From 2016 to 2020, Binnie (Omni Engineering) was engaged to perform upgrades to the existing onsite coal dust suppression system for Neptune Bulk Terminals.
Their existing dust suppression system was minimal and required upgrades for better performance and reliability. Following the successful installation of a single larger steel spray pole with misting nozzles, Neptune became interested in overhauling its entire system.
The upgrade replaced Neptune’s existing ten wooden spray poles with four new steel poles of two different heights with varying horizontal spray bar lengths that included misting nozzles. Thirty-two-yard spray cannons were installed along the perimeter of the coal stockyard and the Stacker Reclaimer (S/R) central berm. Through both active (yard sprays) and passive (misting towers) water application, the coal piles can be wetted in any weather condition (low to moderate winds).
The new misting poles and yard spray cannons are fed water from three individual valve distribution containers. The containers centralize the mechanical valve systems for ease of maintenance. The containers are supplied from a new containerize booster house connected to the existing terminal water supply system through a new underground piping connection.
During cold weather events, the exposed portions of the system that continually hold water need to be drained. Otherwise, the exposed sections of piping would freeze. Using a mudsucker diaphragm pump, Binnie created a negative pressure on the system and incrementally opened the actuated valves to each yard spray and pulled the water out of their individual pipelines. The system works well and easily performs at the push of a button.
The design focused on improving the serviceability and reliability of the system. It also reduced the labour required for wetting the stockpiles.
The system can wet the stockyard piles by an active and a passive wetting procedure utilizing yard spray cannons (agricultural water sprinklers) and tower sprays (misting towers), respectively. The dust suppression upgrade included the construction of three containerized valve distribution mechanical rooms, a containerized pump house and MCC electrical room, and thirty-two-yard spray cannons around the perimeter of the stockyard and along the central S/R berms, and four new Spray Towers.
Two of the spray towers now stand 100 feet tall with a 130-feet-wide boom and two stand 75 feet tall with a 100-feet-wide boom, complete with misting sprays. An existing spray tower, installed as a test pole in 2016, was also integrated into the new system. All the towers were outfitted with yard spray cannons for consistent pile coverage.
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