BULK HANDLING
NEWS BRUKS SIWERTELL CUSTOMER MAGAZINE
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50 years of innovation, set for a new era
18 Securing the path to sustainable aviation
CONTENTS
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CONTENTS 4
50 years of innovation, set for a new era
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100,000 hours of biomass unloading expertise
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Next-generation service agreements, tailored to meet your needs
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Roll away fire risks with air-cushion conveying
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More road-mobile unloaders set to work in the US
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Our People: Boge Sisevski
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Waste takes flight: securing the path to sustainable aviation
BULK HANDLING NEWS
EDITORIAL
ABOUT BRUKS SIWERTELL Bruks Siwertell is a market-leading supplier of dry bulk handling and wood processing systems. With thousands of installations worldwide, our machines handle raw materials from forests, fields, quarries and mines, maintaining critical supply lines for manufacturers, mills, power plants and ports. We design, produce and deliver systems for ship loading, ship unloading, conveying, storing, and stacking and reclaiming dry bulk materials, alongside equipment for baling, chipping, composting, screening, milling, recycling, and processing wood and agricultural waste for the biofuel, bioenergy, panelboard, sawmill, pulp and paper industries. An extensive global service team offers support to Bruks Siwertell customers whenever and wherever it is needed.
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Bulk Handling News is a customer magazine for the dry bulk handling industry. The opinions expressed by the authors or individuals interviewed do not necessarily represent the views of Bruks Siwertell. Publisher: Bruks Siwertell AB P.O. Box 566 Gunnarstorp SE-26725 Bjuv, Sweden Editors: Emily Brækhus Cueva emily.cueva@bruks-siwertell.com Malin Pekberg malin.pekberg@bruks-siwertell.com Lindsay Gilliland lindsay.gilliland@bruks-siwertell.com Editorial assistant: Anette Andersson anette.andersson@bruks-siwertell.com Layout and production: Metamorf Design Group AB Image sources: Bruks Siwertell, Shutterstock and Studio e Printed by: @graphiken, Malmö 2023
Trusted to underpin critical supply lines Dear reader, More than 80 percent of global trade in grains happens at sea, making the international maritime industry critical in the process of moving it from regions of production to consumers, and ensuring that areas of abundance feed those with shortages. We all need food. Grain is the third largest cargo that Bruks Siwertell machines handle, amounting to around 600 million metric tons every year. Our work in this sector has given us a unique understanding into its importance and the challenges that operators face, including some of the tightest port schedules in the world, along with managing huge surges in demand. Aside from these, we are also mindful about material degradation with sensitive cargoes and waste. Our first Siwertell ship unloaders were developed for grain, offering the industry market-leading through-ship capacities, eliminating waste from spillage, and minimizing dust emissions and material degradation; a sustainable solution for dry bulk handling. This year, Siwertell technology, and the brand, is celebrating its 50th anniversary, something that we are incredibly proud of, especially as it still sets the standard. As for the future, our sustainability work is continuing at a pace. At the end of 2023, we won the International Bulk Journal (IBJ) Environment Protection Award (cargo handling) in recognition of our efforts, and this year we will publish our second full sustainability report. We have also acquired the Oregon-based engineering and manufacturing company, West Salem Machinery (WSM), which will significantly strengthen our wood-processing capabilities, particularly in agricultural and wood waste residue handling and processing. This puts us in a very good position to better serve the bioenergy and biomass markets, and new sectors such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). You can read more about this, and our ship unloading equipment for the biomass industry, along with other industry news, such as nextgeneration service agreements, and the development of technological advances to improve efficiencies and mitigate risks, throughout this issue of Bulk Handling News.
Peter Jonsson, Group CEO BULK HANDLING NEWS
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50 YEARS OF INNOVATION, SET FOR A NEW ERA Siwertell technology has revolutionized the dry bulk handling industry, with unmatched capacity, environmental credentials and through-ship performance; Jonas Fack, President of Bruks Siwertell AB, explains how it is keeping its market-setting pace TEXT
Jonas Fack
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5 0 -Y E A R A N N I V E R S A RY FOR FIFTY YEARS the Siwertell brand has been synonymous with the dry bulk handling market. Established in 1974 to develop continuous, efficient, enclosed ship unloading equipment, the Siwertell brand is now part of the Bruks Siwertell Group.
Since merging in 2018, two world-leading brands, Bruks and Siwertell, have combined their complementary strengths. Both brands have their roots in Sweden and have successfully grown through the development of pioneering industry solutions. Bruks technology is central to a renowned product portfolio of wood-processing, conveying, storage, and stacking and reclaiming systems, and is a mainstay of the American and European timber industry. Siwertell technology, comprising screw-type ship unloading systems, versatile road-mobile and port-mobile unloaders, loaders, and bulk terminal solutions, leads the global dry bulk handling industry.
Unmatched on the market With the Group now celebrating the 50th anniversary of its Siwertell ship unloaders, it also celebrates its incredible industry success. No other continuous mechanical ship unloading system can discharge dry bulk materials from a vessel faster, and with less environmental impact than a Siwertell ship unloader. It is also the only enclosed ship unloading system that can safely handle biomass and sulfur at very high capacities. For some operators, compared with switching from traditional dry bulk handling equipment, such as a grab crane, the high-capacity capabilities of a Siwertell ship unloader have meant a reduction in unloading days of 50 percent, translating into a 50 percent reduction in berth occupancy and the possibility of higher annual intakes; with return on investment achieved in less than two years. These are familiar stories within Bruks Siwertell. A year after its market introduction, Siwertell technology made one of its biggest industry impacts; it began to transform global cement handling installations. The first screwtype Siwertell ship unloader was supplied to the cement industry in 1975. In 1980, a new standard for the industry was set by introducing the 800t/h Siwertell unloader to the market and since then, it has continuously set the highest bar. Today, Siwertell cement unloaders offer continuous rated capacities in excess of 2,000t/h. BULK HANDLING NEWS
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Inlet feeders ensure efficient cargo pick-up and a high filling rate of the vertical screw conveyor, and can withstand significant digging forces, break up compacted material and reach high unloading efficiencies. They pick up material under the cargo’s surface, minimizing dust emissions, unloading layer-by-layer and avoiding cargo avalanches, therefore providing a safe operation with limited dust emissions in the cargo hold. Bruks Siwertell is always looking to improve its technology to deliver the most commercial benefits to its customers. As part of this, the company has recently introduced a new inlet feeder for its large-scale Siwertell ship unloaders. The new inlet feeder was a customer-driven development, designed to deliver very high through-ship capacities and the overall efficiency of unloading operations, particularly as material gets lower in the hold. Developed using advanced simulation techniques, and tested in real-world conditions, through-ship capacity test results exceed expectations.
Inlet feeders ensure efficient cargo pick up and a high filling rate of the vertical screw conveyor
The main reason for their high overall efficiency is that Siwertell screw-type unloaders maintain continuous unloading at a steady discharge rate, regardless of the level of cargo in the hold, right up to the hold clean up stage. Further adding to its efficiency, is hold reach, right into the corners. This results in quicker vessel turnaround and reduced berth occupancy. Siwertell screwtype ship unloaders deliver efficiencies of 70 percent or more, while most alternative unloading systems offer efficiencies of between 50 and 60 percent.
Inlet feeder advances From an outsider’s glance, Siwertell unloaders look much the same as they did 50 years ago, with key operating principles remaining unchanged. The single most significant innovation on a Siwertell ship unloader is still the originally patented, counter-rotating inlet feeder. It was designed and developed by the two Swedish inventors, Olle Siwersson and Gunnar Tell, who combined their surnames to give the brand its name. 6
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Importance of R&D In terms of other mechanical advances, following a series of research and development (R&D) programs, which started in the 1990s, Bruks Siwertell has continually increased the lifetime of screw conveyors through the use of new materials. Most recently, from a new program that started in 2021 focused on the agri-bulk sector, significant improvements in the lifetime of the vertical screw conveyor, and its wear parts, were realized.
