Cleveland Cascades Ltd located in Thornaby, UK, has operated since 1992 and has developed the Cascade Chute System for over three decades. At present Cleveland Cascades have over 700 operational systems working in bulk handling worldwide.
The cascade chute is a specialist loading system designed to control the flow of bulk materials in mass flow; this is a single stream of material moving in high volume at very low velocity through the chute. Mass flow reduces the liberation of dust and the low velocity down the cascade virtually eliminates the movement of dust-laden air  within the surrounding shroud. The shroud is fitted to the outer of the cascade chute and eliminates the adverse effects of side winds.
The cascade system is designed to control, limit and contain the dust created whilst loading bulk materials. The Cleveland Cascades systems are also designed to protect product quality by minimizing product degradation through the promotion of mass material flow as described above.
PROBLEM
Bulk loading presents a major challenge in that material is often required to travel a significant distance from a conveyor system often at heights of 20 metres or more to the base of a vessel, storage silo or in smaller applications to a vehicle.
Factors such as material degradation, dust control, large volumetric requirements and clean material distribution are all considerations when designing systems to work effectively for bulk loading.
If material is degraded it may lose value or be no longer fit for use. If there are large amounts of dust created during loading of a material there may be signifi- cant environmental impacts and associated penalties. Also, when considering the loading of bulk materials there must be a cost consideration in relation to the time and manpower involved in order to achieve the desired quantity of materials loaded.
SOLUTION(S)
The cascade solution overcomes these problems collectively. By directing the material flow through a series of inclined cones, this limits the flow velocity of the material to a controlled speed. The shape of the cone holds dry bulk in such a way that it prevents particle separation and minimises material degradation.
The significantly reduced material velocity that creates a ‘mass flow’ effect as described above allows the material to flow onto a stockpile with minimized segregation.
Through the use of the cascade technology dust generation can be practically eliminated at source without the requirement for high cost, high maintenance dust extraction systems. The Cascade systems have been proven to reduce dust emission levels to as little as 5mg/m3.
The requirement for bulk loading is both global and wide ranging in terms of the materials to be handled. Materials with bulk loading requirements the Cascade System has handled include; aggregates & building products, alumina, bentonite, china clay and kaolin, cement products, solid fuels, fertilizers, grains & foodstuffs, iron & steel production materials, non-ferrous metal compounds, phosphates, potash, sulphates, sulphur, urea & ammonia.
In order to load each of the materials effectively and timely given the climate or specific application requirements there areadditions to the cascade systems that can be installed based on the particular needs.
Recent projects that have been completed by Cleveland Cascades include:
SUPPLY OF AN ALUMINA LOADING SYSTEM TO GLADSTONE, AUSTRALIA
The system is to be installed onto a new shiploader structure inclusive of an air slide boom for an alumina loading application. In fact, an existing system of Cleveland Cascades (supplied circa 2006) is already installed at the port which is to be replaced by the newly supplied project. This demonstrates the results achieved by the Cleveland Cascade system to be re- selected for use on the port.

Alumina loading system for the Port of Gladstone, Australia.

SUPPLY AND COMMISSIONING OF AN IRON ORE LOADING SYSTEM IN THE PORT OF MOTRIL, SPAIN.
The loading chute is 20 metres in length at full extension and can retract to approximately six metres for stowing. The chute’s design is supplied with a pivoting type head chute in order to work in conjunction with the customer’s mobile shiploading machine with luffing boom.
The chute is one of Cleveland Cascades’ 900 size systems and has the capacity to load up to 400m3 of iron ore per hour from the mobile loader conveyor system. The head chute, deflectors and cones are lined with ceramic tiles for unbeatable abrasion resistance.
     

Iron ore loading system for the Port of Motril, Spain.

SUPPLY OF A CEMENT CLINKER LOADING SYSTEM TO THE PORT OF DJEN DJEN, ALGERIA
The system which was designed and supplied utilizes Cleveland Cascades 1150 sized cones which are capable of loading at volumetric throughput rates of up to 1,000m3/hr.
With an extended length of 22m measured from the interface point of the shiploader to the base of the skirted outlet, the system can achieve a retracted length of 6.03m through the use of a locally mounted winch installed on the pivoting head chute arrangement.
 

This clinker loading system for the Port of Djen Djen in Algeria offers volumetric loading throughput rates of 1,000 m3/hr.    

For more information visit: https://clevelandcascades.co.uk/