International Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology E-ISSN 0976-3945

Research Article
DUST MANAGEMENT AT COAL HANDLING PLANT OF A
THERMAL POWER PLANT
Ankush Kumar, Sumit Chakraborty, Ankit Kumar , Saad Parvez & Dr. Marouf Wani

Address for Correspondence

Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Hazratbal
Srinagar, J&K.
ABSTRACT
The aim of the work is to propose measures and device methods to reduce and prevent dust at Coal Handling plant (CHP) of
a coal fired thermal power plant. This paper discusses qualitative methods for preventing dust including design of a wet
centrifugal dust collector. Since wet dust suppression system uses optimum amount of water for suppressing dust, therefore
use of dust collector which discharges dust in the form of slurry is very elegant approach to control dust at large scale. Every
thermal power plant is equipped of a large CHP where coal is handled. Such plants consume large quantity of water in order
to suppress dust properly which is undesirable. Therefore use of dust collector units at particular places of CHP plant where
dust particles are airborne is highly recommended, since it discharges dust in the form of slurry.
KEYWORDS Centrifugal dust collector, CHP, Surface compaction, Thermal Power plant, Nozzles.
I. INTRODUCTION II. Layout of a Typical Coal Fired Thermal Power
Coal fire thermal power plants are keys to power Plant
production in the country. They play vital role in
power generation and distribution, and constitute
64.75% of total power production in India. Since coal
is the basic raw material used in such power plant, so
they are equipped with a large coal handling plant
(CHP) where coal transported from coal mines are
stored and processed before sending to boiler and
steam generation section. A CHP may also be called
a "coal handling and preparation plant" (CHPP). At
this plant, major ergonomic concern is of dust
Fig. 1 Outline a coal fire thermal power plant
particles which become airborne while coal storage
The above diagram typically outline a coal fire
and processing. CHP require very large area for coal
thermal power plant where coal transported from coal
storage and processing, therefore large scale dust
mines through coal vessels called wagon Tripler is
generation occurs at such plant. People working here
unloaded and coal silo is formed. As clearly outline
become victim of Pneumoconiosis which is an
the major region of dust generation while performing
occupational lung disease and a restrictive lung
above operations results in large scale airborne
disease caused by the inhalation of dust. Thus
particles which must be suppressed. We clearly
ergonomic design of CHP is necessary for betterment
define the region for which ergonomic design should
of workers and authority concern. Since CHP require
be proposed. The dust particles emanating from coal
large amount of water for dust suppression, therefore
are typically is of size 1 to 100 microns. Large
innovative methods have to be design in order to
amount of water require to suppressing it. Now, after
minimize use of water. Since many thermal power
confining the region to be study, we go into the detail
plant in India facing acute shortage of water,
model of Coal Handling Plant in order to implement
therefore efficient method of dust suppression and
techniques of dust suppression and ergonomically
prevention is highly recommended which uses least
design workplace. We can clearly understand from
amount of water. The following paper discusses
experience and analyes, that large amount of water is
design of a dust collector which discharges dust in
required at thermal power plant. A typical NTPC
concentrated form in order to reduce water
plant requires 4.4 cubic meters per megawatt per
consumption. Apart from Dust Collector, typical
hour.
nozzle design is also proposed which utilizes elegant
III. Detail Model of a Typical Coal Handling
diverging water spray for dust prevention minimizing
Plant.
water wastage. Dust suppression plays vital role in
The figure 2 clearly depicted the different sections of
improving performance of workers and their health,
a typical coal handling plant which includes
hence ergonomic design of CHP is very important
following sections in sequences: 1. Wagon Tripler 2.
issue discussed at industry level, especially at
Reclaimer, 3. Coal Stacker, 4. Conveyor 5. Relay
Thermal Power Plant.

