Hollow Flight Thermal Processor for Cooling Activated Carbon ADA Carbon in Coushatta, LA

General Description

ADA Carbon Solutions, a leader in clean coal technology, operates North America’s largest activated carbon facility dedicated to products used in optimizing mercury capture and control. On a previous project, KWS successfully designed and supplied ADA Carbon Solutions with two twin hollow flight thermal processors to cool activated carbon from 1,450 to 270-degrees F.

Because of the exemplary performance of the previous project, KWS was contacted again by ADA Carbon Solutions’ engineering team when a change in their production process required additional product cooling. The new process required the activated carbon to be cooled to a temperature not exceeding 170-degrees F. In the new production process activated carbon is conveyed and elevated via bucket elevator to a screener before being loaded into bulk bags for storage and distribution. The final activated carbon temperature is critical as the bulk bag material will begin to fail at temperatures in excess of 170-degrees F.

Design Parameters

1. Product Type: Activated Carbon
2. Product Inlet Temperature: 270-Degrees F
3. Product Outlet Temperature: 170-Degrees F
4. Material Density: 30 Lbs. per Cubic Foot
5. Conveyor System Capacity: 257 Cubic Feet per Hour
6. Duty: 24 Hours per Day, 7 Days per Week

KWS Advantages

KWS designed the thermal processor with the ability to handle the heat load while meeting capacity requirements and staying within the space constraints of the existing plant layout. With a large team of mechanical engineers, KWS has the unique ability to design equipment that combines the functions of heat transfer with conveying.

During manufacturing of the thermal processor, ADA Carbon’s engineering and quality team visited KWS to inspect and witness the testing of the thermal processor prior to shipment. In doing so, ADA confirmed every critical dimension and was completely confident that the thermal processor would exceed their expectations. During the start-up phase, members of the KWS engineering team traveled to the plant in Coushatta, LA to provide technical assistance.

Special Features

The KWS thermal processor was designed in strict accordance with the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. Special plate, pipe, and sheet steel alloys were used to meet the demands of the product temperatures as well as the internal pressures of the cooling medium within the processor’s cooling jacket and hollow flight screws. The hollow flight screws were successfully pressure tested to 225-psig. The trough jacket was successfully tested to 120-psig. All the welding was inspected by an ASME Authorized Inspector (AI). As an ASME certified pressure vessel manufacturer, KWS was able to provide an ASME code stamp for the trough jacket and hollow flight screw prior to shipment.