The first commercial screw cooler on record for cooling bottom ash from fluidized bed combustion (FBC) boilers was installed in 1979. Since then, over 300 ash screw cooler (ASC) machines have been used for this duty worldwide. The relatively quick upsurge in developing and building FBC boilers in the early 1980s forced the industry to select existing cooling screw designs, typically used in less severe services in the chemical, grain, plastics, and food industry. At the time, these were the only reasonable and readily available machines thought capable of handling abrasive, corrosive, and extremely hot bottom ash. The extreme difficulties of operating and maintaining these units in this service quickly became apparent, but only after quite a number of initial designs had already been designed, purchased, and installed. Today, 23 years later, both the manufacturers and users of ASCs can look back and point to installations where, thanks to communication and cooperation between operators and the manufacturer, operating units and their installations have been successfully modified, resulting in smoother operation and much less frequent maintenance. New units can incorporate a range of features, depending upon the anticipated ash quality. As a result, ASCs are now reportedly ranked low on the list of FBC operators and managers concerns. This paper will address what has been learned by both manufacturers and operators. The results of a survey of the operating and maintenance experience as well as maintenance costs of a wide sample of ASC users will be presented. A look ahead as to where ash screw cooler technology is moving is addressed, with help and continued input from current users of the equipment.
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June 2006
Technology Review
Ash Cooling Screws—A Retrospective and Looking Ahead
Jeff W. Kerner,
Jeff W. Kerner
President
Alberts & Associates, Inc
.
Jeff Kerner, PE, has 35 years experience with the Holo- Processor in Eastern United States. Jeff is President of Alberts and Associates, a representative of Metso Minerals, and can be reached at phone number (215) 244–6350 or e-mail at jeff.kerner@albertsinc.com
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Gary W. Stetler
Gary W. Stetler
Product Manager
Metso Minerals Inc
.
Gary Stetler has 30 years experience with the Holo- Processor through test work, engineering, and marketing. Gary is the Product Manager—Holo- Processor for Metso Minerals, Inc., and can be reached at phone number (719) 386-0278 or e-mail at gary.stetler@metso.com
Search for other works by this author on:
Jeff W. Kerner
President
Jeff Kerner, PE, has 35 years experience with the Holo- Processor in Eastern United States. Jeff is President of Alberts and Associates, a representative of Metso Minerals, and can be reached at phone number (215) 244–6350 or e-mail at jeff.kerner@albertsinc.com
Alberts & Associates, Inc
.
Gary W. Stetler
Product Manager
Gary Stetler has 30 years experience with the Holo- Processor through test work, engineering, and marketing. Gary is the Product Manager—Holo- Processor for Metso Minerals, Inc., and can be reached at phone number (719) 386-0278 or e-mail at gary.stetler@metso.com
Metso Minerals Inc
.J. Energy Resour. Technol. Jun 2006, 128(2): 154-158 (5 pages)
Published Online: February 14, 2006
Article history
Received:
June 11, 2004
Revised:
February 14, 2006
Citation
Kerner, J. W., and Stetler, G. W. (February 14, 2006). "Ash Cooling Screws—A Retrospective and Looking Ahead." ASME. J. Energy Resour. Technol. June 2006; 128(2): 154–158. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.2191503
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