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Dredge Rock Box FEA Analysis & Re-design

We re-designed an in-line Rock Box for the Dredging arm of Neumann Group so that it would withstand the loads required over its lifetime. After using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to confirm that the existing solution was not suitable for the required loads, our engineers delivered a new optimised design including a detailed engineering report and manufacturing package.

Challenge

Designing a rock box that operates seamlessly under pressure

The dredging arm of Neumann Group needed to develop a slurry rock-box that could handle the pressure requirements of the system. The initial design provided by an external drafting company did not meet the compliance or operational requirements, so our team stepped in to complete a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and deliver a new design. 

Objectives

Develop heavy-duty dredge rock box & piping

The rock box needed to capture large rocks travelling through the pumped slurry to stop them from reaching the second stage pump. To make sure pumping activities could resume as quickly as possible, it had to comply with the operating pressure requirements and be easily cleared of rocks. 

Designing the slurry piping was requested as part of the project and needed to be compliant to AS 4041. Like the rock box, the piping design had to suit the operating pressure of the system and also have minimal sharp bends to reduce wear due to the abrasive slurry. 

Solution

FEA analysis & detailed manufacturing package

We re-designed the in-line rock box for Neumann Dredging so that it would withstand the loads required over its lifetime. Our consulting engineers ran a Finite Element Analysis on the original rock box design which determined that it would fail if a pressure spike of 500 kPa was reached. We identified that the reason the design wasn’t working for pressure spikes was due to the geometry of the rock box. 

This inability to handle pressure spikes was not suitable for the required loads of the slurry dredge system, so we re-designed the rock box to withstand a pressure of 500kPa. The new optimised design was delivered by our engineers with a detailed engineering report and manufacturing package. 

Results

A durable design that can withstand pressure spikes

Our dredge slurry rock box and piping design meets the pressure requirements of Neumann Dredging’s equipment, even during spikes, and is compliant with AS 4041—Piping Design Class 1. The piping design is also optimised to last longer with minimal sharp bends to reduce the wear from the abrasive slurry.

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