JENIKE &

JOHANSON

Addressing Plugging, Wear and

Spillage at Transfer Chutes!




! , Vice President

Thomas G. Troxel
Jayant Khambekar, Project Engineer!
Jenike & Johanson!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

What is a Chute?!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

What is a Chute?!
•  Constant or changing cross-sectional
area!
•  Operates full or partially full!
•  Full chute with changing cross-section
is a hopper!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Chute Flow Problems!

•  Plugging!
•  Wear of chute surface!
•  Spillage!
•  Dustiness!
•  Excessive belt wear!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Example Chute Flow Problems!

Spillage!
Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design! Buildup!
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Example Chute Flow Problems!

Dusting! Abrasive wear!

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JOHANSON

Example Chute Flow Problems!

Dusting!

<---- Before!

After ---->!
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JOHANSON

Prevent Plugging!

•  Prevent plugging at impact points!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Prevent Plugging!
•  Calculate V2 / V1!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Chute Velocity Calculations!

V2
= cos" # sin " tan % $
V1

V2 != Velocity along chute!

V1!
! after impact!
! θ

V1 != Impact velocity!
V2!
θ != Impact angle!
φʼ = Wall friction angle
Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!
 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Prevent Plugging!

•  Calculate V2 / V1!
•  If V2 near zero or negative, calculate
impact pressure, run chute test!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Calculate Impact Pressure!

2 2
"V sin # 1
Impact Pressure =
g

γ != Bulk density!
V1! V1 != Impact velocity!
θ
θ != Impact angle!
!
PI != !Impact pressure!
PI! g != Acceleration due to !
! gravity, 32 ft/sec2
Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!
 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Chute Test!
Normal Pressure (σn) = W / A!
(apply & remove)!
Cover

Ring

Bulk solid!

Sample of wall material

Tester platform!
Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!
 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Example of Chute Impact Test!

80!

Critical! 60!
Chute!
Angle! 40!
(deg)!
20!
0!
0! 25! 50! 75! 100!
Impact Pressure (psf)!
Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!
 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Prevent Plugging!

•  Calculate V2 / V1!
•  If V2 near zero or negative, calculate
impact pressure, run chute test!
•  Consider gradual change in direction
(e.g., two-half angles)!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

 JENIKE &
JOHANSON
Velocity of a Particle after Impacting Two Half !
!
Angles as a Ratio of Velocity after One Impact!
5!
V1! θ = 80°!

θ
θ = 70°"
4!
V2!
θ = 60°"

VΙ Ι! θ = 50°"
3!
θ
V
θ = 40°"
2

V1! 2!
2!
θ
θ = 30°"
VΙ!
2
VΙ Ι! θ = 20°"
1!
0! 10! 20! 30! 40! 50!
φ' (deg)
Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!
 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Chute Design Principles!

•  Prevent plugging at impact points!

•  Sufficient cross-sectional area!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Sufficient Cross-Sectional Area!

•  Calculate acceleration, velocity to

determine capacity!
•  Don't decrease chute cross-sectional
area!
•  Keep chute no more than 1/3 full!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Sufficient Chute Area!

Q = VA!

Where:!
Q=Volumetric flow rate (ft3/sec)!
V=Velocity (ft/sec)!
A=Area of material stream (ft2)!
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 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Chute Velocity Calculation!

2
V = V + 2aS0

V  = Velocity at distance S!
V V0 != Initial velocity!
0 V a != Acceleration!
α
!= g cos α (tan α - tan φ ')!
S α != Chute angle (from horiz.)!
φ' != Wall friction angle!
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 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Chute Design Principles!

•  Prevent plugging at impact points!

•  Sufficient cross-sectional area!
•  Control the stream of particles!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Control the Stream!

•  Use sloped chute, not vertical!

•  Gain and maintain control!
•  Use curved, not flat, chutes!
•  Use rubber curtains, chains or ribs!
•  Discharge should have velocity in
direction of belt, be centered, and be at
slightly higher speed!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

 JENIKE &

Trajectory on Improperly
 JOHANSON

Designed Chute!

Incoming stream!
with horizontal!
velocity component!

Trajectory!
in chute!

Load not!
centered! Sloped chute!
on belt! with circular!
cross section!
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Control the Stream! JOHANSON

Chains used to reduce rock bouncing

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!
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Hood and Spoon Design! JOHANSON

Proper stream
capture with hood

Sticky fines on impact plate Proper stream

leading to frequent plugging control with spoon

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

 JENIKE &

Hood and Spoon Design! JOHANSON

Proper belt loading with spoon

Proper stream capture with hood

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

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Controlling the Stream! JOHANSON

Solution to belt-to-belt transfer

with space constraints

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

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JOHANSON

DEM for Chutes!

•  Generalized mathematical solution!

•  Physical properties!
–  Coefficient of friction!
–  Particle density!
•  Boundary conditions!
–  Initial velocity!
–  Chute geometry!

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DEM Analysis!

Chute for iron ore

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DEM Analysis!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

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DEM Analysis!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

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Chute Design Principles!

•  Prevent plugging at impact points!

•  Sufficient cross-sectional area!
•  Control the stream of particles!
•  Minimize wear of chute surface!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Minimize Abrasive Wear!

•  Limit free fall height!

•  Avoid abrupt changes in direction!
•  Use rock boxes only if free flowing!
•  Use ribs as alternative!
•  If material is sticky, chute surface
should follow natural trajectory!

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 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Rock Box Configurations!

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Rock Box Configurations!
Rock box with sticky bauxite leads
to frequent head box plugging

Heavy residual left in head box

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JOHANSON

Rock Box with Ribs!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

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JOHANSON

Chute Design Principles!

•  Prevent plugging at impact points!

•  Sufficient cross-sectional area!
•  Control the stream of particles!
•  Minimize wear of chute surface!
•  Control dust generation!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Control Dust Generation!

•  Keep material in contact with surface!

•  Concentrate the material stream!
•  Keep impact angles small!
•  Keep velocity constant!
•  Exit in direction of belt, at slightly higher
speed!

Severe dusting with uncontrolled stream

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!
 JENIKE &
JOHANSON
Control Dust Generation!

–  Material not in contact

with chute surface
–  Stream not concentrated –  Well captured
–  Velocity not constant and guided
stream
Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!
 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Chute Cross-Section to


Concentrate Stream!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Avoid Dust Pump Effect!

Solids
Solids

Air

Air moving down with bouncing Solids in control on sloping chute

solids creates dust pump effect surface prevents excess air entrainment

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

 JENIKE &
JOHANSON
Dust Pump Effect!

•  Problem!
–  Excessive dusting during
unloading!
•  Possible solutions!
–  Curved chute, rounded
cross-section!
–  Dust suppressant!
–  Telescoping chute!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

 JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Conclusions!

•  Chute problems are preventable!

–  Plugging, spillage, wear, dusting!
•  Effective chute design principles!
–  Maintain velocity through impact!
–  Gain and control stream flow!
–  Keep impact angles small (< 30º)!
–  Use sloped, curved chutes!
–  Keep chute no more than 1/3 full!
–  Avoid rock boxes, unless mat. free-flowing!
Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!