Mining

Ship loaders are a key component in bulk handling systems used to load bulk solids onto ships, often for export. Their capabilities and cost-efficiencies are critically important to miners, railroad systems, ports and shippers, where capacity improvements of even a few percentage points can mean millions of dollars profit.  But these loaders regularly experience high temperatures and excessive wear, as well as not having the “throw” performance to efficiently maximise each load. Throw refers to how far the material falls from the discharge point (typically a trimmer flap or spoon) into the hatch of the ship.  “The result can be that you end up paying to ship air or taking longer to do the job of fitting in more coal, or whatever bulk material you are transporting. High temperatures resulting from less-than-optimal design can also more quickly degrade the properties of liners and reduce life, while poor throw may lower efficiency and lead to equipment operating in too close a proximity to ships, where there is a risk the ship loader can collide with the ship and cause unwanted cost and downtime,” says Mr Dennis Pomfret, Managing Director, Chute Technology, which has collaborated with the University of Newcastle, to address these issues, and design a superior solution, contained in a scientific paper, Thermal investigation and optimised design of a ship loader.   The University of Newcastle is an Australian leader in issues related to the sustainability of mining, including being a Centre of Excellence for Enabling Eco-Efficient Beneficiation of Minerals.  In the joint paper, Chute Technology has brought to bear its specialist knowledge in solving materials handling problems, including more than 40 years of practical experience in optimising material flow in loaders throughout Australia and the USA. The company and the university combined their in-house expertise and technologies, including Chute Technology’s Discrete Element Method (DEM), Heat Transfer Analysis (NASTRAN), and thermal testing, to develop an optimised trimmer flap design.  A trimmer flap, or spoon (as shown below), is designed to be mounted at the end of the ship loader, to control material flow onto the ship.    The investigative paper, led by Chute Technology employees Jiahe Shen and Gian Naldi, in conjunction with Craig Wheeler from the University of Newcastle, shows how performance improvements offered by the optimised trimmer flap were then demonstrated by simulations. Modelling and simulations showed the potential performance gains, based on real-world inputs.  “This is not a theoretical exercise. This is a thoroughly researched practical demonstration of how good design can optimise a process to produce the most efficient and sustainable outcome that uses the least resources for a permanent improvement,” says Mr Pomfret.  Optimised trimmer flap design  Chute Technology modelled and tested both a constant radius and parabolic trimmer flap design, which both performed better than the existing design.  The constant radius design achieved the best overall results, with throw performance increased at all angles, as shown in the diagram below.  “Our analysis and modelling showed that not only had throw performance increased at every boom angle, but we were better able to control spillage, and the heat was better dispersed throughout the chute, leading to increased life of the wear liners,” said Mr Pomfret.  “Better material flow management also means less dust dissipation, which is an important consideration for operations situated in close proximity to towns and residential areas,” he said.  “Typically, wear liners used are Chromium Carbide Overlay wear plates. The high surface temperatures, in conjunction with thermal shocks – caused by moisture in coal, for example – generate high stresses and deformation of the liner, which ultimately can cause cracks and failure of the liner”.  “At this point of failure, a change-out of the trimmer flap is required, causing downtime, delay and cost to the operator. Through Chute Technology’s improved design, the ship can be loaded more completely, and wear liners will last longer, since they are not being subjected to the same surface temperatures and impact angles.”  Testing and modelling in this paper was done using coal as the material being loaded onto the ship, but the same improved designs could deliver gains to a broad range of bulk solids, says Mr Pomfret.  “The improved trimmer flap design will deliver efficiency, performance and reduced wear to bulk solids being loaded onto ships via ship loaders,” he said.  “Chute Technology also designed environmentally conscious features for the new trimmer flap. Our new design included a mechanism that allowed the trimmer flap to tilt horizontally, to prevent any spillage from entering the water when a ship is not docked. Previous designs could be impacted by vibration, movement, wind and other factors and some spillage or debris could fall out of the chute, into the water below.”  “I’d like to congratulate Jiahe and Gian on such a successful paper, as well as University of Newcastle employee Craig Wheeler. All parties made outstanding contributions to this paper, which will provide real-word benefits to materials handling and ship loading operations,” said Mr Pomfret.  “This paper perfectly showcases the real world gains that can be achieved through analysing current processes and developing new designs that improve performance.”  To request a full copy of the paper, Thermal investigation and optimised design of a ship loader, contact Chute Technology on 1300 833 140, or email enquiries@chutetechnology.com.au   

Skyline stacker with enclosed road crossing, above left, and innovative incorporation of of an existing skyline gantry system contained within the new structure, top A 2km coal conveyor system that combines engineering innovation and efficiency with built-in safety and environmental excellence has been completed by the Ellton Group for Rio Tinto Coal Australia’s Coal and Allied Hunter Valley Operations. The 1400 mm belt conveyor system rated at 2400 TH – driven by ground-mounted Bonfiglioli Power Pack drives – includes an overland conveyor and a skyline stacker conveyor system that eliminates the previous need for heavy trucks to transfer coal from another load out facility during peak production. The unique conveyor design also overcomes numerous environmental and structural challenges as it traverses reclaimed and subsidence-prone land to deliver high volumes of coal to an existing stockpile facility through a cost-efficient design that incorporates recycled previous structures and which was delivered safely and within budget. New gantry structure encloses existing skyline gantry system “One of the many unique aspects of the design was the complete incorporation of an existing skyline gantry system contained within the new structure,” said the Managing Director of the Ellton Group, Mr Mark Elliott. “The old gantry had a tripper running through it. We built our new, higher capacity structure around the existing tripper gantry, running the conveyor in the opposite direction but sharing a radically improved and strengthened structure that easily and safely handles higher conveyor loadings but is designed to minimize additional mass and wind loadings. “I think one of things that impressed Rio Tinto was that we didn’t attempt to impose standard solutions on their unique technical and site issues. Working in consultation with their operations staff and their consultants, we evolved numerous options that made good use of existing infrastructure while observing their rigorous safety and environmental standards. The benefit of this innovative approach was clearly seen in the way in which we repaired and strengthened existing trestlesand piers to withstand new loads, for example, providing a solution for less than half their expected price. “That’s the sort of thing you can do as a younger, nimble and innovative supplier. While we have had plenty of experience, particularly in the Hunter Valley, we are not bound to old ways of doing things or regimented thinking that says we have to tear down everything that’s already there and start again. As a company committed to efficiency, sustainability and minimising the impact on the environment, I think Rio Tinto were impressed by our close attention to their wishes. “We certainly had to submit a very competitive tender and pass thorough scrutiny of our credentials and experience, but I believe one of our winning edges was the ability introduce fresh thinking to issues facing mine operators.” Examples of design, safety and environmental initiatives introduced on the project include: Safe and efficient design of the trestle structures carrying the overland conveyor above extensive areas of reclaimed and previously mined land that is prone to subsidence. The solution included trestle structures and roof sections that were not only structurally independent of each other, but also independently adjustable in three dimensions if and when issues arise. Sound economics as well as a focus on environmental results meant that maximum utilization of existing infrastructure was a prime objective However, wanting to incorporate existing structures in the final design that were not originally rated for the revised duty, was only part of the design challenge. The upgrade works had to occur whilst the existing plant continued to operate so that the new design had to be suitable for construction in and around equipment that could not be stopped or demolished. Minimised additional wind and mass loading on the existing structure was achieved by adopting a “wrap around” gantry design to support the new conveyor and tripper. The gantry design had to be as light as possible and still allow the existing