What defines a Titan? To some, it may be Saturn's largest moon, while others may see it as a powerful deity in Greek mythology. For the younger generation, it could be synonymous with a robust truck model or a renowned football team. The dictionary definition of a Titan is something of immense size or strength, akin to rocks found in the aggregate industry.

This blog article is a synopsis inspired by an informative article written by Kevin R. Peterson, who retired after 25 years with Vortex Global.  Kevin's article appeared in Rock Products where he has shared many articles and case studies with readers  relating to equipment that is appropriate for use with abrasive, dry minerals material handling. 

Processing Titan-sized rocks requires Titan-strength equipment. Vortex Global, a leading dry bulk component manufacturer, specializes in designing slide gates, diverter valves, and telescoping loading spouts for demanding material handling tasks. These applications involve handling materials that cause excessive abrasion or wear on equipment, as well as scenarios that demand large valves in harsh environments. Over the years, Vortex has collaborated with numerous clients, providing them with Titan equipment to tackle their abrasive duty applications effectively.

Titan Slide Gate
Vortex has always embraced the opportunity to collaborate with customers on unique projects. In one instance, a customer reached out regarding a dry ingredient batching system. This system featured 12, 7-inch square slide gates designed to precisely meter various materials into different batch recipes ranging from 8,500 to 10,000 pounds. The materials in question comprised a range of metallurgical "ingredients" weighing between 40 and 300 pounds per cubic foot. Addressing the sealing requirements for these diverse materials and mitigating the resulting abrasion challenges posed by their handling was a crucial aspect that needed to be tackled.

The Vortex engineering team crafted a gate that seamlessly integrated elements from the Vortex Slide Gate and Aggregate Gate. This innovative design included a robust steel blade resistant to abrasion, inlet liners built to withstand wear, and easily replaceable bonnet seals that ensure minimal downtime for maintenance. The result? The birth of the highly effective Titan Slide Gate, a product that embodies durability and efficiency in material handling applications.

Titan Lined Diverter

A coal-fired energy plant was exploring an expansion project that involved upgrading a troublesome, towering diverter handling 8-inch minus lignite coal. This diverter was equipped with abrasion-resistant polymer liners that needed replacement every 18 months. The replacement process involved shutting down the convey line, detaching the diverter from the conveying line, and using a crane to relocate the diverter for liner replacement. Moreover, the leading edge of the diverter's blade required frequent rebuilding due to constant exposure to the material flow stream, leading to increased wear and tear.

The Titan Lined Diverter, with minimal maintenance needs and customizable internal liners, proved cost-effective for the customer, paying for itself after the second liner replacement three years post-installation. Various liner options, such as polymer, ceramic, and abrasive-resistant steel, can extend the service life of the diverter.

Titan Pivoting Chute Diverter

As Vortex worked with more mining and minerals applications, they found that a flapper-style diverter valve was not always suitable for abrasive, heavy-duty tasks due to excessive wear and maintenance issues.

Vortex introduced the Titan Pivoting Chute Diverter, diverting material using an internal chute lined with abrasion-resistant material for durability.

The Pivoting Chute Diverter has no polymer seals to replace and it can be shifted on-the fly without any problem. It offers the same inline inspection and maintenance features as the Titan Lined Diverter.

Customers that have had difficulty handling material such as alumina, bauxite, cement, clinker, coal, fly ash, glass cullet, gravel, limestone, metal powders, potash, rock, and sand (to name a few) have appreciated the service life offered by the Titan Pivoting Chute.

Titan Engineered Gates
The versatility of the Vortex Titan Line shines through in its ability to cater to customized gate and diverter requests from clients in the minerals handling industry. An interesting case involved replacing a troublesome gate with a massive 35- x 265-inch opening designed to handle gold ore efficiently.

Vortex manufactured a replacement gate that contained five individual, hydraulically actuated gates with 35- x 46-in. openings. The finished product weighed 18,500 lb. and was shipped in two sections.

Titan Engineered Pivoting Chute Diverter
Another interesting application involved a diverter that was designed for a cement producer to handle clinker.

This 8-ft. tall Titan Pivoting Chute Diverter contains an internal chute made of .-in. thick abrasion-resistant steel and outlet legs that feature ó-in. thick, replaceable abrasion- resistant liners (both 400 BHN).  This Titan weighed in at 11,000 lb.

A nearby cement facility was so impressed with design and features of this diverter that they ordered one that was similar in size.

Titan Engineered Gravity Vee Diverter

The Vortex Gravity Vee Diverter provides a versatile array of material handling options. With two independently actuated gates, it allows for material to be redirected to destination A, destination B, both destinations simultaneously, or metered to either or both destinations as needed.

This application was for a 36-in. hydraulically actuated diverter handling urea prills. The diverter features 304 stainless steel “wetted” parts and exterior inspection doors. The outlet flanges matched a customer-specified bolt hole pattern. The diverter weighed 3,500 lb.

Titan Dependability
Within the rock products industry, companies face a myriad of challenges when it comes to mining, conveying, screening, hauling, and processing diverse aggregates and minerals. Safety, environmental considerations, and overall maintenance are just a few of the key issues at hand. Recognizing that companies like Vortex have engineered robust, large-scale equipment to control, measure, or redirect the flow of abrasive materials is crucial in addressing material handling concerns where equipment wear is a significant and pressing issue.

About the Author
This blog article is a synopsis of an informative article written by Kevin R Peterson, who retired after 25 years with Vortex Global.  Kevin's article appeared in Rock Products where he has shared many articles and case studies with readers  relating to equipment that is appropriate for use with abrasive, dry minerals material handling.  Read Kevin's complete article.