Situation
A large mine-to-mouth lignite plant was experiencing material flow problems in multiple areas. They handle lignite and its consistency leads to buildup and pluggage. The plant had to deal with excessive manpower hours to continually clear chutes. In addition, they were experiencing a loss of generation.
Benetech’s Solution
Clean Sweep Air Cannon System installed, pluggage eliminated, and manpower hours significantly reduced.
Plant 1
- TT1-Y Above Swing Chutes: 2 complete Clean Sweep System nozzles installed in chute above a transfer tower swing chute. Installation of Clean Sweep eliminated the start of chute pluggage.
- 10A/10B Head Pulley Area: A total of 16 complete Clean Sweep System nozzles (8 per head box area) were installed. Installation of Clean Sweep in this area eliminated chute pluggage.
- C-14 Head Pulley Area: A total of 6 complete Clean Sweep System nozzles were installed. Installation of Clean Sweep in this area eliminated the start of chute pluggage and reduced manpower required to clean and/or clear plugged chutes.
- C-17 Head Pulley Area: A total of 6 complete Clean Sweep System nozzles were installed. Installation of Clean Sweep in this area reduced or eliminated the start of chute pluggage.
- Conveyor headbox dribble chute: 12 complete Clean Sweep System nozzles, 6 per dribble chute were installed. Dribble chute build-up was eliminated.
- Crusher: Customer experienced severe pluggage while crushing lignite. Pluggage stopped fuel flow to unit silos resulting in derating and/or loss of generation. 28 complete Clean Sweep System nozzles per crusher discharge chutes were installed. Pluggage and loss of generation were eliminated, manpower significantly reduced.
