At their Jacksonville, FL plant, a balky lime injection system that feeds an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) was replaced by three Solimar Aerators with excellent results and significant cost savings.
“We couldn’t get the lime to move smoothly from the 15 foot tall by 6-foot diameter hopper that feeds the furnace, “explains on-site engineer, Taylor Lane. Quicklime is used as a flux in purifying steel in the EAF. The melting point of lime is 2400° F. The company had been dumping lime into the furnace because the injection system was unreliable and expensive to maintain but the excessive lime consumption was driving up energy costs.
“I noticed on a lime delivery tanker that it had these Solimar air-operated discs placed on the exterior, “adds Taylor, “We put three of the units with 120-degree spacing around the bottom of the conical lime hopper and it works beautifully by feeding the material at a steady rate.” Now the company is enjoying reduced lime consumption and saving on energy. Lane adds, “It takes 3 kw./ton to melt steel and with the reduction in energy consumption due to the even feeding of the lime we are saving over $100,000 per year.”
Let us save you big money with an inexpensive dry bulk handling solution using Solimar air-operated Fluidizers available for transport trailers, silos, bins and hoppers.
