MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEMS
Since its foundation, SMG has developed a broad spectrum of experience designing loading/unloading systems, conveyance, and storage for many types of bulk materials. From initial feasibility study and preliminary cost analysis to final design, SMG's engineers can provide solutions to diverse material handling needs.
Conveying systems were core to SMG’s business when it was started in the 1950's, and that core remains today. We have designed many diverse conveyor types, including belt, screw, drag, pneumatic, and walking floor for a range of commodities, as well as the related elements of conveying systems, including hoppers, bins, feeders, trippers, shuttles, reclaim system elevated supports, support bents, support towers, foundations, seismic isolators, and equipment supports. In addition, SMG is a technical member of CEMA (Conveyor Equipment Manufacturer’s Association), the organization that develops conveyor design standards.
Conveying systems were core to SMG’s business when it was started in the 1950's, and that core remains today. We have designed many diverse conveyor types, including belt, screw, drag, pneumatic, and walking floor for a range of commodities, as well as the related elements of conveying systems, including hoppers, bins, feeders, trippers, shuttles, reclaim system elevated supports, support bents, support towers, foundations, seismic isolators, and equipment supports. In addition, SMG is a technical member of CEMA (Conveyor Equipment Manufacturer’s Association), the organization that develops conveyor design standards.
MDDK Conveyors ProjectBoron, CASMG designed (4) bulk material air supported conveyors to transfer kernite and tincal (borates or naturally-occurring minerals that contain boron) for Rio Tinto’s new dissolution and classification facility at their boron mine in Boron, CA. Material was fed from existing storage bins to new conveyors via vibrating feeders. The ore was then conveyed through a mill structure and then transferred to dissolution tanks for processing. SMG also designed the gangue conveyor to stack material off an 80 foot cantilever with minimum 35 feet of ground clearance. The design engineering for this project included over 100 design drawings and required SMG to coordinate with numerous engineers, contractors and equipment vendors to ensure smooth fabrication and installation of these conveyors and components.
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Bridger Coal Mine Overland ConveyorPoint of Rocks, WyomingSMG provided structural design calculations and engineering drawings for two new overland conveyors and three transfer towers. This conveyor system transfers coal from the new underground mine to an existing truck dump and into the existing conveying system, which feeds the Jim Bridger Power Plant.
The design followed strict environmental requirements which included dustless transfers, passage for large animals under the conveyors, travel over sensitive areas and spans of 200' over a gulch. The two 48-inch belt conveyors transfer 2,400 TPH of coal, a total of 14,000 linear feet at 825 FPM. |
Morenci Mine - Metcalf ExpansionMorenci, ArizonaSMG completed engineering services for general layout and structural design of eight conveyors and transfers, that either replaced existing conveyors or were new to the system all together. SMG’s scope included the design of a mobile tripper support structure, a horizontal curved conveyor with belt-turnover stations, multiple conveyor support bents (braced and unbraced tubular legs or single pipe-supports), conveyor support trusses spanning up to 120-feet, drive support structures, gravity take-up structures, and a tube gallery conveyor spanning approximately 180-feet.
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Terminal 4 ShiploaderPortland, OregonSMG provided engineering services for modification to an existing material handling system and installation of a new shiploader at the Port of Portland. SMG's scope of work included: design of the new shiploader foundation, which included new piles and pile caps; structural, mechanical and material handling modifications to the existing shiploader tower to accommodate the transfer conveyor to the new shiploader; design and coordination of upgrades to existing belt conveyors; acquiring necessary permits from the Army Corps of Engineers and the City of Portland; onsite observation and coordination of inspections for the new shiploader foundation and tower modifications during construction; and shop surveillance inspection during fabrication.
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Soda Ash TerminalSan Diego, CaliforniaSMG completed this retrofit of an existing facility for soda ash handling. The new design allowed unloaded material to be transferred to storage silos or directly to the ship. The new conveyor was designed to operate at 610 FPM with a capacity of 1,320 TPH. A transfer tower was designed around the existing conveyor so material could be diverted to the new conveyor leading to the storage silos. The new conveyor was contained in a 9-foot diameter steel tube gallery for air quality and maintenance purposes. Large seismic forces from the gallery tube and the existing conveyor had to be carried through the new transfer tower. Steel support bents supporting the tube gallery were up to 30-inch diameter and 130 feet tall.
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Skyriver Plant RelocationMonroe, WashingtonSMG was retained to design the relocation of the Skyriver aggregate plant and concrete ready mix plant to allow maximum use of the sand and gravel deposit. The relocation included crushing, screening, and wet plant equipment. Existing equipment was reused to the largest extent possible. SMG made the plant layouts; performed structural design for the conveyor structures, towers and bents; designed the foundations; and assisted the client in the coordination with the contractor.
