WORKING
WITH
TROPICAL
CONDITIONS
I
n November 2013, Devco and River Consulting, both Houston Interests companies, were
given a unique challenge. As world leaders in sulfur and dry materials handling systems,
they were tasked with developing a cost-effective and safe way to move over
1 million tpy of dry sulfur from inbound trucks to a new re-melter in Central Florida, US.
This facility provides an alternate option to rail delivered molten sulfur for the production of
sulfuric acid that is needed for phosphoric acid production for fertilizer. The ability to receive
dry sulfur via ships from around the globe to local ports creates the opportunity for
significant savings and supply chain flexibility for this critical rawmaterial.
Planning and execution
Logistics
Normally this would seem to be a simple task. Truck unloading pits and conventional belt
conveyors would be installed. The required onsite storage of 12 000 t of sulfur would be
placed in a conical pile, or even inside a conventional dome storage area, for reclaim as
MARK GILBREATH, DEVCO, USA,
OUTLINES THE CONSTRUCTION OF A
DRY SULFUR HANDLING FACILITY ON A SMALL TROPICAL SITE.
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