01/06/2010

JMB Zeppelin received an order from a nickel ore mining company located in Goiás to deliver a complete receiving, conveying and storage system for calcined nickel.

The calcined nickel has extremely fine particles and a temperature that reaches up to 240º C.
To dedust the receiving hopper, which receives mineral from different sources, JMB Zeppelin hired a highly regarded environmental control company to supply the whole system.

The solution offered by that company, based on a filter with bags made of fiberglass (very expensive) and dilution air intake valve to reduce the temperature of the dusty air, proved to be totally unsuitable. Apart from the high cost of the fiberglass bags, they have shown to be completely permeable, which represents a big environmental problem.

After that experience a well-known supplier from USA has been consulted, who also confirmed the use of fiberglass bags but covered with PTFE, yet he could not explain the quick deterioration of filtering capacity.

Three times the bags were replaced at high costs but none of the solutions offered by the system’s supplier was satisfactory to JMB Zeppelin. Due to this outcome, JMB Zeppelin decided to study the problem and find a final solution.

The case was analyzed in detail. The solution adopted was to cool the air + calcined nickel powder up to a point that conventional polyester bags could be used.

The dilution air admission valve was substituted by a heat exchanger with forced air. The filter was divided into compartments so that areas temporary in bag cleaning process would not be reached by dusty air flows, a fact identified as responsible for quick wear of the bags.

With these alterations, following advantages were reached:

a) Double filtering air volume reduction due to cancellation of dilution air intake and volume decrease due to air-cooling.
b) Use of standard bags available in the market at significantly lower prices than the bags made of fiberglass with PTFE film.
c) Bags’ life cycle increase and system’s reliability at levels in conformity with conventional dedusting systems.
d) Client’s satisfaction.

Through this example, JMB Zeppelin – ISO 9001:2000 certified company – demonstrates, once again, that “Client’s satisfaction”, which is the third item of its quality policy, is the main concern to measure quality and an imperative to all its supplies.

Thanks to this successful solution to this difficult case, JMB Zeppelin was awarded recently with an order to supply similar equipment for another plant of that same client.
JMB Zeppelin makes available its experienced team to the market for any kind of bulk materials complete storage, pneumatic conveying and dedusting systems. Call in without compromise to find the best technical solutions and cost-benefit ratio according to your needs.



Jose A.Grings
Ger. Eng.

Ricardo B.Santos
Director

JMB ZEPPELIN - bulk handling solutions
ISO 9001:2000