industry.

The Australian Society for Bulk Solids Handling (ASBSH) aims to enhance the discipline of bulk solids handling through research, education and sound engineering practice. It aims to do this by • Promoting cooperation between universities, research establishments, consultants, equipment manufacturers, suppliers and industrial users.

• Encouraging research and development, technology transfer and training.

• Promoting education at the undergraduate level and continuing education at the postgraduate level.

• Holding national and international conferences at regular intervals.

70 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2021

The project I am most proud of is...

I love my current work because...

I’m always learning and solving problems – we often get boxed in by a variety of restraints from customers and its very satisfying to find that one piece of geometry, metallurgy or materials science that lets you achieve a solution that fits everyone’s needs. I also get asked for a wide range of advice – everything from simple idler fixes up to solving dynamic power problems on long, complex conveyor systems.

In my role it’s important to... listen – to my staff, customers and suppliers, be humble whilst doing so and be constructive with my responses.

Sometimes the best innovations can come from someone approaching a problem in a totally different way, so I try not to lead discussions too much with previous work.

I am inspired by... manufacturing and am a huge fan of How it’s Made – learning about how all the things around us get made is exciting for me and means I can help (or annoy) our manufacturing team with great ideas.

The most valuable lesson I have learned is... don’t always trust what your computer models are showing you – if at all possible have a look. It’s common for engineers to rely on our spreadsheets and software, but often times viewing the area on site, or talking with the right person will get you a special insight.

My plans for the future are... to continue learning and developing – I only took on my Engineering Manager role about 18 months ago, and while I feel I have a lot to bring to the role, I also know I have a lot to learn and a lot of skills I can improve on.

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

Spending time with my family – our little ones don’t leave room for much else currently.

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AGI.......................................................................................9 Allied Grain Systems.........................................................29 Altra Motion Australia ...................................... Front Cover Aspec Engineering ...........................................................33 Astec Australia .................................................................27 Aurora ..............................................................................21 BulkNet ............................................................................49 Concetti ............................................................................39 Dyna Engineering ............................................................54

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Floveyor ...........................................................................63 Gough Plastics .................................................................57 Kilic Engineering ..............................................................15

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TUNRA Bulk Solids Handling Research Associates ........37

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Reduce and Distance Plant Personnel while Boosting Output and Preventing Contamination with automated, enclosed bulk equipment and systems from Flexicon

Automated, sealed BULK-OUT® Discharger-Conveyor Systems replace multiple workers dumping hand-held bags manually, while preventing contamination.

Enclosed Bulk Bag Weigh Batch Systems feed a central weigh hopper mechanically, and remove weighed batches pneumatically, requiring labour only to attach/detach bulk bags.

Bulk Bag Discharging Systems can loosen solidified material and meter it into liquid streams (shown), screeners, size reduction equipment and continuous blenders—automatically.

Dual SWING-DOWN® Bulk Bag Fillers fed by weigh hoppers fill up to 40 bags per hour with only one operator connecting empty bags and one forklift removing full bags.

Flexicon Bulk Bag Filling Lines automatically dispense pallets, fill bulk bags, and disconnect/accumulate filled bags, minimising operator involvement.

TIP-TITE® Drum/Box Tippers seal, tip and mate a discharge cone to a gasketted hopper lid, open a slide gate and feed downstream processes— automatically and dust-free.

Flexicon automated equipment and systems can move your bulk materials at higher capacities with fewer personnel, cutting costs while distancing operators from one another.

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See the full range of fast-payback equipment at flexicon.com.au: Flexible Screw Conveyors, Tubular Cable Conveyors, Pneumatic Conveying Systems, Bulk Bag Unloaders, Bulk Bag Conditioners, Bulk Bag Fillers, Bag Dump Stations, Drum/Box/Container Tippers, Weigh Batching and Blending Systems, and Automated Plant-Wide Bulk Handling Systems