Matrix Engineering provided PLC programming and network communications for a Frac Sand Processing and Distribution Facility in Wisconsin.

Matrix Engineering provided the engineering and equipment supply for adding a new destination to an existing salt cake feed and convey system at the Temple-Inland Bogalusa Mill.

Matrix provided the structural, mechanical and electrical engineering required for the production of a new leavening powder in an existing process. Major modifications were required to an existing air blending and conveying system and a new separate dust collection system was required to avoid cross contamination between the different products. The dust collection systems for these products was very sophisticated. Simultaneous operation was required for on both collectors for the packaging of one product while another was being produced. This simultaneous operation had to be accomplished with cross contamination adding a high element of complexity to the control system. Matrix provided the engineering for a new control system for the blending, conveying, packaging & dust control system. Matrix also provided total commissioning/start-up support for this system. There were also considerable spatial constraints for introducing this new product to a well established process area. However, we were able to squeeze our new production surge hopper between existing storage and packaging bin to utilize existing blending and dense phase systems.

Matrix provided the structural, mechanical, electrical and controls expertise in designing a bulk bag unloading and dense phase distribution of a flow agent known as Trical (TriCalcium Phosphate) for blending ahead of transfer of two different monocal products. The dense phase transfer of the Trical was over 300ft and was automated to refill batch weigh systems on demand. Acrison weigh feeders were used to drop minor 1-2% Trical batches into Nol-Tec Air Blender/Transporters for conveying to storage silos ahead of packaging operations. Due to several dense phase transporters throughout the process, each blend/convey cycle was sequenced with priorities within communications between multiple control systems in order to optimize plant air pressure. These products are phosphorus based leavening acids for addition to baking powders requiring all stainless steel material touching components and proper food grade design practices.

Matrix provided the structural, mechanical, electrical and controls expertise in designing a product blending, storage and convey system for a leavening acid used in the baking industry. The new system replaced existing mechanical screw conveyors and elevators with pneumatic blenders, transporters, mass flow silos and a modernized control system. This new equipment included a bulk bag unloading system and transporter for conveying a flow agent to two different locations where it is added and blended to different monocals. A surge hopper was installed at the end of the monocalcium production process. The flow agent is added gravimetrically below this hopper and blended using an air blender/transporter. From this location the monocal is conveyed to 250,000lb mass flow silo (with load cell package). From the silo the product is dense phase conveyed to two possible receiving hoppers above a packaging area. We also engineered rework stations for feeding back both 50 lb bags and bulk bags into the final blending and packaging system. As a part of this project we also completely upgraded the controls for the monocal mixing and packaging system with large screen graphical operator interfaces. We also designed a new MCC room to accommodate this modernization project.

Matrix provided the mechanical and foundation design necessary for unloading and conveying glass bubbles from bulk bags. The bulk bags were 60 cuft capacity and around 8 ft tall. The tall bag presented a design challenge for the installation in a 14 ft ceiling area. The system utilized aeration and a diaphragm pump to convey the bubbles into the process.

Matrix Engineering provided the civil, structural and mechanical design and detailing necessary for several 24" belt conveyors and support structures at Arkansas Lime's secondary crushing lime facility. Conveyors handled solid fuel coke dumped from rail cars through the roof of a fuel storage building distributing it to two different piles. The coke is then blended in proper ratio and carried from the fuel storage building to a 300 ft long rotary kiln. We also designed and detailed another belt conveyor that took lime from a new calcining facility to the rotary kiln dryer. This conveyor was 580 feet long with an elevation change of 140 ft. All conveyor truss panels, bents, and platforms were detailed to fit on rail car for delivery to the site.

Matrix provided the civil, structural and mechanical engineering necessary for designing a lime drying and pulverizing facility with a through-put of 75 tons per hour. The design required a re-furbished rotary kiln dryer fed by a weigh belt and large capacity screw conveyors with a bucket elevator feeding a 65 ft tall milling and screening structure. The mill was a 200 hp hammermill and vibratory screens and an air separator segregated the lime into two different products with an overs recycle back to the mill. A gas solids injector (GSI) screw pump (or "fuller" type pump) pneumatic conveyor was sized to deliver 60 tons per hours to two different storage silos. Matrix also provided all of the engineering necessary to properly vent and collect dust off all of the process equipment. A 7500 cfm dust collector was used along with a carefully designed network of collection ductwork to prevent duct clogging. We re-used an existing 18,000 cfm dust collector for the rotary kiln dryer. This provided a challenge since the collector was over 90 ft away from the dryer. A 30" dia grasshopper duct was designed originating from the dryer discharge up to the top of the 65 ft mill structure and back down to the dust collector in the existing process area. The duct angles were kept in excess of 50 deg. to prevent product fall-out and line clogging.