tripper to operate inside the old gantry both during and following construction. Refurbished and strengthened foundations and structures Extensive environmental protection including civil works and fully enclosed structures Extensive containment and protection of the load and environment surrounding it. In addition to full coverage of the conveyed load to minimize spillage and dust, the areas traversed by the overland conveyor are protected by civil works including bunding, side dish drains, channeling and settlement ponds. These works separate and redirect clean water run-off from surrounding landscape to avoid possible contamination and capture water emanating from the conveyor path and directed it to one of several dirty water settlement ponds constructed along the route. By containing run-off and run-on, recycling is optimized and contamination of the environment is avoided. The fully enclosed overpassing of a public road further enhances community relations Recovery and re-use of old gantry structures, which were stripped , refurbished, painted and refitted to new standard and incorporated into the elevated stages of the overland conveyor. In addition to saving money and avoiding waste, the refurbishment and reuse cleaned up the entire site where they were previously located.The fully enclosed tipper feed structure now spans a busy local road, removing the need for trucking by providing a clean and safe alternative.The overpassing of a public road and elimination of truck movements further enhances community relations, which are a high priority of Rio sites. Bonfiglioli Power Packs being custom engineered in Australia for Ellton Use of innovative Bonfiglioli Power Pack heavy duty fully coupled drive combinations, engineered by Bonfiglioli for optimum ease of installation, rugged service and low maintenance in materials handling and process applications.”The drives were specified by Bonfiglioli Business Development Manager Mr Kris Jaryn, with whom we have worked well before,” said Mr Elliott. “He is a proven performer, and Bonfiglioli is a respected supplier that gave us what we needed, when we needed it to provide on-time performance.” Innovative drive mounting Mounting of the drives and take ups at ground level, rather than with elevated drives and vertical take-ups, for ease and safety of maintenance. “A problem

South West Hydraulics Managing Director Dave Clifford (right) and ‘Doctor Dan’ (Daniel Aggett, Repair Engineer at South West Hydraulics) with the Enerpac Doctor Ute www.southwest-hydraulics.com.au Global hydraulics leader Enerpac and major distributor South West Hydraulics have combined their expertise to introduce a mobile hydraulic health check service called the ‘Enerpac Doctor’ to ensure widely used high-pressure hydraulic technology is operating at optimum safety and efficiency. SW Hydraulics’ Enerpac Doctor’s visiting vehicle is a fully equipped service ute, operating within the Enerpac Authorised Service Centre network, and designed to go on-site and test tools (up to 700 bar, 10,000 PSI of hydraulic pressure) to ensure they are in good operating health and to remedy problems if not. The service – designed to save customers downtime through not having to take their tools off-site – is designed to ensure peak operating efficiency and safety and to help find any incipient failures or problems before they cause a serious safety issue or disrupt maintenance and production. If the tool fails the Doctor’s health test, South West Hydraulics will quote for servicing, replacement parts or a new tool. If the tool passes, a certificate is provided, providing traceability and quality assurance, which can be particularly useful for suppliers tendering for major projects. “We’re finding that a lot of companies perform the Enerpac Doctor check before a major tender or project,” says Mr Dave Clifford, Managing Director, South West Hydraulics. “Enerpac products are amongst the safest and most reliable in the business, but just like a good car, tools still need to be serviced regularly to work at optimum levels,” said Mr Clifford, whose company is a leading distributor and authorised repair centre for Enerpac in NSW. The company draws work from all over Australia, with customers also bringing projects to its well-equipped head office where preferred, while the new Hydraulic Doctor service ranges out to the Sydney, Wollongong, Newcastle, Hunter Valley and Western NSW mining, energy, manufacturing areas, as well as maritime, metal engineering, construction, infrastructure, electrical, pulp and paper and transport plants. Mr Clifford says that sometimes the tools his company sees haven’t been used according to the Enerpac guidelines, and some should never be allowed in service with safety-conscious organisations, including those with: Mushroomed and scored plunger rods and leaking cylinders Bent up connection couplers Hand Pumps leaking