At Midwest, we’re usually discussing the dangers and consequences of particulate matter for gravel runways, mining operations, construction sites, farms, and even residential roads. Though dust can pose a serious issue, winters bring a different threat in the form of ice. As temperatures drop, the specter of ice can cause complications like conveyor belt freezing, equipment damage, and buildup.
Leaving your operation exposed to these complications can be cause for huge safety concerns, especially as workers are charged with deicing efforts. In its most extreme form, ice can even halt your operation.
We’ve written about preventing train derailments, but ice is a concern for other sectors too. Here, we’ll uncover how an effective anti-icing program can eliminate conveyor belt freezing in the steel industry.
A Team Effort: Freeze Free and Cobra Winter Spray Systems
Looking to improve its approach, one major Indiana steel plant reached out to Midwest to incorporate a complete automatic anti-icing and deicing system. At the time, the steel plant already utilized a mixture of Midwest and competitor solutions throughout its production line. To ensure a program that could withstand the winter months, the plant was looking to protect its conveyor belts from freezing with a consistent performance based entirely on two key Midwest products.
An anti-icing product, Freeze Free operates as a freeze conditioning agent that prevents ice from bonding to surfaces. Applied through a fine spray, this solution protects against severe weather conditions whether material is stored, moved, or transported. It not only prevents the formation of ice but also weakens existing ice crystals. Its effectiveness keeps conveyor belts from freezing.
Midwest’s Cobra Winter Spray System is an excellent compliment to solutions like Freeze Free. These systems dispense agents in a manner that keeps productions moving. The special feature of the Cobra Spray Systems is their dispenser customization options, which can be set according to the needs of your line. These models are available in several different preprogrammed settings such as complete automation through auto-spray, pre-set timelines with “press and go,” and a manual system.
Breaking the Ice One Conveyor at a Time
To prevent conveyor belts from freezing, the developed system needed to apply the anti-icing solution in a way that would follow the steel-making process. Keeping that in mind, the Midwest team assisted in building a program that targeted the area most susceptible to ice.
The first targeted area was the steel plant’s stacker/reclaimer. This component is dedicated to unloading raw materials, storing them in piles, and eventually reclaiming them. The bucket used to transport the raw material between stages often experienced ice buildup, ultimately freezing the conveyor belt and causing production loss or even a complete shutdown.
The newly installed automatic sprayer system eradicated concern for future buildup. Controlled from the cab of the stacker/reclaimer, the operator simply presses the controller for a pump to dispense Freeze Free at an optimized rate into the bucket. Midwest then connected the system to a 275-gallon tote as well as a 2,000-gallon feeder tank. The feeding system itself is then replenished using a unique feeding system at ground level connected to a tank system eliminating the need to carry heavy hoses through multiple levels and tight aisleways.
Conveyors to Avoid Conveyor Belt Freezing
Another conveyor belt given preventative freezing treatment was the belt from the stacker.. Unlike the previous set-up, Midwest installed an “eye” to detect material coming down the conveyor. In addition, treatment is also applied to hoppers where raw material cascades to prevent ice buildup and to prevent clumping along the production process. When the eye no longer senses material, it would cease spraying Freeze Free.
This particular system relies on a feed of two 5,000 gallon tanks, which are replenished by Midwest as needed. With each session of material entering the conveyor belt, the pump dispenses the preventative freezing agent at the required levels.
The stackhouse was also equipped with three Cobra Sprayer Systems to ensure raw material does not freeze before entering the conveyor belt leading them to the blast furnace. The 14 bins are coated with Free Freeze at various rates and intervals. The intervals can even increase or decrease depending on the weather. Without treatment, the bins can become clogged, slowing production and ultimately bringing it to a standstill.
All three Cobra Sprayer Systems are fed by their own 275-gallon tote. These anti-freezing solutions connect back to a 6,000-gallon tank at the ground level to continue treating the 275 gallon totes supplying the cobra systems. These feeders are maintained by Midwest personnel who verify that all spray nozzles are operational.
Conveyor System
The steel plant’s raw materials eventually make their way to the main conveyor system before entering the blast furnace. Like the Stackhouse, Midwest added a Cobra Sprayer System to protect the pulley system. Freezing on the main conveyor belt can lead to slippage and even breaks as tension builds on the pulleys from the mounting ice.
When it came to the final phase – the coke and coal conveyor belt system – the steel plant had a separate anti-icing system for preventing freezing. This sprayer applied a mist of solution to the belt that feeds the blast furnace. Though already in use, the system employed an alternative solution. To increase effectiveness, it was switched out with Midwest’s Freeze Free solution.
Midwest Continues to Prevent Conveyor Belt Freezing
Since incorporating these sprayer systems, the steel plant has not experienced any stoppage in production. The efficacy of this system stems from the two-pronged approach. Starting with the solution, Midwest engineers all anti-icing and deicing solutions, including Freeze Free, to tackle obstructions like ice at the molecular level. Using science-based knowledge, these agents target work site dangers like freezing conveyor belts at the source for a potent, lasting remedy.
Second, Midwest is committed to creating an anti-icing and deicing program using a comprehensive approach. In the case of this steel plant, the team assisted in introducing and modifying five sprayer systems to ensure all exposed areas were properly treated in a way that matched its production levels. By examining the steel plant’s process, the Midwest team not only provided a strong chemical solution but also an application that meets its daily needs.
Though each system operates at a different volume and manner, together, they operate as an active insurance policy for the steel plant to prevent freezing conveyor belts. That’s the power of Midwest’s extensive approach to anti-icing and deicing programs.
Contact us today to avoid disruptions and shutdowns this winter with an anti-icing or deicing system built to your worksite needs.