Australian company Container Rotation Systems (CRS) is renowned for its container-emptying system, which offers an efficient solution to the problem of unloading bulk from containers.
This is a concept that is gaining in popularity worldwide, and is in use internationally handling cargoes of vastly different properties, from alumina to coal.
The company is now offering customized solutions for a range of specific commodities, optimizing operations for the use — each commodity has different properties and behaves in a slightly different way.
The commodities served include:
- coal: for coal, CRS has developed its Rotainer® Eurospec 38, with rotating headframe. Each container carries a load of 32 tonnes, and the Rotainer® Eurospec 38 can achieve up to 38 cycles per hour, resulting in a capacity of 1,200tph (tonnes per hour).
- zinc: for zinc, the Rotainer® Eurospec 38, with the CRS low-profile headframe, is ideal. It can be set up for 1,450mm half heights, and 1,800 three-quarter heights. Both are available with automated lid lifting, and can be used in combination with a mobile harbour crane.
- copper: for copper, CRS’s Rotainer H.D. heavy duty 360 unit can be used. Each container carries a load of 32 tonnes, and the Rotainer HD can handle generic 2,200mm containers. The CRS automated lid lifting is helpful, and the unit can be operated using a Gottwald mobile harbour crane, or similar.
- also for copper, CRS can handle 1,900mm heavy duty containers with flat lids and automated lid lifting. The unit has a low-profile head frame, and direct connection.
- the Rotainer HD can also handle heavier 2,200mm (38 tonnes gross weight) containers, also with automated lid lifting. This unit is diesel-powered, and can work with, for example, a Liebherr mobile harbour crane.
- mineral sands: for mineral sands, the Rotainer HD is ideal in combination with a mobile harbour crane It can handle 2,200mm generic half-heights for 32 gross weight, and can be modified to include the CRS automated lid lifting system.
- aluminium: for aluminium, the Rotainer Eurospec 32 is perfect — for more challenging conditions, this can be equipped with CRS’s arctic pack for ship’s gear.
- iron ore: CRS’s Rotainer® HD 360 comes into its own when handling iron ore. Container capacities of up to 32 tonnes can be handled, and the unit rotates at 35 cycles per hour, offering a capacity of 1,120tph using one ship-to-shore crane.
- sugar: for sugar, the Rotainer® HD 360 is again a good choice, With three ship-to-shore cranes, handling containers of 38 tonnes, it can achieve 350 cycles per hour and a capacity of 2,700tph.
- grains: for grains, the Rotainer® Eurospec 38 with low-profile headframe is popular. It can handle 32 tonnes per container, with 35 cycles per hour in combination with a mobile harbour crane.
NOTABLE PROJECTS AND DEVELOPMENTS
In 2014, CRS delivered its first Rotainer RS HD (Reachstacker), a milestone that was followed swiftly by the delivery of a further three units to Taiwan. These units have been in successful operation for ten years.
In 2018, CRS released its highly successful single-beam Rotainer Eurospec RS for 38 tonnes. These units are stand alone, being self powered with a compact diesel engine with hand held remote control, fully programmable and now standard with RRM-Rotainer Remote Monitoring for real time data transfer and diagnostics.
To meet safety regulations, the CRS Patented crank system is the preferred drive as it rotates 180° away from the operator’s cabin, so there is no possibility of tipping the load onto the cabin; this is another CRS innovation.
Global mining giant Tronox is a notable user of CRS’s Rotainer® Eurospec 38 RS (Reach Stacker) to its operations in Broken Hill in Australia. After the initial delivery to Tronox’s Broken Hill facility, production at the plant increased dramatically, so, in 2023, a second unit was installed to assist with the high duty cycles while guaranteeing constant feed stock into the processing plant. Unit 1 is consistently cycling at over 1,200 containers per month. Both units are fitted with CRS’s newly developed, innovative, highly reliable, ‘Claw’ lid lifting system that works perfectly for generic style container lids and lock systems.
These Rotainers are highly successful for CRS; being a standalone unit allows full functionality of the reachstacker while using all functions of the Rotainers operating systems for seamless operations.
Operators feedback confirms the 180° rotation, away from the operators is the industry standard for safety, functionality and dust minimization.
PUTTING A LID ON IT
The latest addition to the CRS stable is a stand-alone, electronically managed, static, lid removal and replacement system (see picture, below). CRS’s lid lifting is an optional extra and can be mated to any brand of open top container currently on the global market.
This unit is designed to be installed at the processing plant where containers have be loaded in a fully contained, environmentally safe manner.
A container is placed in the lid lifting station, its lid is removed, the container is filled and weighed to reach the design gross weight required, the lid is replaced and the container is then moved to a marshalling area or direct to transport logistics
This static unit is a modulated system completely manufactured in CRS’s Western Sydney, state-of-the-art facility. It is a pre-tested plug and play design — users should just fit it to its mount pads, power up and it is ready to work.
Having universal mounting points means that they are easily accommodated. Installation can be free-standing on support legs, or it is possible to mount the assembly on the surrounding building structure.
Operationally, the CRS’s ‘Smarts’ team can set up many variations of electronic management, data logging and it can include CRS’s ‘RRM’ Rotainer remote monitoring software for 24/7 back-up and support services.
The system in the picture is a dual installation whereby two containers can be worked at the same time. This innovative system will be heading to project in Western Australia and is expected to be operation in Q3, 2024.