Capacity Improvement Solution for Limestone Radial Stackers

ZOOMRY

Engaged in conveyor system field more than two decades.

Industry news

Industry news

Capacity Improvement Solution for Limestone Radial Stackers

As a core raw material for cement production, limestone brings many challenges to most enterprises in the stacking process: the existing limestone radial stackers are limited by their designed capacity and cannot match the combined output capacity of the crushing system, forcing the crushers to operate at reduced capacity; the equipment consumes excessive energy during operation, with power consumption per ton of material far exceeding the advanced industry level; key components such as traveling wheels and conveying systems wear out too quickly, and frequent shutdowns for maintenance not only increase maintenance costs but also severely restrict production continuity.

The production scenario of a typical cement enterprise is representative: the radial stackers supporting three clinker production lines, limited by the original design of the conveying system, have a stacking capacity of only 1800 t/h, while the combined capacity of two crushers can reach 2400 t/h. Restricted by the material distribution capacity of the stackers, the crushers have to operate at low load for a long time, which not only wastes the equipment's potential but also leads to increased power consumption per unit of product. At the same time, the traveling wheels of the stackers frequently suffer from wear and deviation due to excessive wheel pressure, with an average service life of less than 60% of the industry standard; the fixed belt speed and low drive efficiency of the belt conveying system further exacerbate the capacity bottleneck and energy consumption pressure.

ZOOMRY has been deeply engaged in the bulk material conveying equipment field for many years. Based on its service experience in over 1,000 cement industry projects worldwide, it accurately identifies the core contradictions of such equipment and has developed a targeted capacity improvement solution for limestone radial stackers, fundamentally enhancing the efficiency of limestone in the conveying process.

Limestone


Solution Design Concept

Adhering to the core principles of "technical adaptability, operational stability, and long-term energy efficiency" and following the principle of "minimal modifications, maximum efficiency improvement", ZOOMRY has formed a unique solution design logic in line with international bulk material conveying equipment standards such as ISO 1049 and ISO 1050. Abandoning the traditional "large-scale demolition and reconstruction" model, the solution retains the main framework of the original equipment and achieves a leapfrog improvement in stacking capacity and operational efficiency through four technical paths: "conveying speed increase, structural enhancement, intelligent drive, and detail optimization".

Three core dimensions are focused on during the solution design: first, capacity matching, ensuring that the conveying capacity of the upgraded system fully covers the maximum output of the crushing system to solve the capacity mismatch problem of "supply exceeding reception"; second, energy-saving compliance, adopting high-efficiency motors and variable-frequency drive technology to meet mainstream global energy-saving standards; third, maintenance convenience, reducing the wear of key components through structural optimization, improving equipment maintainability, and minimizing downtime. All technical solutions have undergone finite element simulation verification and performance testing by third-party authoritative institutions to fully ensure the reliability and authority of the solution.


Detailed Solution

Upgrade of Intelligent Telescopic Cantilever Conveying System

To address the issues of insufficient capacity and severe material segregation in traditional cantilever conveying equipment, ZOOMRY replaces the original equipment with a telescopic radial stacker system. This system integrates dual functions of radial swing and telescopic adjustment: the 270° radial swing design significantly expands the stockpile coverage area, and the telescopic conveying arm increases the stockpile volume by 30% within the same stockyard area.

  1. Conveying Capacity Improvement: While maintaining the 1.4m belt width unchanged, the belt speed is optimized from 2.5 m/s to an adjustable 2.85 m/s. The drive system adopts a self-developed 110kW first-class energy efficiency motor from ZOOMRY, paired with a Φ1000mm ceramic-faced drive drum. The drum surface undergoes tungsten carbide wear-resistant treatment, increasing the friction coefficient by 40% and effectively preventing belt slippage. A variable-frequency drive unit enables precise speed control to adapt to different crushing capacity requirements.
  2. Structural Strength Enhancement: A heavy-duty lattice structure is adopted, with key stress points reinforced through finite element simulation. Q355B high-strength steel is used to manufacture load-bearing components, and Grade 12.9 high-strength standard parts are used for connecting bolts, compliant with the ISO 898-1 international standard. The counterweight system is recalculated based on material load to ensure the structural stability of the telescopic arm when operating within the inclination range of -14° to +17°.
  3. Conveying Optimization: A ZOOMRY patented buffer bed is added at the material drop point. High-molecular elastic buffer strips are used to absorb over 90% of the material impact energy, preventing belt damage from high-speed impact. Meanwhile, an adjustable direction-changing drum set is configured to ensure uniform belt tension through mobile positioning, completely solving the material segregation problem and reducing subsequent remixing processes.

Transformation of Variable-Frequency Drive for Feed belt conveyors

As the "front-end hub" of the stacking system, the conveying efficiency of feed belt conveyors directly affects the overall capacity. ZOOMRY implements customized transformation for two core feed belt conveyors, achieving precise control of the balance between conveying capacity and energy consumption through variable-frequency drive upgrade and structural optimization:

  • For one feed belt conveyor, the original 37kW drive system is removed and replaced with a 90kW variable-frequency drive unit from ZOOMRY. The hydraulic coupling is eliminated, and a rigid coupling is used to connect the drive drum and reducer, increasing the transmission efficiency to over 98%. The belt speed is increased from 2.0 m/s to 2.85 m/s, and the drive base adopts a modular design to fit the on-site installation space, with reserved oil injection nozzles for easy maintenance.
  • For the other feed belt conveyor, the original 2×132kW motors are retained, and ZOOMRY customized reducers and variable-frequency controllers are added. A PLC system enables coordinated speed regulation of the two motors. The idler group layout is optimized for a 16° conveying inclination, and impact-resistant idlers are used to enhance material conveying stability, maintaining an industry-leading inclination coefficient of 0.85.

