Solids Handling

UPLB, LOS BAOS, LAGUNA

ENGR. GAMGUERRERO
Solids handling

Deals with material movement over short distances (usually

same vicinity)
Movement can either be from ship to car/truck, plant to
plant or from one equipment to another
Handling rate of materials depend on:
a. individual
b. nature of material being handled
c. method of handling
d. difference between initial and final location of materials
Can be done either by use of either temporary or
permanent installations
Temporary Installation

Used in handling solids but positions are not fixed in

one place

Type:
a. Unassisted Manpower
solids weighing 5 tons or less are moved over
short distances (10ft max)
examples: shoveling, pushing, carrying and
lifting
b. Assisted Manpower
solidsweighing more than 5 tons are moved to
distances greater than 10 ft to a
maximum of 200ft

common equipment used to assist man

( wheelbarrows, hand pallets, carts )
c. Portable Power-Driven Machines
used for solids moved at distances greater than 200ft.
samples:
1. Electronic-storage-battery trucks
- usually uses in indoors and on materials that can be transported by
skidding
-can be operated continuously for 8 hrs w/o re-charging or changing
batteries

2. Gasoline-powered industrial trucks (i.e. forklift)

-usually operated at speeds higher than speeds of electric trucks
( 15mph max)
-usually used outdoors
3. Trailers ( or steel containers ) usually attached to
industrial trucks or tractors.

4. Tractors

5. Cranes usually used for loading and unloading

ships
6. Power Shovels
- can handle large quantities of solid materials and
found alongside with other portable equipment
- can be powered by steam, gasoline (or diesel) or
electricity (if available)
- materials are scooped and lifted and then
discharged (by inverting the scoop) into dump trucks
or other containers
Permanent Installations

Applied to operations wherein solids are

transported to and from a fixed point continuously
or at frequent intervals.

Types:
a. Vibrators
b. Conveyors
1. Mechanical (scraper or carrier)
2. Pneumatic
Permanent Installations

Important parameters

Angle of slide minimum angle (based from horizontal

surface) where solid material will start to flow
Angle of repose maximum angle (based from horizontal
surface) where solid material will stand without sliding
Vibrators

Usually used to prevent clogging of solids being

transported in slide (especially if transport is
induced by gravity alone)

Vibrations can be induced by either springs (needs

lubrication) or electricity (no parts require
lubrication)
Conveyors

Selection Criteria
1. Capacity requirement (how much material would
be handled)
2. Length of travel (as length increases, choices
become narrower)
3. Lift (would movement be vertical only or both
vertical and horizontal)
4. Experience (variations of properties of materials
being handled and the process involved)
5. Material characteristics (flowabilty, abrasiveness, lump
size, reactivity of the solids to components of the
conveyor or surroundings

6. Processing requirements (elevated processing

temperatures, need for cooling systems)
7. Comparative costs

8. Conveyor drives account for 10-20% of total cost of

conveyor system
Fixed Speed Drives used when initial conveyor speed chosen does
not require major change during operation; if major change is
needed, operation must be shutdown
Adjustable-Speed Drives designed for changing speed either

manually or automatically while the conveyor is fully operational

Classifications of Conveyors

1. Mechanical conveyors move materials by means

of scraping or carrying action
a. Scrapers (screw conveyors, flight conveyors)

b. Carriers (belt conveyors, bucket elevators,

apron conveyors)

2. Pneumatic Conveyors
Guides to conveyor conversion

TITLE PAGE

Table 21-1 Conveyors for Bulk Materials 21 - 4

Table 21-2 Feeders for Bulk Materials 21 4
Table 21-3 Classification System for Bulk Solids 21 5
Table 21-4 Material Classes and Bulk Densities 21 6
Screw conveyors

