We use Cookies to improve your website experience. Learn about our cookie policy.

Accept

Flexco
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
 

1. Log Processing: Log Truck/Rail Car Unloader — Log Stockpile — Debarker and Chipper — Chip Stockpile

Pulpwood logs are brought in on trucks or rail cars to be debarked and chipped. Once the bark is removed and the logs are chipped, those chips are taken to a stockpile and bark is taken to the bark hog.

ISSUES

  • Logs dropping out of the debarker can be 30” in diameter and weigh hundreds of pounds, causing major impact on the belt and splices. 
  • There will likely be a number of transfers from the chipper to the chip stockpile. The main issue is spillage and material getting agitated and escaping in the load zones.
  • High moisture content in chips makes belt slipping likely. 
  • Belt mistracking, causing spillage in the load zone.
  • The materials being handled are flammable, so any kind of carryback is a problem.
  • Cleated belts are hard to seal to the chute, causing spillage, and can be hard to clean. 

SOLUTIONS

EZP1 Precleaners are a great choice for many hog fuel belts, as these are typically in the 30-42" (900-1050mm) wide range and move 200-300 fpm (1-1.5 M/s).

The MSP Standard Mine-Duty Precleaner or MMP Medium Mine-Duty Precleaner is ideal for chip belts as they are typically in the 30-48" (900-1200mm) wide range, but can be up to 72" (1800mm) wide. Generally, these belts are moving around 400-500 fpm (2-2.5 M/s).

The Y-Type™ Secondary Cleaner with Urethane Blades (on non-cleated belts) tackles wet wood fines that will build up on surfaces quickly on cleaners that aren't designed to shed material. The minimal flat surfaces of this cleaner help prevent material from building up on the blades/cushions, reducing maintenance. Carbide blades are a good option for more stubborn material.

The Motorized Brush Cleaner (on cleated belts). A flat blade precleaner cannot be used on cleated belts. Sometimes segmented secondary cleaners are used, but these are not very efficient. The best option is a brush cleaner that spins opposite the direction of belt travel to dislodge material from the belt and cleats. These cleaners are also effective on flat belts to brush fine material off the belt after a precleaner gets the large material off the belt.

Enclosed Skirt Systems paired with Flex-Lok™ Skirt Clamps or Flex-Seal™ Skirt System and Urethane Skirting help control the dust at the transfers for safety reasons, and these
reduce maintenance costs elsewhere as well. Wood dust getting into idler bearings can cause them to seize up, and failed bearings can be a heat source. 

The impact of chips and hog fuel is usually low, but full logs dropping out of the debarker and going to the chipper can be high impact. Slider Beds with Impact Rolls are a great choice for belts carrying chips and hog fuel. These beds provide a solid surface for skirting to seal against, offer support in these low impact areas, and are designed for easy service. For full logs dropping out of the debarker, Flexco DRX™ Impact Beds can be used. Beds as high as the DRX™ 3000 may be required depending on the log size the mill is bringing into the process. These beds will help prolong the life of the belt and are built to withstand high impact, while still offering slide-out service for easy maintenance. 

Flex-Lag® Medium Ceramic Lagging (39% lagging) is recommended to minimize slippage as the chip and hog fuel moisture content can be significant. Slipping pulleys can be fire hazards if they heat up enough to ignite, and there is ample fuel for fires with all the chips present.