Replacement and optimisation of the feed chute

The previously installed feed chutes showed heavy wear due to enormous influence of heat, causing frequent leakages in the cooling circuit. This resulted in several plant shutdowns per year and line. The resulting financial losses led to the decision to replace the feed chutes of all lines.

EnergieLink was able to win the tender in particular due to the technical concept of the cooling and the modular design of the chutes, as well as the focus on quality. EnergieLink’s offer consisted of modular designed feed chutes , protected against mechanical wear by means of hard coating. In the event of malfunctions in the cooling circuit, this concept allows to bypass individual modules and, thus, operate the chute without shut-down until the next opportunity to rectify the malfunction. This design also eases the replacement of individual modules in the event of damage. The performance of the cooling circuit can cope reliably with the high heat loads caused by the frequent backfires in this plant. With a parallel routing of the cooling water through the modules and the transition edge , the enormous influences of heat in the transition area to the grate can be absorbed without any problems. The dissipated heat in the water is returned to the secondary cooling circuit via heat exchangers.

After more than 1.5 years in operation, the design of the feed chutes has substantiated its benefits, even under the very demanding operating parameters of the plant. Especially challenging are the size of the shafts, the temperature levels and the position of the fire on the grate, which is quite close to the feeder.

Likewise, abrasive wear is hardly detectable after the operating time to date, so that a long service life of the modules can be expected.

In the meantime, the customer has also been able to implement a secondary cooling; EnergieLink was involved here in an advisory capacity.