EP0335864B1 - System for fluidising bulk material - Google Patents
System for fluidising bulk material Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0335864B1 EP0335864B1 EP87906027A EP87906027A EP0335864B1 EP 0335864 B1 EP0335864 B1 EP 0335864B1 EP 87906027 A EP87906027 A EP 87906027A EP 87906027 A EP87906027 A EP 87906027A EP 0335864 B1 EP0335864 B1 EP 0335864B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- bulk material
- space
- block
- panel
- cavity
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING
- B63B27/00—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers
- B63B27/24—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of pipe-lines
- B63B27/25—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of pipe-lines for fluidised bulk material
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING
- B63B25/00—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby
- B63B25/02—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby for bulk goods
- B63B25/04—Load-accommodating arrangements, e.g. stowing, trimming; Vessels characterised thereby for bulk goods solid
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D88/00—Large containers
- B65D88/54—Large containers characterised by means facilitating filling or emptying
- B65D88/72—Fluidising devices
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a system for fluidising bulk material in such spaces as ships' holds, storage and transport containers etc. according to the preamble of claim 1, said system comprising inclined slides for the bulk material on the bottom of the space, each slide having a panel with channels or openings connected to a source of pressure gas, and a gas-permeable layer covering said panel and adapted to fluidise the bulk material and move it by gravity to discharge points located at a lower level, for emptying said space.
- the main object of the present invention is to provide a system of the type mentioned by way of introduction for rapidly and conveniently, and thus at far less expense, converting a cargo-ship having a planar "general cargo bottom” into a cargo-ship having a sloping "fluidisation bottom", and vice versa.
- this object is achieved by the features of the characterizing part of claim 1 whereby a number of light-weight blocks are mounted on the bottom of the space (the hold) for rapid and convenient dismantling therefrom, each block having an upper side forming a slide, and long, short, and bottom sides.
- the long and short sides are formed of thin cover plates, and the panel and said cover plates define the cavity which is filled with a body of light-weight material, such as foamed polyurethane plastic. Turned upside down, this cavity constitutes a suitable mold for producing the foamed plastic body.
- a body of light-weight material such as foamed polyurethane plastic.
- One of the advantages of the system according to the invention is its high flexibility, i.e. its adaptability to the form and size of the ship's hold.
- the blocks comprised by the system can be rapidly and conveniently mounted and dismantled.
- the only work required on the hold bottom involves the mounting of a number of attachment lugs or the like for tie rods holding the block.
- Each block accommodates a body of foamed plastic, which means that the weight of the construction is very low, about 50 kg/m3.
- the bottom side of the foamed plastic body forms the bottom side of the block and is in direct contact with the bottom of the space so that the form of the space can be followed exactly to distribute and equalise the static load across the entire bottom of the space regardless of the existing bottom structure.
- FIG. 1a is a schematic perspective view of an example of the basic principle of the system for installation in the hold of a ship illustrated in Fig. 1b.
- Fig. 1c is a section along line I-I in Fig. 1b.
- Fig. 2 shows, in a projection corresponding to Fig. 1a, the construction of the system in greater detail.
- Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the blocks comprised by the system.
- Fig. 4 is a lateral projection along line IV-IV Fig. 3.
- Fig. 5 is a section along line V-V in Fig. 3.
- Fig. 6 is a section along line VI-VI in Fig. 3.
- the main components of the system generally designated 1 in the drawings, for fluidising bulk material, such as cement, bentonite, byrite, starch etc. in the hold 3 of a ship 2 for emptying the bulk material, are a number of dismantleable transversely and longitudinally extending blocks 5 mounted closely adjacent one another on the bottom 4 of the hold 3.
- Each block 5 has on its upper side 6 a sloping slide 7 preferably in a form of a trapezoidally corrugated sheet metal panel 8 with channels 10 communicating, via supply lines 9, with a source of pressure gas (not shown), preferably a compressed air source.
- these channels 10 are formed by the troughs of the trapezoidally corrugated sheet metal 8.
