• Dust Management Technologies

Climate protection is not only a local, but a global challenge, especially when it comes to air quality control. Around the world, new technical solutions must be applied to accomplish compliance with environmental safety standards. In this mini-series, we focus on two different cases of air quality control measures in combustion processes. Currently, Indonesia gains more than 50% of its electrical energy from coal combustion (source).

During the pre-treatment of coal for combustion, diffuse particulate matter emissions are produced during many process steps. These directly affect the health of the employees and, depending on the distribution behavior, also the environment. Spraying Systems Co. installed close to 200 spray nozzles at various points in the plant for dust suppression and dust deposition. The goal was to bind the particulates with water and thus significantly reduce emissions. Only when the dust particles agglomerate with the water drops, they can be deposited. For the separation to be successful, the droplet size produced by the nozzles is a decisive parameter (source). If the droplets are too large, the dust particles flow around them. Droplets that are too small are carried away by the ambient airflow just like the dust, so no separation takes place. Thus, as a first step, suitable nozzle types were selected for the respective locations. The engineers relied on a calculation system that was already successfully used in similar plants as shown in our case study. As a result, particularly fine dust occurring at this point can be bonded very well. All lines to the nozzle systems have additionally been equipped with filter units. This extends maintenance intervals as well as the entire nozzle life (source).