Structural Design Review of Tailing

Thickener by Finite Element Analysis (FEA)

1
INTRODUCTION

BEFORE AFTER
OBJECTIVE
Review the structural design of the Tailing Thickener which
includes the stregthening modifications to the original
structure designed by Delkor in the rake arms, central torque
cage and octogonal ring near the top of the torque cage.

METODOLOGY
These review will be based on Finite Element Modeling (FEA) by
linear static analysis. Von misses stresses in elements had been
calculated and compared to yield stress.

TORQUE CAGE

RAKES

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OPERATIONAL CONDITIONS FOR THE FINITE
ELEMENT ANALYSIS (FEA)

The geometry for the analysis was created in ANSYS Space Claim and the numerical model in ANSYS Workbench
Mechanical. It was considered the properties of steel A36.

Figure: Geometric for FEA Figure: Numerical model

OPERATIONAL CONDITIONS FOR THE ANALYSIS

Torque values:
Positions of the bridge:
Two critical scenarios :
35%, 55%, 75% and 100% of the toque design.
On a long rake and over a short rake and in the middle of the two rakes.
A configuration with fixed rakes (representing the rakes submerged in solid) and
free configuration of the rakes.
EXTREME CONDITIONS
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RELEVANT RESULTS FOR EXTREME CONDITIONS

Bridge between rakes Bridge between rakes Bridge over long rakes Bridge over short rake
Fixed rakes 35% Torque Fixed rakes 100% Torque Fixed rakes 100% Torque Fixed rakes 100%
Torque

Efforts in
beams of
torque cage

The connection points of the rakes are also the most critical to the metal structure of the cage torque, considering
fixed rake.
Bridge over the long rake Bridge over the long rake Bridge over the long rake
Fixed rakes 35% Torque Free rakes 35% Torque Free rakes 100% Torque

Efforts in the
reinforcement
plates
of torque cage

It is observed generalized failure on the side plates directly affected by the magnitude of load, which increases
the area of higher stress to yield point.
 CONCLUSIONS

From Von Mises stresses lifting a good behavior of the rakes in general is identified, with the greatest
efforts in the regions of connections to the cage torque for the case where the rakes are
considered fixed . Considering the free rakes, efforts are considerably lower, reaching a factor of
about 2 security for all load conditions.

Based on the model, it appears that the connection points of the rakes are also the most critical to
the metal structure of the cage torque, considering fixed rake. These points of greater efforts are
more visibly present when the bridge is between the two rakes, due to high compressional efforts
that occur in the column that is near the bridge. This suggests the necessity of pay attention to this
area, especially for a possible geometric instability.

Critical behaviors were found in the reinforcement plates of the torque cage. Although numerical
singularity points, due to the union between the ends of beams and shells surfaces via Joints, the
stress level is high especially when the rakes are considered as free. Reinforcement side plates and
some gussets connecting flange, considerably exceed the yield strength

Extreme conditions were simulated to determine the most hard-working areas, in order to prevent
overstressing and increase the reliability of tailings thickeners.