COAL HANDLING PLANT

Introduction
Coal is the primary fuel for production of electricity in our country. The importance
and magnitude of the business of coal handling is emphasized by the fact that more
than 60% of Indias total installed generating capacity consists of coal fired stations. A
200 MW unit consumes about 2500 tones of cal everyday. Coal is transported from
the collieries by the various methods viz. , by rail, road, aerial rope way or conveyor
belt. After transporting the coal from coal mines to power station, coal is required to
be fed to the boilers or to be stored in the storage yard and this is accomplished with
the help of a system of equipments called coal handling plant.
When coal transportation system fails it is essential that coal should be made available
to boilers continuously so that three may not be stoppage of power. To meet such
situation it is necessary that sufficient stock of coal is made at the power station so
that there may not be interruption in coal supply to the boilers.
It is expected to keep a minimum ground stock of coal to cater to the requirement of
the station for the period of 45 days. Thus besides unloading the coal received by
various mode of transportation, coal handling plant has to perform two main functions
(i) Stacking and reclaiming of cool to feed the boilers in case direct supply from
mines fails (ii) To feed the boilers with the coal directly received from mines.
Classification of coal:
Coal is the main fuel of a thermal power station. Coal is classified as :1)
2)
3)
4)

Peat.
Light
Bituminous
Anthracite

Peat :
It is the first stage in progress of transformation of buried vegetation into coal. It
contains high percentage of moisture and small percentage of volatile matter and
carbon.

Lignite :
It is the next stage in the development of coal. It also contains high percentage of
moisture (30%), but can be dried just by exposing to air (6%). It can be used as fuel
in pulverized form. Neyveli Power station in Tamil Nadu is the first power plant in
the country which used lignite as feed.
Bituminous Coal :
It is the most popular form of coal used for all purpose. It has low moisture content.
Sub-bituminous coal is similar to lignite. It contains 50% less moisture than lignite It
also contain less ash than lignite but is has no caking power.
Semi-bituminous coal is intermediate between auth., and bituminous coal. It has low
percentage of moisture, ash Sulpher and volatile matter and high percentage of
available hydrogen. It contains 10 to 20 % volatile matter and 2 to 4 % oxygen.
Anthracite :
It is the last stage in the process of transformation or buried vegetation into coal and it
contains highest percentage of carbon and low percentage of V.M. (below 8 %). It
burns only at high temperature. The pulverization of anthracite is very difficult and
costly.
Average amount of Bituminous coal required generally varies fro m 0.5 to 0.6
MT/MWH/hr A 500 MW unit consumes about 280 Tonnes of coal every hour.
General Description
(a) The main line of the coal handling plant runs between the coal unloading point
and the boiler house, and for maximum economy this line should be as short
as possible. It is common practice to provide screening and crushing plant
(should oversize coal arrive from the colliery) in the bunker conveyor run
and it is usually at this point, after the crusher, that the supply to and return
from the coal store is introduced. Factors affecting the general layout of coal
handling plant are :(i)
Modes of coal transportation
(ii)
Layout of the railway siding
(iii)
The position where the conveyors join the land
(iv)
The design of the stocking out & reclaiming plant
(v)
The layout & sequence of construction of main boiler plant.

In designing a system a conveyor belt inclination should not exceed 12dto

the horizontal and a height of approximately 3 meters should be allowed
at transfer points for the inclusion of a chute.
(b) In bigger size plants the coal mainly transported by rail. It is supplemented by
aerial ropeway or road transport. Railway line is lain from power station to the
coal mines. In the power station the railway siding layout depends on the
space available and the volume of traffic to be handled, the choice lies
between the loop system or the run-round system.
(c) As shown in fig. 1.1 after unloading the coal, it is screened by grills and
through conveyor belts it goes to coal crusher and then either to the boiler
house bunkers or if it is not to be burnt immediately, then to an open coal
store. For completion of these processes following machineries are commonly
employed :(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
(vii)
(viii)
(ix)
(x)
(xi)
(xii)

Railtrack and line side equipment

Weighing machine
Wagon tipplers
Car pullar or beetle charger
Aporn, blade or vibrating feeders
Conveyor belts
Magnetic separators
Vibrating screen
Crushers
Storing & reclaiming equipments
Trippers
Control room

Railway track & Line side Equipment

Railway track is laid in the coal yard for receiving the loaded wagons unloading
the same into track hoppers and taking out the empty wagons.
Line side equipments are installed along each of the track in the track hopper area
to facilitate unloading of wagons at a power station employing run-round or
merry-go-round system.

Weighing Machines
The weighment of coal wagons is established before the wagons are discharged
into the adjacent ground hopper. This is done by placing the coupled or uncoupled wagons on weighing platform one by one.
In case of road transport by trucks, gross & tare weight of truck is measured with
the help of weigh bridge located near main gate of the power station.
The other method of coal weighment is by belt weighing machines. This is used
at most of the stations to ascertain how much of the incoing coal goes into the
boiler house bunkers, how much goes to the openh store an how much is
reclaimed fro m the store.
Wagon Tipples
Wagons received from the collieries are unloaded one by one with the help of
wagon tippler.
There are two main types of tipplers (i) Side tippler in which the coal in the wagon
is discharged into a hopper which is at the side of the railway track (ii) Rotary
tippler in which the coal in the wagon is discharged into a hopper situated under
the rail track level.
Car Puller or Beetle charger
These are provided to receive loaded rail wagons, to marshal them and to place
them on to the wagon tippler platform, the wagon so moved pushes the previous
wagon, now empty, off the platform so that it runs down the main track gradient
on the out haul section of the track.
Aporn, blade or vibration feeders
These feeders are used for removing the coal from unloading hopper and to feed
it to the conveyor belt. Usually two separate feeders are installed over each belt.
Conveyor Belts
A conveyor belt consists basically of an endless moving belt carrying idlers and
individual rollers with antifriction bearings and conveys from one transfer point
to another.

Magnetic Separators
Foreign materials in the coal can cause blockages in chutes, hoppers, bunkers and
damage to conveyor belts, crushers & P.F. mills. Magnetic separators are installed
at suitable points in the line of flow of coal to remove any magnetic foreign
material from it.
Vibrating Screen
Screen are provided before crusher for sizing the coal. The screened coal (-100
mm size) falls on conveyor belt and unscreened coal (+100 mm size) is fed to
primarya crusher for crushing to about 100 size. Thus screens help in by-passing
the undersize coal which avoids unnecessary over loading of the crusher.
Crusher
These are installed for crushing the coal to proper size. The crushers must handle
sticky coal without clogging up and must be of suitable type to take all the
incoming coal from the conveyors. Where it is certain that small coal will always
be obtained crushers need not be installed.
Storing & Reclaiming Equipment.
Because of irregular coal supply from collieries which may be due to holidays,
strikes or break down in the coal transportation system, coal storage is necessary.
Also there must be an arrangement for reclaiming the coal . Bulldozers, Tractor
shovels, Drag scraper and stacker-cum-Reclaiming systems can be used for
stacking the coal in the stock yard and conveying it back to the feed system.
Tripplers
Tripplers are installed on the bunker conveyor belts f or diverting the coal from
belts to bunkers These can move backward & forward to feed the coal in
individual bunkers. According to the plant capacity, trippers may be fully
automatic type or manually operated.
Control Room
For controlling different equipments of coal handling plant from one place and
maintaining the sequence of different belts with safety of the plant, control
rooms is essential. In the control room all conveyors, feeders magnetic separators,

vibrating screens and crushers are controlled with illuminated diagrams, Where
the position of the flap valves is also indicated.
In this way, the control room operator can know the completed operating
condition of the plant and thereby the equipments of coal handling plant can be
operated efficiently with a few persons.
Reception and unloading system for coal
2.1 Various modes of coal transport
Reception facilities are provided to suit the chosen mode of transport but
provision for road-borne deliveries is usually arranged because rail or any other
transport system is mostly supplemented by road transport system.
2.1.1Direct supplies :
Some power stations are built so close to a colliery that it is possible to
provide a direct feed system for the coal. The coal prepared at the colliery is taken
by conveyer belt to the power station where it enters the coal handling system at
transfer tower. Since the rate at which the coal is accumulated varies according to
station requirements and colliery out put, the direct method of obtaining coal is
generally supplemented by rail and road transport.

