Bulk material handling

Bulk material handling is an <a href="/facts/Engineering/RFVg8H3I">engineering</a> field that is centered on the design of equipment used for the handling of dry materials. Bulk materials are those dry materials which are powdery, granular or lumpy in nature, and are stored in heaps. Examples of bulk materials are <a href="/facts/Minerals/LkUFbNmv">minerals</a>, <a href="/facts/Ore/kgc9DssX">ores</a>, <a href="/facts/Coal/83kV3qxg">coal</a>, <a href="/facts/Cereal/ao2WcFdM">cereals</a>, <a href="/facts/Woodchips/1cS3Sp4r">woodchips</a>, <a href="/facts/Sand/MdTIt0M8">sand</a>, <a href="/facts/Gravel/IwHG9JfI">gravel</a>, <a href="/facts/Clay/xnwouEkB">clay</a>, <a href="/facts/Cement/VfDMkk12">cement</a>, <a href="/facts/Ash/zG3qeoIq">ash</a>, <a href="/facts/Salt/SCplalQ3">salt</a>, <a href="/facts/Chemicals/EWcXU41d">chemicals</a>, <a href="/facts/Grain/C00uWDPs">grain</a>, <a href="/facts/Sugar/jb5KXRHT">sugar</a>, <a href="/facts/Flour/dY1Lx5RQ">flour</a> and <a href="/facts/Rock_(geology)/FXCJkmop">stone</a> in loose bulk form. It can also relate to the handling of mixed <a href="/facts/Waste/qLmtkUQ4">wastes</a>. Bulk material handling is an essential part of all industries that process bulk ingredients, including: food, beverage, confectionery, pet food, animal feed, tobacco, chemical, agricultural, polymer, plastic, rubber, ceramic, electronics, metals, minerals, paint, paper, textiles and more.
Major characteristics of bulk materials, so far as their handling is concerned, are: lump size, <a href="/facts/Bulk_density/qoPXMQQy">bulk weight (density)</a>, <a href="/facts/Water_content/N0MlAYmb">moisture content</a>, flowability (particle mobility), <a href="/facts/Angle_of_repose/6Vh6wn6B">angle of repose</a>, <a href="/facts/Abrasive_wear/2PxRQ1Ke">abrasiveness</a> and <a href="/facts/Corrosion/lIC7H4we">corrosivity</a>, among others.
Bulk material handling systems are typically composed of stationary machinery such as <a href="/facts/Conveyor_belt/SC1VXcm6">conveyor belts</a>, <a href="/facts/Screw_conveyor/1IJS07I9">screw conveyors</a>, tubular drag conveyors, <a href="/facts/Moving_floor/LYPlobrB">moving floors</a>, toploaders, <a href="/facts/Stacker/lVtGzbfS">stackers</a>, <a href="/facts/Reclaimer/cDUryWID">reclaimers</a>, <a href="/facts/Bucket_elevator/Qw1bKaU0">bucket elevators</a>, truck dumpers, <a href="/facts/Rotary_car_dumper/68skWexk">railcar dumpers or wagon tipplers</a>, <a href="/facts/Shiploader/kqxDpAFG">shiploaders</a>, <a href="/facts/Chute_(gravity)/GSUClYPh">hoppers</a> and diverters and various mobile equipment such as <a href="/facts/Loader_(equipment)/0EDM3gur">loaders</a>, mobile hopper loaders / unloaders, various shuttles, combined with storage facilities such as <a href="/facts/Feedlot/rb6lVYy4">stockyards</a>, <a href="/facts/Silo/ljuNaAwV">storage silos</a> or <a href="/facts/Stockpile/zDMQGI5E">stockpiles</a>. Advanced bulk material handling systems feature integrated bulk storage (silos), conveying (mechanical or pneumatic), and discharge.
The purpose of a bulk material handling facility may be to transport material from one of several locations (i.e. a source) to an ultimate destination or to process material such as ore in concentrating and <a href="/facts/Smelting/Ghdvhlga">smelting</a> or handling materials for manufacturing such as logs, wood chips and sawdust at sawmills and paper mills. Other industries using bulk materials handling include flour mills and coal-fired utility boilers.
Providing storage and inventory control and possibly material blending is usually part of a bulk material handling system.
In ports handling large quantities of bulk materials <a href="/facts/Shiploader/kqxDpAFG">continuous ship unloaders</a> are replacing <a href="/facts/Gantry_crane/cI5gFeoN">gantry cranes</a>.

Bulk material handling open-in-new

Bulk material handling