Australian Bulk Handling Review June 2022

www.bulkhandlingreview.com VOLUME 28, ISSUE 3 | MAY/JUNE 2022

In this issue: Special silo feature Thayer Scale enters AU market Fenders and mooring systems

Grain storage silos and conveyor systems specialists

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CONTENTS MAY/JUNE 2022

20

24

34

44

6 Industry news

26 Vortex Global makes conveying cement a glide

38 Ahrens’ industrial and rural infrastructure a standout

28 Turning a new page

40 Sowing the seeds of good design

30 Laser focused on accuracy

42 Manufacturing the modern silo

32 Tailoring the right skirting solutions

44 HE Silos keeps up with the trends

10 Growing grain infrastructure 12 A big impact on cost reduction 14 Kinder K-sure creates corrosion-free transfer zone at fertiliser plant 16 Engineering analysis to lagging performance

34 Thayer Scale enters Australian market

18 Belle Banne builds brand in WA

62 Marine fenders and mooring systems

20 Aurora recruits for strategic growth across Australia

66 ASBSH Member Profile: Andrew Kotzur

48 The differences between dry powder silos

22 Weatherable discharger aids bio-cleanup

SILOS AND STORAGE

50 BULKtalk: Selecting the right silos

24 Concetti feeds growth

36 Keeping an eye on the level

56 Improving storage silo reliability

46 Keeping flocculant free from fluid

GROWING GRAIN INFRASTRUCTURE When GrainCorp launched its ‘Project Regeneration’ initiative, designed to improve its network of grain storage sites, the company sought an experienced industry hand to help in the process. ABHR speaks with Allied Grain Systems’ managing director John White to learn how the company used its experience to deliver a rail loading and storage facility as part of the project.

For the full story, see page 10.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022 І 3

XXX

EDITORIAL

Published by:

11-15 Buckhurst St South Melbourne VIC 3205 T: 03 9690 8766 www.primecreativemedia.com.au

Back to the new normal

Publisher Christine Clancy E: christine.clancy@primecreative.com.au

It was around this time last year that the Australian Bulk Handling Review team was preparing its return to face to face with BULK2021.

Australian case numbers had dropped off, a vaccine was on the horizon, and things were starting to look up for the events industry.

Following some COVID-based delays, the show is now scheduled to go ahead in August 2022 and is set to reunite the industry.

The Australian Bulk Handling Expo gives the industry a chance to connect with industry leaders, innovators and customers, whether they specialise in agricultural silos or overland mining conveyors.

Attendees will have the opportunity to see the latest technology from suppliers around the globe and learn more about successful tools other sectors are implementing.

The show also features an industry conference, with some of the brightest minds in the industry exploring some of the common challenges facing the bulk handling sector.

In addition, BULK2022 will be the host of the Australian Bulk Handling Awards, the only awards event that recognises the individuals and companies that have gone above and beyond in the bulk handling industry.

To support the show, the next edition of ABHR will feature articles, interviews and coverage of the event and its exhibitors, along with a showcase of what is on offer.

It will also be the debut of a new special feature that will focus on Australian manufacturers of bulk materials handling equipment. If you would like to be involved, please get in touch.

We look forward to seeing you in person once again soon.

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, Aisling McComiskey Subscriptions T: 03 9690 8766 E: subscriptions@primecreative.com.au

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

4 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

William Arnott Editor - ABHR

Filling, Closing, Conveying, Palletizing, Service & Consumables •

Increase production performance & reliability

•

Reduce manual labour issues

•

Increase accuracy

•

Reduce health & safety risk

NEWS

CBH biofuel trial more efficient than fossil fuels THE CBH GROUP HAS ACHIEVED A significant reduction in greenhouse gasses following its first biofuel trial on a grain vessel exporting from Australia.

CBH Marketing and Trading partnered with Oldendorff Carriers to ship 30,000 tonnes of sustainably certified malting barley aboard the biofuel-powered Edwine Oldendorff in January 2022.

The trial found that the biofuel blend achieved a 14 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (against an estimated 15 per cent reduction) for its journey from Albany (Western Australia) to Vietnam compared to conventional fossil fuels.

The biofuel was also found to have no impact on the speed of the vessel or its engine performance.

The biofuel blend was supplied by integrated energy company BP and comprised 20 per cent biofuel, largely made from recycled cooking oils.

CBH Chief Marketing and Trading Officer Jason Craig said this is a fantastic result that will help pave the way for a more sustainable grains industry.

“The trial has gathered valuable information which will undoubtedly

The trial found that the biofuel blend achieved a 14 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

shape efforts to decarbonise the shipping industry,” Craig said.

“Reducing emissions along the supply chain is a massive task and we are proud to be working alongside our global partners to find a solution.”

The malting barley, which is accredited as sustainable under the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) program, was set for Vietnam’s leading malting company, Intermalt.

Intermalt services several brewing customers, the largest being Heineken, which has set a target of a carbon neutral value chain by 2040.

“This trial is one way we are making

sure we can continue to meet the increasing market demand for sustainable grain and keep our WA growers competitive,” Craig said.

Oldendorff Carriers Melbourne Managing Director, Ben Harper said, “We are very satisfied with the trial and consider it a successful demonstration of the sourcing, supply and combustion of the biofuel blend.”

“Given the reduced carbon input, reduced carbon emissions and the inspection of the engine equipment, we conclude that this voyage was performed in a more efficient manner than a similar voyage fully powered by fossil fuels,” he said.

REMA TIP TOP acquires German conveyor company REMA TIP TOP AG HAS ACQUIRED HEMPEL Industrievulkanisation GmbH & Co. KG, a conveyor technology company based in Southern Germany.

HEMPEL Industrievulkanisation has provided the installation, repair and splicing of rubber and PVC conveyor for 45 years.

It is also a service partner for the maintenance and renewal of conveyor systems, coating and repair of conveyor belt drums and idlers, and

6 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

wear protection technology.

“Both companies are linked by a longstanding partnership, which will be taken to the next level with the acquisition,” company owner Roy Hempel said, who started his career at REMA TIP TOP. Bodo Wein of REMA TIP TOP, who will support Roy Hempel on the management board, said service and solution orientation will continue to be the unrestricted focus of its thinking and business in the future.

HEMPEL Industrievulkanisation has provided the installation, repair and splicing of rubber and PVC conveyor for 45 years.

NEWS

ARTC selects consortium for Gowrie to Kagaru section of Inland Rail

Plenary Group, Clough, GS Engineering and Construction, Webuild and Service Stream, will deliver around 128 kilometres of new and upgraded rail track.

THE AUSTRALIAN RAIL TRACK Corporation (ARTC) has awarded a contract worth more than $5 billion to a consortium for the Gowrie to Kagaru section of Inland Rail.

The consortium, comprising Plenary Group, Clough, GS Engineering and Construction, Webuild and Service Stream, will deliver around 128 kilometres of new and upgraded rail track through the most geographically challenging section of the project.

It will include a 6.2-kilometre tunnel through the Great Dividing Range, the largest diameter freight tunnel in the southern hemisphere.

Being delivered as a public-private partnership (PPP), the contract will also include a 25-year maintenance phase after the completion of the section between Gowrie to Kagaru.

ARTC Inland Rail Interim Chief Executive Rebecca Pickering said the decision to select Regionerate Rail followed a two-year process with the best of international expertise competing to be part of the project.

8 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

“This landmark agreement is huge for Inland Rail and puts billions of dollars in stimulus, jobs and longterm economic growth on the table for Queensland – through construction, Inland Rail is expected to support more than 11,800 jobs and deliver a $7.8 billion boost to the state’s economy during construction and the over the forward operations,” Pickering said.

“This is an important step.

Regionerate Rail have been able to leverage their own considerable engineering expertise to produce truly innovative design and construction methods for this technically challenging project.

“I am looking forward to seeing their solution become a reality. This project is a game-changer for the way we will deliver freight around the nation and during the past two years we have been reminded time and time again how important our future supply chains are.”

Webuild Chief Executive Officer, Pietro Salin said Australia is one of its most strategic markets in the

world, given the opportunities that it offers in sustainable mobility and renewable energy.

“We are proud of Webuild’s involvement in Inland Rail, especially on the most technically complex section of the project. Our reputation continues to strengthen, built day in, day out by our people in a country that is one of the most demanding markets in terms of quality and expertise required,” Salin said.

“As a Group, we have been in Australia since the 1970s. We have gradually expanded our activities in a number of states, from Western Australia to New South Wales, from Victoria to Queensland.

“This latest project, after the North East Link in Melbourne, is the results of years of investment made in a country where we aim to consolidate our presence for the long term – as Australians in support of clients who face the challenges of delivering sustainable infrastructure of quality to their communities.”

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COVER STORY Allied Grain Systems helped deliver a new rail loading and storage facility for GrainCorp at Yamala.

Growing grain infrastructure

Allied Grain Systems delivered a rail loading and storage facility as part of GrainCorp’s Project Regeneration. ABHR speaks with Allied’s managing director John White to learn how the company uses its experience to deliver major grain projects.

WHEN GRAINCORP RECENTLY launched its ‘Project Regeneration’ initiative, designed to improve its network of grain storage sites, the company sought an experienced industry hand to help in the process.

And with more than more than 30 years’ experience in the grain storage and conveying industry, Allied Grain Systems fit the bill.

As part of GrainCorp’s initiative, a new rail loading and storage facility was to be constructed at Yamala, Queensland, that would feature extremely fast rail loading times.

10 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

Fortunately, Allied Grain Systems’ considerable experience included similar projects it had previously done for GrainCorp, the largest grain storage and handling facility on the east coast of Australia.

Allied Grain System managing director John White said the two companies had a strong relationship, and that his team was confident it could deliver the goods.

“We are market leaders in this field,” he told ABHR. “Our philosophy is to build a costeffective grain storage and handling systems that suit specific requirements,

will last, and take into consideration future needs to remain cost-effective to run and maintain – all without compromising quality.”

Allied Grain Systems’ contract with GrainCorp meant it had to deliver two 1000-tonne silos, two 100-tonne cone silos for weighing, a conveyor intake system (including 30-tonne capacity drive over hopper), an outloading conveyor to dual 100-tonne garner bins on weigh cells, and a rail car loading system with an automated swing chute.

The new facility needed to be ready by the 2019–20 harvest season, which White

Allied Grain Systems’ structural components are manufactured at its steel fabrication plant in Young, NSW, using Australian steel.

said was a tight timeframe.

“This meant our execution needed to be thoroughly planned,” he said.

Yamala is approximately 20km from Emerald in Queensland’s Central Highlands Region, and its remote location meant Allied needed to be nimble during the design and delivery. Its engineers started work on the plant, collaborating closely with GrainCorp to ensure all equipment would suit the application.

Regular meetings between the two organisations involved the sharing of 3D models and walkthroughs to show how the design was involving. This process

allowed GrainCorp’s engineers to provide input at each step of the way.

A big part of Allied’s approach was to avoid relying on third parties as much as possible, so it could have autonomy over the process.

In the grain industry, according to White, it’s especially important that clients know they can rely on you to deliver.

“We do things the way we want to do them and create our own standards and quality assurance as well,” he said.

“That means we don’t have to accept what others might perceive as normal; we strive to provide a higher quality.

“That means we own all of our construction equipment, including cranes and boomlifts, that we can take from project to project. We also maintain our own logistics, with a fleet of semi-trailers to deliver everything to site.”

All of Allied Grain Systems’ structural components are manufactured at its steel fabrication plant in Young, NSW, using Australian steel. Over the past two years, the company has doubled its workshop capacity at the site and purchased new offices to accommodate its expanding engineering team.

This self-sufficiency helps Allied know exactly what needs to be done and makes handling the logistics of a remote site delivery significantly easier.

Construction on GrainCorp’s Yamala facility was completed in October 2020, in

time for the upcoming 2020-2021 harvest.

White said Allied was always learning on each job to find where it can do better in following projects.

“We learned a bit more on how to deploy our structural connections quicker, to help our site construction crews when it comes to the assembly process,” he said.

“We bring a lot of our experience and knowledge to the table when it comes to grain-handling projects. There are very few projects we haven’t done previously, and we stick to what we know – we don’t do any mining work or subcontract out structural steel.

“The whole company is focused and developed to servicing the grain industry.”

Much of Allied Grain Systems’ staff have been with the company for years.

It encourages development within the company, with an apprentice scheme to internally produce tradespeople who are then encouraged on to learn project management or engineering skills.

The company is currently helping deliver a grain export facility for T-Ports at Wallaroo, South Australia. As part of the project, Allied will deliver 20,500 tonnes of storage at the port itself with around 240,000 tonnes of storage nearby at a bunker site, along with a 500m rock causeway with a conveyor to a shiploader to load a transhipment vessel.

White said the company excels at these kinds of projects and is excited to continue growing its fabrication capabilities.

Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022 І 11

COVER STORY

A big impact on cost reduction When the material being loaded onto the conveyor belt is heavy, sharp-edged and/or abrasive, it can cause expensive damage to the rollers and belt itself. This can often result in unscheduled stoppages, but there is a relatively inexpensive solution.

THE LOADING SECTION ON A conveyor belt is where major, costly damage can occur to rollers, the conveyor belt and shock transfer to the entire conveyor structure.

Impact bars and beds are often installed to absorb impact from material being loaded onto the belt, thereby eliminating roller damage, and dramatically reducing belt and structural damage.

Two major components are used in the fabrication and assembly of an impact bed. The longitudinal Impact bars which provide a low friction sliding surface between the impact bed and the rubber belt travelling over it. The other is the robust steel bed frame supporting them, which features a modular pin-lock system for easy assembly and disassembly.

Impact bars DYNA Engineering’s Impact Bars provide significant wear resistance and sliding properties due to the ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) wear strip on the top of each bar, which is ultra elastic rubber-backed to absorb impact.

It is then joined by hot vulcanising during the manufacturing process to the aluminium T-Tracker channel to ensure strong, reliable adhesion. Its

Thomas Greaves, General Manager for DYNA Engineering

12 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

Heavy duty impact beds are constructed from heavy gauge material to withstand the impact from oversized, large and heavy material.

design allows many clamping points along the bar which can easily be cut to any required length.

Impact beds DYNA Engineering’s DYNA-TRAC impact beds are custom-designed to suit site requirements and incorporate a modular pin-lock system, engineered for the easy replacement of worn impact bars. The company found that the system worked so well that it is now deployed across the entire impact bed.

The pins can also be removed without any tools and the bars can replaced without removing the bed from the conveyor.

The sides of the impact beds can also be lowered to a horizontal position to add additional clearance and support in the removal of the impact bars. The ability to lower the sides of the impact bed also assists with installation and removal.

When maintenance is required, the wings on both sides can be lowered by removing the pins from the supporting links. From there, the side impact bars can be easily slid sideways out of the supporting arms. The impact bars and even the entire bed can be removed without the need to raise the belt.

Popular styles Hybrid Impact Bed DYNA-TRAC impact beds can incorporate impact rollers in the design. This allows the use of impact rollers and adds additional support from the side bars. The design offers a greater level of control along the edge of the belt. Hybrid impact beds assist in maintaining the seal between the skirting rubber and the conveyor belt and helps reduce belt sag and movement associated with load shifts.

Heavy duty impact beds are constructed from heavy gauge material to withstand the impact from oversized, large and heavy material. The design incorporates a fully welded, heavy gauge steel plate frame, large diameter pins and highly absorbent impact bars.

Thomas Greaves, General Manager for DYNA Engineering, said focusing on using better, safer, more environmentally friendly materials in their design and manufacture of future conveyor products is of paramount importance.

“We’re great believers in engineering improvements emanating directly from those using it first-hand,” Greaves said.

“Our products aren’t designed overnight, they have been developed,

improved and put together over a number of years. We’re hugely focused on safety and cost reductions when it comes to new product development and innovations.

“Take this new UHMWPE we’re using in our impact bars for example.

It is an extremely tough material with the highest impact strength of any thermoplastic presently made. So, it will last a very long time and need replacing way less often.”

UHMWPE is odorless, tasteless, and nontoxic. It benefits from the same characteristics and environmental benefits of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) with the added traits of being resistant to concentrated acids and alkalis, as well as numerous organic solvents.

It is highly resistant to many corrosive chemicals, has extremely low moisture absorption and a very low coefficient of friction, is self-lubricating and is highly resistant to abrasion.

Greaves said in some forms, UHMWPE is 15 times more resistant to abrasion than carbon steel.

“And it’s a whole lot less damaging environmentally,” he said.

DYNA Engineering has been specialising in the design and

manufacture of quality conveyor components since 1986. The company’s key business focus now is on innovations for bulk material companies to be able to operate their conveyor systems while improving the environmental impact of their operations.

The impact bars and bed have been installed to absorb impact from material being loaded onto the belt thereby eliminating roller damage and dramatically reducing belt and structural damage.

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TRANSFER POINTS

Kinder K-sure creates corrosion-free transfer zone at fertiliser plant When a Toowoomba-based fertiliser supplier needed help fighting rust and corrosion, it turned to Kinder Australia for the answer.

TIM STORER WAS ON THE way to the airport to head home after meeting with a distributor in south-east Queensland.

But before the Kinder Australia field application specialist could catch his flight, he received a phone call from a local supplier of fertiliser-blended products.

Storer’s role means it’s job to visit bulk material handling sites to qualify and quantify the problems they are facing and to provide solutions. After a quick discussion in the car, he made a U-turn and headed towards the site.

The client’s core business relies on various material blends, such as phosphate and calcium, processed and mixed in the plant’s hopper.

The finished fertiliser product is then bagged and sent to nearby shopping retail outlets.

Storer said the moment he walked into the bagging house, the issue was evident.

“Spillage had become a serious problem at the site, to the point where

the fugitive material had created a false floor which was a O/S issue.

Looking at all the machinery, there were clear signs of significant rust and corrosion,” he said.

“The technology used in the plant was older and couldn’t keep up with the amount throughput required.”

The plant used steel idler frames with soft rubber skirting for its primary line of support within transfer point areas. Site inspections found the highhumidity environment and atmosphere generated within the hopper from blended materials was a key contributor to the rust and corrosion damaging critical plant and equipment.

Corrosive rust present on the idler frames was so severe that the frames were ready to collapse, a situation that could cause production havoc and short-term shutdowns for the operator.

Belt sag between the idlers was also identified as a key area for rectification. The material being loaded was not being adequately supported, which caused The system after the K-Sure and K-Snap-Loc were installed.

skirting to lift away from the belt line.

This caused major spillage and product loss, with up to one tonne of product written off each season, not to mention additional maintenance and clean-up costs to remove spillage.

After a thorough audit, Storer recommended Kinder’s conveyor belt support and skirting solution.

“Because of the nature of the system, they needed to control the load and capacity,” he said. “Due to the corrosive nature of the fertiliser blend, we switched from mild steel to stainless steel, introduced the slider rail and got rid of all of the rollers and moving components.

“The installation of stainless-steel idler frames and brackets ensured rust and corrosion wouldn’t be an issue.

“The K-Sure Belt Support System also made it so the material had nowhere to go, improving the K-SnapLoc skirting system effectiveness.”

The K-Snap-Loc Dust Seal System is made from engineered polyurethane which can withstand high abrasive and high-temperature applications. It has an inherent “memory-set” that is used to apply downward pressure onto the belt’s surface to create a fine tight seal, without the need for manual adjustment.

Storer said fitting the K-Snap-Loc took around five minutes, with no specialised tools required to replace it.

One of the key things that sets it apart from other skirting systems is the way it lays in on the belt, conforming to whatever is sitting underneath it. In tandem with Kinder’s belt support system, the skirt can stay in one position to contain the material and its polyurethane places less stress on the belt than rubber does.

14 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

Following the installation, the targeted area of the plant now runs cost-effectively at full capacity, without issue.

Storer said material spillage has dropped from one tonne per season to around one kg, which is likely to be from loading the hopper above.

“I’ve been in contact with the site over the past 12 months to see if they were happy, or if there were any modifications required. They’re happy to report everything is working amazingly well,” he said.

“We followed up with another site visit to make sure everything was working as intended. They have a good understanding for what they need to do, and we offer fully after sales support if they require it.”

Kinder has a full engineering team that works with field application specialists to determine the most effective solutions. The team will work with clients to develop concepts,

The presence of corrosive rust caused conveyor componentry damage.

provide preliminary drawings, and can make adjustments where needed.

The company can manufacture its components locally or overseas, depending on how fast the components are required.

Storer said he plans to do many more day trips to Queensland, Victoria, and the Northern Territory.

“It doesn’t take us long to find the cause of the problems,” he said. “Our

field teams are highly experienced and have developed an eye for finding the problem.

“We also work across a wide range of industries. We might be down at a quarry in the morning, at a woodchipper for lunch and visit a fertiliser plant in the afternoon.

“Our team have experience working with plenty of machines and are eager to show how we can help.”

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PULLEY LAGGING

Engineering analysis to lagging performance Elastotec, a specialist in pulley lagging, has partnered with TUNRA Bulk Solids and the University of Newcastle to better understand how close to the fatigue limit lagging is operating.

AS CONVEYOR DESIGNERS WORK to increase capacity, the demand for more power transfer has also increased.

This can be seen in high-performance gearless drive conveyors, where drive power has increased steadily from 3MW to 6MW, with some engineers even planning to move to 10MW drives.

This power transfer is done through the pulley lagging and while the technology has developed, engineers do not entirely know how the stresses develop in the interphase. There is limited understanding of friction limits between both surfaces and how the different operating conditions affect the distribution of the stresses.

There are recurrent lagging failures in the field mainly on drive pulleys and non-drive High Tension Bend pulleys.

These two pulley types have the highest concentration of shear stresses. Drive pulleys have high localised shear stresses due to the difference in incoming and outgoing tension of the belt. High tension bend pulleys due to uneven tension along the face width due to belt cover wear and carry back. These high concentrations of stresses come not only from design but also from changes in operating conditions.

Stresses at the interphase are cyclic.

Pulley lagging operates in a dynamic application where a load is applied in a normal direction and in a shear direction to the lagging and is then removed each time the pulley goes through one revolution. This causes deterioration of the lagging when the lagging fatigue limit is reached and adhesion of the lagging to the pulley shell resulting in failures that affect conveyor availability.

Conveyor designers want to know the limits of power transfer that pulley lagging can handle and the service life at which pulleys can perform reliably

16 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

under these increased loads and different operating conditions. Currently, the fatigue limits are unknown for: a. pulley lagging bonding systems to pulley shell b. pulley lagging intrinsic fatigue limits Behaviour of the interphase has an impact on pulley service life but more important, on the conveyor belt life, which is one of the most expensive components of any conveyor.

Examples of this are: • Localised slippage on drive pulleys causing belt cover damage • Belt cords differential radius along face width on high tension bend pulleys due to lagging wear, belt cover wear or carry back causing premature belt splice failure and cord damage in the main body of the belt.

The combination of the cyclic shear stresses developed and the lagging fatigue life when exposed to these stresses will determine the limits of the lagging capability to perform. Understanding these

limits will provide engineering companies with solid and reliable input information when designing conveyors or dealing with pulley lagging premature failures.

Elastotec is a global pulley lagging specialist committed to providing long lasting solutions to the mining industry.

The company has embarked in a fiveyear research and development project in conjunction with TUNRA Bulk Solids and the University of Newcastle to understand what happens at the interphase between lagging and belt and provide the engineering support required for lagging selection that ensures performance.

The end goal of the project is the development of a Lagging Selection and Lagging Performance software tool that provides provide the engineering analysis to ensure performance of lagging selection.

Once this tool is developed using theoretical modelling and Finite Element Analysis (FEA), in collaboration with conveyor design specialists Overland

Performance envelope showing if the lagging in the application is operating in a safe zone.

Deterioration of the lagging occurs when the lagging fatigue limit is reached.

conveyor and Conveyor Dynamics, the next step will be to calibrate every aspect of the tool to precisely understand what happens in the conveyor.

This will require lab testing, characterising of the rubber compounds

with Edurica as a partner, testing bind systems fatigue limits, and lagging friction limits. Following this, a test rig will be designed and built-in conjunction with TUNRA. The rig will test new and worn belts with a 400 to 4000 kN/m rating, with a drive pulley of 1500mm and a belt width of up to 1200mm. It will feature an interchangeable pulley lagging surface, and test the dynamic fatigue of the belt splices with nominal breaking forces between 3500 to 6500 kN/m with the installed pulleys.

Multi-axis load cells will be installed axially along the pulley face under the lagging shell to measure the force acting on the lagging surface.

The last step of validation will see a pulley with sensors installed in the field to gather real world data.

Mariana Ballestrin, pulley lagging business development manager at Elastotec, said pulley lagging is currently selected based on historical information.

“There is no engineering analysis to help determine if the lagging will tolerate

the stresses developed at the interphase of the lagging and belt,” Ballestrin said.

“In many cases, pulleys fail due to lagging. Conveyors need to stop due to lagging failures. The consequence of this is loss in production output. There’s a need for a different approach.

“Lagging is not a consumable.

Lagging designed and engineered to perform lasts as long as the mechanical components of the pulley eliminating failures due to pulley lagging and increasing production output.”

Engineering a better tomorrow

enquiries@page-macrae.co.nz www.page-macrae.co.nz

The friction rig will test new and worn belts with a 400 to 4000 kN/m rating.

ROLLERS

Belle Banne builds brand in WA Having established a new facility in WA, ABHR speaks with Daniel Weekes and John McKimmie from Belle Banne Conveyor Products to discover more about the business’ westward growth.

BELLE BANNE PRODUCTS have been successfully used in the Australian materials handling industry since the 1960s. Belle Banne products have proven themselves throughout a diverse range of industries including coal and iron ore mining, power generation, shipping terminals, hard rock and quarry applications. Belle Banne Conveyor Products (BBCP) continues this legacy.