from being carried and dragged by the hose Broken pump restrictor screws replaced by bolts Non-genuine Enerpac Hoses and even low pressure hoses employed in service Non genuine Enerpac Oil replaced by Lube Oils and whatever was lying around In addition to hydraulic health checks, South West Hydraulics’ workshop offers services, including: Pneumatic test cell 1 tonne overhead crane Mobile fork truck A frame Divided clean area Machine Shop – Turning, welding – Mig, Tig, Stick and Oxy Hydraulic Test Rigs – 30 HP electric rig Portable filtration units, flow test boxes to 800 litres / min Honing facilities Calibrated test gauges and measuring equipment Range of service exchange pumps Cylinder rod re-chroming re-seller Special work station for assembly of large cylinders Use of two factory floor areas, easy access Twenty four hour service where required South-West’s service and supply resources are backed by the national and global capabilities of Enerpac, which has always had a strong focus on safety, and regularly runs ‘Think Safety’ training courses on how to operate and maintain hydraulic equipment. Enerpac’s global expertise spans more than 20 countries. “We are very pleased to support safety initiatives such as this service by South-West Hydraulics, which is totally in accord with the quality of service industry expects from us,” says Enerpac Regional Manager for Australia and New Zealand, Mr Denis Matulin. “Such services are particularly timely now, as industries respond to highly competitive world markets and seek ways to work smarter, safer and more cost-efficiently.”

Global hydraulics leader Enerpac says operators and businesses dependent on hydraulic tools are inviting safety and downtime risks when they are short-changed by look-alike products that don’t offer the same quality, traceability, performance and reliability as the branded alternative. “Companies participating in this imitational market – sometimes unwittingly – are opening the door to safety and downtime risks when they are short-changed by counterfeit and look-alike products and service components that don’t offer the same quality, performance and reliability as the branded product,” says Denis Matulin, Enerpac Regional Manager Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. “We know imitation is supposed to be the highest form of flattery, but there are serious risks when companies are presented with cheap and inferior alternative products and service not conducted to world standards of safety and traceability,” says Mr Matulin. Enerpac, which has been a respected leader in the high pressure (700 bar, 10,000 psi) hydraulics field for more than 50 years in Australasia, practices a global Goal Zero safety policy, through which it is committed to achieve its goal of zero harm to employees, customers and end-users of its technologies in Australia and worldwide. Genuine Enerpac hydraulic tools comply with all relevant standards, are fully traceable, and are backed in the field by Enerpac’s comprehensive network of service and distribution centres. “Substitute tools can look almost identical to Enerpac originals, but many have problems associated with poorer quality design, engineering and construction,” says Mr Matulin. “If you’re using these tools to lift, shift, position, service or maintain vital machinery or plant, why would you risk the significant downtime and costs associated with tool failure?” “Compounding this problem, when the customer goes looking for service or accountability after a failure or accident, there may be no-one at home and no forwarding address.” “It’s possible that not only entire tools, but even component parts such as valves, seals, hoses and oils can be counterfeited and buyers can unknowingly accept these as genuine. These anonymous components are easier to disguise as genuine, but they can come under the greatest stress in hydraulic circuits, for example, where you have the greatest risk to the safety of operators. “Our own Enerpac organisation – which is Australasia’s largest supplier of high-force tools – has encountered warranty claims recently from people who believed it was our product which had let them down – only to discover it was non-genuine material which had failed.” “These problems are always accentuated during leaner economic times, when intense price competition opens up the market to inexperienced operators who offer non-standard parts and consumables in an effort to win jobs at any cost.” If something goes wrong during a 100-tonne lift or pressing operation, the consequences can be immediate and devastating in industries such as construction, civil and mechanical engineering, electrical utilities, manufacturing, mining and exploration, metal processing, oil and gas and transport maintenance. Enerpac manufactures a range of power and precision products extending from hydraulic pumps, cylinder and hydraulic tool and professional