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No other continuous mechanical ship unloading system can discharge dry bulk materials from a vessel faster JONAS FACK, PRESIDENT, BRUKS SIWERTELL AB
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The developments are applicable to Bruks Siwertell’s entire portfolio of screw-type equipment including Siwertell ship unloaders, loaders and conveyors. The Siwertell Sulfur Safety System (4S) was also a significant development, which has continually been refined. All Siwertell unloaders, delivered to handle sulfur, are fitted with the 4S. It detects and extinguishes fires early, shutting down the system to stop their spread, and safely containing them. An automatic system lubricates and cools the end and intermediate bearings to reduce the risk of ignition, and explosion-proofing is also included, with vents and reinforced casings. Although, originally intended for safe sulfur handling, the 4S has now been adapted to accommodate the enclosed conveying of other hazardous, and potentially self-igniting dry bulk materials, such as biomass wood pellets. Its presence on a Siwertell unloader enables operators to make sustainable energy switches from coal to renewable biomass.
Volumes continue to grow In terms of the dry bulk market, a lot has happened over the past five decades. Volumes have increased and with that, so have vessel sizes. Fifty years ago, a Handymax-sized vessel was large, at around 50,000 dwt, twenty-five years ago Panamax vessels, up to 80,000 dwt were standard, and we now have new Panamax at 120,000 dwt. Today, we see a lot of dry bulk materials shipped in Capsize vessels, up to around 170,000 dwt. With these increases in vessel size, higher unloading and loading capacities were and are required, together with demands for higher efficiency, increased reliability and improved availability. Today, Siwertell ship unloaders can be delivered with rated capacities of up to 3,000t/h, and new high-capacity Siwertell loaders can deliver rates of up to 12,000t/h, serving the world’s largest ore carriers of up to 400,000 dwt and 230,000 dwt coal carriers.
Road-mobile units offer benefits common to all Siwertell screw-type unloaders, low power consumption, very efficient through-ship profiles, and an enclosed conveying line from the ship to shore
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The industry landscape is rapidly changing and Siwertell technology will not just keep pace, but will continue to set the standard JONAS FACK, PRESIDENT, BRUKS SIWERTELL AB
Investing in a Siwertell ship unloader is the most cost-efficient and environmentally responsible choice that a dry bulk operator can make
A digital future As for the future, digitalization will probably provide the most opportunity and present the greatest challenge. Data collection, data analysis, with machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven solutions are not a distant dream any longer. The industry is very likely to move towards autonomous operation, troubleshooting and maintenance, with the automatic replenishment of spare parts, for example.
Just in the last few years, numerous digital developments, including Siwertell Smartview in 2022, have been introduced. Siwertell Smartview is a cloud-based industrial Internet of things (IIoT) system, which will be initially integrated into new Siwertell technology. It is designed to offer a better understanding of operational and component performance through enhanced data visualization and analysis.
Bruks Siwertell is already working on launching remotely operated unloaders and loaders. This will be followed by autonomously operated machines and ultimately a synchronized autonomous operation with a combination of Siwertell technology and payloaders, absolutely minimizing environmental impact and providing highly efficient, safe, and healthy operations.
Siwertell Smartview collects data during unloading and loading operations, which provides detailed analysis of equipment performance, availability and reliability. The tool can monitor real-time operational parameters such as tons of material handled, average capacity, tons of material remaining in the vessel’s holds during unloading, and the overall duration of operations.
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A significant element of Siwertell Smartview is reportgeneration, and the ability to identify areas that can be improved, leading to widely achievable enhances in efficiency and therefore a terminal’s potential profitability.
Enhanced service capabilities The use of IIoT-enabled equipment delivers benefits to customers in terms of service as well, with many new Siwertell road-mobile dry bulk handling unloaders featuring advanced digital technology for diagnostics and troubleshooting. The use of digital technology in service is also evidenced with the recent introduction of new Siwertell Care planned service agreements for Siwertell road-mobile ship unloaders, with augmented reality (STC-AR).
Our sustainability work builds on the environmental credentials of our technology. Investing in a Siwertell ship unloader is the most cost-efficient and environmentally responsible choice that an operator can make for its dry bulk handling needs. Long lifetimes, low operational costs and equipment weights, high nominal unloading capacity, and unparalleled unloading efficiency, along with low noise levels, minimal dust and no spillage, make our machines outstanding from an operational, environmental and health and safety perspective. The industry landscape is rapidly changing and Siwertell technology will not just keep pace, but will continue to set the standard, just as it has done in the cement handling market; a position that is still held. Over fifty years, Siwertell technology has revolutionized dry bulk unloading operations worldwide, and with eyes to the future, will continue to do so.
STC-ARs are next-level planned service agreements and involve AR glasses, which can be purchased so that customers can wear them and remotely connect with experts, enabling surveyors to see what maintenance personnel can see. Technical issues can be addressed even more quickly, along with streamlining communications. They can also mean that more complex maintenance tasks can potentially be carried out in-house, and that the cost and frequency of engineer call-outs can be reduced.
Tomorrow, not just today The past twenty years have also seen much closer environmental scrutiny within the dry bulk material industry, and in more recent years, this has been accelerating. In line with this, Bruks Siwertell has developed its own sustainability targets, publishing progress through an annual sustainability report. The sustainability targets that Bruks Siwertell Group has set are of course extremely important, not only for the company, but also for the world, and for generations to come. In relative terms, the easiest targets are the ones that the company can directly control, such as: zero waste; 100 percent renewable energy; 100 percent compliance with Codes of Conduct; and 100 percent updated work processes. Good progress is already being made with these.
Siwertell ship unloaders can offer rated capacities of up to 3,000t/h
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NEXT-GENERATION SERVICE AGREEMENTS, TAILORED TO MEET YOUR NEEDS A new type of planned service agreement has been launched for use across the entire range of Siwertell ship unloaders and loaders; it makes use of digital technologies and offers customers a bespoke, stackable approach to meet desired levels of support TEXT
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Daniel Frostberg
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Bruks Siwertell, Studio e
S E R V I C E S U P P O RT SERVICE IS PIVOTAL TO BRUKS SIWERTELL , with support offered through on demand, emergency, and effective, planned maintenance, tailored to suit. This ensures that customers and operators have access to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) expertise, for the lifetime of their equipment.
Like technological developments within the company, service provision is continually being developed as well. In line with this approach, a new type of service agreement has recently been launched for use across the entire range of Siwertell ship unloaders and loaders operating in all dry bulk industry segments. However well dry bulk handling equipment is designed, manufactured, installed, and commissioned, it inevitably faces a long and demanding operational life. The cost of maintenance represents a fraction of the overall investment and operating costs, and unexpected downtime and emergency support is almost always more expensive than a planned strategy. It is widely accepted that good maintenance practices positively support business operations, and part of Bruks Siwertell’s job is helping operators with their maintenance strategies. “Our service agreements for bulk handling equipment allow an operator to focus on their core business, while benefiting from maintenance budget predictability, effective planning and scheduling, lower service costs and peace of mind, resting in the knowledge that an OEM expert will be on hand if needed,” says Daniel Frostberg, Service Director, Bruks Siwertell.
Tailored to suit “Our newly introduced next-generation service agreements allow customers and partners to tailor and customize their desired levels of service support. With
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Daniel Frostberg, Service Director, Bruks Siwertell: “Our service agreements allow an operator to focus on their core business”
this stackable approach, we can offer tailored solutions that allow operators to choose exactly what they need,” Frostberg continues. “We all know that economizing on maintenance-related activities, buying non-OEM parts, or deferring work does not represent value, because it invariably costs an operator more in the long run, and has the potential to cause reputational damage. Furthermore, operators are not able to benefit from the financial gains of equipment availability and optimized performance.
