A new RopeCon installation for transport of crushed limestone has been delivered by Austrian company Doppelmayr Transport Technology in Sudan. To meet the daily demand for 9,000 t of limestone for Berber Cement Company’s new cement plant, a new limestone crushing plant has been installed 8 km away from the processing plant on the western side of the River Nile, which is 850 m wide in this area. The RopeCon connects the crushing site to the cement operation. Similar systems have been applied for the transport of metallic ores, such as in Jamaica for Alcoa (bauxite) and Simberi in PNG (gold ore).
Land transportation of these tonnages left three options – construction of a bridge across the river, the use of small barges or the use of a ropeway-type system, crossing the river between two towers. At the time of the plant study, there was no existing bridge in the area nor were there any plans for constructing a new bridge. To overcome these difficulties and to find the most economic and reliable solution, a study was commissioned to investigate whether RopeCon might be a suitable alternative. The system combines proven ropeway technology with the features of conventional belt conveyors. The continuous conveyor is elevated off the ground, thus reducing space requirements on the ground to a minimum. RopeCon can easily cross obstacles such as deep valleys, mountainous terrain, rivers, roads or other infrastructure, thus allowing for a straight route between the loading and the discharge point while avoiding unnecessary detours.
The loading station is located right on the western shore of the river, immediately behind the crusher. The crushed limestone is loaded onto RopeCon via a feed conveyor and a chute. RopeCon spans the Nile with a single large rope span between two tower structures positioned on either side of the river. It is not necessary to have a support structure in the river. The total length of the Berber Cement RopeCon is approximately 3,465 m from the loading station to the discharge station. Its transport capacity is 700 t/h. Due to river navigation, the minimum clearance between the system and the high water level of the Nile must always be 21 m. The tallest tower is almost 80 m in height.
RopeCon consists of a flat belt with corrugated side walls. The belt may be fabric-reinforced or a steel cord belt, depending on the application. The corrugated side walls are cold-bonded or vulcanised onto the belt. The individual belt sections are joined by way of vulcanisation to form one continuous belt, just as on conventional belt conveyors. The belt is fixed to steel axles arranged at regular intervals which support the belt. Polyamide running wheels are fitted to either end of the axles. These wheel sets run on track ropes and provide positive belt guidance while preventing the belt from skewing. The combination of polyamide wheels on steel track ropes minimises rolling resistance and therefore energy requirements.