STACKERS AND RECLAIMERS

A E W FLETCHER ACSM, FSAIMM, PMSAIMH

SYNOPSIS This paper will examine the different mechanised stacking and reclaiming systems, and will describe the differences between blending and non-blending systems and between longitudinal and circular systems. Since the subject covers an extremely wide field this paper will not attempt to discuss all methods in detail but will attempt to list the main systems and highlight their respective advantages.

INTRODUCTION Stockpiles are necessary to provide either surge capacity or storage capacity between source of supply and plant and / or between plant and supply line. The size is dictated by logistically requirements and it is normal to find blended / homogenise stockpiles in the feed line to the plant. Only stacking and reclaiming methods will be discussed with the subject of stockpile size being ignored for the purposes of this paper.

STACKERS Stackers are essential to all stacking and reclaiming system and have to be understood in order to fully appreciate the various reclaiming systems. For example, contrary to common thought it is the stacker, which builds a blended or homogenised stockpile and not the reclaimer. Stacking systems and their uses are as follows : Fixed Conveyor This builds only a conical pile and discharges from a fixed height. It therefore can cause dust and degradation of the material.

Fixed Luffing Stacker Builds a conical pile but since it can luff in a vertical plane reduces dust generation and degradation.

Radial Luffing Boom Luffs in a vertical plane and slews through approximately 270 horizontally. Builds a kidney shaped stockpile but has disadvantage of small live capacity in relation to possible stockpile size.

Overhead Tripper or Moving Head in a Frame Gantry 2

Builds longitudinal stockpiles and has the advantage of a supporting A frame making covering easy, but is neither dust or degradation friendly.

Rail Mounted Longitudinal Travelling Luffing Stacker Used to build longitudinal stockpiles, they receive material from a conveyor running the length of the stockpile utilising a travelling tripper. Luffing is dust and degradation. These stackers produce homogenised or blended stockpiles.

Rail Mounted Longitudinal Travelling Luffing Slewing Stacker 3

As for the above mentioned stacker but with the ability to slew through 360 and to therefore lay down a second longitudinal stockpile parallel to the first.

Circular Luffing / Slewing Stacker This type of stacker lays down a circular stockpile of homogenised / blended material in the same manner as the previously mentioned luffing / slewing stacker.

RECLAIMING

Can be divided essentially into three areas, viz : dead Stockpiles. bottom Discharge. mechanical Reclaim. Dead Stockpiles Be these longitudinal or circular all reclamation is by hand or front-end loader. Bottom Discharge In their simplest form reclamation is via a single reclaimer tunnel running beneath the stockpile which sits on a flat surface. Reclamation is via gravity through some type of vibrating feeder or number of feeders. This results in only approx. 30 % of the stockpile being live. In order to utilise the remaining dead capacity it is reclaimed either by front-end loader or by bulldozing into the feeder.

Bottom discharge stockpile of 90 % dead capacity with reclaim via bulldozer and 5 000 tph "throat"

Feeders in reclaim tunnel The total stockpile can be reclaimed by mechanical means by constructing either a conical or longitudinal bottom to the pile, with a capacity roughly equivalent to the previously dead pile amount.

Reinforced Earth Stockpile bottom

One hundred percent reclaim is then achieved by either a feeder system for both circular and longitudinal systems, or in the case of longitudinal systems some form of plough feeder.

Plough Feeder Mechanical Reclaiming This is perhaps the most important area of reclaiming to be considered and hence will involve a more detailed description of the various machines. These are essentially : Portal Reclaimers. Bridge Reclaimers. Bucket Wheel Reclaimers. Portal Bridge Reclaimers. Circular Bridge Reclaimers. Centre Pivot Circular Reclaimers.

Scraper Reclaimers These machines reclaim previously stacked material from a stockpile using scraper buckets mounted onto two parallel strands of chain. The chain is mounted on a boom, and runs at right angles to the stockpile apex. The chain is driven at the discharge end, pulling the material off the stockpile with the scraper buckets along this bottom strand. The reclaimed material is then discharged onto the reclaim-yard conveyor. The boom must be carried by the reclaimer along the full length of the stockpile. To enable this, a rail is provided usually at ground level on either side of the stockpile, running parallel to the stockpile apex. The reclaimer structure, carrying the boom, is mounted onto the rails by wheels located in end carriages. Some of these wheels also drive the reclaimer along the rails. Power and control cabling is carried out similarly to bucket wheel machines. There are essentially two types of scraper reclaimer, viz. : Portal for non-blended reclaiming. Bridge for blended or homogenised reclaiming. In general terms these descriptions apply to both longitudinal and circular reclaimers. Longitudinal Reclaiming Portal Scraper Reclaimer When Blending/Homogenising is not a criteria, i.e. say for clean sized coal after the process plant, reclaiming is usually carried out from the side face of the stockpile. A Portal reclaimer is named after the shape of the reclaimer body connecting the two end carriages. This structure is usually similar in shape to an inverted V. Its major advantage is being able to reclaim from any stockpile in any sequence.

