ABSTRACT
In mining operations, it is common practice to employ flood loading surge bins to load bulk ore into train wagons for overland transport. During the train loading operation, the train is in slow, continual motion as each wagon is filled via a flood loading chute, the commencement and completion of filling operation being controlled by the opening and closing of a gate. At the commencement of the wagon filling cycle, the flow rate increases quite rapidly until sufficient ore is in the wagon to limit the discharge rate to a steady value due to the rilling action as ore progressively fills the wagon. The initial surcharge in discharge flow, which is several times the magnitude of the steady state flow, causes quite sever impact loads on the bin and its structure, the magnitude of these loads being a function of the bin flow patterns and chute geometry. The influence of these loads on the bin and its support structure needs to be considered as part of the design process.
