The Chiksan® top open dome loading arms with drop pipe are designed for top loading of trucks and railcars through one or more open domes or manholes on the top of the vehicle. This category of arm is more commonly used for the transfer of petroleum products and chemicals.
FMC Technologies offers several types of Chiksan® top open dome loading arms in a wide range of configurations, diameters and lengths, according to the requirements of your particular loading installation. They are available in low-temperature carbon steel, aluminium and stainless steel to cater for your fluid transfer needs. FMC also offers jacketed models for heated products.
Chiksan loading arms are equipped with highly dependable and high-performance accessories and equipment, such as the composite spring, an innovative balancing system patented by FMC, which requires no maintenance and enables the arm to be manoeuvred by a single operator.
Occasionally, products give off toxic vapours. In such cases, it may be necessary to equip the drop tube with an optional dome seal. This dome seal helps prevent vapours from escaping into the atmosphere. The vapour recovery return line can either be a flexible hose attached along the arm or by a separate, all metal articulated system mounted on the main arm (VRA type of arm).
The arms range from the simple and inexpensive Model 54 for loading petroleum products and chemicals into trucks and railcars where spotting of the dome vehicle is consistent, to the Model 374, which provides a greater reach for open dome loading.
Model 54
Open system for top loading or unloading of trucks and railcars at a fixed distance from the riser. This version has a limited operating range and is more suited to single-compartment vehicles.The arm is compact, stored vertically, with the primary arm and drop tube folded.
Model 544
Open system for top loading or unloading of trucks and railcars. The outboard arm has a 360-degree horizontal plane of rotation, which allows for greater range when spotting the vehicle.The arm is compact, stored vertically, with the primary arm and drop tube folded.
Model 374 / 474
Open system for top loading or unloading of trucks and railcars. This arm offers the maximum amount of horizontal operating range and flexibility for handling mis-spotted vehicles and where overhead obstructions are a consideration. The primary arm, the secondary arm and the drop tube fold back to the rack for storage. Available as a complete system consisting of several arms with cross-over possibilities for a loading bay.
Features
- Standard diameters from 2" to 6". For other diameters please consult FMC
- Available in steel, low-temperature carbon steel, aluminium, stainless steel
- Jacketed models for heated products
- PTFE-lined models for corrosive products
- Chiksan Series 2000 swivel joints equipped with exclusive replaceable stainless steel snap-in ball races
- Comprehensive range of seals to handle any fluid
- Reliable composite spring balancing system requiring no maintenance
- Available with dome seal and vapour recovery line (piggy-back)
Benefits
- Field proven highly reliable equipment
- High flowrate
- Low servicing / maintenance requirement reducing downtime of the equipment
- Long life expectancy
- Fully balanced within operating range enhancing the safety of the operator
- Easily manoeuvrable and storable by one person