Materials Conveyed: Iron Oxide, Iron Fines, Carbon Fines, Coal Fines
Type of Conveying System(s):Batch Dense Phase , Baghouse Unloading
Customer:Iron Dynamics, Steel Dynamics Inc. | Butler, IN
The Challenge
Steel Dynamics Inc. has several bag house locations throughout their Butler, IN facility where they capture Iron Oxide, Carbon, and Coal fines from their steel production process. A total of 7 bag house discharge locations had existing dilute phase pneumatic conveying systems that recycled the bag house dust back into their steel making production. The existing dilute phase systems conveyed the abrasive materials at extremely high velocities causing sections of the convey pipeline to wear out in less than a weeks’ time, and pipeline elbows to wear out in a matter of days. Also, the blower package, and pipeline size on the dilute phase systems were improperly sized adding a tremendous energy waste. The dilute phase systems were so inefficient, and system maintenance cost were great enough that Steel Dynamics found it more economical to eliminate the dilute phase systems and simply pay a disposal fee to get rid of the bag house dust.
The Solution
Initially a single JDB Dense Flow Dense Phase system was installed on the bag house with the highest output on a trial basis. The Dense Phase trial system conveyed Iron Oxide fines at a rate of 6000#/hr., 7 days a week for over a year before the first replacement component was purchased (the dilute phase system that was replaced wore out multiple pipeline components on a weekly basis). Also the energy consumption on the dense phase system was minimal, using less than 25 CFM for the average system air consumption. After the overwhelming improvement the trial dense phase system made over the existing dilute phase system, 6 more JDB Dense Flow Dense Phase conveying systems were installed.
Conclusion
The JDB Dense Flow Dense Phase conveying systems installed at the Steel Dynamics facility in Butler, IN incorporated a reliable cost effective conveying solution for returning bag house dust back into their steel making production. Now, rather than paying costly material disposal fees that were costing up to $10,000 / month, the material captured and discharged from the facilities baghouses is recycled, minimizing material waste, and increasing production. Also, the low material velocity in the dense phase systems means pipeline components will now last year’s instead of only days which was the case with the dilute phase systems.
To speak with an engineer regarding your conveying challenges call us at 727-785-8500 x203, or e mail eng@jdbdenseflow.com.