Sweet solution to a sticky problem

Boag’s Brewery in Tasmania had a sugar problem: the ISO pressurised containers used to bring sugar to the brewery were continually leaving a residue of 2 to 3 tonnes of sugar after emptying. Aside from the freight costs and environmental impact of the situation, the effective loss of capacity of the supply vessels was a problem.

All three stakeholders - Sugar Australia (the supplier), Toll Group (the carrier) and Boag’s Brewery (the end user) - required a solution.

Kockums Bulk Systems has plenty of experience handling bulk solids in shipping containers, using its ‘suck-blow’ module for the unloading and transfer to storage silos. The brewery approached Kockums for a solution.

Following a trial and demonstration at Sugar Australia’s Melbourne site, a test vessel was sent across the Bass Strait to Boag’s in Tasmania. The trial was intended to be for just one week, but Boag’s was so happy with the solution that the brewery kept the vessel for approximately 12 months while a customised vessel system was developed and manufactured to suit its requirements.

Once complete, the specially designed sugar receiving vessel was installed. The 0.75 m³-capacity vessel fills by vacuum from the containers brought to site by Toll Transport. It then pressurises to send the load up to the adjacent silo.

Constructed entirely from stainless steel, the food-grade quality vessel has a clean design and features quick-release couplings for access to enable cleaning. The vessel is also fitted with hazardous area instruments and controls for handling products like sugar. It achieves a transfer rate of 10 to 12 tonnes/h. Food-grade Posi-flate inflatable seat butterfly valves enable a quick response time and ensure a long valve life.

The system is based around Kockums’ standard container unloading module used for flour, cement, magnesium oxide and alumina and is suitable for any powdered product.

Sugar Australia, Toll Intermodal, Toll Tasmania, Boag’s Brewery and Kockums Bulk Systems worked closely to ensure the successful execution of the project.