BLT World’s Samson travelling Eco-Hoppers have an effective dust control system that minimizes the escape of dust during the grab discharge cycle in bulk materials handling.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we all do business and will permanently alter how production plants operate and how all industries function. It has become critical - at a time when we are all susceptible to this highly contagious virus - that extra care is taken to protect people working in potentially dangerous environments and to make sure working distances are maintained,” said Ken Mouritzen, managing director, BLT World. “It is the responsibility of companies to minimize people’s exposure to environmental pollution, which is a major problem in dry bulk handling, caused by fugitive dust.”

Eco-Hoppers are designed to suit the characteristics and flow properties of virtually any bulk material, including coal, iron ore, gypsum, copper concentrates, soda ash, and wood chips.

Manufactured to withstand tough conditions in bulk handling, these robust grab unloading hoppers offer handling rates to 5,000 tn/hr, depending on grab crane performance. This low-maintenance system also reduces capital equipment investment and minimized operating costs.

These hoppers have an upper and lower section, separated by a dust retention feature, the Flex-Flap. This divider, which comprises a series of pressed-steel sections and vertical rubber flaps, opens to allow the free flow of material into the hopper and closes to prevent the flow of air out of the hopper.

When bulk material is released by the grab, it falls through the Flex-Flap and accumulates in the inner hopper below. The hopper system automatically closes as a result of the newly created pressure differential between the hopper and the atmosphere, forming a seal to contain the dust contaminated air. Integral reverse jet filters are positioned around the hopper inlet to extract and clean the dust laden air. Collected dust is then re-cycled into the mainstream of material.

The Flex-Flap feature reduces the volume of exhausted air necessary to control fugitive dust and requires the use of small, compact filters rather than a large de-dusting system.

Discharge of materials from the Eco-Hopper may be direct to a belt conveyor for a fixed installation. In this case, the bulk material is reclaimed by a gravity discharge unit which feeds the material onto the conveyor at the required output rate. By using a dust-controlled loading spout, the hopper can discharge direct to tipping trucks.

For handling difficult materials, one or multiple Samson feeder units can be integrated with the Eco-hopper, to provide controlled rate feeding of virtually any material.

BLT World, Durban Kwa-zulu Natal, South Africa +27 31 274 8270 www.bltworld.com