Spiral blade revolving around an axis

in the bottom of a U-shaped trough

Blade is fastened to a shaft that when

rotated, material is pushed by the
blade along the trough length

Handle wide range of materials

(grain, asphalt, crushed coal, ashes,
gravel, sand)
Screw conveyors

one of the oldest and most versatile type of conveyor

capacity is generally limited to 4.72 m3/min (10,000

ft3/hr)
adapted to a wide variety of processing operation
and can achieve almost all degree of mixing

can be operated in its own atmosphere, pressure,

insulation and at relatively low speeds
Parts of screw conveyors

Parts:
a. Flights
Sectional flight comprise of circular disks, twisted to form a
spiral shape and then riveted together (a)

Helicoid flight made from one long ribbon that is twisted to

form a spiral shape and welded to the central shaft (b)

Cast iron flight used for high temperature and/or abrasive

materials (c)

Ribbon flight center portion of the blade is absent; used for

sticky materials like molasses, tars and sugars (d)

Cut flight cuts are made on the spiral blade and portion
between the cuts are bended back ; produces the mixing effect (e)
b. Trough
1. Wood trough with steel liner only the half
round section of the bottom part is made of steel;
sides are made of wood (a)
2. All-steel trough (b)

c. Hangers located at regular intervals within the

whole length of the conveyor system; acts as
support for the flights and shaft
 Advantages of screw conveyors
1. economical (simple design requiring little
maintenance)
2. mixing of materials is facilitated ( this can also be
a disadvantage)
3. casing can easily be sealed from outside
atmosphere (i.e. can be operated outdoors)

4. casing can be designed with a drop bottom (for

easier cleaning especially if same equipment is used
for different materials)
Disadvantages of screw conveyors

1. hanger bearings supporting the blade can prevent

the passage of materials along the trough (level of
material should be below hanger)

2. grease, oil and other form of lubricants cant be

applied directly to the hangars or shaft
(contamination of materials can occur)
 Power Requirement

1. power necessary to run the empty equipment ( depends on

the conveyor length, speed of rotation of shaft and friction of
bearings) usually small

2. power necessary to move the material (depends on the total

weight of material, depth of trough, conveyor length)

Hp = (CTL) / K
where:
T= capacity, lb/min
L= length, ft
K= constant, 33,000ft-lbf/hp-min
C= coefficient (function of material); = 4 for ashes, = 2.5 for coal, 1.3
for grain
Useful tables and figures for Screw
Conveyors
TITLE PAGE

Table 21-5 Screw Conveyor Capacities and Loading 21 7

Conditions
Table 21-6 Screw Conveyor Data for 50 lbs/ft3 material 21 8
and Pipe Mounted Sectional Spiral Flights

Figure 21 - 1 Typical Feed Arrangements for Screw 21 9

Conveyors

Figure 21 - 2 Typical discharge arrangements for Screw 21

Conveyors 10
Belt Conveyors

consists of endless belts, suitably supported and

driven, which carry or transport solids from one
place to another
almost universal in application, can travel for miles
at speeds up to 5.08 m/s (1000 ft/min) and handle
up to 4539 metric ton/hr (5000 tons/hr)
can be inclined up to a slope of 300 but the common
range is 18 to 200
Industrial setting:

Minimum speed = 200 fpm (maximize cost of

conveyor)

Maximum speed: 500 fpm (decrease life san of

belt and can cause fine material to fall off the
belt)
Parts of Belt conveyor

1. Belt can be made of canvas, reinforced rubber (most

common) and strip steel (usually for high temperatures)
2. Driving mechanism usually makes use of pulleys
driven by a power source

3. Supports rollers on shaft-support called idlers

- should be spaced evenly within the whole length of
the conveyor to prevent sagging of belt
- distance between return idlers is usually greater
than the distance between idlers carrying the loaded belt
Parts of Belt conveyor

4. Tightener maintains even tension on the belt

under all conditions (due to change in loading or
weather)

5. Discharge mechanisms depends on he location

where material conveyed would be discharged)
a. Gravity discharge materials simply falls over
the end
b. Intermediate discharge material is removed
at any point within the conveyor system
Method Description Disadvantage
Scrapers Plank o strip of metal laid
diagonally (angle of 45)
Increased belt wear
Spilling of load over the sides
across the belt diverting the before reaching scraper
material to one side
Idlers are lad flat causing belt to
run flat