A fully Australian-owned entity, BBCP was established in 2009 to continue the supply of Belle Banne OEM products. Since this time, BBCP has undergone significant growth, recently opening a new facility in Western Australia.

BBCP’s managing director Daniel Weekes said part of this growth could be attributed to the company’s product design capabilities.

“Our clients are building bigger belts that run at faster speeds and achieving higher product throughput,” he said.

“To support that, we continually invest into research and development to create conveyor products that can handle the increasingly demanding requirements.”

“In the same vein, our customers are looking to reduce their maintenance downtime, and for safer products that reduce the risk of injury on-site.”

This feedback has led to the design of several reduced-weight and maintenance friendly products, such as the BBCP Torsion Plough. The plough also uses a two-piece torsion arm that can be unbolted from the pole, significantly reducing the time it takes to replace. In addition, replacing the plough doesn’t require the use of hot works, removing a high-risk activity from routine maintenance.

BBCP’s R&D has resulted in safety improvements for plant maintainers – showcased by BBCP’s new LITE range of belt cleaner poles and components.

Working in conjunction with its

18 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

BBCP Ultraroll is engineered in Perth and manufactured in a distinctive pink colouring.

“Our clients are building bigger belts that run at faster speeds and achieving higher product throughput. To support that, we continually invest into research and development to create conveyor products that can handle the increasingly demanding requirements.” research partners, BBCP has developed a proprietary alloy that maintains the strength and durability requirements of components traditionally manufactured from steel. The significant reduction in overall weight, coupled with improved corrosion resistance result in equipment up to 70 per cent lighter than their traditional counterparts.

Another key lightweight product is the BBCP Ultraroll, a composite roller that uses a glass-reinforced high-density polyethylene (HDPE) shell with reinforced, friction-welded composite bearing housings in place.

This design and method of manufacturing ensures there is no risk of housings separating over time from factors such as heavy loading, moisture ingress or thermal expansion. The combination of the bearing housing material and the geometric design ensures that, in the event of shell failure, there is no hard, sharp edge that can “pizza cut” the belt.

BBCP recently won a major supply contract for BHP’s South Flank Plant Conveyor project, due in part to the Ultraroll product.

Weekes said the roller was engineered in Perth and manufactured in a distinctive pink colouring.

“Pink is Belle Banne’s signature colour, as part of our efforts to increase cancer awareness,” he explained.

“Several of our employees have had cancer, and we donate a percentage of the proceeds from each idler to national breast, prostate, and melanoma cancer research foundations.”

Western expansion Over half of the company’s clients are based in WA, and the costs of travel and freight to the region are considerable. The Perth facility was opened in 2020 as part of a strategic decision to support our existing customers and broaden our conveyor product and engineering service offering.

John McKimmie, BBCP’s general manager of WA operations, said the company wanted to better support the local industry.

“Our equipment can handle the heavy-duty nature of the iron ore industry. It’s a punishing environment, with hard rock and high tonnage throughputs,” McKimmie said.

“There are also the high ambient temperatures and the cyclonic winds and rains that can hit the region.

“We have designed our equipment using quality materials that won’t falter under those conditions.”

The WA branch, which has already expanded its staff in the short time it’s been up and running, can offer expert local engineering, design drafting and technical support.

“As a business, we look forward to expand on delivering our current high level of service and support to the WA materials handling industry” McKimmie said.

AUTOMATION

Aurora recruits for strategic growth across Australia Aurora provides equipment for bag filling, closing, conveying, palletising, wrapping/hooding.

Industrial packaging specialists Aurora Process Solutions are expanding across Australia. ABHR speaks with one of the company’s new Australian business development managers, Jason Terry, to learn more.

JASON TERRY IS NO STRANGER TO travelling across Australia. Growing up on a dairy farm in country New South Wales, he enjoys visiting small businesses in regional and remote areas on the east coast.

These frequent visits are part of his role as one of Aurora’s business development managers in Australia. The company provides semi- and fullyautomated packaging equipment for small to medium bulk commodity producers across Oceania.

“Aurora provides equipment for bag filling, closing, conveying, palletising, wrapping/hooding,” Terry said. “Our company looks after industries that are working with heavy bulk bags, like grain and feed, fertiliser, sand, cement – those sorts of things.”

20 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

“These bags can weigh from 20 kgs to 1 tonne, which can be difficult for employees to manage. If you can automate this sort of handling, you free up people for more productive jobs that aren’t as physically taxing or dangerous.”

Aurora focuses on non-corporate small to medium business across Australia, often out in the bush. These businesses are often family-owned and incredibly busy, with key staff performing multiple roles.

Changing technology and processes requires trust, which makes genuine connections with these hard-working people such a vital tool to Terry.

“You need to see and understand the environment and market they are operating in,” he said. “It can be hard to understand needs over the

phone, and you need to show you are committed to a continued relationship – not a one-off job.”

Reliability is one of the key things Aurora’s clients are looking for.

Purchasing new equipment comes with a capital expenditure investment, which could be significant for a small business.

Many of them want to do their due diligence on the technology that will be installed and how long it will last.

Braden Goddin, sales manager at Aurora, said Terry’s career in the Australian military and as a communications specialist at the United Nations has provided him with a highly qualified skillset to steer Aurora’s growth across Australia.

“This includes the ability for cleareyed execution on strategy, the ability

to connect effectively with people at all levels from the ground up, sustain a high work ethic, and the invaluable ability to roll his sleeves up and just get things done for our clients,” Goddin said.

Aurora’s team will work closely with its clients to provide detailed return on investment (ROI) calculations.

In many situations, the benefits of automating a pallet stacking or bag filling process can be surprising.

Less time, effort and money need to be spent on manual labour and its

Aurora’s team will work closely with its clients to provide detailed return on investment calculations.

associated costs – such as recruitment, management, superannuation, leave, and the cost of rework.

“There are always unknowns when you are making big purchasing decisions like this, which is why we try to give our clients as much detail as possible and let them take their time,” Terry said.

“They have direct access to our technical staff, directors, service technicians and anyone else at Aurora who can provide help and guidance when they need it. We like to use detailed designs, 3D animations and even mixed-reality models to help everyone visualise what the process will look like within their factories.

“First time automators can also speak and visit other companies that have worked with us to see what the outcomes and experience has been both across Australia and internationally.

Some of our previous clients have tripled their output, lowered costs and significantly improved reliability – all

Aurora focuses on non-corporate small to medium business across Australia, often out in the bush.

without increasing staff requirements.”

“We know a lot of business owners are finding things difficult now regarding recruiting and retaining rural manual labour. There are a few ways we can help, from visiting and discussing ideas and how we see the rest of the industry is managing it, through to helping businesses take advantage of various government incentives.

We love working with these people, they are the backbone of the country and its very satisfying to have a small part in their growth and success.”

BULK BAG DISCHARGERS

Weatherable discharger aids bio-cleanup Flexicon has supplied a bulk bag discharger system to help a US-based company treat contaminated groundwater.

TO TREAT CONTAMINATED groundwater at a New Jersey site, XDD Environmental designed and built a system that discharges high volumes of sodium bicarbonate from bulk bags automatically.

The system pumps water from the ground, adds a variety of amendments to it, and re-injects the treated water into a different area of the site. The treated water promotes the growth of naturally occurring bacteria in the soil, which break down the contaminants.

Sodium bicarbonate acts as a pH buffer in the groundwater, which becomes more acidic as the bacteria metabolise the contaminants.

Scott Crawford, senior project manager at XDD, said the process gives the bacteria a better environment, allowing it to thrive.

“Normally, we would take a bulk bag of sodium bicarbonate and manually add it to a mixing tank, but in this case, we had to deliver it in near-continuous fashion,” Crawford said. “There was no way to make those additions manually.”

To accomplish the task automatically, the company installed a BULK-OUT bulk bag discharger from Flexicon.

The treatment system pumps between 75 and 227L of groundwater per minute into a 15,141L tank. There it is treated with sodium bicarbonate and pumped out at the same rate.

Downstream, additions of emulsified oil and other amendments are made, and the treated water is injected into the ground. This semi-continuous process consumes four to five tonnes of sodium bicarbonate per eight-hour day.

Crawford’s specifications for the discharger focused on durability. “It operates outside, so we needed it to be rugged. It had to take a lot of abuse and

22 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

A fork truck holds the bulk bag over the half frame discharger while the flexible screw conveyor moves sodium bicarbonate to the mixing tank.

stand up for a 3-year project life.”

It also needed to remain stable on rough ground and be easy to move. The company opted for a half-frame unit with a separate bag-lifting bracket to be raised using a forklift.

“A stable concrete pad for anchoring equipment with a high centre of gravity isn’t available, so we went with a low-

profile, quasi-manual system that we can move closer to other treatment areas when needed,” Crawford said.

At the hopper’s outlet, a 4.5m long Model 1500 BEV-CON flexible screw conveyor elevates the sodium bicarbonate to the 3m high mixing tank. The conveyor’s screw geometry is designed to handle difficult materials.

“No one has to climb a ladder to the mixing tank, and the hatch and grate at the bag station free the operators from having to balance bags on their knees.

The operators running the discharger and conveyor have limited experience with any kind of powder handling, so the system needed to be very simple to operate.”

Variable speed enables the operator to adjust the flow of sodium carbonate to match the flow of water.

“We want to feed the bicarbonate at a rate that it can dissolve

adequately,” Crawford said.

“On site, we set the right blending ratio, and all we need to do is keep an eye on the bag. When it’s empty, we put a new bag on.”

The brief downtime between bags has no impact on the process.

The discharger’s hopper incorporates a bag dump station for adding 25kg bags of trace nutrients.

Crawford said, “No one has to climb a ladder to the mixing tank, and the hatch and grate at the bag station free the operators from having to balance bags on their knees.

“The operators running the discharger and conveyor have limited experience with any kind of powder

handling, so the system needed to be very simple to operate.”

The discharger’s PLC communicates with the larger treatment system. If, for example, the proximity level switch senses a low level in the hopper, the conveyor stops. That information is shared system-wide, triggering the pumps and other equipment to pause until the issue is corrected. XDD can monitor the operation from their offices in New Hampshire.

“We can log into the system by PLC interface and see what the flow rate is and what the alarm conditions are. If the operators have any issues with the system, they can contact us, and we’ll help get them back up and running.”

Air-cushion BELT CONVEYOR Both belt and product are carried on a cushion of air

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Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022 І 23

PACKAGING

Concetti feeds growth As part of a major upgrade, BEC Feed Solutions purchased a Concetti packaging line. ABHR speaks with Mark Fitzgerald, general manager of premix and feed additives, to learn more.

IN EARLY 2020, BEC FEED Solutions began building its advanced manufacturing facility, a project that had been in the works for more than five years.

The project aimed to consolidate the company’s two sites in Carole Park, Queensland, and incorporate a new manufacturing plant, warehouse and adjoining two storey office building.

Mark Fitzgerald, BEC Feed Solutions’ general manager of premix and feed additives for Australia and New Zealand, travelled to Europe to speak with manufacturers that could provide an integrated packing line for the new facility.

“We wanted to include a high-quality, automated packing solution to match the manufacturing plant,” he said.

“After visiting several installations and speaking to other major players in the market, we decided to go with Concetti.”

Concetti is an Italian manufacturer of automatic bagging systems, and according to Fitzgerald, are regarded as a global leader for packaging pre-mix. As discussions continued, Fitzgerald visited Italy twice to see the equipment and spoke to other Australian business who had installed Concetti’s packaging products.

One of the key prerequisites for the

The company decided to purchase an IGF 1200 from Concetti.

project was local support. BEC Feed Solutions wanted to ensure that there would be qualified support available in case of a breakdown.

Concetti has since partnered with Melbourne-based company Automaint, who handles the technical and maintenance support for the Italian company in Australia.

Another important factor was maintaining and improving product quality. Fitzgerald said the quality of the manufacturing process and final product

BEC Feed Solutions began building its advanced manufacturing facility in Carole Park, Queensland.

24 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

is paramount in the feed industry.

“Maintaining quality is really important, and part of the challenge is related to reducing cross contamination between different products,” he said.

“There are some ingredients that may be fine for pigs but can’t be used for horses, for example. We needed to segregate and reduce the risk of contamination, which was the reason we wanted two manufacturing lines.”

Because the business uses two manufacturing lines, it only had space for one packaging line. The company decided to purchase an IGF 1200, which features two packing heads and can handle the two lines without cross contamination with selectable filling spouts.

The packing line automatically cleans the packing head and provides easy access to the filling auger. This makes the plant easy to clean, significantly reducing the risk of cross contamination.

Fitzgerald said that previously to installing the IGF GEMINI, around 80 per cent of the packaging process was performed manually. Now, the process is semi-automated, requiring no human intervention to weigh, fill, stitch, or palletise the bags.

Mark Fitzgerald, BEC Feed Solutions’ general manager of premix and feed additives for Australia and NZ.

“The only point where physical intervention is required is loading the machine,” he said.

