Radial Stacker

[StrP88]

Anybody can direct me in finding some design, analysis and loading for Radial Stackers?
Is it typical having a counterweight at tail end

 

[MikeHalloran]

I suppose it depends on whether you're stacking CDs or trucks...


Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[Ingenuity]

StrP88:

I was involved with the recent installation of a 36" (wide) x 100'+ (long) radial stacker for manufactured sand - and there was no counterweight, however it was a permanent installation, and the tail-end supported on a huge 5' x 6' base plate with a greased pivot plate.

Maybe temporary radial stackers use counterweights - I am not not sure.

Re design info, maybe try contacting TCI [Link] or SUPERIOR [Link] and see what information they can share.

 

[StrP88]

Ingenuity (Structural)
Thank you so much for sharing with me. The radial stacker that I am dealing is also permanent.
How is yours supported at middle and the cantilever part?
I don't know in my case the counterweigth is to provise dead load at the tail or for the belt to provide tension?

Anywhere I can find some structural design information and methods for radial stackers? Any book or article talk about radial stackers structural design?

Thank you

 

[BAretired]

What material are you stacking? Loading depends on what material you are stacking.
Will it look like any of the ones shown in the attached? What dimensions do you need...length, height, width of belt?

https://www.google.ca/search?q=radi...fiv9PZAhVQ3WMKHVgzAfUQ7AkIOw&biw=1472&bih=702

BA

 

[Ingenuity]

How is yours supported at middle and the cantilever part?

Permanent end-support via large pivot-plate, and 4-wheeled axle main support, with a free-cantilever, as follows:

I don't know in my case the counterweight is to provide dead load at the tail or for the belt to provide tension?

It is likely that the counterweight is for the tensioning-control of the conveyor belt.

 

[dhengr]

StrP88:
That sounds like a real interesting design project, but it also sound a lot more like a longer term design career. I suspect you aren’t going to design something better, quicker, less expensively, source all the conveyor and mech. parts, etc. when compared with the people who do that specific equipment as a business. It seems to me that you or your client may have some special needs of such a system, you may have some suggestions for design improvements to fit your specific needs, etc., but I really doubt that you will compete with a system you could buy. You may do your own foundations and general system/civil layout, but even there these special companies will probably have some helpful ideas. The structural and mechanical drawings and details should show what any counter weight is for. You can’t be having the kinds of questions you are asking the way you asked them and think you are going to serve your company or their client very well, by not getting outside design, building and erecting help on this one. And, you may learn a lot in the process, but probably not as the primary design person, there is just too much experience built into that type of equipment.

 

[bootlegend]

StrP88,

I don't know that you'll find any documented structural design guides for radial stackers. I assume most designers apply their steel design code of choice and make modifications based on their judgement. The Conveyor Equipment Manucaturer's Association has a textbook that covers design of bulk material conveyors in depth and is a good place to get minimum loadings and calculate loads due to belt tensions and other mechanical items.

 

[StrP88]

BAretired (Structural),
The material is gypsum.
42" Wide x 127'-9" c/c
23ft cantilever
Its a permanent radial stacker

No mast


hengr (Structural),
I am not trying to design or compete with manufacturer just want to know the bases of design and analysis

 

[bootlegend]

StrP88,

In my experience counterweights are not used for permanent stackers because the tail can be anchored to a suitable foundation.

Does your radial stacker need to raise and lower or is it a fixed height?

 

[BAretired]

That's a pretty big stacker.

Specific gravity of gypsum = 2.31, so material weighs about 144 pcf. Stacked 6" high, that would be a live load of 72 psf. A 42" wide belt would carry approximately 500 plf in addition to its own weight. The weight of the truss itself must be included in the truss design.

BA

 

[bootlegend]

BAretired,

I'd bet it's some sort of crushed or powdered gypsum so it shouldn't be quite that heavy.

StrP88,

The angle of the idlers and the surcharge angle of the material along with the belt width dictate the cross-sectional area of the conveyor. I mentioned above that CEMA has a lot of the info, but most of the idler manufacturers have charts and diagrams like the one I found below that I found with a quick search. you can calculate the areas based off these diagrams but you can find the tables with all the combinations of belt width, idler type, and surcharge angle already calculated.