With the stackable approach, we can offer tailored solutions that allow operators to choose exactly what they need DANIEL FROSTBERG, SERVICE DIRECTOR, BRUKS SIWERTELL
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“This is why we strongly recommend a planned maintenance approach through our service agreements, allowing customers to know, in advance, the schedule and costs of maintaining their dry bulk handling equipment for a three-year period,” he explains. Customers know their dry bulk handling equipment, and can see, and often hear and assess how it is performing. With fifty years of leading the market in dry bulk handling, Bruks Siwertell can add to this expertise. OEMs are able to rapidly assess equipment and determine its condition, which ensures that parts are not replaced unnecessarily. They can also devise the most cost-effective strategy for repair and renewal. OEM surveyors can make relatively small adjustments to operational parameters that deliver significant performance benefits.
The closer the better Close customer relations are a critically important part of service support. “Our service teams are the interface between the customer and our company, and continuously work for it to remain so, often for decades after equipment has been delivered,” says Frostberg. “The closer this relationship is, the better. Customers put their trust in us, and we need to honour this. Our commitment to continuous development work, including the addition of new services, like our next-generation service agreements, which are designed to respond and match customers’ needs, act as a platform for this.”
Planned service contracts comprise a number of different areas of support and many of these can now be customized, tailored and combined for optimal operational and maintenance strategies. Agreements include, for example, different types of inspections that cover mechanical, electrical and structural components of the equipment.
Importance of inspections During a mechanical inspection on a ship unloader, for example, all essential unloader functions and movements are tested, along with sequences for the conveyor system. A review of any maintenance undertaken by the operator and the alarm history is also carried out, as well as an analysis of recurring alarms and trends. When inspecting dry bulk handling equipment’s electrical system and instrumentation, everything is checked including motors, electrical power and signal supply, the radio system, cables, and sensors. A test run during operations is also conducted to assess limit switches and carry out a visual and sound condition check of the main drives. For structural inspections, a surveyor will carry out a visual assessment of the steel structure, with a detailed focus on stress-exposed areas. Any sections that have suspected damage can be checked using a dye penetrant. If further non-destructive testing is required, such as ultrasonic techniques and magnetic particle tests, Bruks Siwertell will arrange for additional specialist
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New planned service agreements offers customers a bespoke, stackable approach to meet desired levels of support
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When we are needed on site, we are there, and we are able to help operators capitalize on the advantages of digitalization and remote diagnostics and support DANIEL FROSTBERG, SERVICE DIRECTOR, BRUKS SIWERTELL
OEMs are able to more rapidly assess equipment condition and devise the most cost-effective strategy for repair and renewal
involvement. This might include testing weld joints, outer and inner hinge shafts, and the luffing and pendulum hydraulic cylinder attachments. All inspections include dialogue between the surveyor and the customer, machine performance evaluation of unloading capacity, availability, downtime, and previous maintenance work from logged historical data. After each inspection, a report is issued, including any upcoming work recommendations and areas that need further investigation. Inspections are a crucial element of the maintenance toolbox. They are always carried out on site and can be before, during or after other maintenance work. The main purpose of an inspection is condition monitoring, identifying any irregularities and problem areas, and potential improvements of asset operation. They can also include wear part lifetime estimates and a spare parts inventory check and recommendation. Potential training opportunities can also come to light.
Digital connectivity In addition to physical on-site support, Bruks Siwertell also offers remote support, giving customers access to a global network of dry bulk handling experts and specialists, who provide problem-solving suggestions and guidance. Experts are available via a number of methods from phone to video calls; communication preferences are selected by the customer, so that the right approach is chosen for the operation. Planned for launch next year, Bruks Siwertell is also able to directly connect with the equipment’s programmable logic controller (PLC), for easy troubleshooting. This approach requires the dry bulk handling equipment to be connected via ethernet. “When we are needed on site, we are there, but with the rapid and growing introduction of new technologies, we are able to help operators capitalize on the advantages of digitalization and remote diagnostics and support,” Frostberg says. BULK HANDLING NEWS
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of planned service contracts include inventory and spare parts management. Bruks Siwertell can take full responsibility for the entire process of managing and maintaining an organization’s spare parts inventory, ensuring that the right parts are available at the right time and in the right quantities. This also ensures that operators are relieved of the responsibility of having capital tied up in spare parts and warehousing. In addition, planning and scheduling of essential service work and preventative maintenance strategies can also be carried out as part of a planned service agreement, along with training opportunities.
Inspections identify any problem areas and potential for improvements
Included in this approach is Siwertell Smartview, also scheduled for launch in 2024. It is a cloud-based industrial Internet of things (IIoT) system, planned for phased integration into Siwertell dry bulk handling technology. The tool can monitor real-time operational parameters such as tons of material handled, average capacity, tons of material remaining in the vessel’s holds during unloading, and the overall duration of operations. This information is accessed through a personal computer (PC), tablet or smartphone, available in your hands any time of day, everywhere. To enhance operational awareness, Siwertell Smartview can generate numerous different reports, so that operators are able to make the most of any information gathered, including operational performance data, individual vessel reports, and details about equipment availability, highlighting any downtime. Component-level data collection and historical performance are also possible with equipment IIoT-enabled with Siwertell Smartview.
Whole terminals to nuts-and-bolts It is also important not to forget the basics. As well as terminal-wide performance overviews, other features 14
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“We have many references for planned service agreements and examples of very carefully scheduled work that is precisiontimed to suit an operator’s demanding dry bulk schedule. For example, in the grain handling industry, where maintenance windows are only available once a year,” he highlights. “Customers are at the heart of our business and we work hard to ensure that we deliver on our promises, and if possible, exceed them,” says Frostberg. “A key part of this is ensuring that we offer global through-life customer support, so when we are needed, we respond. This responsiveness is now enhanced through our latest planned service agreements; ensuring that customers continue to benefit from our expertise.”
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Customers put their trust in us, and we need to honour this DANIEL FROSTBERG, SERVICE DIRECTOR, BRUKS SIWERTELL
NEWS IN BRIEF Bruks Siwertell Group welcomes in West Salem Machinery Following the acquisition of North American engineering company, West Salem Machinery (WSM), in 2023, Bruks Siwertell Group has continued its planned integration, welcoming the Oregon-based engineering and manufacturing company under the Bruks Siwertell Group umbrella. WSM will continue to operate under its current name as a separate internal division within the Group. “Wood is the foremost globally available, renewable construction material able to capture carbon, and it covers a third of the world’s surface. In the face of an urgent need to address climate change, our relationship with this incredibly versatile and sustainable resource has never been more important,” says Peter Jonsson, CEO, Bruks Siwertell Group. “With WSM now on board, Bruks Siwertell Group is better able to offer industrial applications an even greater opportunity to meet sustainability goals, by maximizing the use of natural resources and the efficiency of installations and wood-processing plants,” Jonsson continues. “This is a growth market, and we are ready to meet the needs of operators and industries as they develop and look to achieve those carbon neutral or negative ambitions through the use of wood.
and maximizing the value in waste wood will deliver exceptional capabilities to the global wood industry. This is already in progress, with both our and Bruks Siwertell Group’s teams working intensively together, enabling a smooth and rapid integration process. “WSM customers will continue to benefit from our usual, dedicated approach, with the same priorities given to equipment lead times and service. So, business as usual, but we are now able to offer our customers an even wider portfolio,” notes Lyman. WSM equipment includes grinders, shredders, hogs, hammermills and screens and for the past seven decades it has served multiple wood-processing industries, such as power generation, construction and demolition, recycling, pulp and paper, packaging, and sawmills. “Combined with our existing range of products, operators are now able to select machinery from one of the broadest dry bulk handling and wood-processing technology portfolios that the market can offer. As a larger, stronger company, we can also better leverage the advantages of new digital technologies that provide real-term benefits for customers,” Jonsson concludes.