“The machine can also handle the wide range of products we produce, which all vary significantly in bulk density, weight and pack size.

“It can easily go from a six kg bag to a 25kg one – there isn’t many plants that can handle that amount of versatility.”

One of the challenges that arose during the project was the COVID-19

pandemic, and the numerous border lockdowns. In early 2020, Italy had been hit hard by the coronavirus. The original plan of sending technicians from Italy to Queensland had to be altered, and BEC Feed Solutions staff could not travel to the factory for training and testing.

Instead, under remote instruction from Concetti staff, Automaint and a Brisbane-based engineering company installed and commissioned the plant.

Fitzgerald said the lockdown was difficult for the entire industry, and Concetti has now been able to send its technicians to the site for further finetuning and training.

“It’s hard to train people remotely, and we knew that the conditions weren’t going to be optimal,” he said.

“However, since the visit from the technicians, we have been really pleased with how the plant has been running.

“Our staff were also able to learn more from the training they provided and are now able to use some of

the more advanced knowledge to improve the process.”

The palletisation of the final product has significantly improved thanks to the 4Column palletiser. The quality and appearance of packaging is important for BEC Feed Solution’s customers and has eliminated the risks that come with hand stacking pallets.

Fitzgerald said the relationship between the two companies has remained strong, with BEC Feed Solutions now becoming a reference for other potential Concetti customers in Australia and New Zealand.

“We’ve had people from the stockfeed, cement, sand and salt industries inspect the packing line,” he said.

“We’re really happy to be a reference point and have that connection with the industry. The opportunities for growth with Concetti can only be a good thing for us and we’re excited to be working with global leaders in the sector.”

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CONVEYORS

Vortex Global makes conveying cement a glide To make handling dry cement easier, Vortex Global has designed a new air-gravity conveyor system.

HANDLING CEMENT IS A notoriously difficult process, as it tends to clump together into a solid mass. This can create plugs that block processes and are hard to move.

Vortex Global, a manufacturer of loading spouts, slide gates and other equipment for the dry bulk solids sector, listened to its customers in the cement industry. They wanted a better way to convey the material that was simple, gentle and easy to maintain.

The solution Vortex Global developed was the Aero-Slide.

The Aero-Slide is an air-gravity conveyor, which consists of a rectangular chamber separated by an air-permeable, porous media. The media is placed along a horizontal plane to separate two chambers within the conveyor.

An upper chamber handles the material being conveyed while the lower chamber handles the compressed air. A positive fan or blower injects low pressure, dry air into the lower chamber, which then permeates upward through the porous media. When the air is counterbalanced by gravity, the material flows downstream in a fluidised/aerated form, across a surface similar to an air hockey table.

Laurence Millington, Vortex Global’s managing director, said this method makes cement easier to move.

The Aero-Drum valve is designed specifically for use with the Aero-Slide conveyors.

26 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

“Compressed air is relatively inexpensive as a commodity, and the system – once it has been switched on – contains everything within. No dust can escape,” he said.

“It’s a very simple system. There are minimal moving parts and the only wear that occurs is on the bottom mesh.

It’s been designed for longevity and to be maintenance friendly.

“Our ethos for manufacturing is to create products that are well designed, made from high quality materials and are engineered to remove issues for our customers.”

Gravity does helps move the material, with most Aero-Slides installed at around six to eight degrees downward to be effective.

Air-gravity conveyors are used to handle a variety of dry, light-weight, easily fluidised powders, such as activated carbon, alumina, bentonite, calcium carbonate, cement, clays, detergent powders, or talc. A general rule of thumb is that the particle size is normally smaller than 50 mesh.

When designing an air-gravity conveyor system, the types of metering gates that control the flow of material are a key consideration. Typically, material is introduced from a bin or silo by opening a slide gate at the bottom of the vessel. The fine material is then aerated and flows into the conveyor.

Vortex Global has also developed the Aero-Drum valve, specifically for use with the Aero-Slide conveyors. The valve can be operated through electric, manual, or pneumatic actuators and does not use the traditional ‘v-notch’. Instead, the drum opening is a parabolic curve that is symmetrical from either side, allowing the drum to be positioned in a full-open or full-closed position.

The internal drum seal is made of needled polyester, increasing rigidity and

The Aero-Slide is an air-gravity conveyor, which consists of a rectangular chamber separated by an air-permeable, porous media.

offering high abrasion resistance. To make maintenance easier, the valve contains a split inlet flange that can be removed independently from the valve body.

One of Vortex’s customers was concerned that a simple, vertically mounted air slide gate would not be able to completely seal material and thus create a cross-contamination issue.

The Vortex drum valve was chosen to act as a flow control and a shut valve for the application, which has worked well for the customer’s application.

Millington said the company is always looking for new opportunities and products to solve its customers’ problems.

“We have a designated team of engineers that are looking at different things we can design to improve our offering,” he said.

“If we can provide better gate valves, loading spouts and conveyors, we can build a system that will offer better results.”

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GRABS

Turning a new page Page Macrae Engineering has changed how it engages with its customers following the COVID-19 shutdowns.

ABHR speaks with Peter Swan, the company’s GM of sales and marketing, to find out how this new strategy is advancing its product development.

THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS CAUSED significant stress to businesses of all types. Those that could move to a workfrom-home model were forced to adapt, while essential worksites needed to jump through new hoops.

Peter Swan, the general manager of sales and marketing at Page Macrae Engineering, said that businesses have entered “the new normal,” and believes that things will not go back to the way they were done before the pandemic.

“We’ve seen an incredible rise in the price of base materials, huge lead times for components and clients asking for equipment up to a year in advance,” he said.

“It has been a rough couple of years, I do not see this going away any time soon.

“In light of that, there lies an opportunity. For the businesses that can work out a better way of solving these problems, they will be better placed to service clients in the long run.”

Page Macrae Engineering is a family business that supplies port equipment for bulk material handlers around the

world. During the lockdowns, the New Zealand based company could not easily access Australia, so it learned to do things differently.

The business moved into the virtual world, dedicating its time into providing engaging digital presentations, client interviews and online support.

But what Swan said is most important is how the company engages with its customers.

“We are engaging with our clients a lot earlier and a lot deeper, to learn more about their expectations, when they would like certain products, or what the impact of an earlier delivery could mean for them,” he said.

“We can then look at our supply chain to see where we can help. For example, if we are aware of potential client orders and timelines, we are able to communicate to our suppliers earlier and try to expedite proprietary item supply This feedback has also pushed Page Macrae’s product development. The company’s new Enviro Diesel Grab (EDG) is an evolution of its previous diesel

grab, with changes made based on client feedback for more environmentally compliant practices.

Higher efficiency was a large part of the design stage, moving from six cylinders to four cylinders while improving digging performance. Another environmental consideration was helping ports to meet their dust and air quality requirements. The company also included the ability to change buckets, a feature inspired by Page Macrae’s chain grabs.

“We want to increase our contact with our core customers in Australia, and we intend to have an increased presence in the country,” he said.

“That means we can collaborate more, find out what challenges our clients are facing and provide improved sales and service.

“We’re excited at the opportunities ahead of us and are looking forward to developing new products that will suit the clients’ challenges and opportunities.”

We are currently engaged in planning our post Covid emergence and visits to our clients’ sites.

Page Macrae’s Enviro Diesel Grab is an evolution of its previous diesel grab.

28 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

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MEASUREMENT

Laser focused on accuracy LASE Australia’s LiDAR technology is providing the mining industry with accurate measurements for its saleable materials.

MICHAEL JEFFREY TRAVELS around Australia, visiting bulk material handling sites in WA, QLD and NSW to find the pain points businesses are experiencing.

While each industry is different, there are some common obstacles in the mining industry that he can assist with.

“Often, when a mine is transporting bulk product (such as iron ore or coal) on a conveyor-belt, train, truck or even loading it onto a ship, the weight of the material is typically different when it arrives,” he said.

“This is often due to excess water weight, which evaporates by the time it gets to the end customer, making the product lighter. Conversely, if it’s been subjected to rain along the way it will be heavier. Regardless, the inaccuracies incurred in measuring ‘weight’ can have a profound affect on what the product should or should not be sold for.”

“That’s where LASE Australia comes in. We can install Light and Detection Ranging Sensors (LiDAR) together with our patented software to accurately measure volume of the material. If we know the density of the product, we can also present the weight of that product” LiDAR scanners measure the topography of a product, such as iron

A scanner is positioned on a swivelling platform above the vehicle that measures the vehicle when empty and when it is filled with product.

ore on trucks, gold on a conveyor belt or coal in a train wagon, to determine how much material is being shipped.

For truck measurement, a scanner is positioned on a swivelling platform above the vehicle that measures the vehicle when empty and when it is filled with product. The system then compares the two to calculate the volumetric measurement of the truck.

LASE’s Truck Volume Measurement device is contactless and requires little calibration. Variants of the technology can be installed on larger vessels, such as train cars or above ships, where mounting a weightometer could be difficult.

The sensors are designed to handle

LiDAR scanners measure the topography of a product, such as ore on a conveyor belt.

30 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

conditions over 50°C and are resilient when it comes to dust.

Jeffrey said the system benefits from LASE’s 30 years of experience designing specific sensors and software.

“For the life cycle of a mine, LASE focuses its expertise on production, transportation, and processing of saleable products. However, LASE is always excited to bring on new challenges and welcome any applications that warrant our experience,” he said.

“In our 30 years of existence, we have evolved and will continue to do so with cutting edge software and robust hardware that can fit client needs for accurate throughput data and improved efficiency.”

The company also uses the technology in its collision avoidance systems to halt moving machinery before it can cause damage.

Jeffrey said LASE plans to continue supporting the mining sector in Australia and hopes to grow significantly in that market.

“In the longer term, we are looking to expand into further industries and materials,” he said.

“We have an arsenal of engineers and other smart individuals based in Germany we can call on for commissioning and after sales support, and we’re looking to continue growing down under.”

SKIRTING

Tailoring the right skirting solutions Australian-owned TS Global is customising belt skirting systems to keep material contained at transfer points and loading zones.

TS Global offer several customisation and accessories for skirt systems.

AS PRODUCT IS TRANSFERRED from conveyor to conveyor, management of spillage and dust is of high importance.

An ineffective skirt system allows material to escape from the confines of the chute creating spillage that can cause harmful effects to the nearby environment, create safety hazards, allow dust emission and cause damage to the conveyor belt.

This is where TS Global’s effective skirting systems come into play.

Most transfer points and loading zones make use of skirting systems, which keep material contained within the confines of the transfer point, while absorbing impact from large lumps of the product being conveyed.

Peter Noor, NSW sales engineer at TS Global, has been designing belt skirting components, for the company, for the past four years. He said one of the things that set TS Global apart is the fact the business

32 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

focuses on providing custom solutions for site-specific issues.

“We are constantly being invited to site by our clients to discuss and inspect skirt issues. By engaging with our clients, we are able to get firsthand knowledge of the ongoing issue and understanding of our clients objectives. This intimate knowledge of the site-specific situation allows us to focus on the root cause and offer a customised solution” he said.

“Throughout the design, manufacturing and installation process, we communicate regularly with the client, updating them on progress to ensure their needs are being meet. We also communicate any concerns or issues that may arise throughout the project.”

“Our technical service department specialise in belt conveyors and can provide extensive experience gained across many applications on various sites. This ensures that the final product supplied delivers optimised performance.”

TS Global can provide turnkey solutions regarding skirting systems including structural components, wear liners, skirtboards, skirt material (polyurethane or rubber) and impact frames/rollers. A turnkey solution ensures the transfer point is skirted correctly. In situations where structural obstructions make installation difficult, TS Global will engineer solutions that will deliver performance and consider maintainability.

When designing a skirt system, it is important to consider the material being conveyed, how that material is being presented by the incoming conveyor or hopper and at what speed the material is received. TS Global then need to select appropriate wear materials or liners that will deliver protection against wear caused by the product being conveyed. Finally, it needs to select a simple and easily maintained skirt system.

The wear liner and sealing mechanism are designed to control and direct active

product through transition until it settles in the trough of the outgoing conveyor belt. While the sealing mechanisms only function is to retain dust within the transfer point.

Noor said TS Global offer all sorts of customisation and accessories around skirt systems including retractable roller frames, impact beds and safety guards.

“On one project I worked on, the client had a skirting system that was outdated and smaller than what was required. The site manager reached out and asked us to design a new system to replace it,” he said.

“We had personnel on-site to take in all the measurements and took it back to our workshop where we drafted the initial concept.”

“Once the client had given us approval, we added more detailed designs.

If there are limitations in the way, we adapt to make sure the design will suit the conveyor we are working on.”

Most of TS Global’s components are simply bolted on, which allows maintenance staff to easily replace the components, with spares.

The company aims to make each part adjustable and replaceable to minimise downtime and improve safety around heavy machinery. Its engineers aim to create a standardised and interchangeable line of skirting components, so sites can hold onto spare wear parts.

