Sichuan Yibin Power Plant Fly Ash Silo Conveying System

Project Overview

A well-known power generation company in Sichuan, China, operates a large coal-fired power plant in Yibin. The plant faced critical challenges in handling fly ash from its electrostatic precipitators. The original fly ash conveying system suffered from frequent blockages, high maintenance costs, and unstable operation, affecting overall plant efficiency. To address these issues, the plant sought a reliable and efficient fly ash silo conveying solution. Headpowder was selected to design and install a complete positive pressure pneumatic conveying system for the fly ash silo.

Customer Challenges

The customer experienced several persistent problems with its existing fly ash handling setup. First, the conveying pipeline experienced frequent clogging due to moisture and particle agglomeration, causing unplanned downtime. Second, the high wear rate of bends and pipes led to costly replacements every few months. Third, the system lacked automated control, requiring manual intervention for startup, shutdown, and flow adjustments, which increased labor costs and operational inconsistency. Fourth, the energy consumption of the conveying system was higher than expected, impacting the plant's overall cost-efficiency. Finally, dust leakage at multiple connection points created safety and environmental compliance risks.

Solution Delivered by Headpowder

Headpowder deployed a tailored dense-phase positive pressure pneumatic conveying system for the fly ash silo at the Sichuan Yibin power plant. The solution included a wear-resistant pipeline layout with long-radius bends and ceramic-lined elbows, significantly reducing erosion and extending service life. An automated PLC-based control system was integrated, enabling remote monitoring, automatic flow regulation, and scheduled startup/shutdown sequences. A moisture removal pre-treatment unit was added to condition the fly ash before entering the conveying line, effectively preventing blockages. Furthermore, the system design optimized air-to-material ratio, reducing compressed air consumption and lowering energy costs. All joints and access points were sealed with high-performance gaskets to achieve dust-tight operation, meeting strict environmental standards.

Key Outcomes

After commissioning, the fly ash silo conveying system delivered consistent, trouble-free performance. Pipeline blockages were reduced by over 90%, and maintenance intervals for wear parts extended to more than 12 months. The automated controls eliminated manual errors, improving operational efficiency by 30%. Energy consumption dropped by 15% compared to the previous system. Dust emissions were virtually eliminated, helping the plant comply with local environmental regulations. The customer reported a full return on investment within 18 months.