Main Components End Carriages: located on a rail on either side of the stockpile, containing a mixture of driven and undriven wheels. The drives are often variable speed. It is usual to have two more driven wheels per reclaimer. Portal Structure: a frame in the shape of an inverted V spans from one end carriage to the other. Onto this frame various items are mounted. Boom: carrying two stands of chain onto which are mounted evenly spaced scraper blades. The boom includes guide rails locating the chain and scraper blades. At one end the chain passes around a tail sprocket, and at the discharge end a driven sprocket. Pivot: the boom is provided with a pivot to allow the scrapers to be positioned on, and reclaim from, the side face of the stockpile. The pivot is located at the discharge end, near the base of the stockpile. Winch: mounted on the Portal frame, using a wire rope and sheave system, is used to lift the free end of the boom, while the other end is fixed to the pivot. Chain drive: the chain drive is mounted above the discharge side end carriage. The chain drive is usually a fixed speed drive. Cable reels: the reclaimer receives power and control via cable(s) from a fixed point near the rail. Cable reels mounted on the end carriages usually do this. Ramp Trough: on many installations it is necessary to provide a short fixed ramp trough at the discharge end of the scrapers. This ramp trough and the scrapers elevate the material to provide a discharge height above a ground line belt conveyor.

10

Method of Reclaim The reclaimer will be driven along the rails to the selected stockpile with the boom in the fully elevated position, using fast travel speed. The Portal body of the reclaimer allowing it to pass over full or part full stockpiles. The stacking system will have produced a reasonably shaped stockpile, or the operator will set the boom angle manually, and use the reclaimer to trim the side face of the stockpile into an even angle prior to automatic operation. The reclaimer boom will then be lowered automatically by a preset depth of cut, and the reclaimer will move along the stockpile scraping the material off the side slope into the reclaim conveyor. Discharge rate can be adjusted by variable travel speed control on the wheel drives, and/or changing the depth of cut. Larger capacity machines may have double scraper booms in parallel. Reclaimers in buildings may have two part articulated booms.

Reclaim rates up to 4 500 m per hour are achievable.

11

Bridge Scraper Reclaimers The Bridge reclaimers are used where Portal reclaimers are unable to provide the blending and/or the protection against size segregation that is required, say for ROM coal prior to the process plant. Bridge reclaimers reclaim material from the end face of the stockpile and therefore have the disadvantage of being trapped between stockpiles and must completely reclaim one pile before moving to the next.

12

The Bridge reclaimer is named after the reclaimer body connecting the two end carriages. This structure, spans from one end carriage to the other, and is a Bridge like beam, parallel to the ground.

Main Components End Carriages: located on a rail on either side of the stockpile, containing a mixture of driven and undriven wheels. The drives are usually two-speed with the slow speed being variable speed. It is usual to have two or more driven wheels per reclaimer. Bridge Structure: a beam or Bridge structure fixed to both end carriages. Onto this Bridge various items are mounted. Boom: carrying two strands of chain onto which are mounted evenly spaced scraper blades. The boom includes guides locating the chain and scraper blades. At one end the chain passes around a tail sprocket, at the other a drive sprocket. The boom is built as an integral part of the Bridge structure and in non-liftable. The scrapers thus reclaim from the base of the end face of stockpile only. Chain drive: the chain drive is mounted above the discharge side end carriage. The chain drive is usually a fixed speed drive. Harrow: a triangular grid frame mounted onto the Bridge is positioned onto the stockpile end face. It is moved with a reciprocating action across the face, keeping the end face at a set angle preventing uneven feed to the buckets. If the reclaimer is required to reclaim in both directions then a harrow is required for each direction. Such a reclaimer being referred to as a double-harrow machine. Cable reels: the reclaimer receives power and control via cable(s) from a fixed point near the rail. Cable reels mounted on the end carriages usually do this. Ramp Trough: on many installations it is necessary to provide a short fixed ramp trough at the discharge end of the scrapers.

13

This ramp trough and the scrapers to elevate the material to provide a discharge height above a ground-line belt conveyor.

Double Harrow Bridge Reclaimer Method of Reclaim The reclaimer is positioned at the toe end of the stockpile. With the harrow and chain drive running the reclaimer advances into the pile using the end carriage wheel drives. The reclaim rate is controlled by adjusting the wheel drive speed. Bridge reclaimers always use a simple Chevron stacking method. This stacking method, combined with a harrow that moves across the full end face of the stockpile, provides good blending efficiencies. Reclaim rates of up to 3 000 m per hour are achievable.

