Electrically Actuated Slide Gates for Biomass Pellets

General Description

Drax Biomass is focused on manufacturing wood pellets for renewable low-carbon power generation from sustainable biomass. Their manufacturing facilities are environmentally sound, safe and professionally managed to meet the increasing market demand for wood pellets.

Each facility is strategically located near both sustainably managed forests and deep-water ports, ensuring optimal transportation routing for fiber and pellets in the United States. Drax Biomass needed eight custom slide gates delivered to two different facilities to be mate to the discharges of recently installed drag chain conveyors. KWS provided an engineered solution for the application.

Design Parameters

KWS Advantages

Engineers from KWS worked directly with the Drax Biomass project manager to gather dimensional and application data in order to provide a rugged, cost effective solution. It was very important to KWS to completely understand the application requirements. After all the specifications were obtained and understood, KWS proposed eight custom electrically operated slide gates for each of the two facilities.

Special Features

KWS designed and constructed very heavy duty slide gates to exceed the requirements of the application. Dimensional constraints, material characteristics and flow rates were considered in the design phase so Drax Biomass would have reliable, long lasting and functional gates. The plant operators needed the ability to remotely control the slide gates. Also, the gate actuators had to be ATEX 22 compliant.

KWS provided electrical actuators that were NEMA Class II, Div 1, Group G compliant, which is equivalent to ATEX 22. Several slide gates were equipped with linear actuators and single phase, 115VAC, 60 Hz heavy duty industrial motors and the components necessary to be remotely operated. Other slide gates were equipped with ball-screw actuators, dual limit switches, hall effect sensors and clutches. Due to the long lead times for electrical actuator components and short delivery requirements of Drax Biomass, KWS worked very closely with their suppliers to deliver the components on short notice. The long term partnerships KWS has with its suppliers helped made this another successful project.