The handling of hot slag from many types of coal fired combustors has been an integral part of any stations infrastructure for many years and continuously demands high levels of personnel attention to ensure proper and efficient operation.

Historically, the method adopted to remove furnace ash was the water-impounded hopper type.  The water-impounded hopper system is basically very old technology used for removing furnace bottom ash from pulverised coal boilers.  A typical impounded-hopper system receives, quenches, stores, crushes ands removes furnace bottom ash using hydraulic means.  This type of technology collects ash over a predetermined period before discharging on a batch basis.

Due to the nature of this type of system ash is allowed to build up in the hopper resulting in ash removal every 6 or 8 hours.  This alone means that pumps and pipe work have to be designed for 6 to 8 times the normal hourly continuous rate.

The major advantages of the SSC, over water-impounded hopper systems are: -

• Reduced water usage (no transport water required)
• Reduced power consumption (by eliminating the high pressure sluicing water required by jet pumps)
• Reduced complexity of de-watering bins when used
• Reduced operational and maintenance costs

Clyde Bergemann Doncaster have proven designs with both technologies and can easily tailor existing designs and solutions to meet the expectations in the power industry today.