Kockums designs Cockburn Cement transfer station

Kockums Bulk Systems devised a solution whereby bulk bags are lifted into a discharge hopper with cutting knives. As the bulk bag is lowered onto the knives, the bottom is slit fully, and the product released directly into the receiving hopper. From there, the product is transferred into a buffer hopper via a screw conveyor.

The buffer hopper allows for continuous operation as it feeds the batch Pneumatic Conveying Vessel (PCV). The PCV of two cubic metres capacity transfers the powder by a pipeline directly to the 600 tonne capacity silo nest externally via a 125 mm conveying line and a Kockums KH46 pneumatic conveying air power pack. Pressure discharge road tankers fill directly from the silos then transport and deliver the cement to a client’s site silos.

“The whole system is automated, including the filling process of the silo nest. When one silo is filled, the system automatically switches to the next silo in sequence,” said Colin Powers of Cockburn Cement.

Relocateable system

To eliminate the need to dig a pit deep enough to house the PCV, a screw conveyor is used to transfer cement from the bulk bag discharger to the buffer hopper for the PCV. Using this method, the whole system may easily be relocated to another site if needed.

Specialised equipment

The bulk bag discharger is fitted with a diaphragm and two air filter/fan units to collect dust generated during the cutting operation. “The cutting operation is so efficient that the bag is drawn clean from the hopper, thus preventing dust cloud generation during the disposal of the bag remnant,” explained Ivan Price, managing director, Kockums Bulk Systems. “By this process, a major difficulty of handling bulk bags related to airborne dust is overcome.”

The two cubic metre capacity PCV and buffer hopper together make a continuous conveying system. As the PCV discharges powder to the remote silos, the buffer hopper is being refilled from the screw conveyor. The moment the conveying is complete from the PCV, the fill valve opens, and the SonoPulse system ensures a very fast fill of the PCV ready for the next discharge to occur. The highly efficient dense phase PCV discharged to the silo nest at the rate of 60 tonne per hour during the commissioning phase.

“This vessel and the line size are chosen to suit the rate the client requires, and in this case the client’s design rate to feed the system is 50 tonne per hour resulting from the constraint of the crane handling time for the bulk bags,” said Ivan Price.

Contact: j.groves@kockumsbulk.com.au

For full article & images, click here