2.1.2 Road Supplies :

In case of road delivery self-tipplijng lorries varying from 10 to 15 tonne
capacity are used. Their container bodies, operated by hydraulic cylinders actuated
by the vehicle engine, are emptied either directly into ground reclamation hoppers
with belt conveyors running underneath or o n to the open coal store. Vehicles are
weighed (gross weight) on road weigh bridges as they enter the power station, and
again as they leave (tare weight). The difference is the net weight is the weight of
coal delivered.
2.1.3 Rail Supplies
(i)

Railway Siding :
For power stations situated far away from mines, the coal transport is done
by Railways in racks of 60-70 box wagons i.e. about 4000 tonnes/rack.

This, however, requires wagon tippler of heavy capacity at power

discharge facilities.
For power stations situated nearer to the coal mines the coal transport is
managed by station authorities with self owned locomotives and wagons
having bottom or side opening. This requires an underground unloading
hope about 100-150 m long with conveyor belting etc. below the hopper.
Layout of the railway siding is decided on the basis of space available &
quantum of mass to be handled.. For the Power station rail system inside
the coal yard Loop System or the run round system can be chosen.
The growth in size of boiler & tuvbine units, and the advent of Super
Thermal Power Stations having unit size of 200 MW or more with a total
plant capacity 2000 MW & above, has led to the redesigning of fuel plant
to handle the increased rates of fuel consumed, delivered, stacked &
reclaimed. A 2000 MW station can consume over 25000 tonnes of coal in a
day when operating at full load with each 200 MW boiler burning about
105 tonnes of coal per hour. To cope up such large demands run round
system is found most suitable.
2.1.3 Loop System
In this system the train enters the unloading hopper house from one side and after
unloading leaves it from the other side. A rack of about 30 wagons is placed over the
unloading hopper having belt conveyor underneath. Hopper wagons are unloaded by
opening the bottom or side doors, I n case of box wagons each wagon is uncoupled
from rest of the train and then unloaded by wagon tippler into a bunker by the side of
track or beneath the track. Presently Loop systems are employed in most of the
power stations, space available within the loop is utilized for stacking the coal.
(b)

Run-round of Merry-go-round system

In this systems, Iccomotive & wagons remain coupled and move point slowly
round a large rail track section passing at one point over a discharge pit. Each
wagon is emptied without stopping the train & remain coupled during both filling
and emptytions. This ensures a fast turn-round at each end of the journey by
eliminating time lost in coupling, uncoupling & tippling wagons.
2.1.5 Locomotive Wagons

Wagons are of steel construction. Usually two types of wagons are used Box
wagons (KC, BoBx etc.) & Hopper wagons (Bottom or side opening doors). Both
types of wagons have two axles.
Capacity of these wagons varies from about 20 tonnes to 60 tonnes. The larger the
carrying capacity of the wagons the more economical they become, more coal can
parked over a certain length of railway track and a large capacity wagon can be
discharged with almost the same effort as the smaller one. To discharge the coal
from box type wagons, each has to be uncoupled from the train and then
discharged manually or by wagon tippler.
Hopper type wagons are generally used in permanently coupled wagon trains. By
opening the bottom or side doors, the coal is discharged into ground hopper. These
wagons have a minimum valley angle, of 450 (The valley angle is the inclination
towards the horizontal of the intersection line of two faces). The larger the valley
angle, the better the self-discharging characteristic. In permanently coupled wagon
trains as in case of merry-go-round system, hopper wagons are used.
2.2 Wagon Tippler
Two types of wagon tipplers are in use, the side tippler (fig. 2.1 (a) and the rotary
tippler (fig. 2.1 (b)). With each of these types of tipplers the wagon is hauled on to
a platform, the manual brakes are applied and the wagon is clamped. The side
tippler platform is then lifted sideways until the coal falls out of the upside-down
wagon into a bunker at the side of the track. Where rotary tipplers are in use, the
wagon is fixed between two large rings which form a cage-like structure, the cage
is rotated and the coal falls out into a bunker beneath the track. It is possible to
empty a wagon by side tippler in 40 to 50 secs. This includes the weighing &
raising to rest in the highest position. Side tippler needs little excavations as the
receiving bunker is above the rail track and where as in case of rotary tippler
receiving bunker top is under rail level and the rings have to be made large enough
for a shunting locomotive to pass through.
The main constituents of wagon tippler are as follows :(A) The tippler structure which supports the wagon during tippling.
(B) The hoisting machinery which transmits the motion from driving motor to the
tippler structure including the balance weight and wire ropes.
(C) The overhead structure which supports the hoisting machinery.

(D) The weighing machinery which, initially, weight and records the weight of the
loaded (Gross weight) and after tippling weighs recorded the weight of empty
wagons (Tare weight).
Operation of wagon Tippler :
The wagons received from collieries are placed one by one on the cradle of the
wagon tippler in the central position. Then the wagon is weighed by the weighing
machine and is raised by energizing the hoisting motor. The cradle with the wagon
gradually starts inclining towards the hopper ands the wagon comes in contact
with the side bolster cushion.
The hoisting being continued, the wagon cradle, arms and side supporting girder
form one unit and revolve about the trunion until the top of the wagon meets the
top bolster pads and further together with the top sustaining structure, revolves
until the material is fully discharged. The tippler is brought back to its original
position by reversing the hoisting gear. The operation can be done on auto or
manual as the situation warrants. The empty wagon is again weighed and a new
wagon can again be placed for repeating the unloading operations. In the case
operation is on manual, press push button Lower, rotation of hoisting gear will
be reversed and empty wagon is brought back in the original position.
If the operation is on auto, the reversing action will automatic after a
predetermined time. When weighing is in progress red light on the recorder is
ON when the light is off empty wagon can be replaced. Mechanical
specifications of the wagon tippler installed at NTPC Badarpur T.P.S. are given
below :Capacity 80 tonnes gross weight, Bogie type wagon
Type
Weighing type with recording on printed tickets. Operating
Cycle
Weight full wagon25 secs.
Tip wagon
65 secs.
Pause
15-20 secs.
Lower wagon
65f secs.
Weigh empty wagon25 secs.
Changing wagons 60 secs.
Angle of tip
1350 giving 450angle at side of wagons
2.3 Car Puller & Beetle Charger

(a) Car Puller :Car Puller is used to place the loaded coal wagon on the cradle of the wagon
tippler before tipping and pushing it out from the tippler cradle after tipping to
facilitate new loaded wagon to be placed on the tippler. This is used with old
wagon tipplers.
It consists of extra heavy cast iron cable drum with rope to which power is
transmitted from the motor through a set of reduction gear trains. A solenoid
brake is automatically operated and the motor is deenergised to permit
accurate car stopping by arresting the inertia of the motor, reducer, gearing
and drums.
Various operation of car puller should be done in the following sequence :1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
2.3.1

Place the rake of wagons within the range of car puller.

