Rheinberg, Germany --
The delivery of a 232 meters long pivoting pan conveyor via its US subsidiary,
to Ash Grove Foreman marks a new length record set by Aumund Fordertechnik in
Rheinberg, Germany. The pivoting pan conveyor forms part of a delivery package
for a new line and has been designed for the transport of clinker with a
conveying capacity of up to 272 mt/h.
The Ash Grove Cement Company founded in 1882 and headquartered in Kansas,
operates cement plants in the South Western US states. With a yearly production
of 9 million tons the company is one of the leading cement producers in the USA.
The cement produced by Ash Grove is utilized for main infrastructure and housing
projects.
Aumund pivoting pan conveyors (type SPB) provide a proven solution, when more
than two clinker silos or several mill hoppers are to be fed. The conveyor’s
special feature is that it allows intermediate discharge, wherever discharge
stations are located along its entire conveying path. Thus, various tasks of
material distribution may be realized in a single conveyor.
A special pan pivoting system in the area of the drive and tension station
enables the pan to be upright in the upper and lower run, and allow simultaneous
material transport in both runs.
The pivoting pan conveyor for Ash Grove will transport cement clinker in both
directions in a single conveyor, a two-way chute will feed the material in the
lower run onto the conveyor. The upper run is fed by a standard feeding chute.
The material transport which may be performed simultaneously in upper and lower
run allows clinker to be transported to and from the new plant to the old line
with a single conveyor.
It would be possible to feed the material in the upper run and subsequently
transfer it via an upper run discharge station into the lower run. The material
distribution may be effected via discharge stations in the lower run into
clinker silos or mill hoppers..
In the past, Aumund implemented most difficult transport solutions by means of
the pivoting pan conveyor. For instance, cement clinker was fed in the lower run
into a silo, while the upper run transported gypsum to another hopper at the
same time.
Sensor-monitored and computer-aided remote control of the discharge stations as
well as automatic feeding of silos form part of the standard equipment. Optimum
material distribution is achieved by co-operative planning. Different
constructional heights may be compensated by chute systems. Decisive aspects for
the design of the pivoting pan conveyor are the requested conveying capacity,
the conveyor speed, the bulk weight of the material and the filling rate. In the
past, Aumund already implemented conveyors with capacities of over 600 t/h.
The conveying elements of the pivoting pan conveyor consist of approx. 1 m long
pans, which have formed sides and overlap by approx. 70 mm. The standard side
wall heights of 150 or 200 mm. Each conveyor pan is supported by a rod that
connects to the chain on each side. The other end of the conveyor plates is
supported via two rollers on the track. The rollers follow the track and the pan
pivots about the rod, creating the tipping action. The pans are pulled in the
lower run via the flight axle and pushed in the upper run.
The lowering of the rails in the discharge station and the pivoting arrangement
of the pans enable the process of discharging and the flipping of the pans in
the area of the drive and tension stations.