Dear Sir,

We have experience in loading Bauxite into ships, with tube type ship loaders @ 5000 ST/PH if we can be of help to you please contact Robert Stinchcomb, Director - International Sales / Engineering, Materials Handling Division, BayShore Steel, Inc.

rstinchcomb@bayshoresteel.com ■

Dear Richard,

Have you considered installing an online moisture meter linked to spray bars to control your dust problem. Our company specializes in the manufacture of MoistScan online microwave mositure anlaysers. Many of our customers use our technology as an integral component in controlling dust for envirionmental compliance. If you would like further information, please don't hesitate to contact me. You can also visit www.moistscan.com for further information. ■

A perceived need to introduce material mixing plows into a bulk materials handling circuit is treating the symptom and not resolving the cause of your problems. First there is a requirement to understand the variable contributors to the process of fugitive emission generation. My first thoughts are that your “spray stations” in their current configuration cannot adequately cater for the environmental variables that your process is subject to.

Dust control through moisture addition is differentiated from other dust control philosophies through it being defined as an “Ore Conditioning” process. This is to avoid the confusion generated when people attempt to describe the purpose of “over belt spray systems.”

The various systems are:

Dust suppression – a generic term for a system specifically designed to suppress airborne dust “post release”. This may take multiple forms but is generally a system of spray nozzles arranged within a material transfer point enclosure or over a belt immediately after with the design intent of agglomerating airborne dust with water aerosols and depositing the combination on the material stream as being conveyed.

Then we have the dust control devices which are intended to prevent/inhibit the release/entrainment of dust particles into the air that envelopes the material stream. Such airborne dusts are termed “fugitive emissions” in that they are NOT under control.

In order to minimize the release of fugitive emissions there are many steps in the design process starting with the implementation of sound design principles. These design principles in order of action are:

odetermine/implement progressive “in-process” ore conditioning

odesign material transfers to enhance the functionality of the overall material handling process in minimizing attrition and the entrainment of “drying air”

odetermine/implement secondary process treatment to accommodate environmental variables

This “fugitive emission control” process is a separate area of the science associated with best design practice for materials handling systems. It is a process in which our company (backed by 4 decades of industry experience) has been recognized as specialist practitioner and leader for many years, especially so since the writer introduced the “ore conditioning” concept to the Australian Iron Ore Industry in the mid 70’s.

For your process requirements we would be very pleased to assist you in your “fugitive emission control” endeavors. ■