In September 1990, GIW Industries, Inc. (GIW) entered into a contract with the Florida Institute of Phosphate Research and the State of Florida to prepare a design for a so called positive feed system (PFS) for operation in a phosphate matrix pipeline transportation system and for an economic evaluation of the benefits of that system in a typical Florida mine.
The following report outlines the basic design of the system as proposed and evaluates its performance in relation to the economic benefits and return on investment in a manner suitable for mining companies to assess its feasibility.
Under the direction of the principal investigator, Mr. T. W. Hagler, Jr.,the PFS unit evaluation and design work was subcontracted to world respected dredge manufacturers Stapel of Spaarndam, The Netherlands. The economic evaluation and overall coordination of the work was performed by GIW and its consultants. In particular Dan Lynch, a highly respected phosphate industry consultant, provided a review of the basic concepts and assisted with the economic evaluation.
The STAPEL report was prepared as two volumes, the first covering the design evaluation and the second providing the technical specification for the PFS unit. The first volume was incorporated directly into this report and the second is included as an appendix of this report.
Thomas W. Hagler, Jr., GIW Industries, Inc. July 1991.