Noor said the business was a

TS Global’s engineers aim to create standardised and interchangeable lines of skirting components.

manufacturing company, which means everything is produced in-house.

“We fabricate it all in the workshop, which turns us into a onestop-shop,” he said.

“If our clients ever need replacement parts, we have all the components listed and can produce more spares as needed.”

TS Global plans to continue its expansion following the construction of a new headquarters in Tomago, NSW, located next to the existing workshop and warehouse. This growth has helped the business improve efficiencies by cutting down travel times between TS Global’s sites, while creating a business hub for the company.

It has also opened a new office in Perth that initially started as a oneperson operation.

Other branches have been established in strategic mining areas around the country to allow TS Global easier access to blue chip mining companies such as Rio Tinto or Glencore.

Noor said the company aimed to grow its technical staff and sales team to elevate the level of service quality it can provide.

“Our team has a bit of everything, with sales and technical experience spread throughout,” he said.

“Having different backgrounds means we can think outside the box and find the right solution.”

WEIGHING

Thayer Scale enters Australian market American-based manufacturer Thayer Scale plans to enter the Southeast Asian market, including Australia and New Zealand. ABHR talks to Desmond Anantharaj, the region’s new sales manager, to find out what the company can offer.

FOR 70 YEARS, THAYER SCALE has provided continuous weighing equipment for the bulk solids handling industry.

It began as a design, engineering and manufacturing company developing products such as the Flexure Suspension Scale, Bridge Breaker flow aid and Cable Suspension Scale for its customers in the Northern Hemisphere.

However, the Massachusetts-based company now plans to expand into the Southeast Asian region, including Australia and New Zealand.

Desmond Anantharaj, the company’s new Regional Sales Manager – Southeast Asia, said Thayer Scale is focusing on bringing its conveyor belt scales for the mining industry to the new market.

“We see belt-weighing and gravimetric feeding as critical, fundamental quality control processes central to manufacturing operations in plastics processing, food manufacturing, mining operations, blending operations, ship-loading operations, and many more markets,” he said.

“The market will continue to migrate to higher levels of accuracy and repeatability requiring continued refinements to our core products. Many of our markets will require significantly enhanced sanitation and cleaning capability throughout their global manufacturing operations, requiring feeders that adhere to advanced sanitation standards.”

Thayer Scale manufactures precisionengineered weigh belt feeders, high accuracy gravimetric and volumetric feeders, material flow promotion aids, and custom-engineered process weighing solutions.

Anantharaj said the company’s equipment is built to survive, with systems that are still running since they

34 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

Thayer Scale equipment undergoes a wide range of mechanical, electrical, and system-level tests.

were installed more than 40 years ago.

“We are committed to delivering the highest quality products in the industry.

From forest products, steel and biofuels to snack foods, chemicals and plastics, Thayer Scale offers continuous and batch weighing solutions that are engineered for maximum performance,” he said.

Each system undergoes a wide range of mechanical, electrical, and systemlevel tests to ensure they meet Thayer Scale’s quality.

To aid in scale and conveyor design the company maintains a belt scale suspension testing Conveyor at its corporate headquarters. This test conveyor was originally designed to study the effects of changing conveyor parameters on the accuracy of a particular scale’s loading signal as well as to compare the long-term stability and reliability of speed measurements made at various locations within the conveyor.

Currently it is used as an evolutionary development tool, where proposed design recommendations are simultaneously tested under identical conditions against existing configurations.

For weigh belt feeders and conveyor belt scales installed outdoors, extreme temperature swings can adversely affect their performance.

Anantharaj said the operating temperature limits of a weigh sensor

can only be accurately determined and compensated for, by applying it to a simulated installation and subjecting it to varying temperature ranges.

“In addition, to better assure customers of a successful installation of our products, an environmental test chamber, located within the Thayer Scale manufacturing facility, provides a means for temperature testing of load cells, scale suspension systems, instrumentation and entire weighing and feeding machines,” he said.

“This test chamber is equipped with special suspension loading ‘aids’ for use in the manufacturing process of the RF Belt Scale and MD and MDL Weigh Belts.”

The equipment has proven itself in vary mining conditions across the United States, and has been used in hot, humid regions of Indonesia.

Anantharaj said Thayer Scale is currently in communication with Australian distributors to help enter the market and is excited to bring its equipment down under.

“We offer an unmatched depth of experience in servicing and maintaining Thayer Scale equipment, and our service and support team helps our customers optimise the performance of every component of their equipment,” he said.

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SILOS AND STORAGE

Keeping an eye on the level Tanktel’s software can help bulk solid handlers plan shipments of material to ensure there are no delays in production.

MANUFACTURERS, PRODUCERS and miners rely on a continuous source of raw materials to keep their operations running.

Material running out at an unexpected time can lead to expensive last-minute shipments and stopped production, which have flow-on effects for the supplier and the site.

Tanktel’s remote monitoring software and hardware combo helps businesses stay abreast of their materials, ensuring scheduled delivers are made on time.

General manager Rob Crutcher said the Tanktel’s hardware was designed to connect to existing sensors to display easy-to-access information on its website.

“The client can see trends, material values and historical data from anywhere, making it perfect for ensuring they never run out of material,” he said.

“With our web-based login, users can allocate inventory managers and transport companies, set up alarm points and see exactly how much stock is available without having to visit a site.

“If an alarm triggers, an SMS and email will be sent to a manager to let them know it’s time to purchase more stock.”

The Tanktel silo level monitoring system can track hundreds of silos per site, with the option to use supervisory control and data acquisition systems to send data to Tanktel’s server without additional hardware. This allows suppliers

The Tanktel silo level monitoring system can track hundreds of silos per site.

36 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

to gain access to a site’s levels without the need to interface with a client’s IT infrastructure.

Using telemetry for silo vendormanaged inventory can show production peaks and troughs for users that may have seasonal variations, or that may have procured a new contract with higher than usual product usage.

Crutcher said the remote aspect of the data also improved safety, as employees are not required to climb on top of silos to check the level.

“COVID-19 shutdowns also meant it was difficult for some users to get to worksites. Tanktel’s software lets them get the information they need from the comfort of home,” he said.

One of Tanktel’s customers is a supplier of xanthates and other speciality mining chemicals for minesite processing. Xanthates are among the most-used mining reagents by volume and pose a significant safety risk if not handled or stored correctly.

The supplier wanted to monitor all processes involved in the supply and storage of its xanthates material. It needed to instantly see the current inlet, outlet and coolant temperatures to ensure they were within safe operating limits, and to also see a live reading of the product level within the storage vessel.

Tanktel provided standard remote terminal units that had sufficient inputs to

Tanktel’s remote monitoring software and hardware combo helps businesses keep track of their materials.

be connected to existing level sensors and temperature probes on the storage vessel.

This enables live access to the information via its web dashboard.

Having access to live data allowed the supplier to view daily, weekly, or monthly trends to get a better understanding of the customer’s usage and plan optimal deliveries. It also helped estimate the time until empty based on the current usage rate. Importantly, it allowed the supplier to keep monitoring the temperature controls for the product.

Knowing more about when deliveries needed to be made meant fewer deliveries were required, reducing the need for human interaction with potentially hazardous chemicals at each site.

Crutcher said Tanktel also offers technical support, with emergency support available around the clock.

“Users can call up any time if there is a problem, and we can send engineers and electricians out to see if the sensors are working correctly,” he said. “Where practical, w also do customer visits occasionally to make sure everything is working properly.

“We’re excited to grow the business and let people know about how effective our software can be.”

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SILOS AND STORAGE

Ahrens’ industrial and rural infrastructure a standout Strong demand for Australian-made industrial and rural infrastructure storage systems continues to keep Ahrens in the spotlight.

AHRENS, A FAMILY-OWNED South Australian company, credits its quality steel products and complete in-house capabilities for securing big-ticket infrastructure and rural storage projects.

Engineered to strict Australian standards for commercial and rural applications, the company’s infrastructure solutions extend to industrial bulker systems, which dramatically help to increase agribusinesses’ storage capacity.

Landmark solutions Ahrens’ in-house capabilities helped it to secure prominent industrial infrastructure work for projects such as Viterra’s recently opened facility at Lara, Victoria, and rural infrastructure work for SA agribusiness CK Tremletts, based in Sheoak Log. Viterra’s multi-million-dollar bulk storage warehouse and outload facility was built from the ground up to provide an efficient supply chain for end use customers in Victoria.

Ahrens Managing Director Stefan Ahrens, a fourth-generation member of the family business, said his

Viterra’s bulk storage warehouse and outload facility was built to provide an efficient supply chain for customers in Victoria.

38 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

team was instructed to deliver on a comprehensive system, requiring a 250-tonne outload per hour.

“The new facility’s footprint is over 11,500m2 and will provide Viterra in excess of 67,000m3 of storage space along with the capability to outload products at a rate of 250 tonnes per hour as requested,” he said.

The warehouse features a 67-metre span custom engineered beam, internal concrete push walls and materialhandling outload equipment.

“Ahrens Steel provided all the structural steel needs for the project and our grain storage and handling division provided the associated outload equipment,” he said.

“It’s fair to say this work has helped to showcase our complete project management capabilities within the Victorian market.”

Ahrens’ partnership with CK Tremletts’ $5.7 million-plus project helped to significantly grow its grain storage capacity, all the while applying cost effective design solutions.

With delivery of large site constructed silos undertaken across three stages, the final facility comprised 16 x 2,600 tonne flat bottom silos.

Each are equipped with aeration and level indicators, with 150 tonne per hour unload systems, plus in-built sweep augers and inclined powerheads.

“Our scope of work included concrete foundations incorporating ‘H’ style flush floor aeration, two 300 tonne per hour bucket elevators, with six-way distributors and associated chute work, and transfer conveyors and structural support towers with access ladder,” Stefan said.

Impressively, the project increased their total storage capacity by 41,600 tonnes and offers Tremletts the ability to unload two trucks simultaneously with differing commodities at a rate of 300 tonnes per hour.

The final stage of the upgrade led to four more silos added to the existing bank of silos at the eastern end of the facility.

Lastly, Ahrens used the natural slopping ground level to Tremletts’ advantage and were able to increase the silo capacity by 200 tonnes per silo while replicating the infrastructure and concept of the previous stages.

Solid footprint Stefan said company growth in the

late 1990s helped to spark Ahrens’ profile as serious manufactures of industrial and rural infrastructure storage systems within the Australian market.

“In 1998 we acquired the silo manufacturing and distribution businesses of Sherwell in South Australia and Victoria and in 2002 we acquired Webster’s Silos in Queensland,” he said.

Ahrens’ portfolio includes bulker systems, grain storage and handling complexes, material handling systems, augers and conveyors, feeders and field bins through to transportable silos and site constructed flat bottom silos.

“The standard which differentiates us from our competitors is, the steel products we manufacture are made to withstand Australian conditions, they are manufactured locally in our sites and delivered to clients either fully assembled or ready for site construction,” Stefan said.

10

Rural investments The increased production of quality grains and efficient post-harvest management of grains has helped to grow the use of Ahrens’ transportable silos and flat bottom silos.

According to General Manger of Ahrens Rural Aaron Bain, in 2021 his division delivered about 20 per cent more rural silos than on the previous calendar year.

“Farmers were wanting to store more grain on-farm, and as a result our 1,000 to 1,500 tonne flat bottom silos proved popular,” Bain said.

Attributing their supply chain and complete in-house services as their core strengths, Bain said Ahrens’ roll forming lines for their flat bottom silos further helps to heavily reduce lead times.

“It helps to give us greater control in a competitive market,” he said.

“Our in-house capabilities also provide us greater versatility – especially as demands increase – for individual silos or complete grain

storage systems to suit all types of grain fertiliser, dairy and seed and feeds.”

Valuable assets “With grains an essential lifeblood needed to fuel the world, our industrial and rural infrastructure will continue to play a prominent role in helping to achieve prime grain protection across Australia,” Stefan said.

“Due to our workmanship, quality steel and our branding, we can continue to make solid investment decisions into the future.

“It’s also gratifying that our vision to be ‘brand sought’ around the nation continues to grow with rapid movement.”

Yet Stefan and Bain agree, Ahrens’ industrial and rural infrastructure storage system successes also ride on their people.

“Our greatest asset is having the workforce that we value and who adopt these jobs at their own,” Stefan said.

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SILOS AND STORAGE

Manufacturing the modern silo Nelson Silos has had to expand its manufacturing facilities to keep up with demand for its easy-to-maintain silos.

ABHR speaks with one of the company’s directors to learn more.

LINDSAY NELSON WAS 21 WHEN HE started his business in a small town in country Victoria in 1962.

Working in an empty shed, he designed the product that would grow into burgeoning family business – a transportable grain silo. The product proved popular with the local market and Lindsay soon had to build a multimillion-dollar engineering complex to keep up with demand.

One of the Nelson Silo’s current directors, Eric Nelson, said the company has been designing silos to increase safety and efficiency for bulk material handlers.

A development the company has engineered is an integrated roofdeck silo for feedmills.