“Bruks Siwertell Group is dedicated to innovation and quality; characteristics of all its technology brands, and WSM equipment is no exception,” he adds. “We are delighted to officially be part of Bruks Siwertell Group,” says Mark Lyman, CEO, West Salem Machinery. “The combined strength of our wood-processing technologies and expertise in handling
To an exciting new partnership: Bruks Siwertell Group CEO, Peter Jonsson (left) and WSM CEO, Mark Lyman (right)
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Bruks Siwertell wins environment protection award Bruks Siwertell Group’s ability to offer dry bulk handling equipment that protects the environment, and its ambitious sustainability efforts, have been recognized, winning the 2023 prestigious International Bulk Journal (IBJ) Environment Protection Award (cargo handling). “Bruks Siwertell already delivers ship unloaders, loaders and conveyors that possess the key elements for environmental protection, and the Group has now developed a robust, measurable, and accountable sustainability strategy, roadmapping its goals and ambitions,” IBJ highlights as its reasons for nominating Bruks Siwertell. In part, the IBJ award was won because of Bruks Siwertell Group’s company-wide sustainability efforts in 2023. “Last year’s sustainability work was particularly intense and focused on climate calculations throughout our entire value chain, including direct and indirect emissions,” says Anna Halling, Chief Strategy Officer, Bruks Siwertell Group. Initially, Bruks Siwertell Group’s carbon footprint was reported according to the guidelines in Greenhouse Gas Protocol scopes 1 and 2. “Our focus in 2023 was to set the base level of the Group’s carbon emissions using scope 3 calculations as well. This has involved extensive work with suppliers to collect and collate climate data. Throughout this year, scope 1 and 2 calculations have also been reviewed and updated,” explains Halling.
Road-mobile unloaders step up to meet US cement demands Deliveries of a run of new Siwertell road-mobile ship unloaders is complete; all now secure efficient, spillagefree cement handing operations at installations in Mexico and North America. “The US is seeing a huge rise in demand for cement, and our technology is helping operators meet these volume increases in the most sustainable way possible,” explains Pedro Alfaro, Project Development Engineer, Bruks Siwertell. “Many Bruks Siwertell orders come from repeat customers, such as one of the operators in this latest delivery run. 16
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The IBJ awards ceremony was held on 20th November, 2023, at City Central at the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) in London, UK. A team of Bruks Siwertell personnel were in attendance, receiving the award on behalf of the company from President and Chief Executive Officer CSL Group, Louis Martel. Bruks Siwertell Group’s second full sustainability report will be published on the Bruks Siwertell website in the first quarter of 2024.
This customer already knows that Siwertell technology will deliver the necessary environmental and operational performance, and one is now finding out. We are also one of the few companies able to supply a ship unloading solution that can discharge cement from vessels directly to trucks.” For one operator, these deliveries represent its third and fourth 10 000 S Siwertell road-mobile unloader units, while the second operator also opted for a 10 000 S model, representing its first Siwertell road-mobile ship unloader. Siwertell 10 000 S road-mobile unloaders offer a continuous rated cement handling capacity of 300t/h and can discharge vessels up to 10,000 dwt. They have totally enclosed conveying lines and are fitted with dust filters and a double-bellows discharge arrangement with an automatic shifting function. This enables fast, efficient and dust-free vessel discharges direct to waiting trucks.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Augmented reality adopted in advanced service provision The use of augmented reality (AR) has been introduced into planned service agreements for Siwertell roadmobile ship unloaders. The AR glasses allow operators to remotely connect with expert service support, enabling surveyors to have a direct visual link to equipment. This ensures that technical issues can be addressed even more quickly, along with streamlining communications. “This latest advance is part of Bruks Siwertell’s ongoing commitment to improving customer service, and minimizing environmental impact through the use of digital technology,” says Jörgen Ojeda, Sales Director Mobile Unloaders, Bruks Siwertell. “Planned service is always better than reactive,” continues Ojeda. “Siwertell Care agreements (STC) offer significant customer benefits, including substantial cost savings and budgeting advantages. With the addition of AR, if both parties can see exactly the same in realtime, issues can be resolved much faster and equipment downtime minimized. The number and cost of engineer call-outs can also be reduced.”
AR glasses allow operators to remotely connect with expert service support
When customers opt for an STC-AR agreement, AR glasses can be used to remotely supervise any work being carried out, which can speed up tasks and ensure that they are correctly performed. The use of AR glasses can also mean that more complex maintenance tasks can be undertaken in-house and the operational performance of equipment can be evaluated and discussed in realtime. You can read more about next-generation planned service agreements on page 10.
Indonesia expands Siwertell technology range An order for two Siwertell 10 000 S next-generation roadmobile ship unloaders will support environment-friendly cement handling operations in Sumatra, Indonesia. The two road-mobile models add to a range of Siwertell screw-type dry bulk handling systems already delivered to the region including four large-scale Siwertell ship unloaders and one ship loader. State-of-the-art Siwertell mechanical screw-conveyor technology has earned a global reputation for performance, reliability, and environment-friendly handling of a wide variety of dry bulk materials. Cement markets can be particularly complex, with demand arising in places where infrastructure for importing
Siwertell 10 000 S road-mobile unloaders offer a continuous rated cement handling capacity of 300t/h
large cargoes is lacking. Able to deploy, repack and move within the space of an hour, road-mobile unloaders flexibly meet this need by providing immediate, highly efficient through-ship capacity wherever it is required. BULK HANDLING NEWS
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WASTE TAKES FLIGHT: SECURING THE PATH TO SUSTAINABLE AVIATION To meet demand for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), new types of manufacturing plant and very highcapacity wood-processing technology will be needed for the task; fortunately, Bruks Siwertell is on hand with the expertise already TEXT
Ken Upchurch
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WITHIN THE BROAD SCOPE OF CHANGES
to be implemented to achieve decarbonization targets, there are a number of so-called ‘hard-to-decarbonize’ sectors. Prominent candidates, among others, are cement and steel production, and aviation. Aviation contributes to greenhouse gas emissions at a higher rate, compared to its output, than other forms of transportation, accounting for approximately three to four percent of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, according to United Nations (UN) figures. This is roughly equivalent to the collective emissions of all cargo ships. Some studies, such as those conducted by the Netherlands’ Technical University Delft, even suggest that aircraft’s contribution to climate change might reach as high as five percent, owing to the intricate interactions of aircraft fuels in the atmosphere. The importance of decarbonizing aircraft cannot be ignored. But this is also extremely challenging. While battery-electric planes are proving
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feasible on short-hop intercity routes, there is little prospect of recharging them in midair, ruling them out for long-haul flights. Aircraft will need to use jets, not propellers, if the industry is to avoid a backward step in technology. This means using large amounts of pure, light, compact, high-octane liquid fuel, with vast chemical energy content. These demanding requirements have been challenging to meet even by refiners of conventional fossil fuels. Although the aviation industry has demonstrated a willingness to radically alter aircraft designs to suit different types of fuel – notable among them, various design proposals for hydrogen aircraft by Airbus and Honeywell – challenges related to storage and payload capacity have tempered expectations. The large tanks required for hydrogen would leave room for only a few passengers or limited cargo. A number of e-fuel alternatives such as methanol and ammonia are also under consideration, but ultimately will be unlikely to make the grade, for the same reasons.
Wood is the material that Bruks Siwertell handles the most of. The biomass, bioenergy and biofuel sectors can directly benefit from our technology KEN UPCHURCH, SVP SALES AND MARKETING, BRUKS SIWERTELL
This leaves fuels which are close to like-for-like replacements for fossil fuels. In fact, such fuels do exist; they are high-purity, dense compounds, liquid at room temperature, and refined from existing waste products. They are similar enough to existing fuels that they can be ‘dropped-in’ to replace existing aircraft fuel with a minimum of fuss, ensuring a smooth transition, and are known as sustainable aviation fuel (SAFs). Derived from waste and residue streams, supply of these fuels is developed with a focus on ecological sustainability and minimal GHG impact.
