Belt Cleaner And Washbox™ Reduce Carryback By 99%
Products Used Washbox™ Cleaning System
Product Types Used Belt Cleaning Solutions , Specialty Belt Cleaners
Industry Coal-Fired Power
Customer Midwestern Utility in Michigan

Problem

Customized wash boxes from Martin reduce maintenance and control fugitive material on coal conveyor belts.

An innovative Michigan power supplier wanted to reduce surface dust and airborne particles and reduce cleanup time at its PRB coal operation. Coal at the facility is fed either by rail, with a dumper that inverts the car and empties it directly onto a feeder conveyor, or with front loaders working off stockpiles in the yard. Both methods have the potential to generate dust, which would accumulate on flat surfaces and was sometimes visible in the air.

Solution

An estimated dry weight carryback of more than 20 tons per year before the upgrade was reduced by 99%.

As part of a larger program to overhaul critical parts of the conveyor system, plant officials researched several options to deal with dust issues. As a first step, Martin installed a primary cleaner on the belt. Carryback tests showed an improvement of more than 50%. Members of the utility staff discussed the Washbox™ option with Martin, identifying it as a possible solution. Because of the physical properties of PRB coal, the two companies collaborated on design modifications to suit the specific fuel and operating conditions. Changes included such features as special filtration to allow the utility to use a non-potable water supply instead of city water and adding a hose line to each wash box to facilitate cleanout.

Results

Installed as a secondary cleaner, the Martin® Washbox™ Cleaner provides the ultimate in belt cleaning technology.

Once the Washbox™ was installed and modified, the results were quickly apparent. The carryback test revealed that together the primary cleaner and Washbox™ delivered a 99% reduction in estimated dry weight carryback. Visible dust in the air has been virtually eliminated and dust cleanup has been dramatically reduced. “It’s paid for itself many times over.” The utility’s insurers also approved of the upgrades. “Our provider called it the cleanest facility of its type that he’d ever seen.”

Resources

PDF - Printable Version of Case Study Download
Brochure - Coal-Fired Power Industry Download
Brochure - Belt Cleaners Download
Brochure - Martin Engineering Corporate Profile Download

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