Coal Flow

Coal Flow Monitoring System

General Information

Triple 5′s Coal Flow System measures concentration of coal dust in boiler supply pipes.  With this information, the system detects pluggage and measures balance of coal dust between pipes.

The installation is non-invasive, using two surface mount transducers attached with adhesive to the outside of a coal pipe near the nozzle. The maximum number of pipes per system is 96.

The system uses a stand-alone Data Logging Computer, or may be added to an existing Triple 5 Leak Detection system.  Accuracy increases when the plant supplies mill data, such as coal flow, air flow, air temperature, and boiler MW.

Installation

Each pipe uses two transducers mounted 90 degrees apart and bonded directly to the pipe.  A small stainless steel box, held in place with a pipe strap, protects each transducer.

Transducers connect to any 8 channel Processor module with shielded-twisted-pair (STP) wire.  The Processor module mounts in a NEMA box within 50 ft of any four pipes.  The system supports as many as 24 Processor modules (192 transducers, 96 pipes).

Processor modules daisy-chain together with a four pair STP cable.  The STP cable terminates to an Interface module or Remote Power Box near the Processor.  The Interface module supplies 24 VDC to power the Processor modules near the boiler.

The Triple 5 Data Logger connects to the plant computer via Modbus.  In the works is an Ethernet connection.

Wireless Installation

The components on the boiler communicate with the Processor module via RS-422 serial link.  This link can be hard wired STP or wireless spread-spectrum link.  When doing wireless, the system needs a Power/RF box near the boiler for Processor and Radio power.  The Power/RF box requires local 120 VAC power.=

In place of the wireless link, you may use a fiber optic cable.

System Cost – Less than $2,500 per pipe for system components.