- a gas-permeable layer 11 in a form of a finemesh net and/or fabric covers the associated panel 8. Upon supply of compressed air or other gas, the air or gas flows, via the supply lines 9 and the channels 10 in the panel 8, out through the layer 11 for fluidising the bulk material and for moving the material by gravity to discharge points 12 at a lower level, for emptying the respective hold 3.
- each block 5 has two long sides 13, two short sides 14, and a bottom side 15.
- the long and short sides 13, 14 are formed by thin sheet metal cover plates 16 which, together with the panel 8, form a box structure having a cavity 17.
- the cavity 17 is filled with a body 18 of foamed plastic which imparts strength and stability to the block 5, but does not make the block heavy.
- the foamed plastic body 18, can be made more or less porous according to requirements and preferably consists of polyurethane.
- the cavity 17 preferably is used as a mold. More particularly, the panel 8 and the cover plates 16 constitute the mold sides in the upside down position of the block 5.
- the bottom side 15 of the block 5 is formed by the bottom 19 of the foamed plastic body 18.
- the bottom 19 projects some centimetres from the lower edge of the cover plates 16 to directly engage the bottom 4 of the respective hold 3, thereby to follow exactly the bottom shape in order to equalise or absorb any irregularities of the bottom 4 and to distribute the static load on the bottom.
- a body may be used which consists of some other light-weight material, such as light-weight concrete, cement-bonded burned expanded clay, or the like.
- the blocks 5 are rapidly and conveniently dismantleable from the bottom 4 of the respective hold 3 by means of tie rods 20 extending through the narrow gaps 21 between two adjacent blocks 5.
- the tie rods 20 are anchored at their lower end in lugs 22 or the like secured to the bottom 4, and have an upper threaded end. Shims 23 are clamped, by means of nuts 24 on the upper end of the rod 20 and by means of nuts 25 on threaded pins associated with the respective block 5, against the blocks to fix them in position.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
- Ship Loading And Unloading (AREA)
- Pit Excavations, Shoring, Fill Or Stabilisation Of Slopes (AREA)
- Processing And Handling Of Plastics And Other Materials For Molding In General (AREA)
- Air Transport Of Granular Materials (AREA)
- Buffer Packaging (AREA)
- Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to a system for fluidising bulk material in such spaces as ships' holds, storage and transport containers etc. according to the preamble of
claim 1, said system comprising inclined slides for the bulk material on the bottom of the space, each slide having a panel with channels or openings connected to a source of pressure gas, and a gas-permeable layer covering said panel and adapted to fluidise the bulk material and move it by gravity to discharge points located at a lower level, for emptying said space. - Even though the system according to the invention may be used for many different types of spaces for storing and transporting bulk material, it is primarily intended for the holds of ships carrying bulk materials, such as cement, bentonite, byrite, starch etc., and the invention will therefore be described below with reference to this specific use.
- Ships that have been purpose-built for carrying fluidisable bulk material (bulk carriers) frequently have a hold bottom sloping downwardly in V form from the fore and aft sides towards the midship line and provided with slides for the bulk material.
- Consequently, these purpose-built bulk carriers can be used only for carrying fluidisable bulk material and cannot be used for carrying, for example, general cargo, unless expensive modifications to the hold bottom are carried out, and such modifications reduce the carrying capacity.
- Conventional cargo-ships having a planar hold bottom are frequently chartered for a number of years for carrying fluidisable bulk material. Before they can be put into operation for this purpose, they must be taken to a shipyard and fitted with a sloping hold bottom of the type designed for purpose-built bulk carriers. This reconstruction necessitates, primarily because of the great bulk of the new hold bottom, extensive reinforcements to the hull and to this comes the very time-consuming and complicated work on the new bottom.
- If and when these cargo-ships eventually are to operate again as, for example, conventional general cargo ships, the "fluidisation bottom" must either be dismantled or supplemented with a planar "general cargo bottom". Whatever the case may be, the work is time-consuming and costly.
- The main object of the present invention is to provide a system of the type mentioned by way of introduction for rapidly and conveniently, and thus at far less expense, converting a cargo-ship having a planar "general cargo bottom" into a cargo-ship having a sloping "fluidisation bottom", and vice versa.
