Bulk Bag Handling - Multiple Container Filling and Discharging

Multiple-container Filling and Discharging of Catalysts
Ingredients Handled

Spent catalyst, sulphur and remanufactured catalyst products

Control and Metering's Customer
The customer is a Canadian company which recycles catalysts for sale to oil refineries and other other industries.

Customer's Reason For Using Bulk Bags
Catalyst is very often shipped in bulk bags as well as drums and steel totes. Raw ingredients for the production of catalysts can be obtained in bulk bags. Frequently, it is less expensive to purchase these ingredients in bulk bags as compared to other semi-bulk containers. This is due to the relatively inexpensive cost of the bulk bag itself and the fact that disposal of the empty container is also very inexpensive.

Control and Metering Application Solution
Both filling and discharging equipment were required to handle bulk bags in this new process.

A customized Model A filler was selected to fill the containers with the remanufactured catalyst. The Model A was modified to accept three different top structures; each top was designed to fill either bulk bags, four drums on a pallet, or steel totes. A PLC control system with graphics based operator interface was used to control all aspects of the filling system.

Two Flo Super Clean dischargers were selected to discharge spent catalyst and sulphur. Each of the dischargers had a monorail design featuring integral I-beams and motorized hoists and trolleys.

Application Challenges and Their Solution
The filling system for the remanufactured catalyst had to easily handle three different packages: bulk bags, drums and steel totes. This was accomplished using a Model A style common filler base frame, densification platform and weighing system in conjunction with three separate tops; each top handles one type of container. The tops are positioned on the base frame using a fork truck. Quick disconnects allow easy changeover of the control, electric, and pneumatic systems.

A rotary fill head system to automatically fill four drums sitting on a single pallet was created. A pneumatically driven dust hood is lowered onto the drum tops. The hood has four openings positioned above the drums, these are enclosed by flexible tubes which are connected to the fill head. The fill head supplies a single drum and then rotates to fill the next one.

For steel tote filling, an adjustable sealing adaptor was designed which accommodates totes of varying heights. The lid is lowered using a manual crank. It contains a filling port which is attached by a flexible tube to the product source. An ingredient level sensor is included in this design, although the fill weight is controlled by the PLC.

For bulk bag filling, a frame provides easy-to-rig hanger arms which support the four bag hanging loops. A twin tube fill head is used which secures the liner with a slip ring arrangement.

The filling system is controlled via a PLC system and an LCD, graphical operator interface.

The key criteria for discharging was dust containment. Secondly, the discharger had to ensure that the ingredient discharged completely and easily. Flo Super Clean dischargers were selected to handle both the spent catalyst and sulphur. The Flo series dischargers feature a 60 degree sloped hopper designed to support the bulk bag during discharge a form it into a shape that naturally induces ingredient flow. Pulsed vibration provides an additional means of flow inducement. These two features combined ensure that even the most difficult ingredients discharge easily from a bulk bag.

The patented Super Clean clamping system seals the liner to the downstream equipment thereby eliminating dusting during discharge.

In addition the Flo Super Clean features a pneumatic liner tensioner. The liner tensioner continually retracts the liner from the inlet of the bag during discharge. When the bag is empty the liner will be pulled tight against the bottom clamp. This provides three benefits. First, the ingredient is completely discharged without any hang-up of ingredient. Second, there is very little dust laden air left in the liner that can cause dusting problems when the bag is removed from the discharger. Third, the liner can easily be removed from the bag by releasing the bottom clamp and allowing the liner to be automatically wound onto the liner tensioner spool or, by cutting the air supply to the tensioner via a frame mounted pneumatic switch. The liner can be rolled up by the operator through the outlet of the bag for easy disposal.

Why The Customer Chose Control and Metering
This customer had previously purchased filling and discharging equipment from Control and Metering with good success. Nonetheless, a competitive process was undertaken by the customer to ensure that the proper equipment was procured for the project. Control and Metering was ultimately selected primarily based on the fact that the filler solution was based on a single foot print machine. The concept of a common base structure including weighing and densification and tree purpose built top structures for each of the containers was clearly superior to other submissions that were based on multiple, complete fillers. The Flo Super Clean discharger combining the patented liner clamp and patented liner tensioner was selected due to its excellent dust containment features.

For further information on Multiple container filling and discharging contact contact us at info@spiroflow.com or call 1-704-246-0900.