Vale Canada Limited
In Vale's NRC building, slag is disposed of into a cooling pit, initiating a process where, upon solidification, the slag is fragmented using a hoe-ram and subsequently removed by a loader.
This procedure generates considerable dust within the workroom, dispersing throughout the NRC converter aisle and affecting personnel.
SCOPE
BESTECH was engaged to devise a strategy to capture the airborne particulates emanating from the slag pit. Initial assessments identified limitations in utilizing the pre-existing baghouse with a new duct branch for the slag pit due to limited static pressure for effective air movement. Subsequent evaluations revealed the baghouse could achieve adequate dust capture from the slag pit when exclusively connected.
Consequently, BESTECH proposed modifications to the baghouse’s operation, introducing dampers in both the existing and the new branch ducts. This configuration ensures the baghouse selectively extracts air from either the original ductwork or the slag pit branch, optimizing dust capture efficiency.
OUTCOME
The review conducted by BESTECH, grounded in the standards and guidelines of SMACNA and the Industrial Ventilation Handbook, confirmed the efficacy of the proposed dust capture system in adequately ventilating the slag pit area to mitigate dust proliferation.