Run the car puller to connect the last wagon of the rake.
Run the car puller forward till the first wagon is placed centrally on the
tippler cradle.
Un couple the wagon and reverse the car puller operation to take out
the balance wagons.
Run the car puller forward to push out the emply wagon from the
cradle.
Reverse the car puller to place next loaded wagon on tippler cradle.

Beetle Charger
To place loaded rake of wagons ands take out empty wagon from wagon
tippler cradle, in haul & out haul Beetle chargers are used., fig. No. 2.2
showing car puller, Beetle charger & shakers is self explanatory.
In Haul Beetle Charger :
It consists of Beetle charger, rope hauling winch track & Track gear.
Beetle charger is a flat trolley mounted on rollers and skid blocks. It moves on
auxiliary rail which is placed in between and at lower elevation of the main
track. The Beetle has two pair of arms which are automatically extended for in
haul & retracted for back haul. The propelling arms are extended behind a
wagon wheel and restraining arms are in front of the wheel . Each propelling
arms has two rollers, one for wagon wheel and another rests on main track.,

haulage is done by endless wire rope reeved around a drum or the winch. End
of the rope is connected with the sliding draw bar of the beetle. This draw bar,
during in haul keeps the propelling arm extended through striker head end sets
of mechanism & retracted during reverse movements. The haulage winch is
placed in a pit below the track. It comprises of elec. Motored,, flexible
coupling, reducing gear box, out put shaft. Spur pinion engages with spur
rings bolted to the driving barrels for haulage rope. Winch has thruster
operated brake which is engaged normally but during haulage automatically
released. A limit switch synchronies the movement of Beetle & thereby
controls the haulage movement.
Track & Track consists of rope tensioning unit, wagon waiting and pick area,
Head pulley unit, limit switch, photo cell system etc., to control the movement
of Beetle charger and thereby the wagon., photo electric unit consists of
projector unit, photo cell and receiver unit. Beam of light fro m projector unit
falls on the lense of the receiver unit through cell . If the light beam is
interrupted by any construction then the circuit in the receiver unit will be
closed and will not allow the wagon tippler to take start. Beetle charger track
is laid down into the ambush pit so that at the end of the backhaul the charger
is taken below the level of main track rails and locomotive with the clearance
can pass over it.
Operating procedure of Inhaul Beetle Charger
1.

The operation of Inhaul Beetle charger should be done in the following

sequence.

2.

Press Reverse push button so that it can return to ambush pit and
thereby clear the track of the locomotive.

3.

Assist the locomotive to bring in and place the rake of wagons

correctly on the inhaul track.

4.

Uncouple the rake of wagons and signal the driver to take out the
remaining wagons.

5.

Press Forward push button of the inhaul beetle charger. The beetle
charger will move the rake of wagons forward until first wagon comes
in the waiting position where it will stop automatically.

6.

Uncouple the first wagon from the rake and place the wagon centrally
on the tippler plat form so that it will not obstract the photo cell path.

7.

Press the Beetle Ready push button and observe the light Control
Transfer ON

8.

When the beetle charger returns from tippler platform, Control

transfer light will go off.

9.

Actuator energises and stars wagon tippler to raise. After unloading

wagon tippler reverses and comes to original position.

10.

Push Inhaul Beetle forward so that the next wagon of t h e rake moves
forward and pushes out the empty wagon out of track.

11.

Repeat the above operation until all the wagons are unloaded.

Outhaul Beetle Charger:Its construction is almost similar to inhaul beetle charger. It has one pair of arms to
drag empty wagon on the outhaul track. It is also having Forward. Reverse push
buttons., it moves the empty wagons forward by the length of one wagon., after doing
this it will return to the ambush pit and will repeat the same operation as each wagon
is discharged from the tippler platform. The empty wagons kept beyond the end of
outhaul will be removed by locomotive.
Transfer system of coal
3.0

Transfer system of coal (From unloading hopper to coal mill Bunker)

If we follow the path of the coal after it is tipped from the wagons, we find
that it falls through coarse grills (installed to stop bulky objects from getting
into the conveyer system and doing damage) into a hopper. At the bottom of
the hopper is an opening running the full length of the hopper and covered by
a continuous line of flap doors suspended by hinges. These doors retain the
coal in the hopper while it is, being discharged from wagons. They are opened
while feeding coal from hopper to the conveyors running lengthwise along
each side of the hopper and carrying this coal to the crusher house. Crushed
coal can be fed either to boilesr bunkers of each unit called raw coal bunkers
or it can be stacked in the stock yard depending upon the situations. It is

preferable to feed as much coal as possible directly to the raw coal bunkers in
order to reduce double handling.
To transfer the coal from track Hopper House to Raw coal bunker following
equipment and machineries are used :3.1

Aporn, Blade or Vibration feeders

(a)

Aporn Feeder :

It is installed at the bottom of coal unloading hopper for feeding the

coal uniformly to the conveyor belt running underneath and all along the length of
the hopper.
Aporn feeder consists of tractor type chain, driven by motor, which helps in
feeding the coal. See fig. 3.1
(b)

Blade Feeder:

The blader feeder has four blades driven by motor. The edges of these
blades form a circle which drive coal for feeding to the conveyor belt. There is
separate arrangement for complete shifting of blade housing, so that complete,
unloading hopper is emptied out.
Usually two separate blade feeders are installed over each belt. The
feeders can be adjusted for feeding the coal at different speeds as per requirement.
The feeder blades have edges of wear resisting material like nickel chromium steel,
which can can be replaced easily. Suitable logs are fastened on to the travel rails to
operated reverse or forward switches on the travel carriage, so that the feeder can
operate on any part of the hopper.
C)

Vibrating Feeders

These are of the vibrating or jugging type and are placed immediately
below the coal receiving hopper. The feeders are designed to take coal from the
hopper and deliver it to their corresponding conveyors without spilling.
Jigging feeders give the trays on oscillating motion through a connecting rod
via a variable stroke, crank worm reduction and motor. See fig. 3.2

Vibrating feeders give the trays vibrations caused by the use of

electromagnets. Electrical impulses are passed through the stator and coils, forming
the magnetic circuit to create a sequence of interrupted magnetic pulls on the armature
which is connected to the vibrating bars through a centre clamp. See fig. 3.3
The length of the stroke or amplitude of vibration is infinitely variable even
while the machine is running upto 1/32 for AC and 1/16 for DC. The length of
stroke of vibration is controlled by increasing or decreasing the current input which in
turn regulates the strength of pull of electro magnet.
3.2

Conveyor Belts
Conveyor belt is the basic equipment in any material handling plant. Smooth
and trouble free operation of this equipment will go a long way in efficient
operation of the entire plant. Conveyor belt is used in coal handling plant to
convey the coal from one transfer point to another. The belt which is supported
and moves on idlers or individual rollers with antifriction bearings, carries
coal hodrizontally or on an incline up or dsown. The drive pulley is usually at
the head end, some times at the tail end and in few cases at an intermediate
point on the return side of the belt. The coal is discharged over the head or at
any point over the carrying side. Number of conveyor belt stages are used
before the coal is fed to boiler bunkers (raw coal bunkers).
The various parts/equipments required for conveyor belt system are as follows