Green sky thinking In September 2023, the European Union (EU) Council passed a law mandating that SAF should make up 34 percent of all aircraft fuel supplied at EU airports by 2040, and 70 percent by 2050. Included within the ‘ReFuelEU aviation’ package was a further provision banning aircraft from ‘tankering’ – carrying extra fuel into European airspace to avoid having to refuel with SAF at an EU airport. The measure underscores the increasing recognition of SAF’s potential to drive decarbonization within the aviation sector, and the limited viable alternatives. Even airlines seem relieved with the decision to favor SAF. “Ryanair believes using SAF is the most realistic and effective method for aviation to reduce emissions in the coming decades,” the Irish low-cost airline said in a statement. “We welcome the European Parliament’s decision to adopt SAF mandates under the ReFuelEU regulation, which will apply to all flights departing a Union airport and follow the ‘polluter pays’ principle.” BULK HANDLING NEWS
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SAF is not one fuel but an umbrella of new ones, based on different grades of biomass. The feedstocks of SAF are various, but one of the most important criteria for long term success in decarbonization is that they should not be reliant on virgin cropland, thanks to the risk of competition with global grain supplies, as well as concerns over the carbon cost of agricultural cultivation and deforestation. Instead, feedstocks for SAF should be made from waste products like corn stalks, used cooking oil, algae, and sewage. Potentially adding to this are forestry residues, sawmills and wood mill waste from managed forests.
Hardest sector targets ReFuelEU legislation states that existing supplies of biomass feedstock should be targeted at the aviation industry, one of the hardestto-decarbonize sectors, for maximum climate effectiveness. The EU even explicitly endorses discouraging biofuel uptake in road and sea transportation, in order to prioritize air.
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According to the US Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, some 3.8 billion liters of biomass could be collected domestically each year, providing 227 billion liters of low-carbon biofuels, which is enough to completely replace fossil fuels in US aircraft. Another projection by Dutch SAF specialists, SkyNRG, in its SAF Market Outlook May 2023, estimates that there could be as many as 454 billion liters of SAF production up and running by 2050. “SAF is increasingly accepted as the most effective measure to significantly reduce aviation emissions,” note the report’s authors. “With key policies in place or underway, the industry now needs solid partnerships to deliver on the momentum we see today and realize the dramatic increase in production capacity needed to reach net-zero.” But aviation is not the only contender in the biomass race, with stakeholders vying for raw materials for heat and energy generation and
fiber-based packaging, for example. Maintaining high capacity demands and keeping any material losses to a minimum are therefore vital. Bruks Siwertell’s capability in this sector is well-known, which is why the company has received a figurative ‘tap on the shoulder’ from the fledgling SAF industry, during its participation at the first ever North American SAF Conference & Expo 2023. Here, Ken Upchurch, Bruks Siwertell SVP Sales and Marketing, answered questions about handling and processing SAF feedstocks. “We are very excited to be part of the SAF movement as we continue to see increased interest in our solutions as it relates to handling and processing organic materials that will ultimately become the source for advanced SAF.” Much of the biomass produced in the US consists of corn stalks and husks, or the small branches that are shaved off in the process of cutting timber; in Asia, palm kernel shells are also a key source. Sawdust and wood chips, once little more than the waste of wood production, are now valuable resources.
We know about wood
By 2050, 70 percent of all aircraft fuel supplied at EU airports has to be sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) LAW PASSED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU) COUNCIL
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“Wood is the material that Bruks Siwertell handles the most of,” explained Upchurch. “Every part of a tree has value potential, and waste wood residues such as wood chips, bark, hard-to-handle forestry byproducts and end-of-life timber, are no exception. These capabilities extend to agricultural waste as well. “The biomass, bioenergy and biofuel sectors can directly benefit from Bruks Siwertell technology, and our
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capabilities have been extended even further in this sector with the recent acquisition of the North American engineering and manufacturing company, West Salem Machinery (WSM),” he continued. “WSM’s waste-processing capabilities, which includes high-capacity shredders, hammermills and green and food recycling systems, strengthens our portfolio of specialized waste wood residue and wood-processing equipment. This puts Bruks Siwertell Group in a great position to ensure that SAF stakeholders can get the highest yields from this sustainable energy source.”
Charting the course Bruks Siwertell’s wood-processing range also includes some of the market’s most powerful wood chipping machines, providing a basic feedstock for SAF. Transforming wood chips into SAF involves combining them alongside other solid elements like bark, corn husks, and pine kernels with oily substances like waste cooking oil and sewage sludge. Together, these fibrous materials are broken down in a bioreactor, using microbes to digest them into liquid; a process which also generates usable heat on-site.
Once these processes are performed, the resulting crude biofuel can then be refined, cracked or blended into different grades, in much the same way as fossil fuels are today. SkyNRG estimates that some 150 such facilities are needed in Europe, and 250 in the US, to generate enough SAF to meet with aviation fuel demand in these countries. But not only this; an extraordinary formalization of what is currently an informal and decentralized market – that of waste collection and recycling – will be necessary, to allow humanity to make better use of its waste. BULK HANDLING NEWS
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Woodyards supplied by Bruks Siwertell are seen as the industry model for high-volume wood processing
Bruks Siwertell has helped various operators to make better use of their resources. Throughout North America and the world, Bruks Siwertell’s machinery is already directly involved in the handling and processing of wood and agricultural waste for the biofuel, bioenergy and biomass pellet sectors; and within ports, ship loaders, unloaders and conveying systems securing the environmentfriendly transfer of this material for onward use. “The SAF industry, fortunately, does not have to start from scratch,” said Upchurch. “Bruks Siwertell has been assisting the power-generation sector in ramping up its use of biomass for 22
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co-firing, and for complete transitions to biomass only fuel. So, whether this is destined for aircraft engines or power plants, the principles of proces-
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sing and handling bio-mass remain the same; minimizing waste, dust emissions, and material degradation, and maximizing yields.”
Bruks Siwertell Group is in a great position to ensure that SAF stakeholders can get the highest yields from this sustainable energy source KEN UPCHURCH, SVP SALES AND MARKETING, BRUKS SIWERTELL
100,000 HOURS OF BIOMASS UNLOADING EXPERTISE In the face of climate change and energy security, all eyes are turning to sustainable power generation, with operators looking to plug the fossil fuel gap with biomass; a raw, renewable resource with great potential, if sourced, handled and combusted correctly TEXT
IT MAY COME AS NO SURPRISE that fossil fuels continue
their energy market dominance, accounting for around 80 percent of total primary energy supply, according to the World Bioenergy Association report, Global Bioenergy Statistics 2022. However, little by little, around 0.9 percent in fact over the previous year, renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, hydro, and biomass are encroaching on this domination.
Jonas Andersson
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Bruks Siwertell
Looking at these figures in more detail, the World Bioenergy Association report separates electricity and heat production, which is helpful in understanding where different renewables are making their largest impact. In 2020, 26,833 TWh of electricity was generated globally, 35 percent of electricity production was from coalbased sources, with renewables having a share of 29 BULK HANDLING NEWS
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BIOMASS HANDLING
percent, mainly driven by the increasing use of solar and wind, as well as significant contribution from hydropower and biomass. In 2020, 15.7 EJ of heat was produced globally via heat only and combined heat and power (CHP) plants. Coal and natural gas have a combined share of more than 85 percent in the global heat production. However, World Bioenergy Association notes that renewable energy technologies, including biomass, geothermal and solar thermal have doubled their share in the global heat production over the past 20 years. Currently, 96 percent of all renewable heat produced was from biomass with minor contribution from geothermal and solar thermal technologies.
Uniformity enhances combustion Bruks Siwertell is interested and investing in renewable technologies as part of meeting its sustainability targets, which include reducing the carbon emissions from its operations by 50 percent in comparison to levels recorded in 2019, and switching to 100 percent renewable electricity by 2030. However, the company’s major contribution to changing the face of the global energy market is biomass handling.
