Hyperion for Coal & Fuel Storage
A real-time coal stockpile monitoring system
Hyperion uses automated 3D LiDAR scanning to deliver precise, current coal tonnage, improving everything from procurement and safety to operational uptime.
The challenge
The risks of managing coal without reliable data
Managing bulk coal inventory is a balancing act. Small inaccuracies cascade into real financial and operational consequences.
Runouts and production halts
An unexpected coal shortage can stop a boiler, kiln or furnace. Poor consumption data leads to flawed forecasts, reactive procurement and costly downtime.
Phantom inventory and tied-up capital
Infrequent manual surveys let book values drift from reality, leading to surprise write-offs. Over-buying to compensate ties up working capital in the pile.
Safety and compliance hazards
Walking unstable coal piles exposes surveyors to slips, falls and engulfment. Inaccurate reporting also invites regulatory scrutiny.
Procurement and logistics friction
Without exact inventory you can't buy strategically, emergency purchases creep in, and ships and trains wait with demurrage fees running.
A smarter approach
Hyperion: coal stockpiles as data-producing digital twins
Hyperion changes how you see and manage your most critical fuel asset. Fixed LiDAR scanners turn static coal piles into measured 3D models that update on a schedule or on demand.
By replacing dangerous, error-prone manual methods, the system turns inventory measurement from a periodic chore into a continuous source of operational and financial insight.
It is proven on coal: at a cement plant in Newberry, Florida, four EOS2 scanners measured an indoor coal stockpile in under 20 minutes with a 0.55% variance against a certified terrestrial survey.
How it works
How the coal stockpile monitoring system works
An end-to-end system that delivers complete visibility and control to your team.
Automated 3D volumetric scanning
Industrial EOS2 LiDAR sensors capture a complete point cloud of the pile surface automatically. With people off the pile, you remove the safety risk and get a steady stream of data when you need it.
Cloud processing and tonnage
Scan data is processed on the secure Hyperion cloud platform, which applies your bulk density factors to convert volume into tonnage. See current tonnage and consumption rates from any device.
Alerts and reporting
Set alerts for low tonnage, rapid depletion and fill events. Automate inventory, compliance and financial reports instead of rebuilding spreadsheets by hand.
Multi-pile and multi-site management
View inventory across piles, grades and locations from one dashboard, with standardized metrics for every facility.
See the shape of every pile
Height maps and 3D models show how coal is distributed, where high and low points are, and how each pile changes between deliveries and reclaim. That context makes blending, stacking and reclaim planning easier and safer.
Applications
Where coal and fuel stockpile monitoring pays off
Hyperion delivers targeted value wherever coal is a mission-critical input.
Power generation
For coal-fired plants, fuel security is grid security. Reliable tonnage data helps ensure a continuous fuel supply, and tracking multiple piles of different grades supports blending strategies, heat rate (BTU) management, emissions control and boiler efficiency.
Steel and cement manufacturing
Coal is a critical process input. Accurate inventories of coking and thermal coal support a consistent feed to furnaces and kilns, consumption tracking and tighter cost control.
Ports and terminals
Large import and export stockpiles demand accuracy. Hyperion helps operators plan vessel loading, reduce demurrage and share auditable data with every stakeholder for confident custody transfer.
Mining operations
Track run-of-mine (ROM) production from the moment it leaves the pit, manage graded stockpiles and reconcile mined tonnage against sales contracts for better planning and forecasting.
Coal stockpile monitoring FAQ
At a Newberry, Florida cement plant, Hyperion's mass estimate for an indoor coal stockpile came within 0.55% of a certified third-party terrestrial survey, using four permanently mounted EOS2 scanners.
In the Newberry deployment, the complete scan and data processing took under 20 minutes and ran during normal operations with no downtime.
Yes. You can monitor multiple piles, grades and sites from one dashboard and apply a specific bulk density to each material for tonnage.
Yes. Hyperion supports custom alerts for low tonnage, rapid depletion and fill events, along with automated inventory reports.
Related Solutions
Contact
Upgrade your coal stockpile monitoring
Tell us about your coal and fuel piles, grades and sites, and we will recommend a sensor layout and Hyperion plan.
- +1 352-283-8003
- info@altamusinc.com
- 4936 SW 91st Ter M102
Gainesville, FL 32608