(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
(vi)
(vii)
(viii)
(ix)
(x)
(xi)
(xii)
(xiii)
(xiv)
(xv)
(xvi)

Belt
Idlers
Pulleys
Driving unit
Belt cleaners
Frame work
Stringers
Stands
Decking plants
Galleries, walkway
Trastles
Belt covering
Hoods
Chutes
Gates and skirts
Take-up

Apart from these parts/equipments following accessories are also required for
successful running of conveyor belts(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)

Pull wire switches

Belt sway switches
Zero speed switches
De-interlocking switches
Flap limit switches
Magnetic pulleys
Suspension type electromagnets
Mouthpieces and isolating gates
Belt weighing machines

Description of some important parts and accessories is given below

3.3

Parts/Equipments of conveyor belt system

Belt:- The size and type of belt to be used is decided as per the material size
belts are used (1) P.V.C. and (2) rubber belts. The P.V.C. belt is not considered
suitable for a surface installation continuously exposed to sunlight, which have
a deteriorating effect on the belt cover.
Conveyor belts consist essentially or layers of fabric impregnated with rubber
compound, with a protective cover of abrasion resistant rubber. The fabric
may be cotton of nylon. Thus rubber belts used for coal conveyers have no. of
suitable skim coated plies, of fabric. The rubber and fabric components in the
finished belt are vulcanized at high temp. and pressure. The rubber covers the
reinforcement on all sides and projects it against abrasion, humidity and
chemicals. The reinforcement consisting of fabric or textile plies (sometimes
called ducks)., gives it the necessary strength and carrying capacity. The basic
requirements for belt are (i) Good tensile strength (2) Good elasticity (3) Low
permanent elongation (4) High bending resilience (5) Sufficient wet strength
& (6) Favorable cost.
For installation the conveyor belt is brought to site and the belting pulled on to
the conveyor idlers, after suitable fastening at the end and ensuring that the
carrying side, which is generally the branded side, is right side up. Then the
belt is cut about 1% less is length than the minimum tape line measurement
around the pulleys., both ends are joined either by vulcanizing or by fitment of

fastners. Initial tensions for rubber belts run from 15 to 25 ibs/ply/inch.

Max.safe tight-side tensions for rubber belts are as follows :Duck weight OZ

28

32

32.66 34.66 36

Tension Ib/ply/inch width

25

28

30

32

38

Ultimate tensile strength of rubber belts varies from 280 to 500 Ibs or more
per inch width per ply.
Specifications of Grade B belt being supplied by Dunlop/Good year are
given below :Capacity

750

to 825 tonnes per hour

Belt width

1000/1200 mm

Inclination Angle

15-18

Total lift

30 meters

No. of plies

5 to 7 nos.

Duck weight

1360 gms.

Weight of belt

17 20 kg/meter

Top cover thickness

2.5 to 5 mm.

Bottom cover thickness

2 mm

Plies

Skim coated

Allowable tension

8.75 tonnes

Belt speed

160 to 175 meters/min.

Belt material
toughed.

Cotton-duck

rubber

covered

and

3.2.2

Idlers :
Idlers are required for supporting and carrying the conveyor belt. These
consist of steel tuble troughing idlers, disc impact idlers and return idlers fitted
with antifriction taper roller bearings and sealing arrangement in cast iron
housing. Antifriction taper roller bearing provides smooth roll operation with
minimum effort., the bearing are protected from outer side by multi-lybrinth
seals which prevent the ingress of dust.
The idlers should be of high capacity and heavy duty, suitable for continuous
operation and meant for longer life of the belt. A flat belt carrying large
quantities of coat and operating at velocities uptdo 175 meters per min. would
not be practicable because coal would spill over the edges of the belt and
consequently make more work for the plant attendant. For this reason
Troughing Idlers are used on carrying side of the belt in which the belt rests
on angled rollers and forms a trough to carry the coal. Fig 3.4 (a) & 3.4 (b)
depicts a three roll truoghing idler. Rolls are mounted on brackets which are
fixed on the idler base frame. Side roles have an inclination varying from 20 0
to 450 towards the horizontal. More the angle of inclination more is the coal
carrying capacity of belt with less spillage. But pure cotton can no longer be
used in higher inclinations s it laks the necessary bending resilience; nylon
can, however, be used which provides the necessary fibre elongation in the
corners where the side rollers meet the horizontal roller. The side rollers have
also a tilting angle of about 300 in the direction of belt travel. This angle helps
the belt to run true to centre. This tilting angle should be provided only for belt
conveyors which run always in one direction. No tilt should be provided for
reversible belt because the tilt in the opposite direction of the belt travel is
liable to wear the bottom belt cover off which is very thin. The traveling belt
hits the horizontal roller fist and then the side rollers. Various idlers employed
in most of the power stations of our country consist essentially of rolls made
out of seamless steel tube enclosed by pulley heads at each end and fitted with
stationary shaft.
The rubber disc impact idles are of soft rubber. These are used to absorb heavy
impacts at transfer points where the coal falls from a heigh on the conveyor
belt. In some other special applications the idlers rolls are rubber lagged in
order to prevent build up of material, since the resilient surface caused
material to crack and fall off. A rubber disc impact idler is shown is fig. 3.4
(c).

Return idlers support the belt on its reverse travel, normally these are solid
horizontal rollers. The return idlers brackets are designed to provide max,
clearance to the belt. These are directly mounted on the conveyor stringers and
the pulley roll is supported in the brackets. It is important for the true running
of the belt that the return rollers should be set carefully at right angles to the
centre line of the length of the belt. Fig 3.4 (d) and 3.4 (e) shows return idlers.
Self aligning carrying and return idlers are also used and generally placed at
about 15 meters fro m each terminal of bend pulley and approximately at 24
meters thereafter. These idlers swivel around a vertical centre line at a central
pivot and thereby facilitate central running of the belt. The carrying trainers
used are of positive action type which automatically train the belt and project
belt edges from injury caused by misalignment.
3.2.3

Pulleys
These are used basically to drive the belt and impart necessary tension to it.
An endless moving belt requires at least two pulleys one each at head and tail
ends. Pulleys are of welded steel construction and normally made of mild
steel. The pulleys shall is connected to the two hubs, one at each end with the
help of two diaphragms. For bigger pulleys a third diaphragm in the middle of
the shell is used to stiffen the sheel against buckling., hubs and diaphragms
(discs) are accurately machined to ensure concentricity. Pulleys are statically
balanced. All head and driving pulleys are crowned to encourage centering of
the belt, pulleys shafts are of shrink fitting/keyed and are designed for strength
and rigidity. Rubber lagged pulleys are used in order to increase the friction
factor between the belt and the pulleys. The lagging can b plain or having
grooves running crosswise or in a herring bone pattern for better grip between
belt and pulley.

3.2.4

Driving Unit
Driving unit generally comprises a squirrel cage motor, worm reduction gear,
fluid coupling with flexible couplings between the reduction gear & the
driving pulley of the conveyor and between the motor and the reduction gears.
The flexible couplings are to cope with slight misalignments. With the
provision of fluid coupling on input side, the motor starts under no load
conditions and conveyor moves only when the motor reaches its full speed.
This also eliminates the starting shock conveyor components.

