Further success for Wright in Florida
Wright Engineering have recently completed a project in the US for MonierLifetile LLC, the North American joint venture between Lafarge and Boral. This is a second project for Wright following an earlier successful installation at the Monier Lake Wells plant in 2005.
Wright have supplied Lafarge with material-handling equipment for over 20 years and in that time personnel move-ments within the Group have resulted in Wright Engineering’s reputation for the reliability of their equipment and timely installation being transposed to the US.
In the latest installation, MonierLifetile invited Wright Engineering to tender for the replacement of their aggregate feed system conveyors and cement storage and handling equipment at their roof tile manufacturing facility at Boca Raton, Florida.
Wright were tasked with the design, manufacture and installation, as well as being handed responsibility for control of both electrical and civil works. The civil foundations were cast to Wright designs and, under their supervision, were completed by a local contractor in early December 2005.
Working within current production parameters of 150 tons/h for the main silo feed rate and a plant feed requirement of 66 tons/h at an aggregate density of 90 lb/ft3, the design team also rose to the challenge of designing conveyors to the strict Hurricane Code standards of Florida State.
Wright supplied a new dump hopper equipped with grizzly bars and a vibrating feeder, which discharges on to an existing short inclined conveyor. From here material is fed on to a new 50m long inclined troughed belt conveyor, which delivers the aggregate feed to a reversing conveyor mounted at high level above the silos.
A second 70m long inclined conveyor was also supplied to deliver aggregate from an existing inclined conveyor to the day tanks. Both new conveyors were supplied complete with maintenance access walkways and platforms, feed chutes and belt scrapers. The conveyors are also weather protected along their entire length and feature removable side boards.
A 100-ton capacity grey cement silo and a 60-ton capacity white cement silo were also supplied as part of the project.
Both are fitted with isolating valves to facilitate maintenance of the material-delivery system without the need to empty the silo. In addition, both silos incorporate systems for level indication, dust filtration and discharge into their respective day tanks, as well as suitable access and platforms.
Day bins providing storage for 50 tons of aggregate, 10 tons of white cement and 10 tons of grey cement were also supplied, complete with a replacement delivery system to the mixer feed hopper. The main engineering requirement for the day bins was that they should utilize the same mounting structure as the existing units and that aggregate and cement should not share a common wall.
Due to the high level of sales of concrete roof tiles in Florida during 2005, Wright were asked to install the conveyors during the two-week Christmas shutdown. To meet this time frame, Wright designed and manufactured the mechanical elements at their production facility in Worksop. These were test assembled before being shipped over to Florida.
The shipment was followed by a 17-strong team of engineers who assembled and commissioned the equipment on site. According to Wright, the whole project was completed ahead of schedule to the client’s complete satisfaction.
Wright Brothers Engineering, Carlton Forest, Red Lane, Blyth Road, Worksop Notts S81 8BP; tel: (01909) 730507; fax: (01909) 730975
