Plant Equipment and Hire February 2019 | Page 23

PRODUCT FOCUS During equipment train, filling the wagons one by one,” Steyn says. The most suitable loading selection, one must system is determined by the loading rate bear in mind that a that is required. At the mine, a load-out mine is not static and is constantly evolving. As the seam progresses, it moves further away station must be selected that can meet the rail operator’s cycle time and wagon type requirements. At port side, several equipment options are available for train unloading, including bottom and side discharge wagon tipplers, and rotary so the equipment and tandem rotary wagon tipplers. must also be able to Steyn says that temporary ship loaders handle these changing and container tipplers can be used dynamics to ensure shared facilities, while dedicated continued efficiencies.” Jacques Steyn, general manager: Materials Handling Finally moving to ship loading, for low-capacity to medium-capacity systems are preferred for high-capacity loading. While construction of radial- type ship loaders and their supporting quays are more economical, they are only suitable for single berth quays and a specific ship size. Co- addition to the already-mentioned — thyssenkrupp offers the boom-type ordinate ship loaders (ship loaders stockyard type, other factors that bucket wheel, which is suitable for all that travel in a straight line, with a determine reclaimer selection include material types. luffing and telescoping boom) can lump sizes, material flow ability, capacity Stacker types include luffing; slewing serve several berths and ship sizes on (tons per hour), blending requirements, and luffing combination; wing; radial; the same side of a quay. Travelling need for reclaimer to pass over and overhead stackers. Steyn says that ship loaders with luffing and slewing adjacent stockpiles, and so on.” The blending is the dominant criterion for boom offer maximum flexibility, as thyssenkrupp range of reclaimers include the selection of a reclaimer and stacker they can be used on both sides of the drum, portal, side arm scraper, bridge- combination. Windrow stacking — which quay and can load differing ship size type scraper, half-bridge-type and requires a slewing and luffing stacker requirements. bridge-type bucket wheel, and boom- with a longer boom — can increase the type bucket wheel and plough feeders. blending efficiency when reclaiming with thyssenkrupp, as an engineering- South Africa is the global thyssenkrupp a boom-type bucket wheel machine, driven company, delivers state-of-the- group’s centre of excellence for drum but it offers no benefit when combined art, world-class, and turnkey product, reclaimers. While drum reclaimers with bridge scraper reclaimers and drum system, and technology solutions cannot pass over stockpiles, they offer reclaimers. Likewise, strata stacking that extend to a service partnership high capacities of up to 5 500 tons per improves blending only when used with the customer throughout the life hour, even output, excellent blending, in combination with portal scraper cycle of a machine or project. “Our and suitability for free-flowing, sticky or reclaimers. sophisticated systems are supported lumpy materials. For applications that require passing Discussing thyssenkrupp’s train In closing, Steyn points out that by highly trained and qualified service loading solutions, Steyn says that engineers and technicians offering over of stockpiles, portal and side arm high-capacity operations conduct train product support, audits, inspections, scrapers are recommended, as well as loading in motion. The train travels at technical advice, maintenance, repair, bucket wheel reclaimers. Bridge bucket a slow speed underneath the loading spare parts, and components. We wheel reclaimers are more suitable station while a weighed quantity of form a long-term partnership with our for use with sticky materials and offer material is loaded according to each customers, working closely with them high, but fluctuating, capacities. For wagon’s axle capacity. “We can also to optimise plant efficiency so they high-capacity reclaiming of several offer a less conventional loading solution can reap the benefits of lowest total products/grades with no blending that uses a conveyor with a tripper cost of ownership and a high return on requirement — which is typical for ports moving along the side of a stationary investment.” ■ www.plantonline.co.za FEBRUARY 2019 21