Effective dust control means greater safety, higher productivity and cost savings

BLT WORLD, in conjunction with the global ScrapeTec team, plays an important role throughout Africa, by assisting companies during conveyor handling, to effectively manage dust emission and material spillage.

“ScrapeTec’s advanced dust control systems are proving to be highly effective in many industries, including the mining sector – not only for preventing dust formation and reducing material spill, but also to minimise the risk of explosion at critical sections along the conveyor route and transfer points,” explains Ken Mouritzen, BLT WORLD, distributors of ScrapeTec products, which are engineered in Germany to pristine quality and environmental standards.

“Apart from the benefit of cost savings and minimal energy consumption, DustScrape and AirScrape dust suppression systems are highly effective in minimising exposure of workers to environmental pollution, which is a major problem caused by fugitive dust in dry bulk handling.

“Our highly experienced specialists offer dependable solutions for specific problems at the transfer points of conveyor systems in many industries, where dust and material spillage are concerns. “Dust is a major problem associated with conveyor systems in all sectors, particularly where workers have prolonged exposure to the hazards of dust particles. Apart from the negative effects of dust on one’s health – like irritation to the eyes, skin and respiratory tracts, as well as serious lung diseases – some types of dust can also form an explosive mixture with air, which is extremely dangerous.

“It is therefore crucial that the correct conveyor skirting is used to offer maximum safety to workers and to minimise deterioration of materials being handled in order to maintain the desired level of quality.”

Dust suppression systems

The BLT WORLD team has installed ScrapeTec’s highly-effective dust suppression systems on many conveyor systems at various plants globally and feedback from customers is positive. Common difficulties of traditional bulk conveyor systems include dust, material spills and contamination at the transfer points of conveyor systems. Misalignment, abrasion and subsequent belt damage are other problems.

According to plant managers, since the installation of the ScrapeTec systems, dust levels around transfer points have significantly reduced, ensuring a safer and healthier working environment. In addition, running costs are lower because there are no longer the costly energy requirements of extraction fans. The highly-effective ScrapeTec system also minimises the risk of explosions at critical sections along the conveyor route and transfer points – an important safety feature. Plant managers also note there is no longer the need for extensive cleaning operations and maintenance work on the conveyor belt is minimal.

Prior to these installations, maintenance teams needed to spend hours each day cleaning the belt periphery and all transfer points, removing unplanned material spills and the remnants of product. Various methods to cope with excessive dust and costly material spills in moist and sticky environments had been tried previously, without success. This ScrapeTec conveyor system enables teams to now spend more time on productive work at each plant.

Studies indicate, that even after five years after installation and with continuous use in harsh conditions, BLT WORLD’s ScrapeTec systems show minimal wear. Operational costs are also reduced because there is no need for high energy consumption, spillage collection, regular maintenance, or replacement parts.

The contact-free AirScrape conveyor belt skirting system is a highly-effective side seal that lies over the conveyor belt, without contact, and creates negative pressure on the belt, due to its specially-designed blade structure. Because this system hovers freely above the conveyor belt, skirt friction and belt damage are eliminated and service life of every component of the conveyor is extended.

Conventional skirting is pressed against a conveyor belt to keep dust and material in the middle of the belt, but after a period, wear of the skirting and belt can be so severe, that material and dust are able to escape. The danger is fine wear particles can be ingested by workers and consumers. Material spillage at transfer points needs to be removed at great effort and cost and regular maintenance of belt skirting and transfer points is necessary.

The durable ScrapeTec system consists of non-flammable and anti-static polyurethane materials and blades made from Stainless Steel. FDA-approved materials are also available for specific conveyor handling applications.

The highly efficient DustScrape – which replaces a conventional dust collector – consists of a durable filtering cloth that is installed above the conveyor belt, to retain dust particles created by conveyed materials, while remaining permeable to circulating air. This long-lasting filter cloth, with cleaning and dust-releasing properties, is available with different qualities, including anti-static features, for specific applications – for example, in surface or underground mining. The dust retaining filter cloth, which is manufactured in rolls, can be extended to any required length and is suitable for any conveyor belt width. It is notable that DustScrape and AirScrape operate without energy consumption, which means operational costs are signficantly reduced.

The TailScrape system enhances performance of the AirScrape, by sealing the transfer tail in the rear area and also works according to the Venturi concept, to prevent dust generation and material spills. The intelligent blade structure on the underside of the system, creates negative pressure in the conveying area, preventing the escape of materials. Dust is kept in the material flow by air intake.

The SureSupport system works in conjunction with DustScrape and AirScrape to deliver support and stability to the belt at transfer points. Other advantages of this system include quick and simple installation, as well as reduced maintenance time and costs.

Also in the range of ScrapeTec conveyor components, is the PrimeTracker belt tracker, which eliminates other problems associated with conveyor belt systems, including misalignment, abrasion and belt damage.

Correct installation of suitable equipment ensures cost efficiency, optimum performance and safety, reduced risk of breakdown and extended service life of the conveyor system. These advanced solutions for conveyor systems are designed for use in diverse sectors, including the handling of difficult bulk materials, like corn and feeds, cement, fertilizer, coal and minerals.

BLT WORLD and ScrapeTec experts provide an assessment and solutions service to customers, for planning and implementing projects. A technical advisory and support service enhances performance of every ScrapeTec system.