In production, Märker Zement GmbH relies on alternative fuels (AFR). The manufacturer has therefore commissioned BEUMER Group with the supply of a single-source solution that is able to convey and store different materials efficiently (Figure 1). For the system provider, this is the largest order in this business segment to date.
With years of experience and tailor-made systems, BEUMER Group is able to supply and install the whole chain for a specific customer. The process spans from the reception and unloading of the trucks, up to the storing, conveying and feeding process of solid alternative fuels. Märker Zement GmbH is now also relying on this at its headquarters in Harburg in the Bavarian district of Donau-Ries.
As part of the project, BEUMER Group will build an intermediate storage and install a Pipe Conveyor connecting it to the new warehouse built by the customer. Furthermore, there is a connection to the new preheater and to the existing warehouse for the main burner. A fully automatic overhead crane, the buffer bins and magnetic separators, the screen and the feeding station for the Pipe Conveyor are distributed in and around the warehouse. The key component of the whole system is a 700-metre-long Pipe Conveyor.
The intermediate storage is provided with silos, distribution equipment and a screen. In addition, there is a screw weigh feeder of the BG OptiFeed construction series, which feeds the bulk material in a controlled manner to the pneumatic transport system leading to the preheater. The mechanical transport system to the preheater is composed of a belt conveyor and a bucket elevator. An additional Pipe Conveyor connects the intermediate storage and the warehouse to the main burner. Moreover, the order comprises a supporting line next to the intermediate storage, which can be used to quickly unload trucks into silos if required. This line is composed of the unloading station BG OptiBulk, a screw conveyor and a further bucket elevator. BEUMER Group has provided every important transfer station with dedusting filters.
The line will handle two different qualities of residue-derived fuel (RDF), which differ in their material grain size and calorific value, as well as shredded tyres, so-called “tyre-derived fuel” (TDF). It will be operated at a maximum capacity of 40 tonnes per hour. BEUMER Group will be responsible for the complete mechanical and electrical installation as well as commissioning for this project. The whole system is scheduled to go into operation at the beginning of 2022.
Further informationn: BEUMER Group GmbH & Co. KG www.beumer.com
An economical solution was required for transporting large quantities of iron ore from the Chinese port of Langshan to the plant of steel manufacturer Shandong Steel Group & Rizhao Steel Group. The general contractor Shandong Harbour Engineering awarded BEUMER Group, Beckum/Germany, with the installation of additional efficient pipe conveyors.
Shandong is an eastern Chinese region on the Yellow Sea. Its name translates to “east of the mountains” and refers to the Taihang mountain range, east of which lies this coastal province, strategically located between the Chinese economic metropolises Beijing and Shanghai. Another advantage is its access to the Yellow River. The region has a dense network of waterways and several important trade and transhipment ports. The steel manufacturer Shandong Steel Group & Rizhao Steel Group is also headquartered here.
For its manufacturing, the company requires large quantities of iron ore which is delivered to the port of Langshan. In order to transport the material to the plant, the company previously relied on a closed pipe conveyor, but the capacity was gradually exhausted and was no longer able to handle the transport volume. The managers were looking for an economical solution and approached the Shandong Harbour Engineering Group. The engineering service provider was commissioned as general contractor to create the infrastructure. Now the question was: Should the plant use a well-developed expansive railway and road network or invest in a conveyor system solution?
Shandong Harbour Engineering Group turned to BEUMER. The system provider develops conveying solutions for a variety of bulk materials, e. g., open troughed belt conveyors or closed pipe conveyors. BEUMER engineers were also involved in the system, which is already in operation.