14

Comparison Summary PORTAL RECLAIMER Very limited blending capability with simple stacker Can reclaim any stockpile in any sequence No harrow required Two sets of scrapers can be built double boom Up to 4 500 tons per hour Up to 65 m span BRIDGE RECLAIMER Good blending capability with simple stacker Can only reclaim in a specific sequence A harrow required for each direction of travel One set of scrapers only Up to 3 000 tons per hour Up to 65 m span

Using a more expensive slewing stacker some blending can be achieved from a Portal reclaimer. Portal Bridge Scraper Reclaimer The logical development of scraper reclaimers is to combine a reclaimer with the full end-face reclaiming capability of the Bridge reclaimer with the operating flexibility of the Portal reclaimer. The Portal-Bridge reclaimer consists of a portalised structure with a liftable boom as for the Portal reclaimer. It can therefore operate as a Portal reclaimer and reclaim from the side of the stockpile. As a result all the advantages of a Portal reclaimer are provided. The Boom can also be lowered into a Bridge position and held between the end carriages. This allows the reclaimer to operate as a Bridge reclaimer and reclaim from the end face of the stockpile. In the bridge position a harrow is necessary. This consists of an inverted vee harrow frame positioned at the correct angle by a winch.

15

This frame supports the upper end of two parallel wire ropes with light scrapers mounted between them. The harrow scrapers are moved continuously across the end face of the stockpile, rather like a windscreen wiper blade action. As a result the Portal-Bridge reclaimer in the bridge mode ensures good blending / homogenising by reclaiming form the full end face of a simple Chevron stacked stockpile. The Portal-Bridge reclaimer is most suitable where a blending reclaimer is needed to reclaim different products or grades of products from an in-line stockpile arrangement.

16

Transfer cars We cannot leave longitudinal reclaimers without mentioning transfer cars. These devices allow one to transfer the reclaimer (be it bridge or portal) from one set of longitudinal stockpiles to a second set which are laid down paralell to the first set. The transfer car is situated at one end of the stockpile and the reclaimer is driven onto it, the transfer car then carries the reclaimer across to the next pile where it is driven off and reclaiming can commence.

17

Bucket Wheel Reclaimer Bucket wheel reclaimers are either mounted on rails or on crawler units but for our purpose we will only consider the rail mounted version. They consist of a luffing slewing boom, similar to that of a rail mounted stacker, which at its head end carries a reclaimer wheel to which are attached buckets. As the wheel revolves material is scooped up by the buckets and deposited onto a conveyor running the length of the boom. Reclaiming is carried out by slewing the bucket-wheel boom. In this manner the stockpile material is reclaimed by starting at the top and working downwards. This means that the bucket wheel is at first raised sufficiently high so that the upper portion of the stockpile can be removed. The bucket wheel is then lowered and brought into the next cutting position by means of the crawler or rail travel gear. The cut is then effected by slewing the bucket wheel. This process is repeated until the bucket wheel reaches the base of the stockpile. In this position the bucket wheel, when it is at right angles to the rail track, must be able to reach the base of the stockpile opposite the rail track. The length of the wheel boom is determined by this condition. A conveyor belt in the boom conveys the material removed by the bucket wheel, and transfers it by means of a chute onto the stockpile reclaiming belt. The entire machine is mounted on rails which run parallel to the stockpilereclaiming belt. This belt is in most cases positioned between the rail tracks of the reclaimer. Power is supplied to the various drives mounted on the reclaimer, and to provide a control system, power and control cables. Cable reels are often used to connect the machine to the fixed power and control points on the stockpile. It is often more economical with such machines to have a shorter boom and, as a consequence, not to conform to the conditions mentioned above. In such instances, the bucket wheel is no longer able to reach the material at the base of the stockpile farthest away from the machine. In this case, the material may be either left as dead stockpile or it must be pushed within reach of the bucket wheel by auxiliary equipment.

18

A bucket wheel reclaim with 60 m 100 m/length Reclaim rates of up to 6 000 m per hour are achievable. Circular Stacker Reclaimers As the name suggests these are circular systems having finite fully live capacity and can reach sizes in up to 120 m diameter and more. They fall into two categories, viz : centre pivot. bridge. Centre Pivot In this system the material to be stacked is delivered to the top of the stacker by a gantry conveyor, mounted on a central pillar. The stacker which slews through the horizontal plane 360 around the central pillar is also capable of luffing and lays down a chevcon pile. The reclaim boom is similar to that of a Portal reclaimer except that it luffs and slews about the bottom of the vertical pillar which supports the stacker. Reclaiming is from the inside side of the stockpile with the scraper buckets dragging the reclaimed material to the centre where it falls through a circular chute at the bottom of the central pillar onto the reclaim belt situated in a tunnel below the stockpile. 19

Circular Bridge Material is stacked in a similar manner as that for the centre pivot. The reclaim system is almost identical to the longitudinal bridge but in this case the bridge revolves around the centre column driven by drive motors and wheels which run on a rail running around the perimeter of the stockpile. It is normal to find a single harrow with reclaiming, as in the longitudinal bridge, carried out from the face of the pile, with the reclaim chain and its buckets dragging the material to the centre as for the centre pivot machine.