In all its forms, wood is the largest material that Bruks Siwertell handles across its technologies. Systems accommodate biomass in raw states, such as wood chips and agricultural waste, including husks and palm kernel shells, to its refined, familiar pelletized profile. Pellets are produced by pressing and squeezing wood fibers through a die, and make good use of very small wood and agricultural waste fractions, such as sawdust. Typically, they are about 6mm in diameter, but can be larger and formed as briquettes. The extreme pressure placed on the wood-based material as it is forced through the die, increases its temperature. This forms a natural glue and holds the pellet together as it cools, however, some pellets make use of binders and additives. The final product is a dense, low-moisture content pellet, typically below 10 percent, which then allows them to be burned with a very high combustion efficiency. Biomass pellets also have an advantage over wood chips in that their combustion profile and burning consistency are more similar to coal, and wood chips require about two to three times more storage space than pellets.
Siwertell ship unloaders are located around the world, helping power stations make the switch from fossil fuels to renewable sources
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BIOMASS HANDLING
Not without challenges All biomass, pellets, wood chips or otherwise, have three significantly challenging characteristics that arise during transportation, handling and storage. They are oxygendepleting, delicate and can self-ignite. As biomass handing is a growth industry, these factors need careful consideration. The safety of the maritime industry comes under the umbrella of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS Convention), which also includes the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes Code (IMSBC Code). The shipment of biomass wood pellets is noted in the IMSBC Code, which distinguishes between wood pellets that use binders and/or additives or not. Those that use them can develop flammable gases when wet, but both are classified as Group B commodities. The main hazards relating to wood pellets being confined in a ship’s hold in bulk form are oxygen depletion and carbon monoxide development. With any organic material, the risk of microbial action has to be considered. This is particularly problematic when moisture content rises over 15 percent. As pellets are usually shipped at lower moisture levels, and gas concentrations resulting from fermentation tend not to reach flammable levels, according to the Code, there is no requirement for any documentation certifying moisture content to be provided to the vessel.
Keeping cool in the holds However, wood pellets can also generate heat by oxidation of their fibrous material. This is a natural result of their manufacturing process, which exposes wood fibers to the air, slowly facilitating the oxidation process. It is this process that depletes oxygen from the hold. Fines, generated from pellet degradation during handling, are also more prone to oxidation. Furthermore, the oxidation of wood pellets or fines releases heat. If heat is generated relatively slowly, the cargo temperature rises a little, but will stabilize. It is, however, possible for wood pellet heating to become self-accelerating to the point of fire.
Bruks Siwertell offers the market continuous, high-capacity ship unloading systems that can safely enclose volatile dry bulks
Wood pellets are generally shipped without any ventilation in the hold, which means that any self-heating tendencies, and its consequences, including carbon monoxide production and oxygen depletion, is usually self-limiting, as the amount of oxygen in the hold is limited. The IMSBC Code notes that extreme caution should be taken when opening and entering the hold.
Mitigating enclosed risks When the holds are open, it is Bruks Siwertell’s turn to add its expertise and safely complete the ship to shore link, transferring the biomass, with minimal material degradation, for the next leg of its journey. To put this knowledge in perspective, Siwertell ship unloaders have now clocked up almost 100,000 operational hours of discharging biomass in ports. Central to this capability is the Siwertell ship unloader, ranging from road-mobile models, up to large-scale unloading systems. All have been designed to handle biomass safely and are equipped with a sophisticated, in-house-designed safety system, which has the capacity to suppress and withstand dust explosions and mitigate the risk when handling biomass in an enclosed space.
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Renewable energy technologies, including biomass, geothermal and solar thermal have doubled their share in the global heat production over the past 20 years WORLD BIOENERGY ASSOCIATION
Bruks Siwertell has a lot of experience handling selfigniting dry bulk materials, developing the Siwertell Sulfur Safety System (4S) many years ago in response to ensuring the safe, enclosed handling of sulfur. The capabilities of both the biomass and sulfur safety systems mean that Bruks Siwertell offers the market a continuous, high-capacity ship unloading system that can enclose volatile dry bulks safely. Siwertell systems also protect the delicate pellets from degradation through steady conveying velocities and careful handling, and they minimize environmental impact by enclosing fugitive dust and eliminating cargo spillage. Biomass handling Siwertell ship unloaders are located around the world, supporting the phase-out of coal and helping power stations make the switch from fossil fuels to renewable sources.
A final farewell Last year, global renewable energy company, Drax, announced that almost 50 years of power generation from coal at its North Yorkshire power station in the UK has come to an end. Drax Power Station was once Western Europe’s largest coal-fired power station but, over the years, has been transformed into the UK’s single-largest generator of renewable electricity; its four biomass units generated 12.7 TWh of electricity in 2022. It is now in discussions with the UK government, where biomass accounted for 8.6 percent of energy supply in 2022, to employ bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) to permanently remove millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 26
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The lion’s share of wood pellet supply for Drax’s boilers are US imports, which are processed and handled using Bruks wood-processing equipment, truck receiving and ship loading systems. Once their transatlantic journey is complete, Drax receives biomass unloaded at several UK locations including the Immingham Renewable Fuels Terminal (IRFT), operated by Associated British Ports, where the US wood pellets arrive on dedicated self-trimming bulk vessels of between 25,000 and 50,000 dwt. Since 2014, these cargoes have been discharged by two rail-mounted ST 790-D Siwertell ship unloaders and prior to that they handled coal. In 2016, the Ligna Biomass terminal in Liverpool, UK, came online. Operated by Peel Ports, the material terminal can store up to 110,000 metric tons of biomass. Like IRFT, Ligna is equipped with two ST 790-D highcapacity unloaders, which supply the power station with up to ten train loads of pellets per day and account for up to 40 percent of the total biomass consumed by Drax each year. Also in the UK, following an agreement with the SpanishKorean consortium, TR-Samsung, a Siwertell ship unloader was ordered to support a new 299MW biomass-fueled power plant in Teesside, Middlesbrough, UK. Delivered in 2018, the tailor-made, rail-mounted ST 790-type D Siwertell unloader is located close to the plant. It is designed to discharge wood pellets and wood chips to a matched Siwertell jetty conveyor with a movable transfer trolley, supplied as part of the contract, and has a rated average capacity of 1,200t/h and a maximum rate of 1,320t/h, which are designed to meet the
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plant’s requirements of 16,000 metric ton/day. It is equipped with a dual truck loading system for continuous direct truck loading at a rate of 300t/h. This is a redundancy feature that allows operations to continue if shore conveying is interrupted.
Combining heat and power Other notable references include securing fuel for Denmark’s Avedøre combined heat and power (CHP) station. It is one of the most efficient in the world, able to burn coal with as much as 94 percent efficiency by converting 49 percent of its potential energy into electricity and distributing the other 45 percent as residential and industrial district heating. Avedøre’s operator, Ørsted, formally Denmark Oil and Gas (Dong Energy), has reduced its coal use by 73 percent since 2006, replacing it at its various power plants with biomass, as part of its target to ultimately phase out coal power completely by 2023. For this installation, a rail-mounted high-capacity Siwertell ST 790-D unloader has operated in the Avedøre harbor since 2013. Again, originally ordered for unloading both coal and biomass cargoes interchangeably. It now handles 100 percent biomass, after Ørsted converted the plant for full-biomass operation in 2016. In Asia, biomass often takes the form not only of wood pellets, but also palm kernel shells from Indonesia and Malaysia. In southeast Asia, at the Tembusu Multi-Utilities Complex (TMUC) on Jurong Island in Singapore, a combination of energy production, desalination, and wastewater treatment is powered using coal and palm kernel shells. Two ST 640-M rail-mounted Siwertell unloaders, TUAS and TUAS II, have served TMUC since 2012, seamlessly alternating between unloading coal and palm kernel shells.