“Of course, we had to prove that this investment was worthwhile”, says Zhengwei Zhang, project manager at BEUMER Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. “In advance, we performed an economic evaluation.” This included a feasibility study, an investment calculation, the project schedule and a cost-benefit analysis. Different variables are required to compare the costs of pipe conveyors with those of trucks or trains, e. g., the transport costs per ton, the material volume that needs to be moved within a set period of time, and also the specific investment costs and the tax depreciation plan. “More costs are added for the construction and the supply of the conveyor as well as for the mechanical and electrical installation”, explains Zhang. Complex construction work is also often necessary. The initial investment in a conveying system is usually very high, but the operational costs of a pipe conveyor can be considerably lower depending on the application. Important factors include the estimated cost of a ton of material to be moved or, in the case of vehicles, the number of round trips per hour. A significant advantage of BEUMER technology is that it enables horizontal and vertical curves.
Depending on the characteristics of the conveyed material as well as of the system’s geometry, it is possible to implement vertical curves with angles of inclination up to 30° and horizontal curves with a deflection angle of up to 90°. This ability to navigate curves reduces the number of supports and replaces the transfer towers, which results in substantial cost savings for the customer. The system transports the iron ore safely enclosed across various terrains such as roads, residential areas or rivers. During the projection phase of the system, BEUMER technicians use proprietary calculation software to determine the static and dynamic loads – loads, which do not only affect the belt but the steel structure frame as a whole. This is a prerequisite for safe and correct dimensioning of the structures.
Fig. 2. The total conveying length of the pipe conveyors is approxi-mately 6.6 km, the conveying capacity 5,500 t/h. Photo: BEUMER
BEUMER provides their belt conveyors with environmentally safe electric drives and low-energy belts. Therefore, especially in these times of climate change and increasing greenhouse gas emissions they are considered a more sustainable option. The motors used are usually adjustable, which permits the loads to be optimally distributed on the drive units under various operating conditions. The closed design of this conveying system also protects the environment from falling transported goods. Another advantage is the elimination of dust development on the running line. This is important because the section between the port and the plant leads through public roads and residential areas (Figure 1).
Together with the managers in Shandong, BEUMER engineers developed a solution that is optimally tailored to their requirements. The system supplier delivered a conveying system consisting of two pipe conveyors. The overall length is approximately 6.6 km, the diameter 500 mm. At a speed of 5.15 m/s, the systems operating together convey up to 5,500 t/h (Figure 2) considerably supporting the already existing conveying solution. In addition, a transfer tower is used.
BEUMER was responsible for the overall project, which included the design of the system and the entire steel structure. The completely enclosed conveying system ensures an environmentally safe, dust-free and low-energy transport of the iron ore. The system provider started the installation in September 2018 and commissioning took place only four months later. The complete project implementation took only eight months.
Further informationn: BEUMER Group GmbH & Co. KG www.beumer.com
Hard coal is temporarily stored in stockpiles and then continuously fed to be processed, as needed. The design of the depositories must ensure constant filling and reliable emptying. The required capacity is determined based on the incoming and outgoing conveying flow. Different stacking and reclaiming options as well as various layouts for the stockpiles are also needed. The BEUMER Group, Beckum/Germany, provides the engineering for handling stockpiles and offers the required components to coal mine operators, such as stackers and reclaimers.
This most certainly includes Prairie Eagle Mine in Illinois, the largest coal mine of Knight Hawk Coal (Figure 1). This is one of the most efficient underground mining plants in the USA. They produce approximately 5 M t/a of coal, of which more than 80 % is processed and delivered in Prairie Eagle. Since spring 2019, a nearly 6.5 km long troughed belt conveyor from BEUMER has been transporting the coal from a new entrance to the mine to the main processing plant. This enabled the company to close part of its mine building. In addition, the new plant extracts the coal in the vicinity of the current mining operations after the surface.
Fig. 2. BEUMER Group provide the suitable stacker for stacking the coal. Photo: BEUMER
For BEUMER this was another project with curved overland troughed belt conveyors in North America. These systems are used worldwide. The system provider not only supplies customers in this industry with conveyor technology. He also supports, e. g., operators of coal mines with the engineering of heaps on which the coal is temporarily stored. BEUMER also supplies stackers (Figure 2) and portal scrapers.
Further information: BEUMER Group GmbH & Co. KG www.beumer.com