“Stockfeed processing plants need to store proteins and various types of substances, as well as grains, to create the final product,” Nelson said.

“To integrate these materials, they needed to be able to transfer from silos with conveyors and bucket elevators.

“Previous to our design, most feedmill plants were structures made from robust steel structures to hold the weight of that equipment. This meant the silo needed to support several catwalks, conveyors and elevators.”

Nelson Silos began working to integrate these walkways into the silo roof itself. The design does away with walkways, instead using one industrial safety ladder or stairway that leads to the roofdeck.

This increases the amount of room available for maintenance staff and provides easier access to the sides of silos for cleaning. The roof itself complies with the Australian Standards and has a fivedegree slope for water egress.

The company fully welds and paints the silo with non-slip paint to reduce the chance of falls.

Nelson said the company offers a full range of silos, from bulk grain to

42 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

Nelson Silo installations can be installed within days.

outloading and more, all designed to meet the needs of the customer.

“Usually, customers have a pretty good idea of what they’re looking to get out of a silo when they come to us,” he said.

“If they don’t, we can walk them through the different options and show them some of our existing installations to help them get an idea of what they need.”

One of Nelson Silo’s recent projects is an ammonium nitrate facility in Muswellbrook, WA. The material’s hydroscopic nature makes is difficult to store for long periods, meaning the ammonium nitrate needs to be always circulating.

The company built the silos from stainless steel, along with bucket elevators and chutes, with mechanical vibrators to improve material flow.

Ammonium nitrate is also highly explosive, which is why Nelson Silos ensured there was no possibility of the material encountering an ignition source.

Nelson said the silos also featured a walkaround roofdeck to make maintenance easier.

“The silo is elevated with a bucket silo that goes directly to trucks underneath,” he said.

“Two screw conveyors are located underground, so the trucks can pour material out into a shallow outloading pit.

“These conveyors can move the ammonium nitrate faster than the truck can tip it, so that moisture can’t get in.”

Demand for Nelson Silos’ products has meant the company has once again needed to upgrade its manufacturing facilities, with a new assembly plant planned for northern NSW.

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SILOS AND STORAGE

Keeping flocculant free from fluid To keep a flocculent storage system free of moisture, Transmin and Scutti teamed up to create a custom silo design.

THE STORY STARTS WITH AN iron mine in Western Australia’s Pilbara region that needed to store a significant amount of flocculant on site.

The site needed a large amount of the material in storage, as regular deliveries of flocculent to such a remote location were not common. On top of this, the mine wanted to reduce risks to production, as cyclonic weather could make it difficult to receive shipments.

It contracted an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) company to design and deliver a new process plant on-site.

The company wanted to have at least 200m3 of storage that could produce 75 m3 of flocculent solution per hour, after the water is added.

The EPCM reached out to bulk materials handling equipment specialist Transmin to provide the silos necessary for the project.

Damian Thorpe, Transmin’s product manager – feeders, reagent plants and silos, said flocculant needed to

be completely dry while in storage, otherwise it would not flow through the rest of the system.

“Any moisture introduced will cause the flocculant to gum up, become slimy and gooey,” he said.

“The customer wanted to avoid this, which is why we added extra components and changed the design of the silo to accommodate.”

The silo would be built in a desert, where extreme changes in temperature could cause condensation to form on the inside of the structure. To avoid this situation, Transmin added desiccant breathers to absorb any moisture within the silo itself.

It also included additional seals on the fill pipe to limit moisture ingress. The lower section of the silo was enclosed and welded to the legs.

Thorpe said that most silos had legs and structural bracings in the open, but this wouldn’t be possible in this instance.

“The client wanted to reduce weather and spray from washdowns getting anywhere near

the dry feed system,” he said.

Transmin is the Australian distributor of Italian-based silo manufacturer Scutti. What sets Scutti silos apart is the Meccano-style of its bolted construction that allows the silos to be constructed with minimal welding and shipped to site through standard containers.

This means Scutti silos can be manufactured in Italy and shipped to almost anywhere in the world through existing supply-chain infrastructure.

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 has found the silos to be popular in the mining and minerals processing industries, with a smaller portion from water and wastewater treatment.

The two companies collaborated closely with the client to ensure design changes would meet the rigorous requirements.

“We submitted a draft for the plant, the customer sent through their revisions, and we took those notes to Scutti and our Transmin is the Australian distributor of Italian-based silo manufacturer Scutti.

46 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

internal engineering team,” Thorpe said.

“From that, we drafted two proposed solutions and went back and forth with the client to make sure it would work for them.

“It’s important to have these conversations and set expectations up front. We talked through any concerns during the sales process and passed on key information to ensure there would be no issues later down the line.”

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

Transmin also supports its customers through its aftermarket team, made up of spare parts specialists, on-site service technicians and off-site engineers, all of whom are based in Perth. These specialists are sent out to sites around the world to ensure any issues can be cleared up as quickly as possible.

Transmin and Scutti worked closely with the client to ensure the silo was fit for purpose.

Thorpe said a key benefit Transmin offers is its ability to provide multiple equipment packages on a single project.

The business can deliver several key bulk handling equipment, such as low-profile feeders, conveyor systems, rock breakers, pulleys, belt weighers and consumables. It also aims to continue

growing its range of products, especially when it comes to rollers, composite rollers and conveyor guarding.

“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 said.

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SILOS AND STORAGE

The differences between dry powder silos Mario Scutti, Managing Director of Italian silo manufacturer Scutti, explains the advantages and disadvantages of various bulk silos.

THE SHEER RANGE OF BULK solids that can be stored in a silo is enormous, ranging from grain or cement to ultrafine powders used in the processing industry.

Similarly, the number of different constitutive models for bulk solids is extensive. Most have been designed by professional engineers, using the experience they have gained in their specific fields.

It is important to consider that the market consists of several types of steel silos made by specialised companies, such as Scutti. These silos are already developed in sizes, for different storage capacities that can be adapted to the specific needs of the customer.

In the past few years, the demand for small and medium storage plants has increased, mostly due to the development of emerging markets across the globe. In this scenario, a common question that almost all these businesses ask themselves before starting a new storage project is, “what kind of storage silo should I choose?”

There are four types of silos available on the market today: concrete silos, onsite fabricated silos, steel spiral silos and steel bolted silos.

There are many factors that can be taken into consideration when it comes to silo selection – including storage capacity, location, ease of transportation and budget.

In general, all of these silos are good for storage, but what are the advantages and disadvantages?

Concrete silos These silos tend to have the highest storage capacity of the four. Its structure is composed of concrete reinforced by steel bars. The silo is erected from the ground, step by step, pouring

48 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

There are many factors that can be taken into consideration when it comes to silo selection.

concrete continuously in moving forms.

Concrete silos are mainly used in large storage facilities, exceeding 15m in diameter. The manufacturing process usually comes with a high cost and long start-up time, but the volume of product stored is very high.

Onsite fabricated silos For these silos, the metal sheets of the silo body are rolled and welded at the construction site, before being treated and painted. Everything is done by the manufacturer using machinery that has been transported onsite.

In general, the manufacturing process for the welded silos can create quality and timing problems, due to the weather and location. On the other hand, this kind of manufacturing allows the owner to fully customise the dimensions of the silos and its structure.

Spiral silos This silo design is based on a method for the construction of silos onsite. Steel coils, machines and accessories are

transported to the construction plant where the silo is being built. A special machine unites the layers of the strips, which are automatically joined up as the silo grows in an upward spiral.

The diameter of these silos can be adapted to a customer’s needs and, in general, are used for light products such as cereals or wheat. Weather conditions on site can cause delays in the manufacturing process.

Steel bolted silos This type of silo is often the best compromise between cost, erection time, and storage capacity. There are two main types of bolted silos available on the market, overlapped panel silos and flanged panels.

Overlapped panel silos consist of drilled steel panels that are rolled and painted by the manufacturer in the workshop. The panels are bolted overlapping their perimetric parts, which are already drilled directly on the metal sheet.

Then, the bolts are sealed inside and

out using a liquid sealant. This kind of silo can be installed completely from the ground using a jack lifting system, but the structural design makes it unsuitable for heavy-duty applications.

Flanged silos consist of high thickness flanged panels that are already manufactured and painted in the workshop. The panels are bolted on the ground and lifted using a crane. The high thickness flanges and additional reinforcements make them robust, easy to install and suitable for heavy duty applications. Support structures can be customised to suit the client’s specific needs together with specially designed discharge cones for differing product problems. Transportation is not an issue as all the panels are designed to fit onto steel pallets for road transport and containerization to any place in the world.

laws. This made the engineer’s job difficult, as they had to allocate 3000 tonnes of cement storage within the restricted area. To accommodate the regulations, Scutti suggested that the standard cone design be changed to a truncated cone with airslides this allowed the standard structure to be lowered by 4.0m, solving the potential problem.

The silo was assembled by Scutti’s partners, Silos and Conveyor Systems Ltd, and with a very limited storage space on site a just in time management

system for deliveries was implemented to maximise the storage and assemble on a very restricted site. A total of 10 containers featured all the componentry to build this silo.

A tower crane was used for the sub assembly of the structure and a 350-tonne mobile crane was used to lift the silo sections into place. The total time taken to complete the project including weather delays was 10 weeks.

Scutti and its partners are proud of the result, as there were many challenges from design through to installation.

Flanged silos.

Case study Scutti and its partner Silos Solutions NZ Ltd designed, built, and installed a 3000 tonne externally flanged steel silo in Wellington, New Zealand. A seismic fault line was located only 200m away from the silo, where potential seismic acceleration could reach 0.4g.

The planed silo site is located at the Port of Wellington, where neighbouring cement storage manufacturers in the close vicinity caused site difficulties.

These included coordination work schedules to operate cranes and closing operations when dangerous activity was occurring. The limited space provided for installation was also a challenge that needed to be handled.

Silo Solutions engineers had to do a peer review for the calculations by adjusting the Eurocode to meet the Australian/New Zealand standard for engineering for the wind and seismic requirements for Wellington.

The foundations of the silo also had to be redesigned after the events of the November 2016 earthquake in New Zealand, which badly damaged the port area. The foundation piles were drilled 28m into the ground to provide the stability needed to withstand a similar earthquake.

The silo height was also restricted to 27m, due to the local government’s

Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022 І 49

SILOS AND STORAGE

Silos contain dust well and are easier to weatherproof than stockpiles.

talk Selecting the right silos WHY USE A SILO INSTEAD OF

STEVE DAVIS In his regular BULKtalk column, Steve Davis explores the different criteria for silo and stockpile selection, and how to ensure it operates effectively.

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.

a stockpile? Silos typically occupy less real estate than an equivalent capacity stockpile. Silos typically have a much higher percentage live volume than a stockpile, assuming both are gravity reclaimed. Silos contain dust well.

Silos are easier to weatherproof.

In most cases a silo system will be cheaper than a stockpile having similar live volume. Silos have finite capacity, whereas stockpiles can be designed with expansion capacity via push out.

Gravity reclaimed stockpiles are easier to clear than most silos.

Stockpiles can contain much larger volumes of bulk materials.

Both silos and stockpiles are suitable for batch or dynamic

50 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

storage. Both stockpiles and silos can have mechanical reclaim for 100 per cent live capacity. The rest of this article looks at silos, but much is relevant to stockpiles.

Selecting the capacity of silos depends on use. Capacity for batch storage of a fixed quantity, which is loaded, held and then unloaded is straightforward. Capacity for dynamic storage, where the silo is filled and emptied at the same time is more complex as the maximum capacity and the operating capacity need to be determined to suit varying levels from the operation. Surge storage is the most common example of dynamic storage. This provides a buffer between two components in a system that have different

feed rates but must operate together, such as a truck fed crusher and a mill.

Trucks loading crushers may arrive at random times allowing gaps in feed. Crushers are typically less reliable than mills and to maintain steady feed will be sized at a higher feed rate.

The silo acts as a buffer or surge absorber in the system. A decision must be made on the time value of surge in the silo. How long can the crusher be offline before the mill is allowed to stop? How long can the mill be offline before the crusher is stopped? What catch up factor is to be used? If the silo has been emptied how quickly must it be refilled back to normal levels? After evaluation

Fast Fact In most cases a silo system will be cheaper than a stockpile having similar live volume. Silos have finite capacity, whereas stockpiles can be designed with expansion capacity via push out.

Gravity reclaimed stockpiles are easier to clear than most silos.

Stockpiles can contain much larger volumes of bulk materials. we should have maximum capacity and nominal silo operating level. We should also have sized the crusher and silo feed system for the agreed catch-up rate and assessed the reclaim system for mill feed catch up.

Silos have a realistic maximum size, and it is unreasonable to exceed this. Depending on the bulk material the practical limit for a silo could be

as low as 1000 tonnes or less. More than 5,000 tonnes may be impractical or require specialised design. Concrete dome and other silo types are capable of large volume storage of some materials with good flow properties, but they are still limited. Oil sands projects often use approximately 10,000 tonne capacity bins but these have many specific features. If very large storage is required, consider a stockpile. I was once introduced to a concept design that had a nominal 500,000 tonne silo with a single discharge. After discussion we changed to a stockpile.

