This BATEMAN load-out station handles seven very different types
of material at Portnet Richardsbay. Thorough washing down between charges minimises contamination.

A BATEMAN rapid load-out station at Buxton Lime Industries, England.

The BATEMAN load-out station at Arthur Taylor Colliery, South Africa. In August 1995 the 5 000th 8 100 tonne train was loaded at this station, none of which was delayed due to station breakdown; since then this record has been maintained.

The BATEMAN flask loading system consists of a concrete or steel silo equipped with a flow cone with a controlled slot through which the material is fed into the weigh flask. The weighed load is then passed through the profile chute into the wagons. The operations are computer controlled and detailed records are kept.

BATEMAN is a leader in rapid-rail loading systems comprising load-out stations and train movers. These systems are custom designed to meet the client’s specified requirements and ensure the highest standards of performance and reliability. Flask or flood loading systems are used to load particulate materials into moving trains.

The stations are custom designed to:

• load high rates – references up to 7 000 t/h
• handle a random arrangement of rail wagons of varying capacity and type
• load with accuracies which meet most countries’ statutory requirements
• allow for a variation in particle size and bulk density of loaded material
• handle very different types of material through the same facility
• be reliable, low-maintenance and safe and increase the availability of rolling stock.

BATEMAN load-out stations have a ‘learning capability’.

As the first few wagons are loaded, the system assesses the effect of the loaded material’s density and flow characteristics; the latter are affected by grain size, moisture, temperature, etc. The system automatically accounts for the prevailing conditions and loads subsequent wagons and the whole train to great accuracy based on the wagons already loaded.

BATEMAN load-out stations are equipped with user-friendly computer control, information and records systems. The accurate loading capability avoids penalties because:

• individual wagons are not overloaded
• axle-loading requirements are met
• each wagon is loaded to the correct height.

The control systems are based on client-specified hardware and windows-based software, allowing:

• overall SCADA control of the operation
• automatic validation of the truck numbers as they are entered into the SCADA system
• visual monitoring of operations through closed-circuit television systems.

The optional facilities include:

• uninterrupted power supply for the computer systems
• communication networks to other computers, PCs or mainframes
• hand-held monitors for the entry of truck numbers
• communications with other weighing equipment on the plant to control reclaim operations
• built-in mass-calibration systems to simplify calibration.

The BATEMAN flask loading system

An assizable flask system pre-weighs each wagon’s load prior to depositing the load into the moving wagon. An optional extra is the integrated calibration system which operates via a SCADA system.

The flow of material out of the storage bin and weigh flask is controlled by single pass radial gates which are actuated hydraulically by a system, designed by BATEMAN, which ensures the gates close fully without jamming.

The BATEMAN profile chute system, through which the material flows into the wagons, is self-adjusting. It allows for differences in wagon heights to ensure the correct profile of the material in the wagons. The chute is designed to minimize potential dust emissions during loading. The profile chute is fail-safe in the event of an electrical or hydraulic power failure and will automatically move out of the way of rolling stock entering the load-out bay.