JENIKE &

JOHANSON

Addressing Plugging, Wear and

Spillage at Transfer Chutes!

Thomas G. Troxel
! , Vice President
Jayant Khambekar, Project Engineer!

Jenike & Johanson!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

What is a Chute?!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

What is a Chute?!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

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!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Example Chute Flow Problems!

Dusting!
Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

Abrasive wear!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Example Chute Flow Problems!

Dusting!

<---- Before!

After ---->!
Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

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

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Chute Velocity Calculations!

V2
= cos" # sin " tan % $
V1
V1!

V2!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

V2 != Velocity along chute!

! after impact!
V1 != Impact velocity!
!= Impact angle!
= Wall friction angle

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
1

"V sin #
Impact Pressure =
g
V1!

PI!
Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

V1

PI
g

!= Bulk density!
!= Impact velocity!
!= Impact angle!
!= !Impact pressure!
!= Acceleration due to !
! gravity, 32 ft/sec2

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Chute Test!
Normal Pressure (n) = 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!
Chute!
Angle!
(deg)!

60!
40!
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!

= 80!

4!

V2!

= 60"

V !


2



2

= 70"

3!

= 50"

V
V1!

= 40"

2!

2!

V!

= 30"

V !

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

1!
0!

= 20"

10! 20! 30! 40! 50!

' (deg)

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)!
Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Chute Velocity Calculation!

2
0

V = V + 2aS
V
0

S
Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

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

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!

Trajectory on Improperly
Designed Chute!
Incoming stream!
with horizontal!
velocity component!
Trajectory!
in chute!

Load not!
centered!
on belt!
Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

Sloped chute!
with circular!
cross section!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Control the Stream!

Chains used to reduce rock bouncing

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Hood and Spoon Design!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Proper stream
capture with hood

Sticky fines on impact plate

leading to frequent plugging

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

Proper stream
control with spoon

Hood and Spoon Design!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Proper belt loading with spoon

Proper stream capture with hood

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

Controlling the Stream!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Solution to belt-to-belt transfer

with space constraints

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

DEM for Chutes!

Generalized mathematical solution!
Physical properties!
Coefficient of friction!
Particle density!

Boundary conditions!
Initial velocity!
Chute geometry!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

DEM Analysis!

Chute for iron ore

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

DEM Analysis!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

DEM Analysis!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

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!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Rock Box Configurations!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

Rock Box Configurations!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Rock box with sticky bauxite leads

to frequent head box plugging

Heavy residual left in head box

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Rock Box with Ribs!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

JENIKE &
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!

Control Dust Generation!

Material not in contact

with chute surface
Stream not concentrated
Velocity not constant
Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Well captured
and guided
stream

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Chute Cross-Section to
Concentrate Stream!

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

Avoid Dust Pump Effect!

Solids

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

Solids

Air

Air moving down with bouncing

solids creates dust pump effect

Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!

Solids in control on sloping chute

surface prevents excess air entrainment

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!

JENIKE &
JOHANSON

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 (< 30)!
Use sloped, curved chutes!
Keep chute no more than 1/3 full!
Avoid rock boxes, unless mat. free-flowing!
Bulk Solids: Science / Engineering / Design!