Abrasion and Corrosion Damage Reversed at Coal Plant with Devcon Industrial Ceramic Coatings

Coal is fed through a pulverizer in a coal power plant, where it is ground into a coarse powder. The coal powder is then transported to a sizable industrial furnace with water-filled boiler tubes using a screw conveyor. Burning the coal powder warms the boiler tubes and turns the water into steam. The same steam is produced by this process, which is then transformed into heat and light energy, the coal plant's output.

Problem

Due to dry coal accumulating in the screw conveyor trough and on the screw flights, the screw conveyor that transports coal to the furnace experienced abrasion wear. The continuous abrasion wear in the trough generated cavitation, which prevented the coal from being conveyed properly, which is essential to plant operations. It was necessary to rebuild the screw conveyor trough in accordance with the equipment specifications. In order to reduce equipment downtime, boost productivity, and provide long-term wear resistance, the client was searching for a long-term solution.

Solution

While Devcon Brushable Ceramic Red and Devcon Brushable Ceramic Blue coatings supplied the necessary long-term wear resistance, Devcon Ceramic Repair Compound was employed to repair corroded trough regions.

• The trough was cleaned with solvent and blasted to the state of white metal for the best application.
• In order to fix cavitation, Devcon Ceramic Repair Compound was added to the trough's worn gouges and holes.
• Devcon Brushable Ceramic Coating in the colors red and blue was applied in two coats with a combined thickness of 15 mm after a 4-hour cure.
• The conveyor screw was further coated with Devcon Ceramic Repair Compound and Devcon Brushable Ceramic Red/Blue coatings at a total thickness of 30 mm in order to achieve the best protection from wear and abrasion.
• With just a few simple-to-use materials, different parts of the screw conveyor trough may be repaired thanks to the adaptability of Devcon industrial strength epoxies.

Project Outcome

Simple Installation

Welding metal plates to equipment to serve as the sacrificial wear prevention is a frequent industrial plant technique. However, this can take a long time, and the installation and maintenance work also need for skilled welders. Equipment maintenance repairs can be completed quickly and easily by plant staff using Devcon Ceramic Repair Compound and Devcon Brushable Ceramic Red/Blue coatings.

Long-Term Durability

This company needed a solution that was simpler and less expensive than using metal plates to resist the 12,000 tons of coal that it processes every day. Devcon coatings provide corrosion, abrasion, and impact resistant protection that lasted for a very long time. By applying layers of Devcon Brushable Ceramic Red and Devcon Brushable Ceramic Blue to the trough and screw, the client was also able to identify wear spots for subsequent maintenance procedures.

Limiting Equipment Downtime

It is essential to produce a steady supply of electricity for millions of homes and business buildings. In order to continue operations, it is necessary to keep plant equipment working continuously and effectively. The customer was able to rapidly and effectively repair the damage to the screw conveyor trough equipment using Devcon Ceramic Repair Compound and Devcon Brushable Ceramic coatings. Devcon coatings effectively reduced downtime for equipment and improved operational effectiveness.