Resolving the Discharge Problem on a Water-Quenched Slag Conveyor Line
| Product application | AUC belt cleaner |
| Width of belt | 1200mm |
| Industry | Steelmaking Plant |
| Material | Blast Furnace Slag |
At a major domestic integrated steel plant, the auxiliary conveyor line of the blast furnace had long faced a serious material spillage problem caused by high-moisture, highly abrasive water-quenched slag. This not only led to accelerated equipment wear and frequent downtime, but also resulted in high maintenance costs and significant production losses.
To completely address this operational pain point, the plant collaborated with the JIMWAY team to introduce the innovative JW-AUC belt cleaner—ultimately turning the situation around.
Challenges
This conveyor line is primarily responsible for handling 700 tons per hour (700 ton/HR) of blast furnace slag. Due to its process characteristics, this material carries extremely high moisture content and strong abrasiveness. The existing setup, equipped with traditional cleaners, suffered from rapid performance degradation due to environmental factors, making it unable to effectively remove the wet slag residue from the conveyor belt.
From the video footage, it was evident that even after passing through the first cleaner, the scraping effect was limited.
Even with the installation of a second cleaner, large amounts of material and moisture still remained. The residual wet slag accumulated heavily beneath the counterweight pulley on the return side of the conveyor belt, accelerating wear on critical components such as rollers and belts.
To remove the accumulated material, the plant was forced to frequently shut down operations and deploy large crews for manual cleaning. This not only reduced efficiency but also caused considerable production losses.
Material residue
Moisture residue
Solution
Curved scraper blade fits snugly against the belt, effectively removing residual material and moisture.
Following an in-depth on-site assessment, the JIMWAY team confirmed that the core issue lay in the inability of the existing cleaners to cope with the high-moisture, highly abrasive nature of the material. Therefore, we recommended installing the『AUC Belt Cleaner』in the primary discharge zone on the return side of the conveyor.
Key Advantages of the Solution
(1) Patented Dual-Radius Blade Design: The unique curved profile of the scraper blade closely conforms to the belt surface, effectively removing residual material and moisture for superior cleaning performance.![]()
The newly installed AUC belt cleaner![]()
Curved blade fits belt,
removes residue and moisture
(2) High-Wear-Resistant PU Blade: Embedded with high-wear-resistant alloy, the blade delivers exceptional durability, greatly extending its service life and reducing maintenance frequency. Its modular design further streamlines installation, enabling quick deployment without the need for complex tools or additional manpower.
Improvements
After the installation of the belt cleaner, the slag conveyor environment at the steel plant improved significantly, with all performance indicators meeting expectations.
(1)Substantial Improvement in Cleaning Efficiency: The new cleaner thoroughly removes residual material and moisture from the belt, fundamentally resolving the spillage problem.
(2) Significant Reduction in Equipment Wear: With no more material build-up on the counterweight pulley and rolling components, wear rates dropped sharply, extending equipment life.
(3) Lower Maintenance Costs: Cleaning work shifted from frequent emergency shutdowns requiring large crews to predictable routine inspections, saving substantial labor costs and production losses.
Comparison
Item | Before | After |
Cleaning Effect | Limited effectiveness; large amounts of material and moisture remained | Dual-radius scraper blades tightly contact the belt, effectively removing residue and moisture |
Spillage Condition | Severe accumulation beneath the counterweight pulley, requiring frequent manual cleaning | Material and moisture accumulation greatly reduced; spillage points nearly eliminated |
Equipment Wear | Severe wear on rollers and belts due to abrasive material, leading to short lifespan | Clean operating environment; significant reduction in wear on rolling components |
Maintenance Plan | Frequent emergency shutdowns requiring large crews | Cleaning shifted to predictable routine inspections, saving manpower and costs |
Conclusion
This successful case demonstrates that selecting the right solution can effectively address challenges in highly demanding industrial environments. Through JIMWAY’s professional on-site evaluation and patented technology, the long-standing spillage problem at the steel plant was resolved, generating considerable economic benefits.
The plant has decided to extend this successful experience to other conveyor lines and will continue to work with the JIMWAY team to promote further optimization and upgrading of its on-site equipment.