• Reduced fabrication costs
• Reduced fabrication time
• Reduced construction time
• Reduced construction costs
• More efficient transportation of a wet, sticky product
• Reduced spillage of product
• Improved safety
• Reduced maintenance costs

The material transported by the covered, curved conveyor is de-inked paper pulp from the de-inking plant. The material ranges from 30 to 60 pounds per cubic foot.

The conveyor is described as Continental/ TGS "CurveBelt". It is a 42 inch wide curved belt conveyor with a length of nearly 2,000 feet and a maximum lift of 35 feet. It is capable of handling 170 tons/hour of de-watered pulp at a temperature of no more than 125 degrees F. While the "CurveBelt" system is ideal for this application, it is also very adaptable to other materials. It should be noted that the system is particularly suited to dry, dusty products. The elimination of transfer points is especially useful in controlling fugitive dust emissions and noise from transfer points.

The curved sections of the conveyor system include one horizontal left hand curve on a 394 foot radius at 230, one horizontal left hand curve on a 492 foot radius at 260, one horizontal right hand curve on a 590 foot radius at 260, one horizontal right hand curve on a 722 foot radius at 220 and one horizontal right hand curve on a 984 foot radius at 100. A 60 HP motor drives the system with a belt speed of approximately 300 feet per minute.

The conveyor system is covered and equipped with belt wipers and a belt wash system with spray nozzles at both the head and tail end.

Continental Conveyor and Machine Works of Canada supplied all idlers for the system including 280 special tilting style troughing idlers for curved areas and 140 special tilting style return idlers, also for curved portions of the conveyor. All idlers meet CEMA C5 classification. The conveyor belt, supplied from France, is a 42 inch wide SFBT/Semperit MultiTrans EP500/3 molded edge fabric belt with a modulus of elasticity specifically suited to the horizontal and vertical curve requirements of the system.

System design, and engineering was performed by TGS/Engineering & Conveying Systems, a division of TGS, located in Houston, Texas. The design was done in cooperation with Continental Conveyor & Machine Works. The conveyor system was fabricated at the TGS/Engineering & Conveying Systems facility in Houston.

Construction, erection, and testing of the system were accomplished by TGS/Construction & Erection, also a division of TGS. The construction and erection of the system was complicated by the fact that the system crosses several railroad tracks, including a Union Pacific mainline, several roadways and is elevated over 35 feet for its entire length. The system was also required to integrate with existing structures and operations.

The system is part of a $102 million dollar (US) expansion and modernization of Abitibi-Consolidated's newsprint mill near Houston, Texas. The project includes a 265,000 ton per year expansion of the mill's existing de-inking/recycling facility, enabling Abitibi to divert over one-half million tons of paper per year from municipal solid waste streams. In addition, the expansion will eliminate the Sheldon mill's groundwood and kraft pulping mills, resulting in a significant reduction in air and wastewater emissions.

The de-inking expansion will more than double the supply of de-inked pulp available to the newsprint mill. Abitibi-Consolidated's improvements to the mill's paper machines will result in a higher quality sheet of paper and will accommodate the increased use of recycled pulp. Upon completion, the recycled content of the mill's newsprint will average 85 percent. The expansion project will increase the overall paper-recycling rate in Texas from an estimated 50 percent to 65 percent.

The de-inking expansion will more than double the supply of de-inked pulp available to the newsprint mill. Abitibi's improvements to the mill's paper machines will result in a higher quality sheet of paper and will accommodate the increased use of recycled pulp. Upon completion, the recycled content of the mill's newsprint will average 85 percent. The expansion project will increase the overall paper-recycling rate in Texas from an estimated 50 percent to 65 percent.

TGS, together with Continental Conveyor & Machine Works and Abitibi Consolidated, is proud to have been a part of the team that has brought this new technology to such an important project. The success of this system is helping bring cleaner air and water to the community near the plant, improved competitiveness of the Abitibi newsprint mill, and the recycling of over one-half million tons of waste paper that would have otherwise consumed critical and expensive landfill space.

Trans-Global Solutions is a Direct Solutions Provider to industry worldwide. The company specializes in total bulk material services, railroad and port systems. More information about this project and other TGS projects and operations can be found at the company's website: www.tgsgroup.com