Siwertell systems protect delicate biomass pellets from degradation
Biomass continues to boom According to Research and Markets, the global biomass power generation market is estimated to grow from USD 91.3 billion in 2023 to USD 105.7 billion by 2028, with much of the demand being driven by the industrial sector. Most analysts are predicting similar demand increases, which leaves the sector needing to meet huge rises in demand. Siwertell ship unloading systems are ready, tailored for the task and will meet capacity demands in a sustainable way, further enhancing biomass’ renewable credentials. BULK HANDLING NEWS
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ROLL AWAY FIRE RISKS WITH AIR-CUSHION CONVEYING Operators understand the importance of maintenance, but the responsibility for thousands of rollers beneath the conveyor belt is quite a task; eliminating them can reduce maintenance burdens and the risk of friction fires, explains Zack Hood, Manager Conveyor Projects, Bruks Siwertell TEXT
Zack Hood
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Bruks Siwertell, Shutterstock
VAST VOLUMES OF DRY BULK MATERIALS are conveyed on traditional roller or idler-can belt conveyors. They are robust, extremely efficient, offer high capacities and are generally very reliable, quickly transferring dense and abrasive bulks, across long distances in demanding conditions.
Bruks Siwertell offers many types of these conveyors. However, they have one major requirement, that of maintenance. The belt itself requires regular inspection, and then all the idlers beneath it have to be properly greased and serviced to ensure that they do not seize up, or the phenomenon known as a friction fire is a real possibility.
Prioritizing fire prevention With large facilities having tens to hundreds of thousands of idlers in action, and vast lengths of rubberized belts, the task and cost of maintaining these systems becomes evident. Add to this, the volatile and innately combustible nature of some dry bulk materials, for example, grain, sulfur and biomass, including the rubberized belt, and the enormity of the fire risk is revealed. For example, in the UK, a fire in a biomass-handling power station in 2012 was found to have been started on a conveyor belt operating within a pellet storage dome. Although fairly contained and power-generation resumed 28
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relatively quickly, incidents like these, and there are many, some with devastating consequences, are cause for significant concern. While there are situations like jetty conveying systems in ports that serve large-scale ship unloaders and loaders, where traditional belt conveyors are often the main choice, there are now many opportunities for operators to switch to alternative conveying technology, particularly well-suited for the transfer of dry bulk materials within facilities.
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There are many opportunities where air-cushion conveying could transform fire risk Z ACK HOOD, MANAGER CONVEYOR PROJECTS, BRUKS SIWERTELL
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Bruks Siwertell offers these conveying systems as well, which pose a much lower fire risk, and offer far reduced maintenance costs. These include highly efficient, lowfriction air-cushion conveying systems that eliminate roller and idlers all together, namely the Tubulator™ and The Belt Conveyor™. As neither of these air-supported systems use idlers along their conveyor lengths, the risk of friction fires from rollers jamming whilst in operation has been eliminated, along with the need for maintenance walkways and the huge associated costs of idler maintenance.
Perfect for biomass Other advantages are that they are enclosed, so prevent fugitive dust emissions from impacting the environment, as well as keeping the product dry, which is important for many dry bulk materials, such as biomass pellets. Air-supported conveyors also ensure the quality of the material in terms of degradation. The belts on traditional conveyors are supported by the rollers beneath them, but, as they are spaced at around 1.2m apart, the belt sags a little in the middle, causing a series of fractional
bumps to the cargo as it travels along. The interference is minor, but over long distances, cargo, which is particularly sensitive, such as biomass pellets, can break down and degrade. There is no such degradation on air-supported conveyors. The current climate emergency demands that no raw material should be wasted, and given the rise in demand for biomass, it is imperative that industries have access to conveying systems that not only address the risk of fire, but also that of degradation. In fact, the higher the levels of material degradation, the higher the chance of fire, so overcoming both of these is a win-win.
Air under the belt In terms of their designs, the Tubulator and The Belt Conveyor offer something different. The Tubulator is an air-supported belt conveyor, built as a closed system of steel tubes. Inside the tube, a rubber belt runs at high speed on top of an air cushion created by a series of in-line fans. With less inertia and friction to overcome, the Tubulator can reach angles that would not be possible using traditional idler conveyors.
The Belt Conveyor uses a formed pan to support the belt and a fully flanged cover makes it dust tight, protecting the environment
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Innovative conveyor options The Tubulator is often specified for niche applications, and in 2018 Bruks Siwertell introduced The Belt Conveyor into its portfolio, to offer customers a new type of air-cushion conveyor that could carry a wider variety of materials and incorporate features of both the Tubulator and conventional conveyor design. Instead of using a pipe enclosure, like the Tubulator, The Belt Conveyor uses a formed pan to support the belt. A fully flanged cover makes it dust tight, protecting the environment and eliminating any material losses through spillage. The shape of the pan has the same geometry of a 35-degree idler conveyor, but without the rollers, therefore it still meets the industry-standard calculations for the USA’s Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA). Third-party components, like weigh-scales, metal detectors, magnets and material sensor areas, can all be incorporated into the design.
With air-supported systems, the risk of friction fires from rollers jamming whilst in operation has been eliminated
It can very effectively handle almost any low-density material, such as cement, shredded waste, grain, and sugar. Because it uses a cushion of air instead of idlers, there is no product degradation. Fragile materials are transported more easily and gently, creating less dust in the process. If any dust is generated, Tubulator conveyors are totally enclosed so emissions do not become an environmental or safety hazard; a key benefit for ports handling potentially explosive dusts. Tubulator systems are sectioned into 12m-long pipes, designed to fit into a 40ft standard shipping container. Because of their structural integrity and low weight, they can be installed over existing equipment. Conveyors are self-supporting up to 25m, and have a free-span of up to 80m when using cable towers, or up to 30m between standard supports. Bruks Siwertell has hundreds of Tubulator installations worldwide, particularly serving the processed wood sector such as wood-processing plants, sawmills, paper mills and pellet production. 30
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Like the Tubulator, The Belt Conveyor benefits from a modular design that can easily be shipped and constructed. Each 3m section of the belt has access to a common header of pressurized air, and under the carryside pan is a 3m pressurized air enclosure system,
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Given the rise in demand for biomass, industries must have access to conveying systems that address the risk of fire Z ACK HOOD, MANAGER CONVEYOR PROJECTS, BRUKS SIWERTELL
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Because of their structural integrity and low weight, Tubulator systems can be installed over existing equipment
otherwise known as a plenum. Air pressure sensors and flow meters along the length of the belt ensure the optimum amount of air is delivered for the weight of the given cargo, reducing running costs.
Delivering a commercial advantage A notable example of a facility that uses both of these technologies is Canada’s Barrette-Chapais, at its 210,000 metric tons/year wood pellet production plant, Granule 777, in Quebec. The facility uses offcuts and wood waste residuals from sawmills in the production of biomass pellets. Within Granule 777 is an air-supported conveyor system with a rated capacity of 800t/h for carrying wood pellets. It comprises a 100m-long The Belt Conveyor and a 250m-long Tubulator. The Belt Conveyor carries material from the facility’s two pellet storage domes, before transferring it to the Tubulator system which feeds it to the dock where the pellets are loaded onto bulk carriers bound for Europe.