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Aggregate Plant San Roque DamSan Roque, PhilippinesSMG was retained for plant and material handling design of this aggregate plant, storage, screening, and transport system for the construction of an earth-filled dam. SMG's design included site layout and an aggregate screening plant. The plant was designed to feed two ready-mix plants and to supply various sizes of rock for the dam construction. The project included a 400' storage building, four screen towers, an aggregate wash plant with a waste water treatment facility, a clay drying facility, and 37 conveyors with a combined length of over 12,000 feet. This system handled material from 18-inch shot rock to moist clay, with a plant capacity of 7,300 metric TPH. Special design and detailing was required to accommodate steel and components available in the Philippines.
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Batch Plant UpgradeHarrisburg, OregonSMG designed a renovation to this existing batch plant. Phase One incorporated three new 15-ton storage bins, a new 3 CY metering bin, and a new planetary mixer and stand. It also included a feed conveyor, a new tower for an existing 100-ton cement silo, and foundations for the new equipment. Phase Two involved redesigning the existing eight compartment bins into four 15-ton compartments, adding a second 3 CY metering bin, and extending the new conveyor.
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JP Processing PlantOakland, CaliforniaSMG provided engineering services for the installation of a new JP processing plant. SMG provided layout services for the system outside and inside an existing building and located the system with auxiliary components. SMG designed structures to support the equipment, foundations. SMG also detailed supports sufficient for the fabricator and contractor to construct and install components. SMG provided layout and design of all (33) conveyors.
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Cane Leaf Processing SystemPuunene, Maui, HawaiiSMG provided preliminary layouts and basic design of a complete cane leaf trash-to-energy plant. The new system takes all the transported cane and trash delivered to the factory and processes it at the modified cane cleaner center. After suitable heavy solids are removed, the trash is dewatered, chopped, and delivered to rotary drum dryers, then further processed by a secondary milling operation. A new conveyor system delivers the fuel to to either the existing house or a new roundhouse storage and reclaim system. The existing boilers and conveyors were modified as needed for the new fuel stream changes. The fuel is supplemented with coal and/or fuel oil. The new boiler provides the steam for a new 40 MW turbine generator. A new water cooling tower is planned for condensate recovery.
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Floating Aggregate ConveyorsSalem, OregonSMG designed two floating belt conveyors to transport aggregate from a dredge in a pond to processing equipment on land. SMG provided the material handling and structural design for the floating conveyors. Each conveyor is 300 feet-long, 42 inches-wide and conveys at 800 TPH.
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South Metro Plant Aggregate Storage and ReclaimSherwood, OregonSMG designed aggregate loading and unloading facilities for rail use. Railcars are unloaded from the bottom, through a hopper and onto a belt conveyor in an underground tunnel. Another belt conveyor with a tripper directs the aggregate to the appropriate stockpile. SMG provided material handling design for the belt conveyors, hoppers and gates; structural design for bents, towers, concrete pit, tunnel and foundations; and contract drawings and construction assistance as required.
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Trona Ore ProcessingGreen River, WyomingSMG designed five conveyors and two feeders to receive trona ore from an existing processing facility. 350 TPH of ore is delivered to a new storage silo, and then moves to a silo discharge feeder for further ore processing. The project included a coal truck dump hopper, feeder, and incline conveyor feeding 160 TPH of coal to a new storage silo. SMG reviewed layout drawings, and completely engineered and designed the enclosed gallery-style conveyors, the feeders, the truck dump hopper and discharge feeder, the enclosed towers, and all of the conveyor supports/bents. The trona ore conveyors incorporated Martin Engineering dustless chutes to meet project specifications.
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Valero/Oxbow Barn Renovation ProjectLong Beach, CaliforniaSMG provided design layout drawings for the renovation of an existing coke barn to double its holding capacity to 50 metric tons. Project criteria specified reusing some of the existing conveyors, as well as extending conveyors where needed to reduce costs. The refurbished and relocated truss conveyor, which previously spanned from an existing tower to the building, is now supported from a new bent. The conveyors were enclosed to reduce dust emissions. The existing refurbished incline conveyor (from the tunnel to the tower) was extended by use of a 14-foot pipe gallery extension, with new access from conveyor to conveyor. The new building (by others) was slightly increased in width, height and length to achieve the capacity criteria. The perimeter retaining wall increased capacity by allowing the material to be piled up the height of the wall. Because of the slight increase in the length of the building, the refurbished shuttle conveyor and rails were also extended.
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Railcar Unloading and Reclaim SystemLongview, WashingtonSMG was retained by the Port of Longview in three separate projects to design the material handling system for the Port. This project included railcar loadout equipment, transfer conveyors, transfer towers and 10-foot diameter tubular conveyor gallery. The reclaim system project included modification of an existing building, loadout hopper and overhead transfer conveyors. SMG provided material handling design for hoppers, conveyors, and equipment, as well as structural design of bents, towers, building modifications, galleries, access structures and foundations. SMG also provided contract drawings and construction assistance.
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Greens Creek ShiploaderJuneau, AlaskaSMG was retained as the design component of a design/build team to construct a fully enclosed shiploader. The shiploader was designed to deliver 1,300 TPH of lead zinc concentrate to 38,000 DWT ships. The shiploader telescopes into position with a maximum 60-foot cantilever. The product drops into the hold via a telescoping spout. The tubular gallery is a complete enclosure in order to meet strict environmental controls, as well as for ease of cleaning. The shiploader was designed for the severe structural and ambient conditions of the Alaska coastline.
