A Wyoming (USA) coal-fired power plant was experiencing massive amounts of carryback on the belt conveyor, which runs 24/7. Bottom ash and water requiring constant cleanup, and the wet, abrasive material caused premature component wear and presented a potential hazard of slips and falls. The risk was magnified during the cold winters, when standing water would sometimes freeze. At times the problem was so severe that the facility's drainage system would clog, forcing the plant to absorb significant costs to restore flow. Standard belt cleaners lasted only days, and ceramic-reinforced models delivered just two weeks' service. Even a hybrid urethane/ceramic plate cleaner failed to resolve the poor effectiveness and short service life.

Martin Engineering technicians installed one CleanScrape® Cleaner to handle the bulk of the material, paired with a single Martin® SQC2S™ Secondary Cleaner to remove water and fines. Designed to be installed diagonally across the discharge pulley, the CleanScrape® blade forms a 3-dimensional curve with extremely low contact pressure between belt and cleaner. The matrix of tungsten carbide scrapers is typically able to deliver double or triple the service life of standard belt cleaners in difficult service conditions. The Martin SQC2S™ Cleaner features individually cushioned tungsten carbide blades for effective cleaning without risk to the belt or splices. Patented rubber buffers maintain the cleaning pressure throughout the blade’s life.

The two cleaners delivered six months of effective performance, successfully removing carryback and excess water. During that time, less than 1/4 hour of maintenance time was required on a system that had been needing about 18 hours of maintenance every 3-4 months. The plant has eliminated the hazard from excess spillage and water run-off, while reducing costly maintenance time and premature component wear. The belt and floor remained free of spillage and water, allowing the system to function as designed. The installation has been so successful that plans are in place to to install CleanScrape® Cleaners on three more bottom ash handling belts.