Solution Provided | Root-Cause Analysis and Mitigation Strategy
Discipline | Process Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Due to an inability to meet duty flow rates for an alumina hydrate conveyor system in an alumina refinery, Carnac was engaged to investigate the drum filters, transfer chutes, conveyors, and conveyor head chutes and develop options for resolving the capacity issues.
Carnac concluded that the root-cause of these issues was material surging due to moisture-laden hydrate cake building up from the filter drain line discharge that released periodically into the chutes and onto the conveyors. Carnac developed mitigation strategies for the root-cause problem and alleviating the spillage and chute blockage symptoms.
Carnac conducted Discrete Element Method (DEM) based Material Flow Visualisation to investigate this hypothesis using a model for high-cohesion fines and clumps.