Cyclo Drives for Coal Power Station Fuel Conveyors, Loaders & Bucket Elevators

Power generation in coal fired power stations depends on continuous operation, so all coal power station systems must be very reliable and dependable to safeguard against breaks in supply. Cyclo drives offer the most dependable and reliable solution for gearboxes and drives used for coal power station fuel conveyors, loaders, bucket elevators and grinders.

What are coal power stations used for?

Coal power stations supply reliable and scalable power to the electric grid system and also offer a simple solution to powering remote industrial sites and installations. Coal power output can be easily controlled by adjusting the fuel feed to the steam generators that drive the turbines, this makes coal power stations good for load balancing the electrical grid, in contrast to nuclear power, which is good for providing continuous base level power, and renewables, which are dependent on ambient weather conditions.

How do coal fired power stations work?

Coal power stations require very large volumes of coal to operate. A typical 1,000 MWe coal power station burns 9,000 tonnes of coal per day! Converting this volume of fuel into electricity is a demanding and very carefully managed process.

Even getting the fuel to the power station is a major undertaking, which is why many coal power stations are built next to coal mines to avoid the need to use trains to supply coal from further away. The process for converting coal into electricity has seven stages, from transporting coal to grinders and pulverizers to condensing steam from the generator turbines for reuse.

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What are the 7 stages of coal power generation?

1. Collecting and transporting the coal to a crushing mill by conveyors and elevators.
2. The coal is crushed to a uniform size of c.2” / 5cm.
3. In modern coal fired power stations, crushed coal is conveyed and pulverized into a fine coal dust.
4. The coal dust is burned in a pulverized coal-fired boiler to heat pressurized water pipes and generate steam.
5. The steam generated in the boiler is used to spin a turbine generator, which converts the rotational movement of the turbine into electricity.
6. The generated electricity is fed into the electrical grid system or used to power to other machinery and equipment on-site in the case of independent power plants.
7. Steam is condensed back into water in cooling towers and recirculated for reheating into steam

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What are the gearbox and drive requirements of coal power stations?

Any power station that needs to be constantly supplied with fuel has a requirement for dependable equipment to transport fuel to the boilers that drive the generator turbines and to remove furnace waste for disposal. Coal power stations also use heavy grinding and crushing equipment to reduce the coal to a uniform size for pulverizing.

There are 6 critical applications of heavy duty drives and gearboxes in coal power stations:

When specifying drives and gearboxes for these functions, it is not enough to simply look at the torque and power required, because unexpected failures at any stage can bring power production to a halt, causing serious problems for the entire network. It is also very important to evaluate the reliability, durability, ease of maintenance and ease of sealing against contaminants of gearboxes and drives to ensure trouble-free and consistent operation.

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Did you know?

• The process of steam generation, condensation, and recirculation used in coal power generation is called the Rankine Cycle.
• Most coal fired power stations are located next to rivers or lakes to increase the speed of cooling the steam for recirculation through the turbine generators.
• Some older coal fired power stations burn crushed coal from stage 2, but it is not a very efficient method. Pulverizing improves the efficiency of combustion in the furnace by increasing the heat generated, which also reduces carbon emissions and pollutants.

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Why are cyclo drives and cyclo gearboxes the best choice for keeping coal power stations running?

A reliable system of heavy duty conveyors, elevators, bucket loaders and grinders is needed to feed fuel into a coal power station. The image above shows the scale of loading operations and gives a good idea of how essential it is to have reliable elevator and conveyor systems.

Cyclo drives and cyclo gearboxes, with their extreme reliability and shock resistance are the logical choice for ensuring elevators, conveyors and grinders keep running 24-7 to supply uninterrupted power to electricity customers.

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What are 3 reasons to choose cyclo drives for coal power generation applications?

1. Precision operation with low backlash makes accurate feed control and power management easy with cyclo drives and cyclo gearboxes.
2. Very high power output in robust, compact formats allow a single cyclo drive model to be used across a wide range of equipment for inventory and maintenance savings.
3. The shared internal loading of cyclo gearboxes enables higher shock load resistance and better start-stop capabilities under load than linear and planetary gearboxes.

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The precision of cyclo drives, with minimal backlash and high overload tolerances makes them ideal for the constant material flow control demands of power stations, which must manage power output dynamically as grid demand changes through the hours of day and night.

Cyclo drives & gearboxes offer the most reliable & versatile solution for coal fired power generation today

It is easy to see why cyclo drives and gearboxes are the optimum choice for coal fired power generation. The added value of Transcyko cyclo drives, with our excellent pedigree and unmatched service record, ensures stable, dependable operation of critical equipment.

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What features of cyclo drives make them ideal for coal power station applications?

1. The high output ratios of cyclo drives makes them suitable for driving heavy equipment and managing the significant loads required for coal fuel transport
2. Predictable wear characteristics enable scheduled routine maintenance and avoids the risk of unexpected failures
3. Compact, high power designs with standard mounting systems enables hot-swapping of cyclo drives between machines to minimize downtime
4. Standardized designs reduces the inventory maintenance overheads of stocking many different sizes and types of parts
5. Cyclo drives have much better resistance to shock loadings than other types of gearbox, making them more durable in bucket conveyor and elevator systems
6. Cyclo gearboxes are easily environmentally sealed to protect from dust and fluid contamination, corrosion, and wear
7. High torque, precise operation makes conveyors, grinders and elevators run very smoothly, which is ideal for reducing spillage of coal and ensuring even feed of fuel into pulverizers and boiler furnaces.

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When precision and reliability count, you can expect Transcyko cyclo drives to deliver the peace of mind you are looking for in coal fired power generation. Contact us to discover our range of cyclo gearboxes and responsive service and maintenance solutions for both our own and competing products.