Project overview
At the Pelletizing Plant – Hoa Phat Dung Quat, material receiving hoppers 14 and 15 continuously receive material streams containing particles with sizes of approximately 10–20 mm and temperatures below 100°C. The large material throughput of approximately 1–2 tons/batch continuously impacts the working surface of the hoppers, creating significant abrasive wear and impact during operation.
The existing hoppers were fabricated from NM500 wear-resistant steel, without an additional internal wear protection lining system. When localized wear or perforation occurred, the main repair method was to weld additional steel plates externally or replace the affected sections. Repeated repairs at multiple locations gradually reduced the structural integrity of the hoppers.
Based on the actual operating conditions, GAC proposed fabricating new hoppers using two-component steel with a 6+4 mm wear-resistant overlay. The solution also included structural improvements around areas directly exposed to the material stream and the addition of inspection hatches to facilitate future inspection and maintenance.
Customer challenges
Combined abrasion and impact wear
The material stream containing solid particles continuously impacts the inner surface, causing simultaneous abrasive wear and impact during operation
Localized wear and perforation of the hoppers
Areas directly exposed to the material stream experienced localized wear, perforation and damage during long-term operation
Welding repairs required at multiple locations
The hoppers had been reinforced with additional steel plates at multiple locations, but some areas remained continuously affected by the material stream and required repeated repairs
Short maintenance intervals
The limited service life of worn areas resulted in short intervals between repair activities and made it difficult to achieve a long-term solution for damaged locations
CURRENT CONDITION OF THE MATERIAL RECEIVING HOPPERS
Multiple locations on the hoppers showed localized wear and perforation, requiring external reinforcement plates after prolonged exposure to abrasive and impact loads from the material stream
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
IMPROVE ABRASION AND IMPACT RESISTANCE
Use materials with suitable hardness and impact resistance for bulk material containing hard particles, while reducing the wear rate on the hopper working surface
PROTECT AREAS DIRECTLY EXPOSED TO THE MATERIAL STREAM
Design the hopper walls and internal lining system to protect areas directly exposed to the material stream, thereby limiting concentrated wear
FACILITATE INSPECTION AND REPAIR
Integrate access hatches into the hopper structure to improve internal accessibility when inspection, maintenance or repair is required
Construction process
Assess working conditions
GAC determines the material flow characteristics, throughput, and abrasion and impact loads acting on the hopper during operation
Analyze damaged areas
Areas with frequent wear, perforation and previous repairs are identified as the basis for designing the new hopper configuration
Select two-component steel
GAC proposed using 6+4 mm two-component steel, with a wear-resistant overlay applied onto a structural steel base suitable for hopper fabrication
Design material deflection steps
Material deflection steps are arranged in areas directly exposed to the ore stream to redirect impact and modify the structure of high-impact zones
Add inspection hatches and access doors
The new structure integrates inspection and maintenance doors to provide easier internal access for inspection and servicing
Design and fabricate each location separately
GAC develops 8 hopper configurations with materials, flanges, stiffeners, ribs and welding requirements tailored to each installation location
Project results
COMPLETED THE WEAR PROTECTION SOLUTION FOR THE HOPPERS
The new hopper solution combines 6+4 mm two-component steel with material deflection structures, helping reduce direct impact from the material stream on the hopper walls
COMPLETED 8 CONFIGURATIONS FOR HOPPERS 14, 15
The design package comprised 8 configurations, including 5 configurations for material receiving hopper 15 and 3 configurations for material receiving hopper 14, developed for the corresponding installation locations
INTEGRATED INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE ACCESS
The new configurations were supplemented with access hatches and doors integrated into the hopper wall structure, allowing convenient access when internal inspection or maintenance is required.
“We highly appreciate Gia Anh’s professional expertise and implementation capabilities. The construction process was carried out in accordance with the required procedures and technical standards, helping Kalenborn monitor and evaluate the installation quality.”
Mr. Nguyen Van An
Project Management Board - Hoa Phat Dung Quat
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