Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
Abstract methods of feeding for bulk solids since optimal solution and what was possible to
Wear is a critical issue for bulk solids han- they were first introduced. Belts are ex- retrofit on site. A number of DEM analysis
dling equipment. Typically, wear in bulk posed to various types of damage during techniques are presented in this study to
handling equipment results from a combi- their operation, with wear being one of compare the two designs, and to conclude
nation of both impact and abrasion. It is the key reasons for belt failure. A number the paper wear readings from site for the
essential to ensure that the wear of bulk of studies on belts subjected to sliding and feeder belt before and after the modifica-
solids handling equipment is minimized abrasive wear has indicated that the wear tion are presented.
so that a long service life with minimal resistance depends on the detailed proper-
maintenance can be achieved. ties of the material as well as the external 2 Continuum Wear Model
In this paper, an application of the Dis- wear conditions, such as applied pressure. Wear in materials handling equipment may
crete Element Method (DEM) combined A particular area of interest for this study result from impact wear, abrasive wear, or
with a wear model is applied for the analy- is the analysis of the wear of feeder belts most commonly a combination of the two.
sis and reduction of the wear of a feeder in a reclaimer. The factors that may influence wear are the
belt in a coal reclaimer. The throughput In the past, classical analysis methods properties of the material being handled,
of the reclaimer is 9300 t/h, with a veloc- based on the analysis of material flow in the properties of the material being worn,
ity of the feeder belt of 1.3 m/s and feeder bins and hoppers has been the sole de- and the loading conditions. The topic of
width of 3000 mm. In this study, the DEM sign tool available. While this method wear is certainly a complex one, with the
model not only provides a qualitative de- has proven extremely useful in the past work of Cenna [3] giving a brief insight into
scription of the bulk solid flow through and has been shown to deliver excellent the discussion. In this study, we have fo-
the reclaimer but also gives detailed in- results [1], it is not without its limita- cused on the loading conditions and make
formation concerning the interactions of tions. In recent times, DEM is becoming use of a simple wear model in order to seek
particles in contact with the feeder belt. In more prevalent in its application to solve an improvement in the reclaimer design.
addition, site validation of the DEM mod- industrial problems. DEM is described as The simple wear model used is based on a
elling was achieved in defining the flow a numerical method that can be used to traditional continuum method as presented
profile. Results of the flow review for the simulate the flow of granular bulk solids, in Roberts [4]. The relative wear parameter,
reclaimer and the redesign option to re- with the basic principle being to model Wa, is reproduced in this paper and pre-
duce belt wear are presented. An option to each individual particle as a separate en- sented below:
retrofit the reclaimer to reduce both belt tity that can undergo a range of forces as
feeder wear and improve flow through the observed in reality. These forces typically (1)
trouser leg was investigated. The compari- include gravity and contact forces with
son was performed by analysing a range of other particles and walls, as well as cohe- In equation (1), b is the coefficient be-
parameters in DEM including the normal sive and adhesive forces if the bulk solid tween the bulk solid and the feeder belt,
force on the feeder belt and the frictional is cohesive in nature. Calculations for the is the bulk density of the bulk solid, Vx is
energy loss due to the particles in contact forces, and resulting displacements, are the component of velocity of the bulk solid
with the feeder belt. DEM results showed made for every particle at very small time parallel to the feeder belt, Vb is the velocity
that the feeder belt wear could be sig- steps throughout the simulation. As a re- of the feeder belt and Vy is the component
nificantly reduced after the modification sult, DEM simulations are often computa- of velocity of the bulk solid perpendicular
of the reclaimer, and these results were tionally intensive. The reader is directed to the feeder belt. In this equation, the
confirmed by site data once the design to Katterfeld and Groger [2] for more fun- Vx2 term represents the impact pressure of
modification was installed on site. These damental information about DEM and its the bulk solid on the feeder belt while the
techniques and findings are intrinsic in application in bulk solids handling. (Vb -Vy) term is the relative rubbing veloc-
establishing methodologies for improve- The focus of this paper is an indus- ity. As this equation shows, the wear of the
ment in the design of bulk solids handling trial case study focussed on the reduction feeder belt can be reduced by either reduc-
equipment. of wear of feeder belts in a coal handling ing the normal pressure on the belt, or by
reclaimer. In the current reclaimer, the reducing the differential velocity between
1 Introduction life expectancy of the feeder belts, due the feeder belt and the bulk solid. This will
The entire spectrum of bulk materials han- to the belts wearing out, is approximate- be the focus of the DEM modelling.
dling and storage applications include the ly 12 months. The aim of this study is to
receiving, unloading, stocking, handling modify the reclaimer design in order to 3 DEM Model
and supply of the raw materials. In this minimize feeder belt wear and to ensure The DEM software used for the modelling
materials handling chain, wear is a critical maximum life expectancy. In this paper, presented in this paper is Rocky, devel-
issue for bulk solids handling equipment. only two designs will be presented; the oped by Granular Dynamics Internation-
It is essential to ensure that wear in bulk original design and the final modified de- al. This software uses a hysteresis linear
solids handling equipment is minimized sign. Through the course of the project a spring model for the normal force interac-
so that a long service life with minimal number of redesign options were investi- tions and an elastic-frictional force model
maintenance can be achieved. Belt feed- gated, however the final design presented in the tangential direction. Rolling resist-
ers have become one of the preferred in this paper is a compromise between the ance is implemented according to the type
Below Ground, KOPEX Waratah will deliver the full range of KOPEX
mining products including: Long Wall Systems, Roof Supports, Shuttle Cars,
Road Headers, Feeder Breakers and Scraper Conveyors.