As with most bulk materials handling, we design for tonnage throughput for the process but the system operates on a volumetric basis.

This dictates we must have knowledge of bulk density and preferably of the material flow properties. The minimum properties that should be defined are lower and upper bulk densities,

compressibility, repose and drawdown (rill) angles and flowability properties to define reclaim outlets and mechanical reclaim equipment. Ratholing is always a risk that must be identified and can often be avoided by selecting the reclaim outlet size and shape. Reclaim rate must be at least the design catch-up rate.

You can look material properties up in various on-line and other sources, but it is far better to have the material tested at one of the specialist laboratories so that the data is specific to the material being stored.

We now look at the shape of the silo. If material properties allow choice, flow regime has most impact, whether funnel, mass or expanded flow.

Typically, mass flow silos are taller and more expensive than funnel flow with expanded flow somewhere between. The type of flow selected is also dependent on process requirements; first in first out, segregation of size or properties

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SILOS AND STORAGE

Silo design must minimise the potential for well-meaning people to be able to access the silo for any reason.

of material of discharge, ratholing propensity and others. Silos with circular section are generally easier to fabricate and have symmetrical flow patterns but may not be the best for other reasons. If the silo has mechanical reclaim different considerations may also apply. The best sources of guidance on silo design are the bulk material testing laboratories who test bulk flow properties. They will also provide guidance on liner materials for flow and wear.

Some bulk materials will require assistance for reclaim as gravity flow is not practical or feasible. There are few bulk materials that have not been successfully handled in silos, and many examples where the silo

52 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

design has been incorrectly chosen requiring modification or addition of flow promoters. The best result will be achieved through consideration of a proven system and understanding the bulk handling properties. Assuming or guessing the design of a bulk storage silo is risky.

I once assessed a biomass silo with a 45-degree conical discharge into a 200mm pipe with short radius bends and gate valve isolation. There was no flow under gravity. The silo had no material flow consideration in its design The cone was removed, and a live floor reclaim installed. I have seen multiple outlet silos where only one outlet works and silos with eccentric outlets that

resulted in structural failure.

With silo size and shape determined it is time to design the shell and structure so that the carefully selected shape will stand up to all forces generated internally and externally.

Silos can be constructed from several materials. Concrete is common and can be slip formed or cast conventionally.

Steel can be assembled or welded on site or in some cases prefabrication and transport in one piece. Selection will depend on location, available resources, and other considerations such as cost.

There are many codes and standards in use for guidance on the design process.

In Australia we must consider State regulations and codes and sign off by

“We now have a design for the correct size silo, with shape and / or facilities that permit reclaim at the required rate and that should not fall over in operation. We need to look at some other issues relating to operation and maintenance.”

Registered Engineers where applicable.

We now have a design for the correct size silo, with shape and / or facilities that permit reclaim at the required rate and that should not fall over in operation. We need to look at some other issues relating to operation and maintenance.

When bulk solids are poured into the top of a silo the stream will separate as it falls, and any dust will be released. The air displaced will find its way through the openings in the top of the silo and a dust cloud

will follow. We must consider dust collection that will have capacity for the maximum air displacement and prevent discharge. There are several options available, and the best result will be found by modelling the airflow and working with a filter system supplier to develop the best solution. For many applications a drop in dust collector comprising a baghouse with reverse pulse cleaning will be sufficient. We will need to get to the top of the silo to maintain the system.

If the silo discharge has no material in it, the falling stream will damage the silo and cause significant wear, so we operate the silo with a minimum material level and the material impacts itself. One silo that I assessed went from a five-week liner cycle to over six months by always leaving two metres in the silo. We would also like to assure that the silo is never overfilled, as this can cause significant damage and any spill over can be a safety

hazard. I was on a site looking at silo discharge when it overflowed – an unpleasant experience.

This leads to the requirement for level measurement to ensure we know at least a safe minimum and maximum shut off level reclaiming before the silo is empty under normal usage.

Better still, we are able continuously monitor level either on a single point basis or over the surface of the stored material. Different types of level sensor are available for every requirement but take guidance from previous experience and suppliers who can offer multiple options and advise the best one for the application. If level monitoring is to work correctly the sensors must be installed correctly with supplier recommended support and with access to align, calibrate, inspect, and maintain. If the instrument just hangs on its cable is unlikely to function correctly.

Silos generally discharge onto a

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SILOS AND STORAGE

Fast Fact If the silo discharge has no material in it, the falling stream will damage the silo and cause significant wear, so we operate the silo with a minimum material level and the material impacts itself. One silo that I assessed went from a five-week liner cycle to over six months by always leaving two metres in the silo. We would also like to assure that the silo is never overfilled, as this can cause significant damage and any spill

feeder and conveyor or similar device that has the potential to fail. We should consider how to isolate flow at the discharge to permit repair without

Silos have a realistic maximum size, and it is unreasonable to exceed this.

54 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

having to manually discharge the silo.

It has been common practise to use isolation or spile bars, however in most cases these are now unacceptable for manual activation. Bars may not provide sufficient safety under current legislation. Consider a methodology for mechanically pushing the bars in and pulling them out, and whether sealing will be adequate, or look to an actuated slide gate with proven credentials.

Fatalities and injuries from operators entering a silo are not uncommon, so the design must minimise the potential for wellmeaning people to be able to access the silo for any reason. Access doors and hatches into the silo are acceptable if there are good reasons, but make sure they are impossible to open easily. The

interior of a silo is a dangerous enclosed space and should be treated as such.

As a final consideration, silos with poor flow may be difficult to modify even with assistance from flow specialists and the wide range of experiences and flow assisting equipment available. A solution will generally be available at a cost. If, however the silo fails structurally there is little chance of repair in most cases and real risk of injury or worse.

If, however the silo fails structurally there is little chance of repair in most cases and real risk of injury or worse.

I refer to an excellent paper reflecting some of the causes and effects written

by Tracy Holmes of Jenike & Johanson for Powder and Bulk Solids, Preventing Silo Failures.

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SILOS AND STORAGE

Improving storage silo reliability All too often storage silos and hoppers are relegated to the backburner of design. Corin Holmes explains why determining the bulk solids’ flow and mechanical properties must be the first step in any design.

BINS AND SILOS ARE A COMMON sight at most industrial plants around the world. The smallest of these, may contain only a few kilograms of material while the largest may have a capacity of tens of thousands of tons of material. A common function of bins and silos is to provide storage or surge capacity for the material being handled. The material stored in a bin or silo is generically referred to as a bulk solid. This term encompasses an extremely wide range of materials varying in size, from submicron powders to run of mine ores and as chemically different as sugar is to limestone. [1] Sometimes designers simply just “copy-paste” from one application and process to a new application and process with little thought to the potential effects. Dr. Andrew Jenike developed the science of modern-day bulk material handling technology in the 1960s [2] but it is still very common to see design basis documents that

have little to no information other than specifying the generic name of the bulk solid to be handled and maybe a single bulk density value. Variations in particle size, chemical composition, moisture

“Variations in particle size, chemical composition, moisture content, and others can dramatically alter the flow properties of a bulk solid. Whether you are looking to increase storage capacity, design a storage new system, or handle a new type of material in your system determining the bulk solids’ flow and mechanical properties must be the first step in any design.” content, and others can dramatically alter the flow properties of a bulk solid.

Whether you are looking to increase storage capacity, design a storage

new system, or handle a new type of material in your system determining the bulk solids’ flow and mechanical properties must be the first step in any design.

RELIABILITY ISSUES Reliability issues can range from the storage silo’s inability to discharge a bulk solid to difficulty controlling discharge rate. Some of the most common issues are outlined below.

1. No flow condition A no flow condition can be one of the most serious problems as downstream operations may be starved of material.

Interruption in discharge can be due to arching or ratholing. Arching, a form of stable obstruction, can develop within a storage vessel at, or just above, the outlet as it is the region with the narrowest cross section. [1] Arching can be caused by mechanical interlocking (i.e. large particles relative to the outlet size) or by cohesion (i.e. a bonding of particles together). Ratholing occurs when a stable flow channel empties while the remaining material remains stagnant.

2. Flow rate issues

Figure 1: Project timeline

56 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

For some fine powders the discharge rate from a storage silo can be extremely high if the material becomes fluidized. The flooding material could overwhelm the downstream process and could pose serious health and safety issues such as excessive dust generation. In some cases, flooding or collapsing of ratholes, may cause the silo to experience unacceptably high structural loads and collapse of the structure.

Alternatively, the material discharge rate may be much lower than that required. Increasing the speed of the feeder may not correct the problem if it

in quality control problems or affect downstream operations.

Fast Fact A common function of bins and silos is to provide storage or surge capacity for the material being handled. The material stored in a bin or silo is generically referred to as a bulk solid. This term encompasses an extremely wide range of materials varying in size, from submicron powders to run of mine ores and as chemically different as sugar is to limestone. is due to a flow rate limitation through the hopper outlet.

3. Segregation Many bulk materials handled in silos consist of a blend of particles of different size, density, or chemical composition. If the material discharging from your vessel has wide variations in these properties over time, it can result

4. Limited live capacity If ratholing occurs in your bin or silo, the live or usable capacity of the vessel is limited to the volume of the rathole. This volume can be as little as 10% of the silo volume, thus a silo which ratholes is an uneconomical storage vessel that needs to be refilled frequently.

SOLVING RELIABILITY ISSUES In a project, the ability to influence the final cost, quality, and schedule is the highest during testing and concept development, while the cost of any change is at its lowest (Figure 1). The ability to influence the cost, quality, and schedule decreases rapidly as the project progresses, while the cost of any change increases significantly.

Clearly, the earlier the project leverages the science developed by Dr Jenike the

Corin Holmes, Operations Manager at Jenike & Johanson

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SILOS AND STORAGE

High

Medium

Low

Low

Medium

High

Saturated

Figure 2: Cohesive strength and moisture content relationship

maximum the benefit can be.

As can be seen in Figure 2, cohesive strength can be affected by moisture content. Where moisture is low the cohesive strength of the material is also low, however, the material may be dusty and more frictional. In this case, it may be critical to measure the dust extinction moisture content to determine the minimum moisture for which no dusting occurs. Alternatively, if the material is fine, then there is potential for flow rate limitation, a result of low permeability of the material, or in extreme situations, there is a potential for flooding, caused by aeration of the material.

As the moisture content of the material continues to increase, so too does the strength of the material. This leads to greater arching and ratholing potential as the material sits at rest in a storage silo or hopper. Eventually, the moisture increase may make it impossible to discharge material out of a bin through gravity alone.

Sometimes, material may gain enough moisture that it becomes saturated and, as the water acts as a

58 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

lubricant, the material begins to lose strength. There may be a concern however that, at this moisture level, the material may become liable to liquefaction.

Bulk solids’ flow properties can be measured using standard material flow properties testing methods, according to ASTM D6128. Measurements such as

compressibility, cohesive strength, wall friction, permeability, and abrasive/ wear characteristics, are among the many properties that can be measured to characterise the material and inform design. [3] Often these characteristics will vary as a function of parameters such as moisture content, temperature, chemical composition, and particle

Figure 3: Major material flow patterns in a storage silo and hopper

NEW

Fast Fact Bulk solids’ flow properties can be measured using standard material flow properties testing methods, according to ASTM D6128. Measurements such as compressibility, cohesive strength, wall friction, permeability, and abrasive/wear characteristics, are among the many properties that can be measured to characterise the material and inform design. size, shape, and distribution. These variations must be considered in development of a robust flow properties testing program to accurately inform the subsequent design of any storage silo and feeder.

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DESIGN FOR FLOW Once you have determined the flow properties of your bulk solid, you can use proven procedures to design silos that will result in reliable discharge. The first step is to determine the appropriate flow pattern, mass flow or funnel flow. Funnel flow bins have stagnant material along hopper walls that extends into some portion of the cylinder or vertical sided portion of the bin.

Mass flow occurs when all the material is in motion whenever any is withdrawn.

Many bins discharge bulk solids in a funnel-flow pattern of discharge – i.e. where some of the material moves during discharge while the rest remains stationary (Figure 3). This first-

“In a project, the ability to influence the final cost, quality, and schedule is the highest during testing and concept development, while the cost of any change is at its lowest. The ability to influence the cost, quality, and schedule decreases rapidly as the project progresses, while the cost of any change increases significantly.” in last-out flow sequence is acceptable if the material is relatively coarse, free-flowing, nondegradable, and if segregation during discharge isn’t important. If the material meets all four of these characteristics, a funnel-flow bin can be the most economical storage choice. With many materials, however, funnel flow can create serious problems with product quality or process reliability. Arches and ratholes may form and flow may be erratic.

Fluidized powders often cannot fully deaerate in funnel flow so material remains fluidized in the flow channel and floods while discharging. The first-in last-out flow sequence can cause some materials to cake, segregate, or spoil. In extreme cases, unexpected structural loading, such as when ratholes fail, may result in downstream equipment failure.

