A coal-fired power plant in Iowa was ready to replace their ineffective belt cleaners and cumbersome air tensioning system.

Plant officials agreed to test a Martin^® QC1™ Cleaner XHD from Martin Engineering. The test installation provided a blade life of approximately one year, and its “one-pin” blade change simplified maintenance. Because a primary cleaner works on the head pulley, the removed material returns to the main material flow without requiring a dribble chute that can plug up.

After testing one cleaner, plant officials agreed to install four more Martin^® QC1™ Cleaners, equipped with spring tensioners and Martin® Inspection Doors in steel on coal yard conveyors. A crew from MartinPLUS^® Services performed installation of the cleaners. The work received good reviews from Plant Coal Handling Supervisor Doug Dickman, “We’re very happy with the performance of the installation crew. They knew what they were doing. They got in and got out; they got the job done. And they complied with all our safety and lock-out procedures which is important to us.”

Coal Handling Supervisor Doug Dickman reports that cleaning performance has been good, and based on results from the trial installation, blade life should be longer. This success will allow the plant to move to a standardized one belt cleaning system.

Doug Dickman explains, “By standardizing we only have to know how to maintain one kind of cleaner, and we only need to keep one style in inventory.” In line with this goal, the plant is planning to add additional Martin^® Belt Cleaners on other conveyors in the coal-handling system.