Tanker loading systems | Material loading

Tanker loading systems are specialised systems designed to efficiently load many types of food products as ingredients or raw materials efficiently and safely into tanker trucks or railcars for transportation and further processing.

These systems are commonly used in industries such as chemical, food and beverage and pharmaceuticals.

These systems are crucial in industries requiring transportation of large quantities of materials, such as powders or granules, from one location to another.

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Tanker and conveyor loading systems

Given the high transportation costs, maximising the utilisation of bulk tanker, ship and truck capacity is essential. Achieving efficiency in loading such vehicles as road tankers is crucial to making the most of their capacity handling and logistical effectiveness.

With more than 70 years of engineering experience, Gough Engineering offers tailored solutions to meet the specific needs of the transport industry. We combine big bag handling and quality control screening in our tanker loading systems to improve the loading process.

Design features for loading and unloading

Gough Engineering understands that each application requires bespoke solutions tailored to the specific needs of the customer and site.

That’s why its tanker loading equipment is highly customised, following an application evaluation process:

Assessment — Our approach begins with a thorough assessment of the tanker loading area. This takes into account capacities, operational requirements with access and logistical issues.
Collaboration — Our engineers collaborate closely with the customer to understand their goals and challenges, ensuring that our solutions align for both tanker loading and
unloading to capacity objectives. After a thorough evaluation, we then decide the specific features necessary for the installation.
Materials —The next step of the evaluation process involves determining the material that will be loaded and how the product arrives. This includes assessing the consistency, moisture content, presence of contaminants and whether any processing is required before loading into the tanker such as particulates separation and metal detection.

We ask that you provide detailed information about the materials, including descriptions, compositions, safety data sheets and particle analysis.

Following this, our engineers consider the mechanical operation and orientation of the loading parts of the tanker — because we recognise that not all tankers are the same.

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Key design features of our tanker loading systems include:

Big bag handling and quality control screening

Bulk bag handling is an essential aspect of tanker loading systems. Materials typically arrive in big bags, like FIBC bags, which hold a significant volume — and variety — of materials. Examples include sugars, coffee, grains, rice’s etc imported from across the world, or specialty powders for industrial applications.

Our tanker loading systems incorporate state-of-the-art technology and unique features to enhance performance. From flow valves used to shut off or control the supply of product for high-throughput operations, to vibration equipment that facilitates quicker product quality control release, and finally, to metal detection or screening for correct product purity.

Gough Engineering tailors its solutions to meet the demands of diverse material and processing requirements. Our specialists also support with the integration process. This ensures seamless handling, considering factors such as volume, weight product consistency and its associated characteristics.

Quality control checks

Before the material is loaded in the tanker, it can undergo quality control screening to ensure it meets certain specifications. This screening process may involve various techniques depending on the nature of the material such as particle size analysis, moisture content measurement or contaminant detection.

Any deviations from the specified quality parameters are identified in real-time, allowing for corrective actions to be taken if necessary. Integration may involve the use of conveyor systems, or other mechanisms to transfer material from the big bags to the screening equipment.

Safety measures

Safety is a critical aspect of tanker loading systems, especially when handling potentially hazardous materials being managed at elevated positions. Safety features like interlocks, emergency stop buttons and containment systems using enclosed pipework and flexible sealed fittings are included in the design to minimise the risk of accidents, spillage or contamination.

While we provide the system and conduct environmental surveys, operational responsibility lies with the customer, who must ensure compliance with health and safety regulations and maintain recommended operational and maintenance schedules and safety RAMS.