There are many strategies for eliminating shovelling components for material transfers, since there is a strong motivation to achieve this in any transfer operation.

Much more detail will need to be known before any recommendations can be made, such as material properties, material strength, acceptable degradation, rates of material flow, and so on.

In general, any such strategy will endeavour to take the kinetic energy of the material out of the transfers from one conveyor to another and from the discharge itself. One example is to operate the discharge chute with material flooding it to the top and to discharge through a controlled gate at the botrtom (remove the energy of free fall). Another is to allow the material to slide down a spiral, again to prevent free fall. If the final discharge at teh bottom is of concern, the slide can be given an exit profile that slows the briquettes right down for their final push over the edge.

Many other ideas could be generated to suit your particular situation and environment. But, more information is needed. ■

I have seen standard shipping containers turned on their end, for loading of grain via portable belt conveyor.

This method will save a lot of shovelling but may cause too much product damage (and dust).

Tilting to a 45 deg. angle would work.

Michael Reid. ■

Hello Bonifacio,

Please clarify whether you are loading by means of fixed type of conveyor or whether the conveyor has slewing and luffing movement.

Please also specify the briquette size and the material of the briquette.

Regards,

Ishwar G Mulani.

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

Email : parimul@pn2.vsnl.net.in ■

Dear Mr. Bonifacio,

In LISCO,Libiya they load HBI in ship by loader having movable boom conveyor with teliscopic chute. The boom conveyor mounted on rail & can move. This way they can load the hold of ship eliminating the use of pay-loader/ other device to scater the material.

Regards.

A.Banerjee ■