Chrome

Introduction

In 2014 Weba designed controlled flow chutes for ten transfer locations throughout the PRB coal handling system for the Laramie River Station, owned by Basin Electric Power Cooperative. The project aimed to facilitate the transfer of coal and minimise plugging, replace older coal chutes, minimise coal dust creation and decrease dust collection volumes.

Together with the aim of minimising wear on conveyors (and components) through central coal loading, spillage would be strictly monitored, and the chutes had to be calibrated to produce less than 2.4 mg/m3 of dust under certain operating conditions.

The client measured respirable dust volumes with PdRs (Personal Data Rams) under strict guidelines. When operated as designed (running the conveyors at full capacity - 700 TPH), the chutes passed all the tests. The Weba designed chutes dramatically reduced dust levels. Due to the more centrally loaded coal (which improved the capacity of Conveyor 18a by around 150 TPH), which would plug less frequently, the need for a dust collector (DC-9) was eliminated, and coal spillage events were reduced drastically.

Additionally, the chutes became easier to maintain due to their bolted section design. The chromium carbide liner within the chutes has a bolt-on design to minimise repair time. Thanks to the science-based approach of the Weba team and the diligence and patience of the Plant Techniques personnel, incredible results were observed. The teams also persistently fine-tuned components to ensure seamless operations and customer satisfaction.

Client Mine Number of
Chutes Installed
Country
American Electric Power Amos Power
Station
West Virginia, USA
Basin Electric Laramie River
Station
Wyoming, USA
Ameren Edward Power
Station
2 IL, USA
Ameren Labadie 2 MO, USA
Ameren Meramec 1 MO, USA
Anheuser - Bush St. Louis Power
Plant
1 MO, USA
ATCO Power Sheerness 4 USA
Basin Electric
Power
Laramie 6 USA
Castle Peak Power
Company
Castle Peak
Station
1 USA
Cincinnati Power
Plant
Cincinnati 1 USA
Cinergy Cinergy 1 USA
Dakota Gas Dakota Gas 2 USA
Detroit St Claire 2 USA
DTE Energy Belle River 2 USA
DTE Energy Michigan 1 USA
DTE Energy Coffeen Power
Station
10 USA
Dynegy Coffeen Power
Station
10 USA
Dynegy Havana 2 USA
Dynegy Baldwin 4 USA
Eagle Valley
Generating Station
Indionapolis 1 USA
Edison Mission
Midwest
Midwest 1 USA
Fisk Generating
Station
Fisk 4 USA
Great Plains Energy LA Cygne 1 USA
Kentucky Utilities Green River
Power Station
1 USA
Lonestar Power Lone star 1 USA
Michigan City
Generating Statio
NIPSCO 3 USA
Monterey Main East 1 USA
Samancor Samancor Mooinooi 6 USA
NRG Energy Joliet 2 USA
Ohio Valley
Electric Corp
Cardinal 1 USA
Pacificorp Naughton 1 USA
Peabody Energy Peabody 1 USA
Peoples Gas Crawford 1 USA
Tennessee Valley
Authority
Willow Creek 1 USA
Tennessee Valley
Authority (TVA)
Colbert 2 USA
Tennessee Valley
Authority (TVA)
Shawnee 2 USA
Union Electric
Company
Rush Island 8 USA
United Bulk Terminals 17 USA
RBCT Richards Bay
Coal Terminal
14 Richards Bay,
South Africa
Exxaro Matla Coal
Mine
14 Mpumalanga,
South Africa
Exxaro Grootegeluk
Coal
17 Lephalale,
South Africa