Visit us at AIMEX
20th-23rd August 2013 at the Sydney Showground in Sydney Olympic Park.
To find out more, visit www.rcrkopex.com.au
PEER REVIEWED
Figure 6: Flow Insert preassembled before installation (left) and installed into the trouser legs
Figure 5: Comparison of relative velocities of particles in contact with the feeder belt over the of the transfer chute (right).
length of the belt (averaged over the steady state time period of 30 40 seconds).
from the DEM modelling. The main reason for this is that while
installed into the trouser legs of the chute can be seen in Figure 6. the modelling can predict the interactions of the particles with
Data collected from site, for the original design, indicated that the feeder belt, it cannot predict the response of the feeder belt to
for one feeder belt the top cover of the feeder belt wore a total of the interactions of the particles and belt. Added to this is the non-
5.3 mm for a total of 3.2 million tonnes of handled coal. In compar- linear behaviour of the wear mechanism. More research needs to
ison to this, once the flow inserts were installed into the reclaimer, be conducted to further improve DEM wear models so that they
the new wear data showed only a 1.0 mm wear of the top cover can predict the response of a conveyor belt (or chute liner) from
for 3.0 million tonnes of coal. The details of the feeder belt (rubber the interactions between the particles and surfaces.
compound, strength rating) remained exactly the same before and
after the installation of the inserts. A comparison of the wear rate 5 Conclusions
shows that the wear rate was approximately 1.65 x 10 -6 mm per An application of the Discrete Element Method (DEM) combined
million tonnes for the original design, and after the installation of with a wear model has been applied for the analysis of a feeder belt
the inserts it is 0.33 x 10 -6 mm per million tonnes. These figures in a coal reclaimer. Using the DEM analysis technique a range of pos-
indicate a wear reduction of approximately 80%. In comparison sible solutions were considered for this project, with the redesign
with the DEM results, the actual wear experienced on site is argu- option presented in this paper being the preferred option. A num-
ably greater than that predicted from the modelling. However, it ber of flow inserts were used in each trouser leg directly above the
is realized that there is no direct quantitative measure of the wear feeder belts, with the idea behind these inserts being to reduce the
vertical pressure in the bulk solid as well as creating a more uniform
wear profile. Data from the DEM simulations showed that for the re-
design option the normal force on the feeder belt was reduced, the
frictional energy loss due to interactions between the particles and
belt was reduced, and the relative translational velocity of the parti-
cles in contact with the belt was also reduced. The combination of
all these results leads to a total effect of wear reduction on the feeder
belt. The redesign option from the modelling was carried through
to installation on site, and the wear readings from site agreed with
ARE YOU... the wear reduction predicted from the DEM modelling. In terms of
A DESIGNER / MANUFACTURER /
RESEARCHER / OPERATOR OF
magnitude of the wear, the site data for the wear readings registered
a larger reduction in wear than compared to the modelling, with
BULK SOLIDS HANDLING... this result indicating more research should be conducted in an ef-
SYSTEMS / EQUIPMENT / STORAGE?
fort to include the response of the wear surface to the interactions
predicted in the modelling.
... If so, you can now expand your capabilities by joining the 5 References
Australian Society for Bulk Solids Handling.
[1] Roberts A W. An Overview of Feeder Design Focusing on Belt
The Society has a mission to enhance the discipline of and Apron Feeders, Bulk Solids Handling, 2001, 21, pp13-25.
bulk solids handling through research, education and sound engineering [2] Katterfeld A, Grger T, and Minkin A. Discrete Element Simula-
practice. tion of Transfer Stations and their Verification, Bulk Solids &
Further information on the Societys activities, its Constitution Powder Science Technology, 2007, 2.
and registration procedures are available from the : [3] Cenna, A A, Allen, S, Page, N W, Dastoor, P, 2001. A polyeth-
Australian Society for Bulk Solids Handling ylene-reinforced polymer composite abraded by bulk solids,
Centre for Bulk Solids and Particulate Technologies Wear, 249, pp 663-671.
The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308 [4] Roberts, A W. Chute Performance and Design for Rapid Flow
Phone: (02) 4033 9055 Fax: (02) 4033 9044 Conditions, Chemical Engineering Technology, 2003, 26(2),
email: Danielle.Harris@newcastle.edu.au pp 163-170.
Website: www.engineersaustralia.org.au/Australian-Society-Bulk-Solids-Handling [5] Ai J, Chen J, Rotter M, and Ooi J Y., Assessment of rolling resist-
ance models in discrete element simulations, Powder Technol-
ogy, 2011, 206, pp 269-282.
Membership is open to ALL practitioners in [6] Coetzee C J, and Lombard S G. Discrete Element method mod-
bulk solids handling and related technologies. elling of a centrifugal fertiliser spreader, Biosystems Engineer-
ing, 2011, 109, pp 308-325.
[7] Wensrich, C.M., Katterfeld, A., Rolling friction as a technique
for modelling particle shape in DEM, Powder Technology,
2012, 217, pp 409-417.