Different conveyor stages have different driving units with motor capacity
varying from 30 HP to 150 depending upon the lengths and inclinations of
belt sections. Usually 415 V motors are employed having speed of 110 rpm.
Brakes are fitted to conveyor driving systems to stop the belt as quickly as
possible when the supply to the driving unit is interrupted; this avoids build
up of coal at transfer points and prevents the belt from running back. The
brakes also serve to minimize the risk of injury to personnel if a belt is stopped
in an emergency. A brake is usually located between the fluid coupling and the
gear box, for inclined conveyors, hold backs are provide in the gear boxes to
prevent the runback of the conveyor under loaded condition.
3.2.5

Belt Cleaners
Belt cleaners or scrapers are used on conveyor belts to remove coal particles
from the belt surface after the main coal flow has been discharged. If this is
not done effectively, a deposit of hard coal could occur in different parts of the
conveyor system. The deposit would cause uneven belt running, increased
maintenance work, and so shorten the life of the belt.
V-type internal belt cleaner made of M-S flats and hard rubber strips is
provided to clear the internal surface of the belt. One type of scraper had
replaceable non-metallic blades which are held by a spring loaded shaft on to
the belt, another type of scraper consists of a tensioned wire held by adjustable
brackets over the top of the belt. Both type are very effective in removing the
hard deposits which can build up on the coal conveyors. It must be ensured
that scraper is held against the belt with only sufficient pressure to remove
material without causing damae to the belt which is possible if excess force is
exerted by wiper blades.

3.2.6

Take-ups
New belts stretch during their early operating life, so it is necessary to make
allowances for this if the maximum life is to be obtained from a belt. Take up
gears actuate one or more pulleys to adjust the tension.
Take up on a conveyor belt is provided for following purpose
(a) To maintain a slack side tension necessary for the drive
belt.

to operate the

(b) To keep sag of belt between idlers at a point where required horse power will
be at minimum and load will move with least disturbance over idlers.
(c) To permit length variation due to belt stretch or shrinkage.
(d) With the gravity type of take up, some of the starting shock is removed from
the belt. See fig. 3.5
(e) When possible to provide for extra long take up movements, the additional
belting will be available for resplicing.
These are two general types of take-up:
i)
ii)

Manually adjusted (screw type)

Automatic (Gravity type).

On shorter conveyors screw type tension gear is frequently used. This

takes the form of two large boltls which can be screwed in and out to move
the head or tail pulleys horizontally on their pedestals.
In automatic take up the theoretically required minimum amount of belt
operating tension can be continually provided even when belt stretches or
shrinks. Any stretch or shrink is taken up by the use of gravity take-up
towers, especially on long conveyors. Fig. 3.5 shows the principle of this
device; the downward force of the counterweight on the tension pulley
maintains tension. In one type with 1800 wrap on take pulley, the take up
pulley bearings are mounted on a yoke which moves vertically along two
post guides, extra weight is added to the take up box as required. Care
should be taken to use just enough weights to produce proper tension is
the belt. Any dust, spillage or other accumulation on counter weight should
be cleaned periodically.
A part from the above mentioned parts, substantial fabricated frames,
hoods and stands to support the heavy components like pulleys, take ups
and drive mechanism etc, are required. Galleries and walkways are
provided on both sides of the conveyor belt run to have access to the
defective parts for maintenance and for normal checking of its operation.
Belt covering is provided to safeguard the equipment against weather.
Chutes are required at transfer points. Deck plates between the carrying
and return strand of the belt ensure that spillage do not take place on the
return belt.

3.2.7

Accessories of Conveyor Belts

Various switches.
Pull wire switches are mounted on one side of walkway of each conveyor at
approximately 24 meter intervals. The switches are connected by a pull wire,
which is easily accessible along the entire length of the conveyor. On
emergency it can be operated from any point to stop running of belt. On
operation the latch lever on switch remains in locked position and it has to be
put into unlocked position before starting the conveyor.
Belt away switch is operated when conveyor tends to sway beyond the
permisstable limits, there are usually spaced 50 meters apart.
Zero speed switch prevents the motor from burning under stalling condition in
the event of overloading or jamming etc.this is provided the belt speed at the
transfer pt. for ex. Belt no 1 = 150 m/s and belt seppd =150 m/s than speed
will he zero if this diff varies than belt will trip.
Deinterlocking, switches are provided to remove the inter-locking of a
particular equipment or auxiliary for running it on trial etc.
Flap valves in bifurcated chutes are motor driven through a suitable reduction
gear and actuated by remotely controlled switches. Flap limit switches are
provided to control the over travel of flap valves.

3.2.8

Magnetic Pulleys
Belt conveyors before feeding coal to crusher are provided with high intensity
electro magnetic pulley complete with spherical roller bearing, pillow blocks
for separating out tramp iron particles/pieces from the main stream of coal
conveyor an capable of removing from coal size of 300 mm. see fig. 3.6

3.2.9

Suspension type electromagnets

Suspension type electromagnets of high capacity are used for separating tramp
iron pieces from coal; Magnetic impurities or tramp iron consist of a great
variety of object; e.g. belts, nuts, bars, angle and channel sections of mild
steel, chains, steel ropes, springs, railway buffers, sheet metal pieces etc. Steel
attachments of high permeability alloy steel which may be cobalt alloy, are

suspended on to the conveyor belt at some convenient location, usually before

crusher. After attracting the magnetic impurities the magnet is moved out of
belt stream and demagnetized thereby discharging the attracted parties. The
arrangement of head end in line magnetic separator is shown in fig. 3.7.
3.2.10 Mouth pieces and Isolating gates
A separate direct local telephone system is employed for coal handling plant is
most of the Power Stations. Mouth pieces are installed on various locations to
pass on message or instructions to operators and attendants working on
different sections of the plant.
Isolating, gates are provided to isolate or totally cut off the coal supply from
one point to other.
3.2.11 Belt weighing Machines
Belt weighing machines are the only practicable equipment to weigh the
quantity of coal going either to raw coal bunkers or to stockyard through a
stacking cum reclaiming device. Quantity of coal being reclaimed from
stockyard can also be weighed. Like other weighing machines thy consist of
load reception, load transmission and load equalizing parts but the load is in
motion at the time of measurement. The subsequent dynamic disturbances can
cause by the weigh bridge which is loaded by the conveyor, belt carrying the
bulk material., belt weighing machines can be installed on inclined conveyors
with the usual shallow inclination of 180.
Belt weighers are either the totalizing type or the integrating type. In the
totalizing type the weights of weighing cycles are added up in series, whilst
the integrating type obtains the whole weight by integration the individual
cycles of the totalizing type follow each other and weight of each cycle is
added to the sum of the weights of previous cycles. See fig. 3.8.
3.2.12 Belt Swayings :
The sideways vibrations of the belt is called belt swaying.
Reasons for swaying are :
1.

The conveyor structure not properly fixed and aligned

2.
3.
4.

Eccentric loading of the belt i.e. coal not falling on the contact
of the belt.
Idlers not aligned properly (All should be in one vertical plane).
Coal defects should be rectified to prevent swaying. Also self
aligning idlers are provided after every 9 rollers.

