CDM Systems specialises in en-masse conveyors and conveying systems for a range of industries, including industrial power plants, central utilities, minerals processing, co-gen plants, biomass plants, fracking sand and silica processing.

The company has more than 40 years of material handling experience and industry knowledge, and can solve the most difficult bulk transportation challenges.

Material handling systems for power and utilities

CDM aims to build close working relationships with customers that extend into the future. This starts with a competent understanding of the customer’s operational sequence and present and future capability requirements, as well as specific material capacity needs.

CDM then provides a comprehensive proposal and undertakes a client review. This is coupled with a detailed equipment drawing.

This illustration shows the space utilisation of common conveyor types.

The en-masse ash handling conveyor, with three inlets, is in an incline position.

The silo unload uses a closed loop drag chain conveyor with a horizontal configuration to distribute material.

This shows an example of flight options for the en-masse drag chain.

BT flight configuration.

The high temperature conveyor has an access panel.

The complete material handling system uses en-masse drag chain technology.

En-masse drag chain conveyors can be used for abrasive material transfers.

The en-masse drag chain can be used for gypsum material transfers. This is an incline application.

This en-masse drag chain conveyor has a ceramic-lined housing.

The company also communicates the basis for layout and design selection, and how this is the optimal choice for applications.

Customised conveying systems

CDM Systems’ conveying systems are specifically designed for use 24/7, 350 days a year.

They can be used for unloading trucks, railcars, or vessels, or moving commodities within a process facility. The company provides technical support and equipment that is designed for each customer’s requirements.

Material movement and heavy-duty conveyors

CDM Systems works in all areas of power generation, from receiving, to distribution, to boiler feed and ash handling.

The company designs and builds heavy-duty conveyors for the needs of the power industry. The conveying, loading and unloading systems handle coal, wood waste, RDF, litter, fly ash and bottom ash, as well as other fuels and blends.

CDM’s conveyor housings and chain assemblies can handle the extreme temperatures of ash handling systems, exceeding 1000°F (538 °C).

Conveying and environmental compliance

In addition to temperature, a CDM conveyor and loading system is designed for 24/7 reliable operation and long life. The A.R.S steel plate housing is typically 320-360BHN A.R. on the sidewalls and 320-360BHN A.R. on the bottom plates. Carburized alloy chains are 550-650BHN.

CDM’s systems can also help with environmental compliance, eliminating dust and airborne particles from the boiler combustion process. This is achieved through the detailed engineering of each conveyor, providing:

• Proper bolt spacing and gasketing of the troughs and stations
• All access panels and inspection doors are properly gasketed to ensure dust and weather tight installation
• Overlapping of bottom plates provides structural integrity and produces a joint that is dust tight
• Additional packing glands are installed when conveyed material is very fine or fluid

En-Masse drag chain conveyor

The En-Masse drag chain conveyor, which was a material movement principle discovered in the 1930s, moves material with a skeleton-like chain and flight assembly inside a rectangular, dust-tight housing.

The chain assembly is pulled along the bottom of the housing, running through the material mass that fills the housing. The material moves ‘en-mass’ as the bottom surface of the trough is moved by the chain, combining with the shear friction between the material particles.

This method of conveying is extremely efficient, using 90% of effective utilisation of space. Material is moved with little to no volatility, is housed in an ARS steel plate housing for dust tight operations, and is rugged and durable with minimal wear points and easy access to the chain assembly.