Hi Baiju Joshi,

You are dealing with an unusual application, so don't hope for instant answers on the internet.

What you are looking for is a standard chain suspended bucket elevator. Go to Reynolds Chain, or one of that group. Talk to the technical representative. He will know where to go for help.

Apart from that it's all pretty much standard engineering. You may want to think of stainless steel buckets (I think the temperatures you are looking at shouldn't be outside of stainless steel range - but check with Smorgeson Steel, or a specialist steel technical representative).

The drive motor, and speed reduction gear will need to be looked at to allow for the high ambient temperatures.

That leaves you with bearings, casing, and dust control.

Talk to Timken Bearings. You may need special grease to cater for the extra heat.

For dust control, it is important to do proper trajectory calculations to make sure the product flow is good at the boot, and at the discharge head. And look at fume & dust extraction. At those temperatures water sprays are out, unless you want a steam bath.

Regards - Sgt John.Rz

www.latviantourists.com.au ■

190 deg C is quite hot, but here's one reference for a supplier of elevator belts suitable for 180 deg C.

http://www.go4b.co.uk/uk/belts.asp

So belt & bucket elevators may be a possibility.

The alternative is to use chain & bucket elevators. I'd possibly suggest case hardened round link chain from RUD, HEKO, PEWAG etc. I'm not sure actually how abrasive pet coke is, but I'd consider a "positive discharge" type head so that a lower chain speed can be used.

Of course you haven't given us the the voulmetric and garvimetric rates or the height of the elevator so it's difficult to comment further. ■

Hi Baiju Joshi,

That's a baby in product flow - but up to 10 stories high.

For that you should call a structural engineer. He has to assess stability requirements, service platform details, access for maintenance, wind bracing, and so on.

For that height we have used normal 6 mm plate. Our main problem with minus 50 mm sinter has been abrasion - product falling back down the shaft wearing holes in the casing. We make the boxes in units that are easy to replace. (Take care that your crew can get to the flanges for maintenance - and provide inspection hatches).

The main consequence of abrasion is dust control - once you cut through the casing then dust escapes everywhere. We use external patch plates as a temporary fix. If the panel gets bad enough we replace it at the next maintenance shut.

We also had problems with product spilling down into the boot causing a lot of trubulence at the bottom bearings. The bearings would wear out very quickly (sometimes in a matter of days. Labyrinth seals just don't work under those circumstances. A packed bearing may be better). In our case the feed pipe was too low, too close to the bottom bend pulley of the belt. You really need to plan that bottom product flow very carefully.

Paint specification is easier to handle - just talk to the Dulux technical representative to give you a recommendation. If your product is 190 deg, your casing will not be too much over warm temperature. Assuming 40 deg.C ambient your casing shouldn't be in excess of 100 deg.C, probably less. You may need to put some protecting insulation on the casing to protect your operators - or even wire screens up to say 2 m high. That way you can inspect the casing for wear.

Flanges are standard angle iron - choose to suit the bolt sizes. M12 are probably adequate, or M16.

If you didn't have the abrasion problem you could consider stainless steel plate because you don't have to paint it. But with abrasion normal mild steel is easy for your operators to maintain.

We use two types of casing

1 - box casing enclosing both up leg and down leg

2 - a pair of casings - one for each leg

I don't think there is much difference in final cost either way.

Regards - Sgt John.Rz

www.latviantourists.com.au ■

Dear Shri Joshi,

The other respondents have already given useful hints and suggestions. You are dealing with somewhat high temperature. This may cause faster corrosion of the casing etc. Accordingly, you have to use somewhat thicker sheets for casing. The implication of temperature on chain is to be also considered appropriately i.e. somewhat quicker weakening of the chain due to corrosion effect, etc.

Regards,

Ishwar G Mulani.

Author of Book : Engineering Science and Application Design for Belt Conveyors.

Author of Book : Belt Feeder Design and Hopper Bin Silo

Advisor / Consultant for Bulk Material Handling System & Issues.

Email : parimul@pn2.vsnl.net.in

Tel.: 0091 (0)20 25871916 ■