20

CLASSIFICATION OF TYPICAL HOMOGENISATION / BLENDING PLANTS The arrangement of homogenising or blending stockpiles vary.

The stockpile system has at least two piles, one being stacked and one being reclaimed. On average one pile is half-full and the other pile is half-empty, therefore the net effective storage capacity of the two piles is 50 % of the gross storage capacity. This ratio can be improved in three- and four-bed piles. Width and length of the stockpiles should be optimised. With increased bed width, the capital cost of the machines increases whereas the capital cost of yard-conveyor belts, rail tracks, civils, electrical reticulation and land decreases.

21

The beds are located side-by-side with a slewing stacker along the middle to serve both piles. For material stacking and reclaiming in order to avoid a multitude of machines the reclaimer has to transfer from one pile to another by a transfer car or by means of swivel bogies and cross-rails.

The circular system comprises a luffing / slewing stacker and a bridge-type reclaimer rotating around a central column, covering the entire area of the circular stockpile. The stacking mode is decided in conjunction with the duty and the type of reclaimer to be used. Common stacking modes for stockpile arrangements are shown in the following figures.

22

The stacker travels at almost constant speed back and forth along the entire length of the stockpile. The boom being luffed height of the stockpile increases. The layer thickness (H) reduces as the height of the pile increases. Reclaiming using a full-face harrow in place of a bridge-scraper reclaimer can result in the highest homogenisation efficiency.

A similar stacking method named Chevron was developed for a circular stockpile arrangement. The stacker boom slews back and forth over the curved stockpile ridge maintaining a constant pile length. With each pass the stacker luffs thereby producing many layers similar to the Chevron mode as the stockpile grows continuously in one direction.

23

The cone shell and strata stacking systems were especially developed for use with a Portal-scraper reclaimer. Lateral reclaiming results in a limited blending effect.

24

With chevron-stacking it can be argued that the greater segregation can affect the homogenising result. To compensate this effect stacking can be done in a windrow pattern. With this system the discharge point / row along the stockpile changes as shown in the picture. For this operation a slewing stacker with a longer boom is required.

COMPARISON OF LONGITUDINAL AND CIRCULAR STOCKPILE SYSTEMS Advantages of a Circular Stockpile System (Compared with a Longitudinal Stockpile) Lower investment costs compared to a longitudinal system of equal live storage volume. High live storage volume of approx. 75 % compared to 50 % of a two-pile longitudinal system. Compact design with shorter belt conveyor lines. Flexible layout design, as a circle often best suits the available space. Continuous first in / first out stacking / reclaiming. Endless belt as the reclaimer is never repositioned. Reclaiming is always from a full cross-section with a constant material stream. The number of layers cut is higher for the same bed cross-section, stacker slewing speed and stacking rate. 25

The power consumption for comparable stacking and reclaiming rates will be lower than for the longitudinal system because of : - shorter belt length; - no cable reel motors; and - no travel drives for the stacker.

Disadvantage The disadvantage of a circular stockpile system is that future extension will not be possible, while a longitudinal stockyard can easily be adapted to new demands of storage capacity as there are no limits regarding the pile lengths. COVERED STOCKPILES Attached is a recently published paper by Wolfgang Fischer the General Manager of Gustav Schade of Germany. This paper covers the topic so admirably that in view of the environmental strictures now governing our industry it was thought advisable to leave it in an unadulterated form. CONCLUSION This paper described the various available stockpiling options and briefly differentiates between them. The subject as whole is large and therefore the bibliography is recommended to those of you who wish to go into more detail. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to thank the directors of Bateman Engineered Technologies for their assistance in the preparation of this paper and the directors for their permission to present it. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. R H Whlbier "Stacking Blending and Reclaiming of Bulk Materials" - Trans Tech Publications. 2. G Fischer "Design and Operation of Coal Storage and Homogenisation Systems" Bulk Solids Handling - May 1981. 3. J R McTurk "Portal and Bridge Scraper Reclaimers a comparison" - Belton 8. 4. Dr F M Wolpers "Homogenisation of Bulk Materials in Longitudinal and Circular Stockpile Arrangements" - Belton 8. 5. W Knappe "Bucket Wheel Reclaimers" - Belton 8. THE AUTHOR A.E.W. Fletcher A.C.S.M., FSAIMM, PMSAIMH. 26

Eric is a graduate of the Camborne School of Mines and is Marketing Manager of Bateman Engineered Technologies.

27

28

29

30

31