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LOADING SOLUTIONS

Ship
Loading

When loading dry bulk solid materials into bulk carriers, spout length, product dispersion and loadout speed are the primary concerns. For optimal performance, the Vortex® Ship Loading Spout (also known as ship loading chutes) can be used in tandem with accessories specifically designed for loading efficiency.

Ideal application: Loading dry bulk solid materials into bulk carriers.

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Key Features

  • Telescoping, tube-in-tube design

  • Filter access doors for easy filter cartridge maintenance

  • Optional trimming spoon horizontally disperses materials to fill hard-to-reach areas

  • Dust Control Skirt encompasses the peak of the material pile to prevent dusting to atmosphere

  • Rotation-resistant lifting cables

  • Tube flange seals

  • Two cable, dual-drum, two-part reeving hoist drive system

  • Two-position rotary limit switch

  • Discharge Filtration System captures fugitive dusts and reintroduces them back down into the load

  • Material Level-Sensing Device and Auto-Raise System indicate when the material pile has grown to a specified level and automatically raise the spout to prevent burying and avoid vessel overfilling

“The most critical features of ship loading equipment are reliability and environmental safety. Nowadays, ports worldwide consider pollution prevention a primary objective – paying special mind to reducing dust emissions and preventing cargo overflow or spillage. To address these concerns, it is critical to incorporate sophisticated engineering controls and dust control measures capable of fulfilling the highest environmental standards.”

– Mark Schaberg P.E., Chief Engineer, Vortex

Telescoping System

Vortex® Ship Loading Spouts are constructed from telescoping tubes which slide into one another as the Ship Loading Spout retracts. In doing so, the Ship Loading Spout’s overall height is condensed to allow vessels safe entry and exit at the port. The top flange of each tube is sealed using a layer each of plastic and rubber materials. This fills the void between each telescoping tube.

Tube Material Construction
By constructing Vortex Ship Loading Spouts from durable metal materials, the spout is protected from the elements of its surrounding environment, is protected against wear and abrasion from the material(s) handled, and is provided added stability in applications with especially long extended travel.
•  304 stainless steel•  316L stainless steel
•  A36 mild steel
•  Ceramic-lined tubes
•  Chromium carbide
•  400 BHN abrasion-resistant steel

Hoist Drive System

•  Two cable, dual-drum, two-part reeving hoist drive system to better distribute the spout’s weight. Therefore, the force required to extend and retract a Vortex Ship Loading Spout is cut in half.  

•  Vortex designs winch systems at 5:1 service factor for lifting cables. Rotation-resistant lifting cables are also available upon request.     Note: Total breakage resistance may vary, based on weight and overall size of the Vortex Ship Loading Spout.

•  Two-position rotary limit switch to set boundaries on spout full-extension and full-retraction. The rotary limit switch is driven by the output shaft, located on the main drive assembly. This device is factory supplied pre-wired into an electrical panel, which will also be mounted on the main drive assembly.

•  The absolute rotary encoder provides analog output for intermediate positions. An absolute rotary encoder is direct-coupled to the output shaft, located on the main drive assembly. This device is factory supplied pre-wired into an electrical panel, which will also be mounted on the main drive assembly.

Filtration System

Vortex® Filtration Systems are specifically designed to:
1) Displace dust-laden air from its source;
2) Separate dusts from the air;
3) Exhaust the cleaned air to atmosphere; and
4) Re-entrain the filtered dusts back down into the load. Vortex Filtration Systems are “active units,” meaning an air withdrawal forcibly pulls displaced air and dusts through the filter cartridges to initiate the filtration process.

Discharge System
Designed to collect fugitive dusts by means of high volume exhaust blowers. Once the loading process begins, the blowers draw up fugitive dusts as they are generated by the material flow stream. The fugitive dusts are captured in a series of pleated polyester filter cartridges. Throughout the loading process, automatic reverse pulse jets inject compressed air to purge the captured dusts back into the load. Thus, the Discharge Filtration System is designed to minimize product loss and prevent dusting to atmosphere. A Discharge Filtration System is necessary in spouts with longer travel distances.

*To reduce energy consumption, compressed air is only forced through the reverse pulse jet system during loading operations. It is not a continuously running system.

Key Filtration System Features
•  Reverse pulse jets self-clean the filter cartridges
•  MERV 16-rated high efficiency filter cartridges

Material Contact Options
•  304 stainless steel
•  316L stainless steel
•  A36 mild steel
•  Ceramic-lined material contact areas
•  Chromium carbide

Filter Cartridge
•  Pleated spun-bond polyester, PTFE-coated

Efficiency ratings (dry dust particle sizes):
•  99.98% @ 1/3 micron
•  99.99% @ ½ micron
•  100% @ 1 micron

Dust Control Skirt

The Vortex® Dust Control Skirt is intended for open loading applications. It is constructed from heavy, durable neoprene rubber. Rather than flaring the skirt from a common piece of neoprene rubber, each flared section is a stand-alone neoprene rubber strip. Each strip of rubber is overlapped to prevent pathways for dust emissions to atmosphere. By flaring larger, the Vortex Dust Control Skirt is able to fully encompass the peak of the material pile, to better contain fugitive dusts.

Power of Comparison: Alternative loading spouts offered by the industry are specifically constructed for use in either an open or enclosed loading application. For clients that require both open and enclosed loading from a single source, those spout designs limit their capabilities – and often require the purchase of two loading spouts. To address this issue, Vortex offers an optional detachable Dust Control Skirt. By including this option, a spout can be supplied with an outlet scavenger to accommodate enclosed loading applications; then, to properly equip for open loading applications, the Dust Control Skirt can be attached along the upper perimeter of the outlet scavenger. Because of this capability, a Vortex Loading Spout can serve dual purposes.

Material Level Sensing

For open loading applications, the purpose of a material level-sensing device is to automate the spout retraction process. In doing so, material level-sensing devices prevent material build-up in the spout, eliminate the need for visual monitoring throughout the loading process, and avoid vessel overfilling.

Auto-Raise System

In open loading applications, a Tilt Probe is mounted at the outlet scavenger. The outlet scavenger and the Tilt Probe are typically separated by a Vortex Dust Control Skirt. As the material pile grows beneath the Dust Control Skirt, the Tilt Probe gradually begins to tilt. When used in tandem with an Auto-Raise System, once the probe is tilted to approximately 16°, it triggers an automatic, incremental retraction of the spout as materials continue to discharge. Once the specified load is achieved, the Tilt Probe can be synchronized with the process gate (or belt conveyor) above to automatically halt material flow before the spout is fully retracted.

Motor Starter Panel

As a convenience to the end user, all Vortex Loading Spouts can be factory supplied with a Motor Starter Panel. The Vortex Motor Starter Panel is specifically designed to be compatible with the Vortex Loading Spout’s three-phase motor requirements, as well as the spout’s other electrical components. Without a Vortex Motor Starter Panel, end users must supply a motor starter panel before the spout can be operated, which can be a timely and expensive process.

Trimming Spoon

Mounted below the outlet scavenger. The purpose of the trimming spoon is to disperse material into hard-to-reach areas.  It is motor-operated,  and can be rotated as needed.

Aerial Camera System

For added visibility throughout the loading process, the Vortex Loading Spout can be equipped with an Aerial Camera System. At the main pan housing, a video camera is installed externally to provide an aerial view of the spout’s position, relative to the loading vessel below. The live video feeds back to a monitor for real-time observation as the operator moves the spout into position.

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