bolting solutions, through to complete computer-operated Integrated Solutions systems capable of lifting, shifting and precision positioning of some of the heaviest and most challenging industrial, resources, infrastructure and construction loads of earth. Mr Matulin says no-one has any quibbles with companies trying to save money with healthy competition among companies with genuine branded products. “We all have to be competitive to survive these days. So our focus has been to bring products to the market that offer the best efficiency gains, the best ergonomics, the greatest safety and traceability and the best backing anywhere, whether it is in the infrastructure projects of New Zealand or the outback mines of Australia, or anywhere in between.” “Our argument is not with fair competition. Our dispute is with imitation and substitution. Such as whole catalogues we have encountered of non-Enerpac products that look very much like our own at first glance. They may even use the same part numbers, but that’s where the similarities stop” And frequently it’s not the customers buying the parts and services which are the big problem; in fact, a rule of thumb is that the bigger the company, the more concerned they are with quality, safety, traceability and on-site service of the type in which we and our dedicated Enerpac distributors pride ourselves. “But in an opaque market, some companies might be totally unaware of the risks of knowingly saving a few dollars while unknowingly exposing themselves to risks of hundreds of thousands in workplace liability. It’s easy for the transient operator to slip lesser quality componentry into their quote.” “Sometimes genuine and non-genuine componentry looks the same anyway – just as the genuine bolts holding on the tail of an aeroplane look very much like the fakes. It’s only when you’re falling from 30,000 feet that you spot the difference.” “The consequences of using non-genuine components in high-pressure hydraulic systems mightn’t be quite as spectacular, but when you’re dealing with pressures up to 700 bar (10,000 pounds per square inch) and forces of hundreds of tons, they can be just as lethal.” Enerpac X-Edition S-Series Square Drive and W-Series Low Profile Hexagon torque wrenches, both of which are delivered with a certificate of performance (calibration) critical for safety, joint integrity and traceability, providing end users with assurance that the tool meets the stated performance expectations. All X-Edition S series wrenches and W-series cassettes are tested and certified during the assembly process. All wrenches are marked with a serial number, which is engraved in the tool itself. Ways in which buyers of industrial products and services can protect themselves include: Nominate the use of only named, quality equipment when they specify and order – dealing with OEM products and authorised distributors with full service backing and the guarantees and traceability that companies such as Enerpac provide. Build a relationship with a reliable supplier who is prepared to supply the names of established customers in similar industries to the one being quoted. Experience and input from customers – a

Mineral processing and bulk handling machinery operators face issues as OEM actuators and isolators wear As OEM comminution equipment components inevitably wear out over the years ahead, many mine, quarry and bulk materials handlers will be looking for ways to replace isolators used in their crushers, grinders, conveyors and vibrating screens. Without good isolators, machinery can literally shake itself to pieces – and damage the workplace environment with NVH hazards (noise, harshness, vibration). The search for reliable isolator replacements is expected to ramp up over the years from now as operators focus on maintaining the wave of OEM equipment that was imported to Australia fully built up when companies rushed to satisfy demand during the mining and economic booms of a decade ago. “Companies using this OEM equipment will be driven by the twin imperatives of having to work equipment harder than ever to maintain production volumes, while simultaneously ensuring that nothing breaks down to interrupt cash flow,” says actuation and isolation specialist James Maslin. This means that many of the old metal coil springs that came with OEM machinery will need to be replaced, preferably with isolators that are easy to fit, don’t break, tolerate aggressive environments and are simple to replace while production continues. Air Springs Supply Pty Ltd is offering a maintenance-free alternative to metal springs that doesn’t require lubrication or upkeep and won’t set (suffer permanent compression) like metal springs to reduce efficiency. These proven robustly engineered rubber-and-fabric Marsh Mellow® springs are manufactured by Firestone and in use worldwide in applications such as shaker screens, crushing equipment, vibrating bins, conveyors and other equipment subject to vibration. “While no one spring design is ideal for all applications, Marsh Mellows offer considerable advantages over both conventional coils and solid rubber springs for many tasks, says Mr Maslin, who is Sales and Marketing Manager for Air Springs Supply Pty ltd, which is the national distributor of Firestone Industrial actuation, isolation and suspension products.    