The Power of Pneumatic Conveying Systems in the Steel Industry

Pneumatic conveying systems play a crucial role in enhancing efficiency and safety in the steel manufacturing industry. Pneumatic conveying systems used to transport bulk materials like iron ore fines, lime, additives, bentonite, coal, coke dust etc. reduce manual handling, minimise dust, and streamline operations. This blog aims to discover how pneumatic conveying is revolutionising steel production processes.

Expectations & Challenges in the Steel Industry

Unique challenges faced by the steel industry in powder material transfer:

1. Dust Generation: Dust generation in steel manufacturing plants is a significant concern, arising from processes like crushing, grinding, and handling of raw materials such as iron ore fines, lime & coke. These fine particles can pollute the air, impact worker health, and damage equipment, necessitating effective dust control and mitigation strategies for safe operations.
2. Material Loss: Material loss in steel manufacturing plants occurs during the handling, transportation, and processing of raw materials like iron ore, coal, and additives. Factors such as spillage, leakage, inefficient handling, and dust generation contribute to wastage. Reducing material loss is crucial for improving efficiency, lowering costs, and enhancing sustainability in production.
3. Abrasiveness: The abrasive nature of powders can lead to wear and tear on the components of pneumatic conveying systems. This wear depends on factors such as conveying velocity, conveying set pressure, particle size distribution, conveying distance, and moisture content.
4. Conveying Distances: In steel plants, which span vast acres of land, conveying distance presents a significant challenge. The plant is divided into various sub-units, each designed for specific tasks and serving different market needs. Efficient material handling within and between these subunits is critical, as conveying distances can range from a few meters to 2,000 meters, depending on the plant’s layout.
5. Regulatory Compliance: Regulatory compliance in material handling at steel manufacturing plants ensures safe and environmentally responsible operations. Adhering to laws on dust emissions, waste management, and worker safety is crucial. Meeting these regulations reduces environmental impact, protects employee health, and avoids costly penalties while promoting sustainable practices in material transportation and processing.
6. High Maintenance Costs: High maintenance costs in steel manufacturing plants stem from the abrasive nature of materials, which wear down conveyors, crushers, and other handling equipment. Frequent repairs, parts replacement, and system downtime increase operational expenses, highlighting the need for durable, efficient material handling solutions to minimise costs.
7. High accuracy: Certain steel manufacturing processes require precise control of powder quantities for consistent product quality. Achieving high accuracy in powder feeding, dosing, and injection is challenging due to variations in particle size, density, and flow behaviour. Any inconsistency can lead to deviations in the chemical composition and physical properties of the steel, compromising the final product’s quality and performance.
8. Moisture content & Bulk properties: In powder transfer systems, handling powders with high moisture content or challenging bulk properties can cause significant issues. Moisture can alter powder flowability, leading to clogging, uneven feeding, or poor mixing. Powders with complex flow and fluidisation behaviours, such as sticky or cohesive materials, further complicate the transfer, affecting system efficiency and throughput.

Solutions

Macawber Engineering addresses these expectations and challenges with a problem-solving approach:

1. Closed-loop pneumatic conveying package: A closed-loop pneumatic conveying system is a sealed, airtight method of transferring powders, which eliminates the risk of spillage during transport. This sealed design ensures minimal material loss, preserving valuable powders used in the steel manufacturing process. Preventing wastage improves material efficiency, reduces costs, and maintains consistent quality.
2. Heavy-duty designs: Powders and ingredients used in the steel manufacturing process are highly abrasive, which accelerates wear and reduces the lifespan of conveying system components. Macawber addresses this challenge by focusing on heavy-duty designs, often incorporating materials like Hardox, Sailhard, and Hastelloy as liners with carbon steel to enhance durability for specific applications.
3. Customised Solutions: Macawber offers a customised pneumatic conveyor for the steel industry for long-distance conveying, featuring proven conveying vessels like Variflow and Macpump. Additionally, Macawber provides tailored density stabiliser solutions, optimised for specific steel industry conveying applications, based on intermittent, time-based, and pressure-dependent feedback, ensuring efficient and reliable performance.
4. Moisture Management: To prevent clogging and improve flowability during pneumatic conveying, solid powders in the steel industry are often dried using techniques such as rotary dryers, fluidised bed dryers, and spray drying. These methods reduce moisture content, enhance powder handling, and prevent issues like blockages, poor flowability, and material degradation during transfer.
5. Safety-oriented designs: Safety-friendly designs are essential for handling explosive or fire-prone powders in the steel industry. Implementing features like explosion vents and rupture disks helps protect equipment and personnel by allowing controlled release of pressure in the event of a blast. These safety measures minimise the risk of accidents and ensure safe operation.
6. Special linings/coating: Since powders handled in the steel industry are abrasive, Macawber emphasises the supply of wear-resistant components with specialised coatings. Being the most trusted pneumatic conveying systems manufacturer in India, the company offers tungsten carbide and frit-based ceramic coatings, which have a proven track record in the steel industry. These coatings enhance the durability of components, reducing wear and extending their lifespan.
7. Safe vent filter designs: Safe vent filter designs in the steel industry are critical for efficient dust collection and safe operation. Ensuring a sufficient air-to-cloth ratio is essential for maximising airflow while minimising clogging. Optimal selection of filter bags, tailored to specific dust characteristics, enhances filtration efficiency, prevents system failure, and ensures worker safety.

Critical Design Features

Keeping the challenging nature of the bulk solid properties in mind, Macawber incorporates customisation into vessel design:

1. Heavy duty designs: Incorporation of special liners & coatings in the internals of our conveying pressure vessels (Denseveyor, a Dense Phase Pneumatic Conveying System) as well as Dome valves, and diverter valves.
2. Boosting Systems: Boosting is a critical design feature that addresses the challenges of conveying solutions for steel plants. Macawber offers tailored boosting systems, whether density stabiliser types or pipe-in-pipe arrangements, to introduce flow aids efficiently.

Products Handling Powders in The Steel Industry

Macawber offers a range of products that effectively handle Steel industry powders, including:

1. Variflo
2. Denseveyor
3. Macpump
4. Ashveyor
5. Dome valves
6. Diverter valves
7. Bag filters
8. Dust Conditioners
9. Wear-resistant bends
10. Bin vent filters

Conclusion

Macawber Engineering’s innovative solutions and commitment to quality position it as a leader in the Steel industry, addressing the unique challenges associated with this critical material. We are the leading pneumatic conveying systems manufacturer catering to the Indian steel industry, helping our customers optimise efficiency and sustainability. Our experience in our field helps us understand the requirements of the steel industry and allows us to offer customised solutions for your business. If you are looking to optimise your business and take it a step further with advanced technology, get in touch with us today.