Dear Edesio,

Hopper to receive material from dumpers, needs careful analysis from design engineering point of view. The issue can be divided into two parts :

1) The hopper arrangement, dimensions and surrounding area is decided by bulk material handling expert, and is dominant part. This requires considerations such as :

- Rate of outflow from hopper

- Duration of outflow

- Frequency of unloading from dumper, and time interval between them. This could be uniform and sometimes non-uniform.

- Required surge volume in hopper

- Hopper capacity either as needed for surge volume or at least material from 2 dumpers

- Dumpers movement around hopper, their waiting position, incoming route and outgoing route

- Dumper unloading whether at one side of hopper or three sides

- Ramp and civil work to suit the dumper unloading.

- The hopper can have two legs and other end can be resting on retaining wall of civil work supporting the ramp.

- Hopper outlet-size and shape to suit underneath equipment.

- Size limitation in hopper segments, so that it can be relocated / shifted.

- Name and characteristics of feed material / lump size and type of liners.

2) Design and construction of hopper proper is job of structural engineer.

I hope the information will be useful to you. To formulate the procurement specification, you have to specify details such as material name, lump size, dumper type and size and information on various point mentioned by me in this reply.

Regards,

Ishwar G Mulani.

Author of Book : Engineering Science and Application Design for Belt Conveyor.

Email : parimul@pn2.vsnl.net.in

Tel.: 0091 (0)20 5882916 ■