Firestone Marsh Mellow® spring, left, and Airmount™ and Airstroke™ isolators and actuators, right. They have advantages over traditional cylinders in that they are durable, operate well in corrosive and abrasive environments, easily accept misalignment and have a high ratio of stroke to collapsed height These include both Marsh Mellows and Firestone’s inflatable Airmount™ isolators and Airstroke™ actuators, which are also used worldwide in vibrating equipment and can easily cross over from Goodyear, Conti, Rexroth, Norgren and similar components incorporated globally by OEM manufacturers. Both types of rubber spring offer the OHS advantage of silent operation, while also providing very high isolation efficiencies, says Mr Maslin. Marsh Mellows operate silently with more spring travel and greater load capacities than conventional coil springs, while outperforming all-rubber alternatives in many areas, such as greater load capacity and more compact size for comparable tasks. The cylindrical Marsh Mellow springs are constructed of a solid rubber core with a hollow centre and several plies of fabric-reinforced rubber as an outer cover. The plies provide the springs with stability as well as a consistent cylindrical shape. The spring’s components (rubber, bias plies, size of centre) are combined in different ways to meet specific load and performance requirements (such as those of crushing and screening equipment). This gives them great flexibility and precision, says Mr Maslin, whose experience spans applications of both solid and hollow (bellows-type) air springs throughout Australia over more than 10 years. (Details of applications can be researched on Air Springs’ website, www.airsprings.com.au.) Vibration isolation One of the big advantages of Marsh Mellows is that they offer constant vibration isolation with changing loads. Their variable spring rate allows for a nearly constant natural frequency under the impact of such loads, says Mr Maslin. And because of the Marsh Mellows’ greater deflection capabilities – and the load-carrying influences of the fabric reinforcement – it can carry a greater load when compared to a solid rubber part of the same modulus and dimensions. Their ability to maintain a cylindrical shape while supporting greater loads means a smaller overall size can be used compared with an all-rubber springs of identical load capacity. This is important when considering an application with a small design envelope. Marsh Mellow springs’ high load capability also means fewer springs may be needed in an application, resulting in less overall cost. Also, the lateral spring rate of a Marsh Mellow spring can be less than the vertical spring rate, resulting in a lower lateral natural frequency. The low natural frequencies of Marsh Mellow springs mean they provide excellent isolation of forced frequencies in the range of 800-1200 cycles per minute (13-20 Hz). Increased stability, reduced downtime Rubber is an incompressible fluid which will flow to the path of least resistance. This means that as a Marsh Mellow’s height compresses, the fabric-reinforced rubber plies pantograph and the diameter grows. Marsh Mellow springs’ flexibility also helps eliminate downtime and potential damage to machinery. When a coil springs fails, it will often crack, allowing fragments of the coil to damage equipment. This problem is eliminated with the rubber construction of the Marsh Mellows. Additionally, Marsh Mellow springs exhibit exceptionally high overload characteristics and usually do not fail catastrophically, offering some support even during failure. Marsh Mellow springs reduce structurally transmitted noise caused by vibration. Their operation is quiet, unlike steel springs, which often suffer coil chatter and readily transit high frequency structural noise. Marsh mellows have no moving parts. No maintenance or lubrication is required to maintain their performance. “Existing coil springs supporting crushing and screening equipment have to put up with a lot in life,” says Mr Maslin. “Not only are they expected to function reliably in often wet and corrosive environments, but also they have to cope with rapidly changing loads and sudden severe impacts. “Not surprisingly, many suffer trauma as a result. One problem is noisy coil chatter as loads change. Under constant battering, coils may also suffer spring set, or permanent compression below their original design height. This means they do not perform to their original