Belt swaying due to eccentric loading can be prevented by providing

deflectors in the chute or centralizing the fed, Belt stoppers are also
provided to stop swaying. In case swaying exceeds a certain limit, limit
switches give excessive sway alarm & trips the belt.
3.2.13 Protection system of conveyors
In addition to the conventional protections provided in MCC for the safety of
the motor and the system as a whole, the conveyors have been equipped with
certain protections against local mishap causing injury to human being
working in the victinity or the equipment itself.
(a)

Pull Card Switches :

It is a protection for stopping the conveyor locally by the operator in

case of any emergency or potential damage. These switches have been
provided at approximately 30 feet gap all along the length of the conveyors
and have ben fitted on the structure carrying the conveyor. With will come to
immediate halt tripping concerning interlocked system also. The conveyor
cannot be started unless the switch has been reset. All conveyors are equipped
with this protection which consists of a normally closed contact in the control
circuit.
(b)

Belt Sway Switch :

It is very important for the safe and smooth running of the conveyor
on the troughing rollers without any side swaying. This will prevent edge wear
of the conveyor as well as spillage of the coal, in addition to the troughing
rollers on which the conveyor travels and the self aligning rollers which the try
to keep the conveyor with belt sway switch in the centre below the conveyor
have been provided at regular span. When the belt sways abnormally to any
side, it hits the special vertical rollers and pushes it backwards. A limit switch
registers the back travel of the complete roller assembly and operates at a
present value to energise the belt sway switch tripping the conveyor motor.

Before the conveyor is started again, the reason for this abnormal swaying of
the belt are investigated and the needful done for rectification. For resetting of
the belt sway, a red push button has been provided near the conveyor motor at
the head end which is kept pressed while giving starting command to the
motor. This pressing in fact bypass the belt sway switch protection and the red
button is released only after the conveyor has attained normal speed with no
abnormal swaying. In case the swaying still persists the operator is supposed
to release the red push button after a reasonable time allowance and the motor
is allowed again to trip on belt sway protection.
(c)

Speed monitoring switch:

In the coal handling plant, all interdependent conveyors should run on equal
speed. This is important to avoid build-up of pile of coal on any conveyor or
empty running of the belt. Speed monitoring switch have been incorporated to
provide protection against reduction in speed of the conveyor due to any
reason. Speed loss may result either in inefficient coal handling, or damage to
the equipment i.e. belt, motor etc.
The protection consists of a monitoring electronic switch fitted on the
conveyor pulley to monitor its speed. As soon as the belt speed goes down to a
present value, the speed monitoring switch gives tripping command to the
conveyor motor. However for start-up purpose, provision has been made to
bypass monitoring switch through a timer to facilitate initial building up of
speed of the motor.

(d)

Interlock de-Interlock Switch:

Each conveyor has been equipped with an interlock and De-interlock switch
fitted on a panel at the head end of the conveyor. This comes handy while
running the conveyor for testing or on non load trial run without interfering
with the other running conveyors. This switch will defeat all plant permissives
of the conveyor provided the control circuit is in healthy condition.

3.2.14 Trippers :
The coal from the crusher house is transported to the bunker Bay with the help
of conveyors. From the conveyor coal is discharged into the bunkers with the
help of trippers. Conveyor and chute are fitted with it to carry the coal upto
the desired location. The tripper is provided with wheels which move on rails,
parallel to conveyor on each side. It can be set in one position or be made to

travel solely backward or forward between stops, to discharge the required

quantity of coal at desired location.
Motorised trippers are usually used where continuous
and uniform
distribution of coal along the conveyor is required or where frequent forward
and reverse movement of the tripper is required. Trippers have a rigid welded
steel frame to resist shock and minimize distortion. One way or two way
discharge chutes are provided as required, flap dampers on bifurcating chutes
permit the flow and discharge or material to the desired side. The tripper
travel is rated at about 30 ft/min. The wheels and the pulleys on tripper
including the trunions are provided with antififriction bearings and do not
require much attention by way of lubrication except occasional check-up and
greasing.
Sizing system of coal
Sizing operations at coal handling plant consist removing larger impurities by
the use of simple grills, sizing of coal with the help of screens located before
crusher and then crushing in crushers to size the coal for pulverizing. As first
step in sizing the coal grills are provided at unloading hopper where coal
lumps of larger size than 200 mm are retained on it and rest passes on to the
conveyor belt uncerneath, Big lumps are broken manually by hammers and
made to pass through the grills., the grill is fabricated from rolled steel bars
and flats.
3.2.15 Screens
Screens are located before crusher to by-pass from smaller particles which
would otherwise over load the crusher or a large capacity crusher would be
needed unnecessarily. Screened coal of small size upto 20 mm need not be
crushed so it is bypassed from the crusher and fed directly to conveyor from
where it is fed to the bunker.
Vibrating screens are of gravity fed type, the screen being sloped downward
from the feed to the discharge end. A high frequency low magnitude vibration
is given to the screen by an electric vibrator or other means the purpose of the
vibration is to keep the meshes clear of wedged particles and to stratify the
coal so that the fine particles comedown in contact with the screen. (In a
typical coal handling plant for 200 MW units two vibrating screens are
installed before each crusher. See fig. 4.1. The upper deck is a trash screen
which rejects large pieces of foreign matter to a chute leading to a suitable

receptacle, while allowing the passage of coal of minus 250 mm size. The
lower deck is a sizing screen and the coal of minus 100 mm size passing
through it bypass the crusher and joins conveyor belt on discharge side of the
crusher. The coal above 100 mm and uptp 250 mm size flows to the primary
crusher where it is crushed to 100 size. Coal of minus 100 mm size is sent to
secondary crusher for further crushing to 20 mm size.
3.2.16 Crushers
Primary Crusher
Primary Crusher is a slow speed single roll machine crushing run of mine
(R.O.M.) coal to 100 size
at the rating of 300 to 400 t/h. This single roll
crusher basically consists of crushing roll, breaker plate assembly and power
transmission unit. The roll is equipped with teeth designed to force the coal
against a breaker plate or wear p late to produce the crushing action. The roll
is connected to motor by V belt and gear drive. The main elements of this
type of crusher are illustrated in fig. 4.2.
The roll crushed the material with a combination of impact, shear and
compression to give a fast snappy crushing action and high capacity, Firstly
tooth segments on the roll shell strike the large pieces reducing these to
intermediately size lumps. Next the hard faced portion cleave or trim with
shearing action as the feed is trapped against the breaker plate. Finally the
remaining uncrushed coal is broken when compressed between lower edge of
the breaker plate and the cylindrical roll shell face. This triple action crushing
results into a uniform product containing a minimum of fines and oversize.
The crushing zone curve downward from a wide opening that takes a big
feed, to a constant but adjustable discharge opening.
3.2.17 Product size adjustment :
Product size can be adjusted by position of the breaker plate which can be
changed by adding or removing shims from the back of toggle mechanism,
jacking screw on the back of the frame provides the force to move the toggle
mechanism.
3.2.18 Overload protection :

The automatic spring loaded toggle mechanism holds the breaker plate into

position against all normal crushing loads, but allows it to swing back from the
roll shell to pass large impurities such as tramp iron, mine timbers and other
inscrutable material, to prevent jamming of the crusher.
4.2.4

Zero speed switch

An electromagnetic device is fitted to crusher in such a way that actuating
contacts provided in it are made when speed of the crusher reaches 85% of
rated speed while increasing, and contacts are broken when speed reached
either above 110% or below 95%. In case of overloading, the crusher s peed is
reduced and crusher is likely to get damaged if motor is not stopped in time,
which may also result into burning of motor due to stalling. The zero speed
switch prevents the motor from burning under stalling condition in the event
loading etc.