- According to the invention this object is achieved by the features of the characterizing part of
claim 1 whereby a number of light-weight blocks are mounted on the bottom of the space (the hold) for rapid and convenient dismantling therefrom, each block having an upper side forming a slide, and long, short, and bottom sides. - The long and short sides are formed of thin cover plates, and the panel and said cover plates define the cavity which is filled with a body of light-weight material, such as foamed polyurethane plastic. Turned upside down, this cavity constitutes a suitable mold for producing the foamed plastic body.
- One of the advantages of the system according to the invention is its high flexibility, i.e. its adaptability to the form and size of the ship's hold. As had been mentioned before, the blocks comprised by the system can be rapidly and conveniently mounted and dismantled. The only work required on the hold bottom involves the mounting of a number of attachment lugs or the like for tie rods holding the block. Each block accommodates a body of foamed plastic, which means that the weight of the construction is very low, about 50 kg/m³.
- In one embodiment of the invention, the bottom side of the foamed plastic body forms the bottom side of the block and is in direct contact with the bottom of the space so that the form of the space can be followed exactly to distribute and equalise the static load across the entire bottom of the space regardless of the existing bottom structure.
- Last but not least, production and mounting times are short as compared with conventional systems, and this means lower costs and less time at the yard.
- The invention will be described in more detail below, references being had to the accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment which at present is especially preferred in a cargo-ship. Fig. 1a is a schematic perspective view of an example of the basic principle of the system for installation in the hold of a ship illustrated in Fig. 1b. Fig. 1c is a section along line I-I in Fig. 1b. Fig. 2 shows, in a projection corresponding to Fig. 1a, the construction of the system in greater detail. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the blocks comprised by the system. Fig. 4 is a lateral projection along line IV-IV Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section along line V-V in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a section along line VI-VI in Fig. 3.
- The main components of the system generally designated 1 in the drawings, for fluidising bulk material, such as cement, bentonite, byrite, starch etc. in the
hold 3 of aship 2 for emptying the bulk material, are a number of dismantleable transversely and longitudinally extendingblocks 5 mounted closely adjacent one another on thebottom 4 of thehold 3. - Each
block 5 has on its upper side 6 a slopingslide 7 preferably in a form of a trapezoidally corrugatedsheet metal panel 8 withchannels 10 communicating, via supply lines 9, with a source of pressure gas (not shown), preferably a compressed air source. In the embodiment illustrated, thesechannels 10 are formed by the troughs of the trapezoidallycorrugated sheet metal 8. - A gas-
permeable layer 11 in a form of a finemesh net and/or fabric covers the associatedpanel 8. Upon supply of compressed air or other gas, the air or gas flows, via the supply lines 9 and thechannels 10 in thepanel 8, out through thelayer 11 for fluidising the bulk material and for moving the material by gravity todischarge points 12 at a lower level, for emptying therespective hold 3. - Besides the
upper side 6 forming theslide 7, eachblock 5 has twolong sides 13, twoshort sides 14, and abottom side 15. The long andshort sides metal cover plates 16 which, together with thepanel 8, form a box structure having acavity 17. Thecavity 17 is filled with abody 18 of foamed plastic which imparts strength and stability to theblock 5, but does not make the block heavy. The foamedplastic body 18, can be made more or less porous according to requirements and preferably consists of polyurethane. To make the foamedplastic body 18, thecavity 17 preferably is used as a mold. More particularly, thepanel 8 and thecover plates 16 constitute the mold sides in the upside down position of theblock 5. Thebottom side 15 of theblock 5 is formed by thebottom 19 of the foamedplastic body 18. Thebottom 19 projects some centimetres from the lower edge of thecover plates 16 to directly engage thebottom 4 of therespective hold 3, thereby to follow exactly the bottom shape in order to equalise or absorb any irregularities of thebottom 4 and to distribute the static load on the bottom. As an alternative to a foamedplastic body 18, a body may be used which consists of some other light-weight material, such as light-weight concrete, cement-bonded burned expanded clay, or the like. - The
blocks 5 are rapidly and conveniently dismantleable from thebottom 4 of therespective hold 3 by means oftie rods 20 extending through thenarrow gaps 21 between twoadjacent blocks 5. Thetie rods 20 are anchored at their lower end inlugs 22 or the like secured to thebottom 4, and have an upper threaded end.Shims 23 are clamped, by means ofnuts 24 on the upper end of therod 20 and by means ofnuts 25 on threaded pins associated with therespective block 5, against the blocks to fix them in position. - The invention has been described above with specific reference to the use in a ship's hold but, as has been mentioned in the introduction, there is no obstacle to using the invention in other contexts involving the storage and transport of bulk material in various types of containers.