Flow reliability issues such as those described can be prevented with storage vessels specifically designed to move materials in a mass flow pattern. With mass flow, the material flow and bulk density are uniform and reliable; there are no stagnant regions, so bin level indicators work reliably, and material doesn’t cake or spoil. The first-in first-out flow sequence

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Fast Fact Understanding the flow properties for your bulk material and how equipment design affects flow patterns and possible development of flow obstructions in storage silos and feeders will ensure that you are protected against design flaws. Conditions at and below the hopper outlet are just as important as the overall hopper geometry.

Figure 4: Properly designed mass flow belt feeder

minimizes segregation and material residence time is uniform, so fine powders can deaerate. Mass flow bins are suitable for fine powders, cohesive (non-free flowing) bulk materials, materials that tend to degrade when stored for extended periods of time without movement, and when mitigating segregation is important.

The first thing to consider in designing for mass flow is the hopper slope. The smoothness of the wall liner surface affects wall friction [2,4] and generally, the smoother the surface the less frictional resistance. Lower friction allows design of less steep hopper walls.

The required steepness and smoothness of the hopper is determined by conducting tests to measure wall friction and then use of a set of design charts [2] to select the appropriate hopper slope.

(Note that the hopper angle differs for conical and slotted outlet hoppers.)

The second thing to consider is outlet size. As noted above, there are two types of flow obstructions that can occur with bulk materials. For the first type, particle interlocking, the minimum outlet size required to prevent an interlocking arch is directly related to the size of the particles. As a rule of thumb, a circular outlet must be sized about six to eight

60 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

times that of the largest particle size while for wedge shaped hoppers the opening width should be at least three to four times the largest particle size.

For the second type, cohesive obstructions, the materials’ flow function must be determined to understand the materials’ cohesive strength. The strength is directly related to the ability of the bulk material to form arches and ratholes in bins and silos. Typically to overcome arching, conical outlets are twice as large as planar outlets.

DON’T FORGET THE FEEDER The last consideration is the outlet area, it must be fully live. Even the most carefully designed mass flow hopper can discharge in funnel flow if the feeder does not provide uniform withdrawal of material from the entire hopper outlet (Figure 4). This is the case even if the outlet is large enough to prevent arching and the walls are steep enough and smooth enough to allow flow along them. This problem frequently occurs when a gate or valve is used at a hopper outlet to regulate flow and is detrimental to reliable flow as it prevents discharge from a portion of the hopper outlet.

Understanding the flow properties for your bulk material and how equipment design affects flow patterns and possible development of flow obstructions in storage silos and feeders will ensure that you are protected against design flaws. Conditions at and below the hopper outlet are just as important as the overall hopper geometry.

Do you have a bulk solids handling question? Jenike & Johanson has developed the science of bulk solids flow and specialises in applying it to solving the most challenging bulk solids handling problems.

So why not put them to the test with your question? The harder, the better.

References 1.

Carson, J. W., “How to Improve the Reliability of Bins and Silos”, Plant Services, March 2006, pp 50-52 2. Jenike A.W., Storage and Flow of Solids, University of Utah Engineering Experiment Station, Bulletin No. 123, Nov. 1964.

3. Carson J. W., and Marinelli J., 1994.

Characterize Bulk Solids to Ensure Smooth Flow, Chemical Engineering, Vol. 101, no. 4, April, pp 78-90.

4. Royal, T. A. and Carson, J. W.: “Fine Powder Flow Phenomena in Bins, Hoppers and Processing Vessels.”

Bulk 2000 (1991).

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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MARINE ENGINEERING

Marine fenders and mooring systems Fendering and mooring systems are a significant capital expenditure and can be critical for the safety, whole of life costs, and production capacity of a marine facility. Aspec Engineering’s Richard Morgan explores the factors that need to be considered when selecting these systems.

A moored

MARINE FENDERING SYSTEMS ARE necessary to absorb the energy of the moving ship as it berths at the wharf and thus protect the supporting wharf structure from damage.

Mooring systems hold the vessel securely at the berth.

If a ship undergoes excessive

62 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May 2022

movements on its mooring lines, the fenders are required to prevent damage to both the ship and the wharf.

Damage to the fendering system and the supporting wharf can occur when they are overloaded due to excessive ship impacts caused by berthing accidents or when ships larger than

the system design capacity berth at the wharf. They can also suffer damage due to vessels which undergo excessive movement on their mooring lines or due to direct mechanical damage caused by protrusions from the vessel’s hull.

Modern fender units utilise sophisticated shapes and rubber compounds which

or loading empty ships. For an exposed berth, the range of sea conditions must also be considered. At exposed berths, the effects of waves, currents and winds can cause a moored ship to undergo movements on its mooring lines, and the fendering system has to be designed to be compatible with the arrangement of lines, bollards, quick release hooks and support structures which form the mooring system.

Fender selection

Fender curves

enable the units to efficiently absorb relatively large amounts of energy.

This is where modern fenders differ significantly from older fender designs.

When selecting a fendering and

mooring system, several factors need to be considered. These include the size and tonnage range of the ships using the facility, the tidal range, and whether the facility is for unloading full ships

Fenders protect the berthing structure against ship impact. Theories have been developed to calculate the expected berthing energy, resulting from the mass and berthing velocity/angle of the ship. The berthing energy normally governs the fender design and depends mainly on: • The mass of the ship • The berthing velocity of the ship • The berthing angle, usually not more than 10 degrees

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Cell fender

•

The eccentricity of the ship towards the first point of contact with the berth which would ideally be at a quarter of the total ship’s length, but can vary.

The installation level of the fender will be governed by the smallest ships so the freeboard at lowest water should still be able to have proper and adequate contact with the fender. The main function of frames in front of the fenders is to distribute the fender reaction force over the hull of the ship to achieve a hull pressure of around 20 tonnes per square metre. They have a low friction surface to avoid rubbing forces in longitudinal as well as vertical directions, due to the movements of the ship.

Rubber fenders are available in different rubber qualities. By selecting a softer, but larger-sized fender, the fender reaction force can be reduced.

Consequently, by selecting a more efficient fender, savings can be made in the costs of the dolphin structure resulting in a more economical structure.

The most common type of fender achieves the maximum reaction early

Ship with mooring lines

64 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May 2022

in the deflection range, then exhibits a buckling action with a fairly constant reaction until it reaches the end of its range at which stage the reaction increases rapidly. It is therefore important to size the fender within the working range. Figure 1 shows a typical deflection versus reaction and deflection versus energy absorption curve for a buckling action fender.

The design approach velocity values provided in the PIANC fender design guidelines WG33 2002 are based on data obtained by Brolsma, et al, in 1977. While this is the most relevant data available to date, it has several limitations. It is recommended that lower limits of 0.1m/sec for protected harbours and 0.15m/sec and offshore berths should be used. For the determination of the appropriate fender size and loads applied to the supporting structure, a factor should be applied to the berthing energy to account for abnormal berthing.

This factor should be based on risk assessment for the particular circumstances and consequences of damage with an expected range of 1.5 for low-risk situations and 2.0 for higher risk situations.

Fast Fact If a ship undergoes excessive movements on its mooring lines, the fenders are required to prevent damage to both the ship and the wharf. Damage to the fendering system and the supporting wharf can occur when they are overloaded due to excessive ship impacts caused by berthing accidents or when ships larger than the system design capacity berth at the wharf. They can also suffer damage due to vessels which undergo excessive movement on their mooring lines or due to direct mechanical damage caused by protrusions from the vessel’s hull. b. Cone fenders They are similar to cell fenders but the rubber cylinder is tapered. The cone shape gives a better performance during angled berthing. The largest size is 2000mm in height, which can have energy absorption between 300 and 500 tonne-metre depending on the rubber grade.

a. Cell fenders

Mooring lines

These consist of large rubber cylinders, placed perpendicular on the quay face, combined with a large front panel.

Although smaller units are available, their normal range is from 1000mm to 3000mm, with energy absorption from 20 tonne-metre to maximum 400 tonne-metre each.

The proper mooring of a ship not only requires the ship to stay at berth, but also to maintain position, within certain limits. For terminals that have separate mooring dolphins, the mooring quick release hooks will ideally be more than 35m away from the side of the ship.

This will require access walkways

(catwalks) or alternatively line boats to access the mooring points.

• Stern and head lines are the mooring lines at front and stern, to be placed as far away as possible, preferably at least 45 degree angles to the quay line.

• Aft and forward breast lines come from the same location on the ship but are approximately perpendicular to the quay.

• Spring lines come from the ship at approximately quarter length and run nearly parallel to the quay.

As the ship size increases larger, stronger and more lines are employed.

The number of lines is dictated by the number of available mooring winches on the ship, although some additional lines can be run to ship’s bitts where the port conditions dictate. There is no universal standard that specifies the number, type and size of lines or limitations of mooring in harbours. However, there are international guidelines and useful references such as Mooring Equipment Guidelines 4th Edition.

Mooring line stiffness and stretch will generally fall into one of four categories: • • Stiff - Low Elongation less than 5 per cent at 100 per cent minimum breaking load (MBL) (steel wire, high modulus polyethylene (HMPE) and Aramid rope) • • Standard “A” - Moderate Elongation generally 10-20 per cent at 100 per cent MBL (most synthetic fibre ropes, used condition).

Lower stretch standard ropes include polypropylene and composite fibre ropes.

• • Standard “B” - Higher stretch standard ropes include polyester and some composite fibre ropes • • Flexible - High Elongation >20 per cent at 100 per cent MBL (polyamide “nylon” ropes, used condition)

main advantage is that in high winds, currents or wave action, excess force can be spread among several lines.

However, if a highly stressed line does break or part, it causes a dangerous phenomenon called “snapback”.

Because of the very high energies stored in the lines, line breaks are very dangerous when they snapback at failure. Every year around the world seamen and port workers are seriously injured or killed by these events. In situations where there may be a greater risk of line failure such as in an exposed offshore terminal, rope guards can be provided to protect mooring crews from snap back. The OCIMF guidelines provide some very clear diagrams of snap back danger areas that can be used to plan suitable barriers.

Suction moorings Suction moorings consist of a series of powered articulated pads that attach to the side of the vessel hull using a vacuum pump to generate a suction load. The pads can be arranged in groups on each unit and multiple units are arranged along the length of the hull. Such systems can overcome the problem of mooring line angles being inefficient in terms of load path. The MoorMaster system uses vacuum pads

Rope guard on mooring dolphin

Quick release hook and capstan unit (Trelleborg Marine Systems)

instead of ropes to provide the mooring attachment. Hydraulic cylinders connected to the pads generate forces in the horizontal plane to control the horizontal motion of the moored ship.

The MoorMaster system has been used successfully on container ships and ferries for several years and has recently been applied to bulk materials berths.

MoorMaster unit on container berth

Rope guards Mooring lines are heavy and carry large tension loads. They need to be handled with care to avoid entanglement, cuts, rope burns, entrapment of limbs, etc.

Lines are made from materials with high elasticity. This elasticity has advantages and disadvantages. The

Australian Bulk Handling Review: May 2022 І 65

MEMBER PROFILE

MEMBER PROFILE:

Andrew Kotzur In every second issue, ABHR profiles a member of the Australian Society for Bulk Solids Handling (ASBSH). We speak to Andrew Kotzur managing director at Kotzur Australia.

To join the ASBSH, visit bit.ly/3aibXNf

I have been a member of ASBSH since…

2019

I am a member of ASBSH because…

Hard to choose. There are quite a few – from handling specialist materials to large storage projects. One of our higher profile projects would be the export facility at Port Kembla

I got into bulk handling because...

My career highlight is...

Our family business had been building farm type grain silos. In the last 20 to 30 years, we have developed a more diversified portfolio which includes solutions for a range of non-free flowing bulk solids.

We are working on developing new and improved systems for monitoring the condition and quality of grain and foodmaterials in storage.

I love my current work because...

The Society also aims to encourage research and development, technology transfer and training. It holds national and international conferences at regular intervals.

66 І Australian Bulk Handling Review: May/June 2022

The project I am most proud of is...

Our business specialises in bulk materials storage and handling. And I am keen to network and be up to date with new information.

I am currently researching…

The ASBSH’s mission is to enhance the discipline of bulk solids handling through research, education and sound engineering practice. It aims to promote cooperation between universities, research establishments, consultants, equipment manufacturers & suppliers and industrial users.

to provide innovative and reliable storage and handling solutions.

In enjoy being in a family company and providing solutions in a quite specialized field.

In my role it’s important to...

Keep abreast of developments and

A special mention at the Bulk Handling Awards in 2012

I am inspired by ...

My family including the next generation in our business.

The most valuable lesson I have learned is…

When something doesn’t work, persisting until the solution is found. Mainly because that’s how experience is built.

My plans for the future are…

Transitioning our business to the next generation.

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

Flying or farming.

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©2022 Flexicon Corporation. Flexicon Corporation has registrations and pending applications for the trademark FLEXICON throughout the world.

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