Materials Conveyed: Applite, Glass (Cullet), Lime, Soda Ash
Type of Conveying System(s):Batch Dense Phase , Continuous Dense Phase, Railcar Unoading, Storage Bin Unloading
Customer:Guardian, Guardian Industries | Olive Branch, MS
The Challenge
The Guardian Fiberglass facility in Olive Branch, MS looked to JDB Dense Flow in an effort help streamline their glass batch raw material conveying used in the production of fiberglass insulation. The primary raw ingredients that needed to be conveyed were Cullet, Lime, Applite, and Soda Ash. With the exception of Lime all the ingredients have highly abrasive characteristics, so, conveying systems that feature minimal moving parts, low material velocities, and rugged components that can withstand abrasive materials would be essential.
The Solution
Railcar Unloading (Soda Ash)
Bulk material rail cars delivered soda ash to an existing rail spur location at the facility where a JDB Dense Flow Dense Phase Conveying System was installed in a “PIT”. The “PIT” is an area located below the railcar discharge where material can be fed into a conveying system. Soda ash was gravity fed from the rail cars into the Dense Phase system where it was then conveyed a distance of 200’ at a rate of 3,000 lb. / hr. to a single material process bin. The JDB Dense Flow System featured Advanced Air Delivery to minimize material velocity by maintaining the systems optimal conveying pressure and adding air only when necessary. Rugged components were used throughout the Dense Phase system to help minimize system downtime and maintenance costs. The Dense Flow Cone Valve is used for filling / sealing the pressure vessel. Its heavy duty design insures it can withstand abrasive materials, and is the only moving part through the entire Dense Phase System.
(Lime and Applite)
The raw materials lime, and applite were also delivered in bulk railcars, but the railcar delivery location did not include a “PIT”. The engineers at JDB Dense Flow designed a Pull/Push dense phase system where a Vacuum Dense Phase system would pull material from the railcar a short distance to a Positive Pressure Dense Phase system that would convey the material to one of 7 different destination silos 150’ away. The Pull/Push system was capable of conveying at a rate of 30,000 lb. / hr. and featured the Advanced Air Delivery System to help minimize material velocity and wear on components. Rugged pipeline components like the Dense Flow Pocket Elbow also helped to reduce system downtime. The Pocket Elbow is designed to protect is most vulnerable areas and can last up to 10 times longer than other pneumatic pipeline elbows.
Day / Storage Bin Unloading Solution (Cullet)
Because of the highly abrasive nature of cullet, and the materials large particle size (¼”), a JDB Dense Flow Continuous Dense Phase System was installed to minimize the average conveying velocity.
Click here to see how a Continuous Dense Phase System lowers average conveying velocities
The cullet is conveyed from a storage hopper to either of two material process bins 100’ away at rate of 35,000 lb. / hr. To further combat the abrasive nature of the cullet being conveyed the systems pipeline components were strengthened to help minimize wear. ½” wall thickness Densealloy Pipe was used on the material convey lines. Densealloy pipe goes through an induction heat treating process hardening it to 600 BHN. This process translates into a piece of Densealloy Pipe lasting up to 5 times longer than standard pipe. The Pocket Elbows used where a turn or bend in the pipeline was necessary were also hardened to help increase their lifespan further.
Conclusion
The low material velocities, minimal moving parts, and proven components on the JDB Dense Flow Dense Phase Conveying Systems installed at the Guardian Fiberglass facility in Olive Branch, MS provided reliable conveying systems that helped to reduce system downtime, and minimize maintenance costs.
To speak with an engineer regarding your conveying challenges call us at 727-785-8500 x203, or e mail eng@jdbdenseflow.com.