4.3

Secondary Crushers
Secondary crushers are Ring-type Granulator machine crushing ata rate of
300 to 400 tonnes/hr., for input feed size of 100 mm and output size 20 mm. A
typical crusher is coupled by fluid coupling to 250 H.P., r.p.m. 6.6 K.V.
Main parts of Granulator like liners, breaker plates, cage bar crushing rings
and other internal parts are made of tough manganese steel. Cage size pieces,
cage bars & crushing rings are casting parts. Sized shafts are forged and are
fabricated from rolled steel plates.
The rotor consists of four rows of crushing rings each having 11 Nos. of
toothed rings and ten nos. these rows are hung on a pair of suspension shaft
one mounted on a carried around by Rotor Discs. A ring coal crusher is
shown is fig. 4.3.
Crushers of this type employ the centrifugal force of swinging rings stroking
the coal to produce the crushing action. The coal is admitted at the top, and
the rings strike the coal downward. The coal discharges through grate bars at
the bottom. The spacing of the bars determines the max. Size of the finished
product. Usually a trap is provided for collection and removal of impurities,
tramp iron and other uncrushable foreign materials are swept across the cage
bar into the trap. A heavy deflector plate above the trap prevents tramp iron
from continuing around and back into crushing cycle. The trap is independent
of magnetic forces, consequently no extra is power is needed to separate tramp

iron from coal. An access door in the rear of the crusher permits periodic
removal of accumulated debris.
The massive adjustable cage assembly holds the feed for crushing and allows
the property sized particles to drop below through the patented non-clogging
tapered openings between cargo bars. The cage assembly can be moved
quickly by racket wrench and worm gear or screw jack, either towards or
away from the path of crushing tings. The adjustment can be made while the
crusher is running and provides control over product size within the
allowance of the opening between cage bars, major product size changes can
be made by changing individual cage bar openings.
The rugged massive frame of the cage assembly hangs on a shaft which is
precisely located, so that, in any adjusted position all parts of the cage face are
practically equisdistant from the toror assembly. This adjustable concentricity
with the motor balances wear evently among cage bar.
In these crushers the crushing
action produces considerable fines,
consequently these are not used when fines are objectionable.
Apart from above mentioned crushers (I) hammer- mill coal crushers and (II)
Double roll crushers are also used for reducing run-of-mine coal to smaller
sizes at power plants.
4.3.1

Hammer-mill coal crusher

A reversible hammer-mill coal crusher is similar to ring crusher. Crushers of
this type employ the centrifugal force of swinging hammers instead of rings,
striking the coal to produce the crushing action.
It consists of fast moving hammers together with breaker blocks with the help
of which coal is crushed to the proper size. Firstly coal to be crushed drops
into the path of fast moving hammers and is shattered by free impact. Then the
product is driven against the breaker block where the size is further reduced by
collision. The crushed material is then dropped through the opening.

4.3.2

Double-Roll Crushers
As the name implies in this crusher two rolls provided instead of one as in case
of single-Roll crusher. A double Roll crusher is shown in fig. 4.2 (b). In this
crusher the crushing action is obtained by feeding coal between tow toothed

rolls. In rotation the faces of both rolls move in a downward direction with coal.
The sizes of the roll teeth and the spacing between rolls determine the sizing of
the coal. Means for passing impurities is provided by spring loading one of rolls.
Stacking & Reclaiming system of coal
The following types of plant are used for stacking and reclaiming
(i)

Bulldozers

(ii)

Tractor shovels

(iii)

Engine-driven scrapers

(iv)

Bucket wheels (Stacker-cum-reclaimer)

(v)

Telescopic chutes

5.1 Bulldozers
Bulldozers fall into two categories, those running on crawler chains and those on
rubber tires, the former type performing best over short hauls upto about 300 ft.
Bulldozers on rubber tires have less reactive power but greater speed particularly
on the empty return part of their cycles and they give greater compaction because
the weight of the vehicle is supported over a smaller total area.
In case of road transport, trucks used for coal transportation are unloaded in the
hopper, the coal is then fed though conveyor system to crusher and then to boiler
house bunkers. When coal supply is in excess it would be stacked through a
separate conveyor belt provided for stacking the coal, extends in the coal stock
yard.
If the stacking conveyor is installed before crusher then coal as received from
mines or run mine (R.O.M.) coal is stacked and dozer is used f or spreading
thecoal in yard and feeding back to conveyor supply system through ground
hoppers.
Stacker conveyor used after crusher for dumping crushed coal directly in coal yard
through chutes, the coal is then spread out by bucket system which is used in this
case for spreading the coal the reclaiming the same by feeding it to separate

reclaiming ground hoppers with conveyor belt underneath which supplies coal to
main supply stream after crusher.
Bulldozer are too slow, uneconomical and inadequate for handling large intake of
coal by the boilers of big power station. Feed from bulldozers is not continuous.
Growth in size of modern power stations necessitated rapid handling bulldozers
can be used with other devices for emergency feeding of small quantity of coal.
5.2 Tractor Shovels
Tractor shovels like bulldozers can run on crawler chains or rubber tyres. They
operate best over short and medium distances upto hauls of about 450 ft. and are
mostly used as a carrying shovel, that is , they can dig from the stock pile and
carry the full bucket for discharge. Those with crawler chains are used only in
exceptional cases where the allowed ground pressure is small.
5.3 Scarpers
Engine driven scrappers operate best over radius from about 450 it., upwards. The
self closing type which can close their bucket without the aid of an additional
bulldozer are mostly used. They need a large space to manoeuvre, and they
comparatively cumbursomem for removing coal from large loose piles.
5.4 Telescopic Chutes
As already stated when coal supply is in excess it would be stacked through a
separate conveyor system either before or after crusher. Telescopic chutes are
situated at the discharged end of this separate conveyor as shown in figs.1.1& 1.2
to stack the coal at uniform heights. The use of telecopic chutes is claimed to
reduce dust during the stocking out of coal .The system comprises of a motor.,
double reduction gearbox, flexible coupling, EM brake winch drum with shaft
and bearing wire rope. C.I. sheave for the rope and chute in ports.
The chute consists of a hollow steel cylinder, its dimensions depending upon the
size of the pile of coal to be formed. Rectangular opening are spaced at regular
intervals both circumferentially and along the length of the chute, the chute stand
verticallyin the centre of the area where the coal is to be stocked ands is fed by an
elevated conveyor which discharges coal into the top of the tube. When the coal
inside the chute rises to the level of the first row of openings, it spills out on the
ground and forms a comical pile around the base of the chute. As stocking out
continues, the coal discharges from successively from higher rows of opening
until only the top of chute visible above the conical heap of coal.