Tipping Some idlers are laid on an angle

so that when the belt runs
Considerable portion of belt
must be tipped for the load to
idlers over this portion, the belt tilts be discharged
causing the load to spill over
the belt

Trippers Consists of two pulleys over

which the belt run
Increase the power required to
drive the conveyor (but offset
Material is dropped into a by the flexibilities offered by
container as it passes over the instrument)
the 1st pulley and the
unloaded belt is diverted from
originally flow direction
Can be stationary or movable
Factors affecting the design of belt
conveyors
1. Physical characteristics of material(s) to be handled
a. weight
b. lump size (the larger the lump size, the higher the
probability of it falling off the belt or rolling if
inclined)
c. abrasiveness (more abrasive materials causes the
early wearing of belt)
2. Temperature and reactivity of material(s) to be
handled usually affects material of belt to be used
3. Capacity data to be used should be the maximum
load to be fed
Factors affecting the design of belt conveyors

4. Change in flow direction can make use of more

than one conveyor or positioning of idlers combined
with change in speed to prevent falling of material
5. Operating conditions climate, surroundings and
operation time
6. Power
7. Arrangements of support mechanisms
8. Loading and discharge points
Power requirement

Power requirement is made up of five components

power to drive the empty belt
power to move the load against friction of the

rolling parts
power to raise or lower the load

power to overcome inertia in putting material into

motion
power to operate a belt driven tripper (if required)
 Power to move empty hp = Fr (L + Lo)( 0.03 XS ) / 990
belt
Power to move hp = Fr (L + Lo)T / 990
material
horizontally
Power to elevate hp = TH / 990 (negative if material going
material (if inclined) down)
Power to operate hp = YS + ZT max
tripper

where : hp = horse power required H = increase in elevation

of material (ft)
Fr = friction factor (plain bearings =
0.05; anti-friction bearings = 0.03 ) X = approximate weight of conveyor
(lb/ft)

L = conveyor length (ft) Y = constant (refer to Brown)

Lo = correction for bearings (plain bearings = 100; anti-friction bearings = 150 )
Z = constant (refer to Brown)
S = conveyor (belt speed (fpm)
Tmax = peak capacity (tons/hr)
T = material (tons/hr)
Useful tables and figures for Belt
Conveyors
TITLE PAGE
Table 21 - 7 Belt Conveyor Data for Troughed 21 11
Antifriction Idlers
Figure 21 - 3 Typical Belt Conveyor Idler and Plate 21 12
Support Arrangement
Figure 21 - 4 Belt Conveyor Loading Details 21 12
 Bucket Elevators

Simplest and most dependable unit for vertical or

lifting movements of solids

Consists of a series of buckets carried either on

chains or belts (if elevator needs to be kept as clean
as possible)

Can run either with or without any casing; casing can

be made of wood or sheet steel
Types of bucket elevator

Spaced Bucket Centrifugal Discharge Elevator

most common type
buckets are bolted through he back onto a single
strand of chain or belt
buckets are evenly spaced to prevent interference in
loading or discharging
speed must be sufficient to allow centrifugal force to
remove solids as buckets pass over the head wheel
can be used for any free-flowing fine or small-lump
material (grain, coal or dry chemicals)
Spaced - Bucket Positive - Discharge Elevator
buckets are mounted on two strands of chain and
becomes completely inverted upon passing over
sprockets
speed is usually slow so the size of the buckets must
be larger and more closely spaced to reach the
capacity
of the centrifugal-discharge elevator
used for materials that are sticky or tend to pack
can be equipped with knockers at the discharge
point
Continuous Discharge Bucket Elevators

buckets are more closely spaced

back of the preceding bucket serves as discharge
chute for the bucket currently dumping
speed is usually slower than centrifugal discharge
type to maintain the same capacity
used for finely pulverized or aerated materials,
large-lump materials or abrasive materials
Supercapacity Continuous Bucket Elevators

usually operated at an incline to improve loading

and discharge conditions (more efficient at 45 or
more)

used for large-lump materials and can handle high

tonnages

low speed
 Table 6-34. Bucket elevators (Chopey, Handbook of
ChE Calculations, 1994)