IJAET/Vol.II/ Issue IV/October-December, 2011/393-395

 International Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology
Section 6. Unloader. The above model also shows the
region of dust generation.
Fig. 2. Sections of typical coal handling plant
The coal transported through Wagon Tripler goes to
storage where coal stacker is formed. Large amount
of dust is generated during all these processes.
Hence, different stages where dust generation takes
place is studied, analyzed and best possible design
proposals are made in order to minimize dust and
water wastage. We propose a design solution notably
at five different stages of a typical Coal Handling
Plant in a sequential manner which is discussed in
subsequent section.
IV. DESIGN PROPOSALS FOR DUST
CONTROL AT FIVE DIFFERENT STAGES OF
A TYPICAL CHP OF A THERMAL POWER
PLANT (V= WIND SPEED)
Fig 3. Design proposals for preventing and
suppressing dust at CHP using efficient methods.
The above figure clearly depicts the design proposal
for preventing and suppressing dust at CHP using
efficient methods and implementing cutting edge
technology. The given design proposal targets five
different stages where dust generation is quite large.
We discuss each stage individually and analyze what
measure or method should be implemented in order
to reduce dust.
STAGE 1
At this stage, coal transported from coal mines is
brought at CHP using Wagon Tripler and unloaded to
IJAET/Vol.II/ Issue IV/October-December, 2011/393-395
E-ISSN 0976-3945
reclaimer. Large amount of dust is generated and in
order to prevent dust, moisture addition is most
efficient technique as water is very powerful binding
solvent. Directly adding moisture to coal prevents
dust from becoming airborne. Here diverging nozzles
are used for moisture addition. Diverging nozzle will
allow optimum proportionate of water to be added
with coal. Since it is necessary to know exactly what
amount of water to be added as too much water will
cause mud and make coal heavier, on the other hand,
too little water will be ineffective in dust control.
STAGE 2
Here (reclaimer stage) coal is unloaded from wagon
Tripler to be reclaimed. The area where reclaiming is
done is quite large and hence water addition will be
futile. Also wind play devastating role in increasing
dust. Thus wind is the major
factor as storage area
is very large. So we concentrate on blocking wind
speed in order to prevent dust to become airborne.
Since dust generation is directly proportional to wind
speed as shown in diagram, so we can provide
windshield net or windbreak forest in order to reduce
dust generation.
STAGE 3
Reclaimer piles up the coal at a large storage area and
forms a stacker or coal pile. While doing this, large
amount of dust is generated. Also coal stacker is a
constant source of airborne dust particles. Therefore
it is necessary to suppress dust generation. At this
stage surface compaction method is used to suppress
dust using 6-12% water solution of very good
binding substance which binds the coal dust and
prevent it from becoming airborne. Moisture addition
is done at this stage using well designed spray which
allows controlled flow of solution over coal pile in
order to properly suppress dust without affecting the
quality of coal.
STAGE 4
This stage is major area of concern because dust
particle size is as low as 1-10 microns. Therefore this
stage requires a suitable, innovative and efficient
technique of dust suppression. Since moisture
addition is futile exercise, therefore we develop wet
dust collector which can reduce dust concentration as
low as 1% in the concerned area. Dust collector is
very elegant device which discharges dust in
concentrated form reducing water consumption. Even
for suppressing 1mm thick dust layer, we require
large amount of water, but dust collector with
minimum use of water, suppresses large amount of
dust. The following section discusses design of wet
centrifugal dust collector with automatic discharge
 International Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology
for suppressing dust at this stage. Here processed coal
is transferred from coal stack through conveyor to
relay section, hence large amount of dust is generated
which can be suppressed using dust collector.
STAGE 5
Last stage is unloading of coal from relay section and
transfer to the boiler section. At this stage, usual
method of moisture addition is sufficient since small
amount of dust generates which can easily be
suppress using proper amount of moisture addition.
At this stage also, diverging nozzles of optimum
diameter are used for proper water spray.
V. DESIGN OF A WET CENTRIFUGAL DUST
COLLECTOR
Fig. 4 CATIA model of a Wet Centrifugal dust
collector.
Centrifugal collectors use cyclonic action to separate
dust particles from the gas stream. In a typical
cyclone, the dust gas stream enters at an angle and is
spun rapidly. The centrifugal force created by the
circular flow throws the dust particles toward the
wall of the cyclone. After striking the wall, these
particles fall into a hopper located underneath.
The most common types of centrifugal or inertial
collectors in use today are:
1) Single-cyclone separators
2) Cyclone Multiple-separators
3) Secondary Air Flow Separators
This section discusses the design of a typical wet
centrifugal dust collector which uses scrubbing effect
of water to suppress dust. Water is very good binding
substance for dust and therefore it is used as
scrubbing element. This device applies the principle
of film formation over the dust layer and confines
dust particles leaving fresh air to escape. The CATIA
model of a dust collector shown in the figure 4,
discusses its simple design, in which radically inward
fans, produce very high suction pressure powered by
2hp motor is used. The power rating of motor varies
as per requirement. This device uses the principle of
dynamic precipitation technique in which very high
suction pressure suck the dusty air and allow to
IJAET/Vol.II/ Issue IV/October-December, 2011/393-395
E-ISSN 0976-3945
centrifuge through it. Centrifugal action separates
dust from fresh air and fresh air is allowed to escape
from other end of dust collector.
The dust collector has a small tank full of water
which has two valves. These two springs loaded
valves are operated to allow passage of concentrated
dust and automatic filling of fresh water using
sensors. These sensors sense the concentration level
of dust in the container and when it goes beyond
90%, it opens the discharge valve. This remains open
until total discharge of concentrated dust occurs from
the tank. At the same time, it opens inlet valve to
allow fresh water to fill up.
The dust collector uses automatic discharge
technique and hence save time for manual operations
for discharging and refilling. Also discharge is
recycled in order to have minimum water wastage.
This centrifugal dust collector is very efficient and
requires minimum amount of water since it
discharges dust in concentrated form. Taking a
typical case of a NTPC plant which uses 4.4 cubic
meter per megawatt per hour, assuming power
production of 1000MW, total water consumption will
be 4400 million cubic meter water. This is huge
amount of water which is utilized at such plant. But
with the above mentioned techniques, if implemented
properly can save large amount of water and hence
reduce chances of acute water shortage.
VI. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
A wet centrifugal dust collector with automatic
discharge can reduce airborne dust particles and
minimize water wastage. Also other methods of dust
collection reduce dust and water wastage as discussed
earlier. This has great impact not only at workplace
but also in environment. Proper implementation of
dust suppression and prevention methods reduces
health hazards of workers, employees and people
residing nearby. Since current situation demands eco-
friendly methods of dust suppression without much
water wastage, above mentioned ergonomic designs
are noteworthy.
REFERENCES
1. Air pollution control at thermal power plant, case
study-2005, Overseas Environmental
Corporation, Japan.
2. NTPC case study-2006, water management,
Badarpur.