Bulk material handling is serious stuff. Everything about moving bulk materials is intense – high loads, weighty physical impacts, and extreme conditions. So it isn’t any surprise that there are unique challenges to overcome.
In this article, we’ll examine the most common issues with bulk material handling, and how to address them. We’ll also highlight product options from a premium supplier, Timken, along the way.
What is Bulk Material Handling?
Bulk material handling is generally defined as the process of transporting, managing, and storing large quantities of loose, granular, or aggregate materials. This could be mining products such as coal or ores, agricultural products like grain, logging products like wood chips, or construction products like gravel and sand.
Moving these items requires conveying equipment that is designed to handle the associated stress. Typical system components include conveyors, hoppers and silos, bucket elevators, stackers and reclaimers, loaders and unloaders, feeders, and dust collection systems.
Bulk material handling is everywhere behind the scenes. Whether it’s the natural resources that power our utilities, the raw materials that make our roads and housing, or moving cargo for shipping, bulk material handling moves the parts and pieces of the world around us on a constant basis.
Common Bulk Material Handling Issues
There are four problems that are common in bulk material handling. They are wear and tear, material blockages and spillages, environmental contamination, and noise pollution.
Wear and Tear
Accelerated wear and tear is common due to the nature of bulk material handling and aggregate product. Rough edges, heavy weights, and intense impacts at transfer points all add to the stress on your equipment. For example, the bearings used in bulk material handling conveyors are expected to reliably move tons of rock, minerals, or aggregate – in any weather.
With the high loads and low speeds of bulk material handling conveying, bulk conveyor systems need mounted bearings that are engineered to stand up to high loads, physical impact, and extreme contamination.
Timken’s Type E mounted tapered roller bearings are ideal for conveyor applications that experience high radial and axial loads. These units are available in standard solid-block and self-aligning split-block mounting styles. They also incorporate case-carburized rings and rollers, which help the bearings withstand shock loads.
Your choice of material can make a big difference in your durability, as well. Timken offers cast steel housings for bearings designed for use in bulk material handling conveyors. Compared to traditional cast iron housings, cast steel can withstand significant impacts and shock loading without cracking or breaking. Also, consider incorporating wear-resistant liners, coatings, and components, which will help extend your equipment’s service life.
Bulk material handling also needs power transmission products that can handle the intensity. Timken Belts’ Aramax® Super Power-Wedge® V-Belts are designed for drives that require super high performance. 
The belt features aramid cord for strength, coupled with a deeper cross section that provides controlled power transfer in compact drives. It also features a stress-relieved fabric cover with superior wear and resistance to oil and heat.
You can also work to avoid disruptions from wear and tear to your equipment by adopting a proactive maintenance schedule. Regular inspections can help spot problems before they become catastrophic. Ensuring that you’re operating at appropriate speeds will also help prevent wear and tear.
Material Blockages & Spillages
Inefficient flow in bulk material handling will create blockages and waste product. It will also cost you money in reduced production rates, higher energy costs, and potential equipment damage.
To stop these problems before they happen, evaluate your conveyor system setup for issues. Analyze your equipment flow throughout the facility and look for bottlenecks. Evaluate your speed settings and make sure they’re optimized. Visually inspect your equipment to look for signs of uneven bulk material distribution.
Choosing the right products in the first place will also help you maximize your output. If your facility utilizes roller chain in your conveying systems, Timken’s Diamond brand chain is a reliable choice. Fine attention to detail during their fabrication process gives their roller chains tighter tolerances, precise inner dimensions, and higher fatigue strength – preloaded at up to 50% of the chain’s tensile strength to make run-in wear virtually nonexistent.
Another option is to enhance your material flow efficiency to avoid backups and blockages. Proper conveyor setup will ensure proper alignment, tension, and speed settings for optimal flow. Flow aids and enhancers like vibrators or air cannons can be used to promote consistent material movement. Feed hoppers, levelers, and airlocks can also be useful in controlling flow.
Environmental Contamination
Bulk material handling can create a great deal of airborne particles, which can in turn contaminate your equipment! For example, outdoor environments in the mining industry mean dirt, dust, gravel and water present a constant threat. Common ways to beat the dust and dirt in the air include:
- Dust Suppression Systems: Install dust suppression systems, including water sprays, foam systems, and dust collection units, to minimize dust generation.
- Enclosures and Containment: Enclose conveyors and transfer points to contain particulate, and prevent it from becoming airborne.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Provide PPE such as masks and respirators to protect workers from inhaling dust.
Dirt, dust, gravel, and water are a danger to your bearings, too! Specially designed Timken mounted bearings feature an unrivaled multi-point sealing solution to help you keep grease in and contamination out.
Using triple-lip internal and external seals, combined with a full range of bearing end covers, Timken’s high-performance sealing solution improves grease retention while reducing contamination ingress. When combined with Timken’s solid-block mounted spherical roller bearings, you have a solid line of defense against the debris.
Noise Pollution
It’s no secret that bulk material handling can be loud for everyone involved! Noise generated by aggregate handling equipment can impact worker health and the surrounding communities. However, there are ways to mitigate the noise.
Noise-reducing equipment, like rubber-lined chutes, quiet rollers, and soundproof enclosures, can lower noise levels. Reduce drop heights where possible, and avoid abrupt starts and stops. Use noise monitoring equipment to consistently evaluate noise levels, and adjust as necessary.
Supporting your equipment with the right mounts and suspension units will also make a big difference. For example, Lovejoy’s RunRight® Oscillating Mounts are designed for countless applications which require a torsional spring feature, supporting or suspending vibratory equipment or drive systems. 
This removes harmful resident frequencies, dampening unwanted movements and noise. They can also last considerably longer than conventional coil springs.
Additionally, standard safety practices such as hearing protection will go a long way in protecting your workers from the noise bulk material handling systems create.
Bulk Material Handling Questions?
Still have bulk material handling questions? Our material handling and conveying experts would love to help you get the answers you need. We have the expertise you need to craft solutions that will protect your facility from all the common problems we’ve covered above. We can also supply replacement parts big and small! Reach out to us directly, or request a quote here.
You can also come and see us at any one of our 38 branches– click here to find the location nearest you. Or, explore all of our products on ShopIBT.com without even leaving home!
We look forward to assisting you with your next industrial solution.
We Can Help You With All Your Bulk Material Needs
Explore our extensive inventory from the comfort of your keyboard!
