Plant Conveyor and Systems
What is a Plant Transporter?
In-plant conveyors can be found in many industries where they are needed to move materials efficiently.
Conveyor systems in plant manufacturing are crucial for the efficient transportation of bulk materials. They allow plants to be productive and more profitable.
Conveyor systems vary from short flat distances up to many kilometers with elevation changes - and handling a wide variety of materials. These systems can also be integrated with other applications such as feeders and silos, bins and hoppers.
Every conveyor system has its own needs and there are many types of conveyors available to suit those needs. There are many types of conveyors: chain conveyors and pneumatic conveyors; belt conveyors.
Each has its own application. We at Carmaky Engineering are experts in belt conveyors that are most suitable for power stations, bulk handling terminals, and mining industries.
In these environments, the conveyor system is critical to the functioning of the plant, so ensuring the conveyor system is optimized is essential.
Belt Conveyor Systems
Although belt conveyors come in many forms and can function differently, the majority of them are pulley-driven belts (or conveyor belts), which use friction to transport materials continuously.
Belt conveyors are a better option than other systems for bulk material transport. Here are some of these advantages:
- It is a cost-efficient way to move bulk materials over long distances
- There is very little degradation of materials being conveyed
- The conveyor can transport materials up and down, in a curve or around an arc.
- Material can be loaded onto the conveyor at any stage along its journey.
These advantages are not the only ones. Belt conveyors can also include integrated systems that can handle different conditions or materials. These include:
- The surface may be covered or closed.
- Unloading tippers can be included for unloading at many points along it's travel path
- Separators are possible to be combined for sorting operations
- For weighing, you can integrate weigh belt sections
- You can add cleats to your belt to provide additional support for climbing over an inclines.
With the range of options available there are some important considerations when designing and selecting a belt conveyor system.
Important Considerations
For any conveyor system design to work, the primary considerations will be the material being transported, the route chosen, and any restrictions or space limitations. These factors will influence the design of the system and will help you determine if it is complex.
Materials
It is important to consider the material's physical properties and how it will be handled. Properties to consider include:
- What material type is the material?
- How big and heavy are the individual units? Is that consistent?
- How abrasive the material is
- Preservation requirements ie. Protection from breaking / decomposing
- Insurance coverage requirements
Transport Route
Factors to consider regarding the route through which the material must be moved include:
- Travel time
- Curves or elevation changes
- Points for loading and unloading
- Integrated systems (weight measurement or sorting)
Restrictions
A conveyor system will, in most cases, be restricted by pre-existing infrastructure and the environment. These considerations are:
- Space constraints. Are there space constraints?
- Pre-existing operations. Do the conveyor routes have to navigate around infrastructure or can they be integrated into existing operations.
Additional considerations
The primary considerations determine the basic form and function of the conveyor system. You must consider several other criteria in order to make sure the system works as intended.
- Safety. Safety is essential in any system's construction and operation.
- Build cost effective homes
- Energy efficiency and power consumption.
- Robustness is a key feature of good design. Material handling is extremely abrasive. Equipment should be designed accordingly.
- Reliability. The system must be reliable to realize the benefit. This includes integration and careful design of transfer chutes, overall system control design, and PLC programming.
- Maintenance. Maintaining reliable systems is not an easy task.
- For brownfield projects, shut-down and tie in planning. Considering this from the design phase will ensure minimum disruption to important ongoing operations during implementation.
- Standardised components.
Conveyor Design
Efficiency and cost effectiveness are one of the primary goals to be achieved during the design stage of a conveyor system. Other important goals, however, are realized during the design phase of a conveyor system. These include the development of detailed drawings, the selection of specific equipment and the development of operating procedures.
Based on current knowledge, these interconnected factors impact the efficiency and cost effectiveness of a conveyor or system.
- Power demand
- Idler spacing
- Belt velocity
- Belt width, class and type
- Dynamic performance of a conveyor
The influence of each factor on the desired outcome is complex as it depends on conveyor parameters, such as length, profile, capacity, material transported, and vertical profile. While the methods used are consistent, the tools used for design and optimization may be different.
What Are We Offering
We design and supply plant conveyors systems and systems that are efficient in capital, fit for purpose, and reliable.
The Carmaky design team works closely with clients to fully understand their system requirements. Our team includes experts in constructability. We work closely with clients and their construction teams to plan tie-ins and commissioning activities that minimize disruption to operations. We are also able to provide outstanding leadership in HAZOP and risk management.
Our team is able to provide comprehensive solutions for our clients and ensure their peace of mind.
Our plant system expertise includes:
- Belt conveyors – elevated, enclosed and curved
- Transfer chutes, structures and structures
- Bins, hoppers, silos, bunkers
- Feeders
- Dust control
- Modular electrical rooms
- Ancillary equipment and systems