Stemm’s clamshell grabs 4CH-16000-1,1 type, with a capacity of 16 m3, are designed to handle all kinds of bulk commodities and biomass, up to a density of 1.1 T/m3.
The start-up of the installation has been carried out by STEMM’s technical team in collaboration with the engineers of STEPHAN, the Swiss Company from Freiburg, specialized in all types of lifting equipment, bridge cranes and special equipment for combustion of wood and biomass sectors, wood burners and boilers feed, silos...
The traffic of biomass in the Rhine and other big European rivers has considerably increased this last years, so in vogue today that the consumption and production of the combustibles resources is on the rise in all developed countries.
Several techniques and processes in handling these combustibles have been carried out, but especially, the download of biomass with river boats, the operation and subsequent storage in silos of great height and capacity, requires the application of modern equipment, components and above all up-to-dated criteria contrasted with the high degree of technology, knowledge and experience required in carrying out such works and features.
In this occasion, the Spanish company STEMM installed an electrohydraulic clamshell grab powered by 4 hydraulic double acting cylinders, that work directly on the grab`s shells, applying a very powerful, uniform and constant penetration strength.
The stroke of the shells, has a very special kinematics which ensures the full filling, especially when handling these type of materials sometimes so irregular in shape and grain size.
These grabs can work in any position within the ship, admitting even sloping working positions, in almost a horizontal position. STEMM´s grabs work for 24 hours nonstop and transmit at all times various signs to the general automaton, such as position of the valves, closed or open, incline, operation pressure, temperatures of oil and electric motor etc...
For boats carrying very compacted materials, due to their hold conditions or weather circumstances, STEMM grabs have their own system called Scratching which operates automatically and performs a previous and/or simultaneous scratch when handling the product inside of the hold. That way they obtain filling factors very superior to any other type of clamshell grabs.
