Belt ‘sweetener’ for Manufert in Belgian sugar facility
Europe’s largest sugar warehouse and bagging facility in the Port of Antwerp, Belgium has almost doubled the life of its sugar conveyor system and achieved 100% availability since changing to Metso Minerals Trellex conveyor belting system.
Located in the Port of Antwerp’s Quay 518 on the River Schelde, with its own berthing, loading and unloading facilities, Manufert operates Europe’s largest – and one of the world’s biggest – sugar warehouse and bagging facilities; handling sugar from France, Germany, The Netherlands and Belgium. Manufert predict approximately 600,000 t throughput of sugar in 2005.
The facility opened in the 1970s with a pvc system of conveyor belts. By early 2000 however, having experienced a long series of technical problems and low wear life, Manufert installed the first newly introduced Trellex ‘white rubber’ conveyor system from Metso Minerals; complying with the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regulations.
Trellex ‘white belts’ are made of white rubber so that dirt and/or contaminates on the belt are easily seen, and meet rigorous standards for taste and odour-free functions. At Manufert, Trellex Grade ALGK belts have also been installed to offer oil- and fat-resistance, antistatic and flame-resistant properties to reduce the risk of explosions.
The Trellex installation was the first in Belgium for the foods-related sector, Today, Metso Minerals has installed more than 40 ‘white rubber’ belt systems totalling approximately 5000 m at the Quay 518 facility; making it the largest Metso Minerals food sector installation in Belgium and one of its largest in Europe.
First installation
The first Trellex installation in 2000 replaced the original pvc belt system installed in the 100,000 t capacity warehouse. This was shortly to be followed by the belt replacement in the adjacent 35,000 t vertical silo.
The initial Trellex replacement was a 600 m long, 300 m centre to centre and 1200 mm wide belt installed at a height of 22 m along the complete warehouse.
A conveyor system, served by the railway delivery station alongside the warehouse, feeds the discharged sugar over a distance of 85 m and an inclined slope of 15º to the weighing room at a height of 22 m, before conveying the sugar into the warehouse.
This conveyor system too was replaced by the Trellex ‘white rubber’ belt system.
With further expansion at the facility later in 2000, with a new 315 m long warehouse, two 305 m centre to centre Trellex belt conveyors were installed – one at ground level and one at roof level of 23 m.
Within the new facility more than 1600 m of Trellex belt have been installed; all at a reduced width of 900 mm. With sugar delivered to the new warehouse by truck, deliveries have been planned to eliminate ‘bottle necks’ as experienced in the past, hence requiring a reduced width belt of 900 m even throughout the 24-hour season operation between the end of September and the end of December.
Additionally several discharge points have also been installed compared with a single discharge for rail deliveries.
“Today Manufert enjoys an average life span of up to four years with the Trellex system,” says Charles Huygebaert, Group Technical Manager, Manuport Group, confirming, “This compares to less than two years with the previous pvc belt system.”
After-sales back-up
The Metso Minerals area workshop facility in St Gillis Waas, close to Antwerp today handles replacement, upgrading and maintenance of the Trellex system for Manufert.
“We may advise to change equipment and/or layout to offer, for example, improved flow of product and guidance systems,” says Mr. De Groote, Metso Minerals After Market Manager.
“By 2000 we had also started to install Metso Minerals scrapers to reduce spillage, initially with tests for one, then two scrapers. Today more than 12 are installed to handle the abrasive and sticky material,” he adds.
“We have also installed a range of pulley lagging, idlers and idler stations to offer further improved product flow and to handle the sticky nature of the product,” he says, continuing, “Perhaps more importantly for Manufert, particularly throughout the sugar season, we have been able to ensure 100% availability for the complete conveying system.”
Manufert operate at a variety of speeds between 1.5 – 2.2 m/sec depending on the application.
Bagging
Up to 90% of the stored sugar is bagged in 50 kg and big bags. Bagging takes place immediately prior to loading on board the ships, using nine automatic machines. Trellex conveyors bring the bags from the machines to one of three ‘toboggan’ runs to be loaded on board the ship.
Here Metso Minerals belts are installed throughout the ship loading operations with three 6000 t/day vertical chute loaders used to load the ships hold with the bags of sugar.
Trellex ‘GripTop’ 5.2 m long x 650 mm width belts were installed in 2003, at the end of the loading system, raising and lowering according to the height of loading. GripTop has been designed with a top cover made of wear-resistant rubber and a non-slip pattern, to prevent the bags slipping backwards when at an angle of up to 35º.
At the top of the shiploader, Metso Minerals has recently installed the first of three replacement input conveyors, a 44 m centre to centre belt x 800 mm width with type EP 400 belting.
Manufert’s Quay 518 offers a 400 m long quay with 45 ft water depth suitable to receive vessels up to 75,000 t. The company can receive up to 12,000 t sugar/day depending on the delivery i.e. ship, rail, or containers. It is one of the largest sugar terminals in the world.
Every year a one week annual shutdown is undertaken for major refurbishment and maintenance prior to the start of the season. In the peak season the facility operates round-the-clock 24/7 demanding reliability from the conveyor system. Out of season normal operations run daily five days a week.
There are strict safety precautions as a result of the products explosive potential and dust is another factor.
Fertiliser
Within the same location, Manufert also operate a fertiliser warehouse loading and unloading facility with virtually all conveyor requirements supplied by Trellex ‘black rubber’ belt systems.