Claims (3)
- A system for fluidising bulk material in such spaces as the hold (3) of a ship (2), storage and transport containers etc., said system (1) comprising inclined slides (7) for the bulk material on the bottom (4) of the space (3), each slide (7) having a panel (8) with channels (10) or openings connected to a source of pressure gas, and a gas-permeable layer (11) covering said panel (8) and adapted to fluidise the bulk material and move it by gravity to discharge points (12) located at a lower level, for emptying said space (3), as well as a number of light-weight blocks (5) mounted on the bottom (4) of the space (3), each block (5) having an upper side (6) forming a slide (7), and long, short, and bottom sides (13,14,15), the long and short sides (13,14) being formed by thin cover plates (16) and the panel (8) and the cover plates (16) defining a box structure having a cavity (17), characterised in that said cavity (17) is filled with a body (18) of light-weight material and in that the bottom (19) of said body (18) constitutes the bottom side (15) of the block (5) and is in direct engagement with the bottom (4) of the space (3) to follow the shape thereof, thereby to distribute the static load thereon.
- A system as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said light-weight material in the body (18) is foamed plastic, preferably polyurethane.
- A system as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the cavity (17), in the upside down position of the block (5), constitutes a mold for the production of the foamed plastic body (18).
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
SE8603814 | 1986-09-12 | ||
SE8603814A SE464125B (en) | 1986-09-12 | 1986-09-12 | SYSTEM FOR FLUIDIZATION OF BULK MATERIAL |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0335864A1 EP0335864A1 (en) | 1989-10-11 |
EP0335864B1 true EP0335864B1 (en) | 1992-12-02 |
Family
ID=20365555
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP87906027A Expired - Lifetime EP0335864B1 (en) | 1986-09-12 | 1987-09-10 | System for fluidising bulk material |
Country Status (8)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0335864B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2708164B2 (en) |
DE (1) | DE3782946D1 (en) |
HK (1) | HK68993A (en) |
NO (1) | NO164969C (en) |
SE (1) | SE464125B (en) |
SG (1) | SG54293G (en) |
WO (1) | WO1988001963A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB2219784B (en) * | 1988-05-27 | 1992-09-30 | Gary Kenneth Busch | Element for adapting a bulk transport container or hold of a ship to fluidise and discharge its contents and method therefor |
GB2227482A (en) * | 1989-01-26 | 1990-08-01 | Exprocad Services Ltd | Fluidising bulk particulate material |
AU2006343790B2 (en) * | 2006-05-12 | 2013-10-10 | Jean-Claude Poncet | Modular vibratory floor |
SG169253A1 (en) * | 2009-09-03 | 2011-03-30 | Viking Dredging As | A method of preparing a dry bulk carrier |
BE1029471B1 (en) * | 2021-05-27 | 2023-01-09 | Gitra Bv | Bottom element for forming a fluidization bottom |
WO2022249143A1 (en) * | 2021-05-27 | 2022-12-01 | Gitra Bv | Bottom element for forming a fluidization bottom |
Family Cites Families (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3367723A (en) * | 1966-04-07 | 1968-02-06 | Halliburton Co | Steady flow bin for pulverulent material |
-
1986
- 1986-09-12 SE SE8603814A patent/SE464125B/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
1987
- 1987-09-10 WO PCT/SE1987/000407 patent/WO1988001963A1/en active IP Right Grant
- 1987-09-10 JP JP62505394A patent/JP2708164B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1987-09-10 DE DE8787906027T patent/DE3782946D1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1987-09-10 EP EP87906027A patent/EP0335864B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1988
- 1988-05-10 NO NO882031A patent/NO164969C/en unknown
-
1993
- 1993-04-28 SG SG54293A patent/SG54293G/en unknown
- 1993-07-15 HK HK689/93A patent/HK68993A/en unknown
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JPH02500585A (en) | 1990-03-01 |
DE3782946D1 (en) | 1993-01-14 |
SG54293G (en) | 1993-07-09 |
SE8603814D0 (en) | 1986-09-12 |
NO164969B (en) | 1990-08-27 |
SE464125B (en) | 1991-03-11 |
HK68993A (en) | 1993-07-23 |
SE8603814L (en) | 1988-03-13 |
WO1988001963A1 (en) | 1988-03-24 |
JP2708164B2 (en) | 1998-02-04 |
NO164969C (en) | 1990-12-12 |
NO882031D0 (en) | 1988-05-10 |
EP0335864A1 (en) | 1989-10-11 |
NO882031L (en) | 1988-05-13 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
KR100603227B1 (en) | Vessel comprising a storage and retrieval system | |
US3903825A (en) | Transport system | |
US4984962A (en) | Method for the formation of a transport unit | |
EP0335864B1 (en) | System for fluidising bulk material | |
US3822919A (en) | Apparatus and method for fluidizing and handling particulates | |
US3514157A (en) | Apparatus for packing and handling shipments | |
US3948403A (en) | Device adapted to facilitate the simultaneous transportation of a number of standardized load units | |
US4381062A (en) | Container | |
GB2219784A (en) | Discharging a bulk material container | |
GB1565779A (en) | Factory barge for manufacturing reinforced concrete products | |
US2594930A (en) | Cargo barge | |
US3465533A (en) | Cargo transport apparatus using air cushion support | |
US4002135A (en) | Ship for combined load | |
US4421243A (en) | Container, particularly for materials in particles | |
JP3701083B2 (en) | Unit structure for floating structure and floating structure using the same | |
JPS621688A (en) | Bulk carrier | |
JPH0418958Y2 (en) | ||
US6418869B1 (en) | Barge mounted food grade container system | |
US3836026A (en) | Method of transporting ship cargo | |
SU1050987A1 (en) | Tank for carrying loose cargoes | |
JPS6242932Y2 (en) | ||
KR810001196B1 (en) | Ship's hull | |
US3934532A (en) | Marine transport | |
JPS61171690A (en) | Trimming device for cargo hold | |
JPS582874B2 (en) | Kozaiyu Sosenyousen |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Kind code of ref document: A1 Designated state(s): DE FR GB IT NL |
|
17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 19890211 |
|
17Q | First examination report despatched |
Effective date: 19920415 |
|
GRAA | (expected) grant |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210 |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Kind code of ref document: B1 Designated state(s): DE FR GB IT NL |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: IT Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT;WARNING: LAPSES OF ITALIAN PATENTS WITH EFFECTIVE DATE BEFORE 2007 MAY HAVE OCCURRED AT ANY TIME BEFORE 2007. THE CORRECT EFFECTIVE DATE MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE RECORDED. Effective date: 19921202 Ref country code: DE Effective date: 19921202 Ref country code: NL Effective date: 19921202 Ref country code: FR Effective date: 19921202 |
|
REF | Corresponds to: |
Ref document number: 3782946 Country of ref document: DE Date of ref document: 19930114 |
|
EN | Fr: translation not filed | ||
NLV1 | Nl: lapsed or annulled due to failure to fulfill the requirements of art. 29p and 29m of the patents act | ||
PLBE | No opposition filed within time limit |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261 |
|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT |
|
26N | No opposition filed | ||
PGFP | Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: GB Payment date: 19950816 Year of fee payment: 9 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: GB Effective date: 19960910 |
|
GBPC | Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 19960910 |