90% Suppression Rate! Mitigates Fugitive Dust
| Product application | JIMWAY Fogging Dust Suppression System |
| Width of belt | 1400mm |
| Industry | Power-fire plant |
| Material | Fine Coal |
In the operation of large-scale coal-fired power plants, the stability of the fuel handling system and environmental control are critical. This case study focuses on the plant's main conveyor line, which features a belt width of 1,400mm and transports pulverized coal—a material highly prone to generating dust. The system operates at a high capacity of 3,400 tons per hour.
Due to the massive throughput and high drop height at transfer points, the material generates significant amounts of fine particulate matter during high-speed movement and impact. Without effective control, this fugitive dust not only severely reduces visibility in the operating area but also poses respiratory health threats to on-site personnel, while increasing equipment wear and environmental pollution risks.
Challenges
Prior to the implementation of the new system, the transfer point faced severe dust dispersion issues. The primary challenges were categorized into three main areas:
- Equipment Failure and Dust Backflow
The original mobile cart dust collector at the head pulley was damaged and ineffective. Consequently, during operation, dust was not captured but instead caused significant backflow. The situation was particularly severe at the tail pulley, where the intense impact force of falling material caused dust to disperse at high speeds from the outlet.
- High Maintenance Costs and Manpower Burden
As the conveyor structure was largely open, it could not be completely sealed. The accumulation of escaping coal dust required the plant to dedicate substantial manpower to cleaning. Statistics showed that manual coal cleaning was required 1–2 times per shift, and frequent unplanned downtime for cleaning severely impacted equipment availability.
- Deteriorated Work Environment and Safety Risks
The extremely high dust concentration resulted in critically low visibility (estimated at only 3–5 meters). This not only increased the risk of tripping or entanglement for operators during inspections but also made equipment maintenance extremely difficult.
Solution
To address these pain points, the plant adopted the JIMWAY Fogging Dust Suppression System. Unlike simple water spraying, this solution utilizes precise fluid dynamics design to provide targeted governance at key dust generation points:
- Head Pulley – Three-Sided Atomization Containment
A three-sided atomization zone was constructed at the head pulley discharge area to form a high-density "fog wall." This utilizes micron-level water droplets to bind with dust particles, increasing their weight and causing them to settle rapidly, thereby blocking dust leakage at the source.
- Tail Pulley – Delay Atomization Zone
A delay atomization zone was installed at the tail pulley drop point. This design aims to extend the contact time between dust and water mist, utilizing gravity settling to ensure even fine dust particles are effectively captured.
- Core System Advantages
The entire system integrates PLC automatic control for smart operation. Paired with patented anti-clogging nozzle modules and fine mist injection technology, it not only significantly reduces water consumption (avoiding excessive wetting of coal which affects calorific value) but also ensures long-term operational stability and drastically reduces maintenance requirements.
Improvements
The implementation of the JIMWAY Fogging Dust Suppression System brought immediate and significant improvements. Beyond effectively controlling dust dispersion and restoring visibility at transfer points, the system resolved the persistent headaches of fugitive dust accumulation and the heavy burden of frequent manual cleaning. The following comparison highlights the specific data before and after the improvement.
Comparison
1. Quantitative Data: Suppression Rate Exceeds 96%
Field measurement data indicates that after the atomizing system was activated, dust concentration (mg/m³) at all monitoring points showed a drastic reduction. The overall dust suppression effect is consistently maintained above 90%
2. Qualitative Benefits
- Significant Improvement in Visibility & Safety
Site visibility improved substantially from the original 3–5 meters to over 20 meters. Surveillance footage confirms that the conveyor zone, previously obscured by heavy dust, became clearly visible immediately upon system activation.
- Environmental Compliance
The emission of particulate matter was drastically reduced, assisting the power plant in complying with increasingly stringent environmental regulations.
3. Operational Benefits
- Dual Reduction in Costs & Downtime
Maintenance man-hours and cleaning frequency are estimated to have decreased by 60–70%. The workload shifted from frequent manual cleaning every shift to merely weekly routine inspections.
- Equipment Efficiency
The system minimizes the risk of dust intrusion into equipment bearings and reduces unplanned downtime caused by coal cleaning, significantly boosting the overall availability of the conveyor system.
Conclusion
Following the implementation of the atomizing dust suppression system, the transfer point suppression rate has stabilized at over 90%, significantly reducing particulate pollution and fugitive environmental dust. In addition to enhancing operational safety and site visibility, the project has saved manpower on coal cleaning and reduced losses from unplanned downtime.
The system features a modular and highly adaptive design capable of overcoming spatial limitations. It is recommended to expand this solution to other transfer towers and conveyor lines to comprehensively strengthen the environmental protection and operational efficiency of the coal handling system, given its benefits of easy maintenance, energy savings, and long-term reduction of health hazards caused by fine dust.