Magnetic patch eases maintenance at Bristol Port

A magnetic patch system from Horizon Conveyor Equipment is proving to be an indispensable tool in reducing costly maintenance down time at Bristol Port

The Magna-Patch system has been put to work by Norec, which operates a mechanical maintenance contract at the Bristol Bulk Handling Terminal. Norec oversees the handling of five million tonnes of coal every year through the terminal, and is responsible for mechanical maintenance, breakdown and repair of all the equipment owned by RWEnpower.

By adopting the solution, Norec has achieved far greater control over when and where major maintenance procedures are carried out.

Magna-Patch is a reusable magnetic patch, pressure rated up to 60psi and provides a rapid and secure way of repairing holes in steel pipes, flat back elbows, silos, chutes, hoppers and other steel susceptible to abrasion. The reusable patch is simply placed over the worn out area and is securely held in place magnetically until the next scheduled shut down.

The Bristol Bulk Handling Terminal comprises two Continuous Ship Unloaders (Kone CSUs), along with three stockyard machines comprising one reclaimer, one stacker and one stacker / reclaimer. The operation is linked together by 15 conveyors in lengths ranging from 30 to 900 m. Two of those conveyors are 1200 mm wide, five are 1800 mm wide and eight are 1400 mm wide. In addition, there are two 2400 ton rail loadout silos.

Dave Bannister, site manager for Norec, explains: "The site is divided into two separate areas of operation - the stacking route and the reclaim route. The stacking route is active whenever ships are in dock and we aim to give maximum availability to turn the ships around in the shortest time. The reclaim route operates between Monday and Friday, with weekends being used for maintenance and repairs."

For Norec, Horizon's magnetic patch has often proved to be a suitable maintenance solution for when parts of the system break down.

"In the case of both routes the Magna-Patch enables us to return the routes to service more quickly than when using previous methods of temporary patching," Dave explains. "It takes away the need for gaining access to internal sections of chute which would possibly have required scaffolding, as well as the challenges of confined space working, with all its added complications."

According to Dave, once applied, the magnetic patch is continuously effective until more permanent repairs can be planned later on.

"Other methods often require revisiting before final repair," he says. "It is simple to use and people are familiarised with it in a matter of minutes."

Horizon Conveyor Equipment 
Unit 1 Hayseech Road
Halesowen
W. Midlands
B63 3PD
UK

T: 0121 550 2218
F: 0121 550 2243