Issues

One of Andvare’s clients in the power sector were experiencing significant flow and spillage issues at two transfer points along a key coal overland conveying route to the power station. The transfer chutes in these transfer stations were performing poorly with regular blockages, spillage and tonnage rate restriction affecting the daily inloading capacity. The downstream conveyors also had significant tracking issues due to poor loading of coal onto the belts, further reducing the nominal rate of the conveying system. Recently, an increase in fines content and moisture of the received coal increased both the wall and internal friction of the product leading to extensive cohesive bridging and frequent plugging the chutes.

Solution

Andvare provided both Engineering and Construction Management services for a redesign of the two chutes to alleviate the plugging issues.

Andvare’s Engineering Team designed a new transfer chute including head chute, dynamic impact plate, transition chute and load boot, to suit the existing transfer station with minimal modifications.

The original design was found to be sub-optimal and the major cause of the tracking issues as it introduced a substantial swirl component in the coal flow through the chute, exacerbating the loading profile of the coal on the downstream conveyor.

• Andvare’s Engineering Team designed a new transfer chute including head chute, dynamic impact plate, transition chute and load boot, to suit the existing transfer station with minimal modifications.
• The original design was found to be sub-optimal and the major cause of the tracking issues as it introduced a substantial swirl component in the coal flow through the chute, exacerbating the loading profile of the coal on the downstream conveyor.
• Andvare’s Engineering Team validated the proposed design using AC-Tek Newton® DEM Software to simulate the material flow through the chutes and ensure the design accounted for the new material properties.
• Andvare’s drafting office completed a full pack of detailed design drawings of the chute and structural steel modifications required to complete the works.
• Andvare’s project team maintained an onsite Construction Management, Supervision and Commissioning role overseeing the works by the construction contractor.

Benefits

• Eliminated the downstream belt tracking issues through improved loading profile.
• Improved the ability of the chute to handle a wide range of material properties.
• Increased the wear life of key systems through proper material flow controls and liner pack specification.
• Utilised common designs between the two chutes wherever possible to reduce the design cost for our Client.

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