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Fine Coal RecoveryCentralia, WashingtonSMG incorporated two additional towers of equipment into the client's existing coal refining plants. The equipment recovers 100-mesh to 40-mesh coal, which was formerly rejected as waster. SMG's work included equipment layout, assistance in purchasing the equipment, structural design, contract drawings, contract specifications, bid assistance for the client, and onsite inspection and assistance. SMG also coordinated the electrical and mechanical design for the project.
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Tenmile Lime PlantSoda Springs, IdahoSMG designed and provided the detailed drawings for a 318-foot vertical stacker conveyor. The 36-inch-wide limestone conveyor is designed for 390 TPH. Major design hurdles included the extensive length, the 65-foot lifting range, the 118-foot-high pivoting tower, and the need for the structure to withstand winds of 100 MPH.
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Westside WWTP Ash HandlingVancouver, WashingtonSMG completed a retrofit project at the City of Vancouver's WWTP facility. SMG designed a reversing belt conveyor for dewatered ash distribution to the two ash loadout bins. This work included complete specifications and design drawings, installation drawings, and review of the detailed fabrication drawings, as well as providing start-up assistance. The system was designed around tight clearances and existing equipment. The design addressed the need for the system to be washed down quickly, and reduced the maintenance issues associated with the previous loadout screw arrangement.
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Xiaolangdi Aggregate PlantXiaolangdi Dam, ChinaSMG supplied the mechanical and conveyor structural design of the aggregate handling system for two batch plants for the Xiaolangdi Dam in mainland China. This design/build project furnished batch plants and aggregate handling facilities with capacities up to 300 TPH. The aggregate handling systems stack, reclaim, wash, and cool material before storing it in a multi-compartment bin.
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Power Boiler Fuel Feed SystemDemopolis, AlabamaSMG designed a complete conveyor from the existing Atlas storage bin to the future # 3 Power Boiler. The challenge was to continue to feed the existing # 1 Power Boiler and have the ability isolate either boiler system. SMG was able to reuse a few of the existing conveyors by modifying their drives for the increased capacity requirements. SMG also provided engineering design review of the existing truck dump, infeed to the new hog, and transfer conveyors to the new storage pile and existing reclaim system. SMG developed the complete design, fabrication review and test-out of the fuel feel system. SMG also provided the operation and maintenance manuals for the conveying system from the Atlas bin to the new air-swept spouts.
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Cogeneration Boiler Feed SystemHawaiiSMG provided engineering for facilities necessary to receive, store, reclaim and convey coal. The project had boilers which were converted from bagasse operation to bagasse or coal. SMG's tasks included design of bulkheads for storage piles, conveyors, access platforms, and associated support structures. SMG also provided onsite construction management for the project.
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Compost Traveling Bridge ConveyorPortland, OregonSMG designed a combination traveling bridge and shuttle conveyor system for compost. The client required a material handling system to deliver raw compost to the facility's aeration buildings. The automatic delivery of material to composting beds in a full-scale composting process had never been attempted before. The traveling bridge system was the key element in the client's raw compost delivery process. The bridge was designed as a hybrid, using a structure similar to an outdoor traveling crane while incorporating a reversible shuttle conveyor. This automatic system allows distribution of material along the width of an aeration building at pre-selected depths. The traveling bridge is a self-supporting structure running on rails, embedded in the on-grade slab.
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Plant Rail Car LoadingSalem, OregonSMG designed aggregate rail loading and unloading facilities. A front end loader empties aggregate into a loading hopper which then empties onto a belt conveyor. A radial stacker alternates loading two 700-ton silos at a rate of 650-750 TPH. The two overhead silos then empty into the railcars through gates. SMG provided material handling design for the belt conveyors, hoppers, silos and gates; structural design for the bents, towers and foundations; and contract drawings and construction assistance as required.
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On-Line Sulfur Sampler ProjectCentralia, WashingtonSMG provided material handling, civil, and structural design for the continuous-process sulfur analysis of the clean coal stream. The system takes out about 10 TPH from the 2,400 TPH clean coal stream via two swing samplers. The sample material is run through a nuclear analyzer to determine the amount of sulfur, in order to provide continuous feedback to plant personnel for blending the raw coal to comply with clean air standards. A secondary sampling system calibrates the continuous analyzer. SMG provided preliminary layout and design of the system, cost and feasibility analysis, and scheduling assistance. In addition, SMG developed final system layout, material handling design, structural design, civil and foundation design, coordination with equipment suppliers and electrical design, and coordination during construction.
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Aggregates Barge Unloading SystemTroutdale, OregonSMG designed a new barge unloading facility that operates at 2,000 TPH and 400 FPM. Product is delivered into a new surge hopper at the barge berth and is transferred via 48-inch-wide belt conveyor to a 100-foot-long radial stacker. From the stacker the product may be discharged to a storage area or continue through two additional sequences of a surge hopper, 48-inch-wide belt conveyors, and 150-foot-long radial stacker. The design also accommodates future expansion.
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