The Tubulator employs Bruks Siwertell’s innovative suspension cable tower technology, reducing foundation requirements and minimizing construction costs. For this application, Bruks Siwertell was able to span 250m down to the dock over very difficult terrain. These long spans, up to 75m, are easily managed with the Tubulator and meant that only three cable tower supports over the entire length were used. This is also a downhill conveyor, so it is regenerative in nature, requiring a new braking system on the drive unit. Fire risk is a serious concern in the dry bulk and woodprocessing industries, and especially so when handling materials that are ultimately destined as fuel. But these materials have to be transferred and transported, and sometimes high-capacity traditional belt conveyors are the only practical option, but there are many opportunities, like Granule 777 notably demonstrates, where an alternative option could be considered, transforming fire risk, and offering much lower maintenance costs, without compromising on efficiency and performance. BULK HANDLING NEWS
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MORE ROAD-MOBILE UNLOADERS SET TO WORK IN THE US Building-back America continues to place significant capacity demands on US cement importers, and with new carbon tariffs on the horizon, selecting a ship unloading system that protects the environment, and offers flexibility, is a wise choice TEXT
Ken Upchurch
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Showcasing capabilities BETWEEN 2013 AND 2022, cement imports in the United States (US) increased almost fourfold, reaching 24 million metric tons, according to US Geological Survey, and remained close to this elevated level well into 2023. According to the US publication Global Cement, at the beginning of 2023, overland cement imports to the US, such as from Mexico, were falling, to be replaced by increased imports from Turkey. Vietnam, another exporter to the US, increased its cement production by 9.1 percent.
Delayed construction projects restarted postpandemic, and the US Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, dedicated to rebuilding America’s infrastructure, are continuing their ripple effect, with US operators still having to meet significant cement demands. Several US operators have turned to Bruks Siwertell to help meet their increased capacity requirements.
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In 2020, one such company placed an order for a Siwertell 5 000 S roadmobile ship unloader to serve cement handling operations at its site in Mokena, Illinois, close to the Great Lakes. Since its delivery in the same year, the unloader has been used to transfer cement cargoes directly from vessels into trucks, delivering a continuous rated unloading capacity of 300t/h for vessels up to 5,000 dwt. The Siwertell road-mobile unloader does not require a permanent installation on the quayside, a fact which gives it a considerable competitive advantage. On top of being able to deploy and repack in under an hour, the ship unloader can handle large shipments of Portland cement relative to its size.
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Road-mobile units also offer benefits common to all Siwertell screw-type unloaders, low power consumption, very efficient through-ship profiles, an enclosed conveying line from the ship to shore, containing dust emissions, eliminating spillage, and ensuring a safe working environment with minimal to no clean-up. These attributes make the Siwertell road-mobile ship unloader not only the best-in-class for this operator’s purposes, but a huge efficiency improvement compared with the strategy of importing and handling cement in bags, which dominated in the US until recently.
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“Before ordering this unit, the operator invested time in researching various types of unloading equipment and concluded that the Siwertell road-mobile unloader was the best solution for its application. They are also one of the only systems that can discharge cement direct to trucks,” says Ken Upchurch, SVP Sales and Marketing, Bruks Siwertell.
The operator concluded that the Siwertell roadmobile unloader was the best solution for its application
It is probably little surprise, then, that when another road-mobile unloader was needed, the company knew who to call. “The choice of unloader is a very important one, as it is a piece of equipment with a lifespan of many years,” continues Upchurch. “This makes it a really big deal when a customer decides to invest with us, and a great privilege when, as in this case, it endorses our product by doing it a second time.”
KEN UPCHURCH, SVP SALES AND MARKETING, BRUKS SIWERTELL
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cement from other economies. The European Union (EU) has also recently introduced its own CBAM, effectively levelling the price on the production of cement entering the EU, and encouraging cleaner industrial production in non-EU countries. This means that the waste reduction afforded by Siwertell dry bulk handling equipment will be all the more important. “These new polices demonstrate that environmental credentials and scrutiny are under the spotlight. Technology that protects the environment is not a nice-to-have, but essential,” says Upchurch. Road-mobile units ensure a safe working environment with minimal to no clean-up “Many importers across the US and elsewhere still have Second system up and running yet to invest in the best-inThe new Siwertell 5 000 S road mobile unloader was class equipment for the job. But if you are importing delivered in May 2023 and is used to handle cement cement, you cannot do better than a Siwertell ship imports at a facility across the country in Harvey, Louiunloader for ensuring your environmental, efficiency siana, unloading cement shipments from barges up to and capacity requirements are met; exactly what this 5,000 dwt, also at a continuous rated capacity of 300t/h. operator opted for.” There are various reasons why the growing US cement import market is looking to Bruks Siwertell’s mechanical screw-type unloaders, over bagged cement, grabs, and pneumatics. With efficiencies and low power demands aside, Siwertell unloaders can also withstand digging forces if cargoes have become crusted in the hold, and their market-leading through-ship capacities. This is achieved through the pendulum motion of the vertical arm, which can move +/- 30 degrees to reach all areas of the cargo hold, even under coamings. This also reduces the need for payloader assistance.
Cleaning up cement Environmental considerations are only going to increase, with several economies including the US considering a variant of carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) to tackle ‘carbon-leakage’ associated with imports of 34
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Technology that protects the environment is not a nice-to-have, but essential KEN UPCHURCH, SVP SALES AND MARKETING, BRUKS SIWERTELL
OUR PEOPLE
OUR PEOPLE Boge Sisevski TECHNICAL TENDER ENGINEER, BRUKS SIWERTELL
The role of a tender engineer is to interpret customers’ needs and requests, and initiate the first steps on the road to transforming these into a reality; Boge Sisevski has worked in this role for a decade, offering engineering support to the team in Bjuv, Sweden
I AM PART OF A TEAM which produces technical documentation, layout drawings and specifications for Bruks Siwertell customers, as part of the tendering process. Interacting with salespeople and colleagues who work with technology is a daily norm.
What keeps me motivated is the constant influx of new requests and challenges. I work closely with customers to understand their needs and translate them into clear, comprehensive documentation. It is a thrill to work with new requests and solve the various problems each new case presents. It is like solving a puzzle that evolves each day, adapting to industry standards and customized solutions.
A daily puzzle I am also interested in longevity. It is not enough to design a system for today, because it will need to be in place for decades, hopefully. This means that part of my job is to envision what will be required in the future as well.
Bruks Siwertell has such a wide variety of products that there is a solution waiting to be found for every application in dry bulk handling, that is my job. The diversity of products and global installations is a key appeal of working here. You can see this variation by looking at the systems we have installed around the world. Even though our loaders and unloaders are instantly recognizable in the field, you will find each one is slightly different, engaging and working in concert with the accompanying equipment in slightly different ways. I love to see our equipment in action.
Growing prospects There are all types of jobs available at Bruks Siwertell, and never have there been more options in terms of location as well. We have a number of engineers who have spent their whole careers with us, though not necessarily staying in one place or even geographic location. We are involved in projects worldwide, from unloaders and loaders to full-scale terminals, shaping efficient cargo flows on an international scale. In a nutshell, my journey at Bruks Siwertell is exciting. I work with a diverse team, face daily challenges, and contribute to global dry bulk material trades. The environment at the company is excellent, and the possibilities are many. The variety of products, global reach, and career opportunities make this a place to thrive and have a lasting impact. BULK HANDLING NEWS
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ABOUT BRUKS SIWERTELL Bruks Siwertell is a market-leading supplier of dry bulk handling and wood processing systems. With thousands of installations worldwide, our machines handle your raw materials from forests, fields, quarries and mines, maintaining critical supply lines for manufacturers, mills, power plants and ports. We design, produce and deliver systems for ship loading, ship unloading, conveying, storing, and stacking and reclaiming dry bulk materials, alongside equipment for baling, chipping, composting, screening, milling, recycling, and processing wood and agricultural waste for the biofuel, bioenergy, panelboard, sawmill, pulp and paper industries. We are global and local. You will find our main offices in the USA, Sweden, Germany, China, the Philippines and Taiwan, supported by a dedicated network of hundreds of representatives and dealers worldwide. An extensive global service team offers support to all Bruks Siwertell customers whenever and wherever it is needed.
SHIP UNLOADING · SHIP LOADING · TRUCK UNLOADING STORAGE & RECLAIMING · CHIPPING · GRINDING & MILLING CONVEYING · SCREENING · RECYCLING WOOD WASTE BALING · COMPOSTING · WOOD RESIDUE PROCESSING
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