Calculated in accordance with the ISO 5048 bulk material conveying standard, the conveying capacity of the upgraded system can reach 2441.88 t/h (Q=krvc§=800×1.4×2.85×0.85×0.9), fully matching the combined capacity requirements of the two crushers.

Comprehensive Optimization of Traveling and Support Systems

Traveling system failures are one of the main causes of stacker shutdowns. ZOOMRY implements systematic upgrades from three aspects: material, structure, and drive, completely solving industry problems such as excessive wheel pressure, deviation, and rail gnawing.

  • Upgrade of Traveling Wheel Sets: 4 sets of driven wheel sets are added, made of forged alloy steel through integral forming. The wheel surface undergoes high-frequency quenching treatment, with a hardness of over HRC55, doubling the wear resistance. An innovative articulated traveling trolley structure is adopted, where the trolley is elastically connected to the main frame to absorb impact loads during travel, reducing wheel pressure by over 30% and effectively protecting the rail foundation.
  • Enhancement of Drive System: 4×11kW variable-frequency drive motors are used to replace the original system, equipped with external-mounted brakes, reducing the braking response time to 0.3 seconds. A frequency converter feedback unit is added to recover and utilize braking energy, further reducing energy consumption.
  • Configuration of Auxiliary Systems: Adjustable wheel block systems are added on both sides of the rails, providing dual protection through mechanical limiting and electronic monitoring to prevent deviation and rail gnawing. The tail car wheels are upgraded from single-wheel to double-wheel structure, maintaining uniform specifications with the main machine's driven wheels to improve travel synchronization and interchangeability.

Supporting Upgrade of Hydraulic and Cleaning Systems

To adapt to the equipment operation requirements after capacity improvement, ZOOMRY synchronously optimizes the hydraulic luffing system and cleaning system to ensure the stability and environmental friendliness of equipment operation.

  • Hydraulic Luffing System: An energy-saving motor of over 15kW is used to drive an imported piston pump, equipped with a pressure-flow dual-control adjustment module to achieve stable control of the cantilever luffing action. The hydraulic cylinder adopts a large-diameter design of Φ250mm/160mm, with a pressure-bearing grade of 35MPa. The sealing system uses imported combined seals, with a leakage rate approaching zero. Meanwhile, detachable maintenance support rods are designed to ensure maintenance safety.
  • Cleaning and Environmental Protection System: 1 return side cleaning device and 2 alloy cleaning scrapers are installed on the return side of the belt. The scrapers use tungsten carbide blades, achieving a 98% fit with the belt, effectively removing residual materials and reducing dust generation. The entire system complies with international environmental standards, controlling the dust emission concentration below 10 mg/m³.

mobile stakcer


Implementation Effects of the Solution

  1. Capacity Improvement: After the transformation, the stacking capacity is increased from 1800 t/h to over 2440 t/h, matching the full-load operation requirements of the two crushers, completely solving the raw material supply bottleneck and ensuring the continuous operation of multiple clinker production lines.
  2. Energy Consumption Reduction: Through the synergistic effect of variable-frequency drive, high-efficiency motors, and energy recovery systems, the power consumption per ton of material for conveying is reduced by over 10%. At the same time, additional energy loss caused by the reduced operation of crushers is minimized, achieving dual energy-saving benefits.
  3. Equipment Service Life Extension: The service life of traveling wheels is more than doubled compared to the original level, the belt replacement cycle is extended by 30%, and the annual equipment fault downtime is reduced by 60%, significantly lowering maintenance costs and labor intensity.
  4. Intelligent Operation and Maintenance Upgrade: The entire system can be connected to ZOOMRY's self-developed intelligent operation and maintenance platform, realizing real-time monitoring and remote control of parameters such as belt speed, pressure, and temperature, and supporting fault early warning and trend analysis. The overall equipment efficiency (OEE) is increased to over 85%.

In addition, the solution adopts a modular design. Core components can be shipped in 40-foot standard containers, and on-site installation requires no welding. Rapid assembly is achieved through bolt connections and plug-in electrical interfaces, shortening the installation cycle to less than one week and minimizing the impact of production interruption. All equipment has passed CE certification and third-party performance testing, complying with technical specifications and environmental requirements of major global markets, and adapting to international project needs.

telescopic stacker


As a professional solution provider in the global bulk material conveying equipment field, ZOOMRY focuses on the R&D and manufacturing of core equipment such as belt conveyors, telescopic stackers, and Mobile Ship Loaders, as well as key components including idlers, drums, and cleaning scrapers. The company has a technical team composed of more than 15 senior engineers, and has completed the design and implementation of over 1,000 bulk material conveying projects worldwide, with technical solutions covering industries such as cement, mining, and ports.

ZOOMRY always takes international standards as the R&D benchmark. Its product design strictly follows international specifications such as ISO 1049 and ISO 1050, and 100% of core components are independently R&D and manufactured. With 12 service centers worldwide, it provides 24/7 technical support and spare parts supply to ensure the stable operation of projects throughout their life cycle. In the future, ZOOMRY will continue to focus on the energy-saving and intelligent upgrading of the bulk material conveying field, providing more valuable equipment solutions for global customers.

contact us


No previous

NEXT:How to Use Telescopic Shiploaders for Iron Ore Bulk Material Conveying

Leave a Reply

Leave a message