Altair Case Studies Upgrading a Coal Transfer Chute: Hatch Deploys Altair EDEM BulkSim Solution for Mining

	Upgrading a Coal Transfer Chute: Hatch Deploys Altair EDEM BulkSim Solution for Mining Altair

Upgrading a Coal Transfer Chute: Hatch Deploys Altair EDEM BulkSim Solution for Mining

Altair

Technology Category	Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing Sensors - Liquid Detection Sensors
Applicable Industries	Life Sciences Mining
Applicable Functions	Product Research & Development Quality Assurance
Use Cases	Construction Management Experimentation Automation
Services	Testing & Certification
Challenge	Hatch Ltd., a global supplier of engineering, project, and construction management services to the mining, metallurgical, energy, and infrastructure sectors, was contracted to upgrade the conveyor transfer point at an existing coal preparation plant. The client required upgrades to accommodate a scheduled increase in production. The conveyor carried coarse product coal, topped by a layer of filter cake with a high moisture content. The existing chute was prone to material build-up of this “sticky” filter cake, often plugging during surges in flow rate and causing costly downtime. Despite being a relatively small conveyor, at 1,200 t/h, it was critical to ensuring constant product throughput to truck-loading bins. Read More
About Customer	Hatch Ltd. is a global supplier of engineering, project, and construction management services to the mining, metallurgical, energy, and infrastructure sectors. They were contracted to upgrade the conveyor transfer point at an existing coal preparation plant. The client required upgrades to accommodate a scheduled increase in production. The conveyor carried coarse product coal, topped by a layer of filter cake with a high moisture content. The existing chute was prone to material build-up of this “sticky” filter cake, often plugging during surges in flow rate and causing costly downtime. Read More
Solution	Hatch deployed the EDEM BulkSim Solution, including Material Testing and DEM Material Model Calibration services, to redesign the transfer chute. Dynamic flow testing was performed on actual samples of the product coal and filter cake that were representative of actual materials on-site. DEM Material Models were quickly calibrated by comparison of physical test results with simulations, using automated parameter sweeps on a cloud computing platform. Hatch’s new transfer point design included a flop gate, hinged at the top, to direct flow onto one of two flow paths. Virtual performance testing of design options was performed under a range of material flow conditions and included highly cohesive materials. This enabled Hatch to quickly select the optimal configuration for production of the detailed design. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing

Sensors - Liquid Detection Sensors

Applicable Industries

Life Sciences

Mining

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Construction Management

Experimentation Automation

Services

Testing & Certification

Challenge

Hatch Ltd., a global supplier of engineering, project, and construction management services to the mining, metallurgical, energy, and infrastructure sectors, was contracted to upgrade the conveyor transfer point at an existing coal preparation plant. The client required upgrades to accommodate a scheduled increase in production. The conveyor carried coarse product coal, topped by a layer of filter cake with a high moisture content. The existing chute was prone to material build-up of this “sticky” filter cake, often plugging during surges in flow rate and causing costly downtime. Despite being a relatively small conveyor, at 1,200 t/h, it was critical to ensuring constant product throughput to truck-loading bins.

About Customer

Hatch Ltd. is a global supplier of engineering, project, and construction management services to the mining, metallurgical, energy, and infrastructure sectors. They were contracted to upgrade the conveyor transfer point at an existing coal preparation plant. The client required upgrades to accommodate a scheduled increase in production. The conveyor carried coarse product coal, topped by a layer of filter cake with a high moisture content. The existing chute was prone to material build-up of this “sticky” filter cake, often plugging during surges in flow rate and causing costly downtime.

Solution

Hatch deployed the EDEM BulkSim Solution, including Material Testing and DEM Material Model Calibration services, to redesign the transfer chute. Dynamic flow testing was performed on actual samples of the product coal and filter cake that were representative of actual materials on-site. DEM Material Models were quickly calibrated by comparison of physical test results with simulations, using automated parameter sweeps on a cloud computing platform. Hatch’s new transfer point design included a flop gate, hinged at the top, to direct flow onto one of two flow paths. Virtual performance testing of design options was performed under a range of material flow conditions and included highly cohesive materials. This enabled Hatch to quickly select the optimal configuration for production of the detailed design.

Impact #1	The EDEM BulkSim simulation showed that the proposed new transfer point design would perform better than expected when dealing with highly cohesive materials and at surge in-flow rates. Hatch was able to verify the performance of the transfer point before fabrication. The use of calibrated DEM Material Models provided Hatch with accurate, fit-for-purpose DEM simulations, resulting in a redesign with substantial benefits in equipment reliability during plant start-up and commissioning. This also led to further benefits of increased plant quality, yield and performance for the client.

Impact #1

The EDEM BulkSim simulation showed that the proposed new transfer point design would perform better than expected when dealing with highly cohesive materials and at surge in-flow rates. Hatch was able to verify the performance of the transfer point before fabrication. The use of calibrated DEM Material Models provided Hatch with accurate, fit-for-purpose DEM simulations, resulting in a redesign with substantial benefits in equipment reliability during plant start-up and commissioning. This also led to further benefits of increased plant quality, yield and performance for the client.

Benefit #1	Increased throughput of the conveyor
Benefit #2	Improved performance of the transfer point during surge in-flow rates
Benefit #3	Low wear rates on the receiving chute after the redesign

Benefit #1

Increased throughput of the conveyor

Benefit #2

Improved performance of the transfer point during surge in-flow rates

Benefit #3

Low wear rates on the receiving chute after the redesign

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Overview

Upgrading a Coal Transfer Chute: Hatch Deploys Altair EDEM BulkSim Solution for Mining

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit