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Design, engineering, manufacture, supply, construction, installation and commissioning of the new Back of Terminal bulk materials handling facility at Grindrod's Terminal de Carvão da Matola.
Design, engineering, manufacture, supply, construction, installation and commissioning of the new Back of Terminal bulk materials handling facility at Grindrod's Terminal de Carvão da Matola.
The new system is designed to handle coal at capacities of up to 2,000 tonnes per hour and magnetite at up to 3,600 tonnes per hour through the main conveyor system.
The new BOT facility incorporates six heavy-duty belt-over-apron feeders (BF101–BF106) designed for controlled feeding of coal and magnetite from the stockyard.
Material from these feeders is collected by the new C100A stockyard conveyor, which transfers material through a dedicated transfer point onto the inclined C100B conveyor.
C100B forms a key part of the new material-routing system, allowing material to be directed either to the elevated C101 conveyor or to the new C9A conveyor at ground level.
The principal mechanical scope includes:
The new C100B conveyor transfers material from C100A and provides the flexibility to discharge either to C101 at the intermediate level or to C9A at ground level. Its elevated configuration also maintains vehicle access through the operating terminal.
A key engineering consideration is the integration of the new facility into an operational bulk materials handling terminal.
The new transfer house between C100B, C101 and C9A is designed to be constructed around the existing infrastructure while the existing conveyors remain operational. The transfer arrangement allows material from C100B to be selectively routed to either C101 or C9A.
The existing C9A conveyor is replaced with a higher-capacity system, while sections of the existing C9B conveyor and transfer-house infrastructure are retained, modified and strengthened where practical.
The design also makes provision for the terminal’s planned Front of Terminal expansion, including future connection to conveyor C9D.
RULA’s multidisciplinary scope includes the civil and structural infrastructure required to support the new materials handling system.
This incorporates conveyor terraces, foundations, transfer houses, support trestles, gantries, equipment structures, access platforms, walkways and associated structural modifications.
Where practical, existing structures are incorporated into the new design and strengthened or modified to accommodate the increased plant capacity. This approach reduces unnecessary demolition, minimises disruption to existing operations and optimises overall project execution.
The BOT expansion includes a comprehensive new electrical distribution system supporting both the new and upgraded plant.
The electrical scope extends from the terminal’s existing 33 kV electrical infrastructure through medium- and low-voltage distribution to the individual conveyor drives, feeders, auxiliary equipment, lighting and control systems.
The infrastructure includes new 33 kV supply and distribution equipment, transformer kiosks, 6.6 kV and 400 V distribution systems, E-houses, medium-voltage switchgear, motor control centres and variable-speed drives.
The electrical distribution arrangement is also designed with future expansion in mind, allowing the initial radial 33 kV configuration to be incorporated into a future ring network when the Front of Terminal expansion is implemented.
The project incorporates a fully integrated electrical, control and instrumentation (EC&I) system for operation, monitoring and protection of the new materials handling facility. The scope includes:
The complete EC&I scope covers the design, manufacture, testing, delivery, site installation, testing, commissioning and handover required to support the mechanical plant.
The BOT facility also incorporates the supporting infrastructure required for safe and reliable operation, including:
An important feature of the project is its provision for the terminal’s future expansion.
The new C9A arrangement and associated transfer infrastructure are designed to accommodate both the upgraded C9B conveyor and a future connection to the proposed C9D Front of Terminal conveyor system.
Similarly, the new electrical distribution architecture provides the flexibility for future expansion of the 33 kV network.
RULA engineers and delivers bulk materials handling systems from initial design through commissioning.