Criteria Centrifugal Positive Continuous

Discharg Discharge Bucket
e
Carrying Paths Vertical Vertical to Vertical to
inclination of inclination of
15 from 15 from
vertical vertical
Capacity Range
(tons/hr) for
78 34 345
materials weighing
50lb/ft3
Speed Range (ft/min) 306 120 100
Location of loading Boot Boot Boot
point
Location of discharge Overhead Overhead wheel Overhead wheel
point wheel
Power requirements calculations

(T = tonnage in tons/hr, Z = lift in feet)

spaced buckets and digging boots
TZ / 500

continuous bucket with loading leg

TZ / 550
Useful tables and figures for Bucket
Elevators
TITLE PAGE
Figure 21 - 5 Bucket elevator types and bucket 21 13
details
Table 21 - 8 Bucket Elevator specifications to 21 15
centrifugal discharge buckets on belt,
malleable iron or steel buckets
Table 21 9 Bucket elevator specifications for 21 - 16
continuous bucket s on chain
VIBRATING OR OSCILLATING CONVEYORS

essentially directional thrown units which

consists of a spring supported horizontal pan
vibrated by a direct connected eccentric arm,
rotating eccentric weights, an electromagnet or
a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder
the motion throws the material upward and
forward so that it will travel along the conveyor
path in a series of short hops
VIBRATING OR OSCILLATING CONVEYORS

capacity is affected by magnitude of through

displacement, frequency of displacement, angle
of throw, slope of through, ability of the material
to receive and transmit through its mass the
directional throw of the trough essentially
directional thrown units which consists of a
spring supported horizontal pan vibrated by a
direct connected eccentric arm, rotating eccentric
weights, an electromagnet or a pneumatic or
hydraulic cylinder
VIBRATING OR OSCILLATING CONVEYORS

capacity is affected by magnitude of

through displacement, frequency of
displacement, angle of throw, slope of
through, ability of the material to receive
and transmit through its mass the
directional throw of the trough
CONTINUOUS FLOW CONVEYORS

Principle: when a surface is pulled

transversely through a mass of
granular, powdered or small lump
material, it will pull along with it a
cross
Types

Closed belt conveyor

with zipper like teeth which mesh to form a closed
tube
used to handle fragile materials and not on sticky
materials
high initial cost but low power requirement
capacity is determined by the belt speed and fixed
cross sectional area, figured by multiplying the bulk
density (lbs/ft3) by the speed (ft/min) and a
constant of 0.0021
Flight conveyor
consists of one or two endless chains passing
through a trough or set of guides
chains have plates of wood or steel called flights
attached at regular intervals, the chains pull the
flights and material along the trough and pass over
sprockets at the end of the run
used for loose, abrasive materials (grains, food
wastes, garbage, coal)
Apron conveyor
similar to belt conveyor in that the solid materials
are carried on a moving trough, but the trough is
formed of articulating sections of wood or metal
instead of a continuous flexible belt
used for lumpy, abrasive and hot materials
for relatively short distances but operated at lower
speed
Pneumatic Conveyor

movement of materials suspended in a stream of air

over horizontal and vertical distances ranging from a
few to several hundred feet
used for fine powders to in pellets and with bulk
densities 1 to more than 200 psf
capacity depends on: product bulk density, energy
content of conveying air, diameter of line and
equivalent length of the line
Types of Pneumatic conveyor
pressure system material is dropped
into an air stream (at above atmospheric
pressure) by a rotary feeder

vacuum system characterized by

material moving in an air stream of
pressure less than ambient
Types of Pneumatic conveyor

pressure vacuum system combination

of the two systems

fluidizing systems convey prefluidized

non-flowing material over a short distance

blow tank pressurized / compressed air

is introduced on top of a head of material
contained in a pressure vessel