For more information on Metso Minerals, please visit:
New Trellex System
November 21, 2005
Belt ‘sweetener’ for Manufert in Belgian sugar facility
Europe’s largest sugar warehouse and bagging facility in the Port of Antwerp, Belgium has almost doubled the life of its sugar conveyor system and achieved 100% availability since changing to Metso Minerals Trellex conveyor belting system.
Located in the Port of Antwerp’s Quay 518 on the River Schelde, with its own berthing, loading and unloading facilities, Manufert operates Europe’s largest – and one of the world’s biggest – sugar warehouse and bagging facilities; handling sugar from France, Germany, The Netherlands and Belgium. Manufert predict approximately 600,000 t throughput of sugar in 2005.
The facility opened in the 1970s with a pvc system of conveyor belts. By early 2000 however, having experienced a long series of technical problems and low wear life, Manufert installed the first newly introduced Trellex ‘white rubber’ conveyor system from Metso Minerals; complying with the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regulations.
Trellex ‘white belts’ are made of white rubber so that dirt and/or contaminates on the belt are easily seen, and meet rigorous standards for taste and odour-free functions. At Manufert, Trellex Grade ALGK belts have also been installed to offer oil- and fat-resistance, antistatic and flame-resistant properties to reduce the risk of explosions.
The Trellex installation was the first in Belgium for the foods-related sector, Today, Metso Minerals has installed more than 40 ‘white rubber’ belt systems totalling approximately 5000 m at the Quay 518 facility; making it the largest Metso Minerals food sector installation in Belgium and one of its largest in Europe.
First installation
The first Trellex installation in 2000 replaced the original pvc belt system installed in the 100,000 t capacity warehouse. This was shortly to be followed by the belt replacement in the adjacent 35,000 t vertical silo.
The initial Trellex replacement was a 600 m long, 300 m centre to centre and 1200 mm wide belt installed at a height of 22 m along the complete warehouse.
A conveyor system, served by the railway delivery station alongside the warehouse, feeds the discharged sugar over a distance of 85 m and an inclined slope of 15º to the weighing room at a height of 22 m, before conveying the sugar into the warehouse.
This conveyor system too was replaced by the Trellex ‘white rubber’ belt system.
With further expansion at the facility later in 2000, with a new 315 m long warehouse, two 305 m centre to centre Trellex belt conveyors were installed – one at ground level and one at roof level of 23 m.
Within the new facility more than 1600 m of Trellex belt have been installed; all at a reduced width of 900 mm. With sugar delivered to the new warehouse by truck, deliveries have been planned to eliminate ‘bottle necks’ as experienced in the past, hence requiring a reduced width belt of 900 m even throughout the 24-hour season operation between the end of September and the end of December.
Additionally several discharge points have also been installed compared with a single discharge for rail deliveries.
“Today Manufert enjoys an average life span of up to four years with the Trellex system,” says Charles Huygebaert, Group Technical Manager, Manuport Group, confirming, “This compares to less than two years with the previous pvc belt system.”
After-sales back-up
The Metso Minerals area workshop facility in St Gillis Waas, close to Antwerp today handles replacement, upgrading and maintenance of the Trellex system for Manufert.
“We may advise to change equipment and/or layout to offer, for example, improved flow of product and guidance systems,” says Mr. De Groote, Metso Minerals After Market Manager.
“By 2000 we had also started to install Metso Minerals scrapers to reduce spillage, initially with tests for one, then two scrapers. Today more than 12 are installed to handle the abrasive and sticky material,” he adds.
“We have also installed a range of pulley lagging, idlers and idler stations to offer further improved product flow and to handle the sticky nature of the product,” he says, continuing, “Perhaps more importantly for Manufert, particularly throughout the sugar season, we have been able to ensure 100% availability for the complete conveying system.”
Manufert operate at a variety of speeds between 1.5 – 2.2 m/sec depending on the application.
Bagging
Up to 90% of the stored sugar is bagged in 50 kg and big bags. Bagging takes place immediately prior to loading on board the ships, using nine automatic machines. Trellex conveyors bring the bags from the machines to one of three ‘toboggan’ runs to be loaded on board the ship.
Here Metso Minerals belts are installed throughout the ship loading operations with three 6000 t/day vertical chute loaders used to load the ships hold with the bags of sugar.
Trellex ‘GripTop’ 5.2 m long x 650 mm width belts were installed in 2003, at the end of the loading system, raising and lowering according to the height of loading. GripTop has been designed with a top cover made of wear-resistant rubber and a non-slip pattern, to prevent the bags slipping backwards when at an angle of up to 35º.
At the top of the shiploader, Metso Minerals has recently installed the first of three replacement input conveyors, a 44 m centre to centre belt x 800 mm width with type EP 400 belting.
Manufert’s Quay 518 offers a 400 m long quay with 45 ft water depth suitable to receive vessels up to 75,000 t. The company can receive up to 12,000 t sugar/day depending on the delivery i.e. ship, rail, or containers. It is one of the largest sugar terminals in the world.
Every year a one week annual shutdown is undertaken for major refurbishment and maintenance prior to the start of the season. In the peak season the facility operates round-the-clock 24/7 demanding reliability from the conveyor system. Out of season normal operations run daily five days a week.
There are strict safety precautions as a result of the products explosive potential and dust is another factor.
Fertiliser
Within the same location, Manufert also operate a fertiliser warehouse loading and unloading facility with virtually all conveyor requirements supplied by Trellex ‘black rubber’ belt systems.
For more information on Metso Minerals, please visit:
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