BlueScope Steel (Port Kembla, New South Wales, Australia)
BlueScope Steel required bulk material flow analysis and structural assessment of the NSBF PCI coal bin. The PCI coal bin had experienced localised buckling in the bin wall quadrant located adjacent to the trouser leg discharge. Bulk material flow analysis was required to determine the bin wall eccentric load (i.e. normal pressure/shear stress distribution) resulting from discharge flow through a single trouser leg considering coal bulk density of 800 kg/m3 and operating levels/conditions specified by BlueScope, with structural assessment performed applying bulk material loads in accordance with standard AS 4100 to verify the following proposed bin wall design modifications (determined by BlueScope from initial structural analysis).
What we did:
- Performed bulk material flow analysis (DEM simulation) of PCI coal bin applying bulk material flow properties assuming 800 kg/m3 bulk density lump coal and applying bin/hopper internal profile geometry with single trouser leg discharge flow.
- Determined normal pressure/shear stress distribution along bin/hopper walls considering operating levels/conditions specified by BlueScope.
- Performed strength/buckling assessment (structural FEA) of PCI coal bin applying bulk material flow DEM simulation derived normal pressure/shear stress distribution along bin/hopper walls to verify structural integrity as per standard AS 4100.
- Determined deflections/stresses in structural components and minimum buckling load factor considering corroded/eroded wall thickness and proposed design modifications.
Outcome:
Avesta Consulting successfully determined the most likely cause of bin wall buckling deformation considering wall erosion, eccentric roof bulk material loading and out-of-roundness, with limiting roof loads/wall thickness considering with bin wall design modifications to enable continuance of PCI coal bin operation (considering post buckling roof load/wall thickness with/without bin wall modifications).