Thee raising and lowering of the chute is done though a winch. One end of the
rope is tied with winch drums and other end is tied with lower part of the chute.
The winches are driven by gearbox connected by flexible couple and broke. When
power is put on, winch starts rotating, and due to winding of ropes, lower portion
of chute starts rising. By reversing the direction of winch rotation, the lower
portion of the chute goes downwards, limits switch is provided for fixing the
higher position of the chute.
Reclaiming is effected by bulldozers through ground hoppers which feed on t o a
conveyor belt running beneath the pile of coal. There is no direct communication
between the chute and the reclaim hoppers, so the chute has no function in
reclaiming operations.
5.5 Stacker-cum-Reclaimer
The stacker/Reclaimer machines as name implies serve to stack and reclaim
material along longitudinal pile without discontinuity.
With this system coal is received in wagon and emptied by wagon ripplers
equipped with out haut teeth into hoppers. The coal is then regulated and fed tdo a
conveyor system through vibrating feeders. The conveyor carry the coal to
crushers and then to stock yard, having stacker-cum-reclaimer capacity of 750
tonnes /hr. or more.
5.5.1

Input
The power input is via-cables, cable reeling drum and collecting rings
provided on the cable reeling drum. The outlaying control cables run from the
switch equipment via collector rings and control cable reeling drum.
The entire machine weighing approximately 200 tonnes is moved by powered
bogies, with wardleonard drive which can be adjusted for infinite variable
speeds. Power is supplied continuously to the machine through the Motorised
cable realing drum at 6.6 KV Stacker/Reclaimer is thus equipped with two
cable realing drums, one drum contains cable for power and the other cable
for control circuits.

5.52

Lower Carriages

The lower carriages are of sturdy box-type design for taking up the travel
mechanism and thee slewing ring. The special feature of lower carriage is its
statically determined three-point support system. This ensures travel
assemblies, which cater to any unevenness in the levels of the rails.
Bucket wheel
The bucket wheel is mounted on antifriction bearing and is driven by a
squirrel cage motor though a fluid coupling to safeguard against overloading.
It is also equipped with a techogenerator to control the speed of the wheel and
trip the drive if the speed falls below normal. The lips on the buckets are of
wear resistant steel and fitted with special teeth.
Bucket wheel boom
Boom is pivoted on the superstructure and carries the reversible boom
conveyor through which both stacking and reclaiming are achieved. The
length of the boom can be designed to cater to any desired height and width
dimensions of a stockpile.
Hoisting
Luffing movement of thee boom is achieved through a slipring motor. It is
equipped with a special tension measuring device t o safeguard against
toppling. Generally the entire mechanism is located on the ballast box which
is easily accessible for maintenance purpose.
Slewing Mechanism
The slewing mechanism is supported on the superstructure and is powered by
a ward leaonard drive system. It had a facility to rotate 105 0 on either side of
the centre line of the main automatically supplies pressurized lubricates the
slewing rings.
Lubricating System
All gears are designed for an oil bath lubrication system. The travel
mechanism and bucket wheel drive are however provided with a centralilsed
lubrication system. The slewing ring is continuously lubricated with
pressurized oil.

Control Cabin
The entire range of movement of this machine can controlled by one operator
seated in the control cabin. The complete system is interlocked and is
centralized on a penel in the control cabin. The control cabin has ample space
and a curved window giving the operator a panoramic view to help him
operations.
Travelling Tripper
The traveling tripper arrangement for the conveyor belt to be lifted to a certain
height so that coal is discharged through chutes. Travelling trippers are of
motor propelled type. Two way discharge chute is provided with flap gate to
discharge coal on either side and back to the belt.
Operation
The mobile bucket wheel stacker-Raclaimer is linked to a rail mounted
detached tripper. The tripper receives material from an incoming conveyor.
Material received by tripper is transferred to the bucket wheel boom conveyor
from where the material is deposited in an open stockyard , upto a height of
about 9 meters.
During reclaiming,the bucket wheels digs into the stock pile a nd feed
material on to the boom conveyor is reversed and carries the material towards
the centre of the machine through a chute fiffted with an adjustable rear wall.
While stacking, the rear wall of the chute on the bucket wheel would apply,
bucket wheel mounted on the out board end of the boom conveyor, is used
only when reclaimed is taking place.
Protection System
The above arrangement is designed with safety measures to prevent damages
to the equipment. Some important features are described below.
Limited switches are provided to monitor travel end-limits of the machine. A
ward Leonard speed control ensures flexibility in operation and control. End
limit switches are provided to enable limitation in the slewing angles through
specialized slipping coupling. This also provides protection against over loads.
Here again a ward Leonard drive ensures smooth acceleration, dynamic
brazing and infinitely variable slewing speed. A tension measuring device with

solid controls has been provided to afford safety against the stacker/reclaimer
boom resting on the stock pile, in which case the testing in the rope would
drastically reduce and trip the machine wind anemometers with suitable
controls warm the operator of high wind velocity and stormy conditions. The
machine is automatically stopped and alarm sounded to enable the operator to
clamp the machine in position and move to safety.
5.53

Dust Superssion System

Generally acceptable coal sizings for various types of fuel burning equipment
are specified. The degradation in coal sizing resulting from handling and
stacking is an important consideration in establishing sizing specifications for
steam plants, where the maximum permissible quality of fines in the coal is
set by firing equipment limitations. For stroker fired installations it is
customary to specify coal of the proper size to suit the stoker, so that no sizing
is necessary at the plant. For pulverized firing after crushing the coal is
ground to very fine sizing in pulverizers generally integrated as a part of the
firing equipment. When intended for pulverized firing, common practice for
steam plants is to specify a maximum coal size with no limitation on the
percentage of fines, so that the coal delivered will be suitable for crushing and
pulverizing in the available equipment.
High percentage of fines, if present in coal, causes pollution within the power
station area and more in the vicinity of coal handling plant, by coal dust. In hot
dry weather thee coal, on arrival, may be so dry that a high wind will blow the
fines away as dust. The coal supplier can help by using oil sprays to settle
dust un hot dry weather. When coal is sprayed with oil, the film causes some
dust particles to adhere to the larger pieces of coal and other to agglomerate
into larger lumps not easily airborne. The oil treatment does not appreciably
affect combustion in any and does not cause any trouble in pulverizers instead
it tends to reduce hang ups in bunkers.
Transportation can also effect the condition of coal as received by change in
moisture content o r size degradation. Since most coal is transported in open
rail wagons or trucks, the moisture content of the coal will depend upon
sizing, condition at the time of loading and weather conditions during transit.
It may be received saturated with moisture or so dry that the fines will blow
off as dust. Size degradation depends in large measure upon the grindbility of
coal. It is also affected by the amount of handling and shaking in transit.

Dedusting is a type of air separation, this process is often employed to remove

fines ahead of wet cleaning. Air passed through the coal entrains a large
percentage of the fines. The fine coal can be recovered from air with cyclone
separators and may be added to the crushed coal or disposed off separately.
Both wet and prieumatic cleaning process provide atleast partial dedusting. In
most of the power stations pneumatic dust extraction system is employed
specially at junction tower, crusher house and raw coal bunker in such cases
the fines disposed off and not reused.
Increased surface moisture reduces dustiness, and additions of water are
sometimes used to prevent dust. To reduce the quantity of water required,
small amounts of commercial wetting agents, such as those made from organic
derivatives that will reduce surface tension, can be used.
Usually perforated water spray pipes are laid along the length of conveyor
belt, so that the water is sprayed on coal, in the form of fine droplets which
suppresses dust.
Control & Instrumentation
6.1

Principle of Control
The belt conveyor system consists of large number of conveyors, many of
them having different lengths and lifts. When they are started up, they need
different times to reach the rated operational speed. Therefore, in order to
avoid spillage of coal it is essential to automatically start up each conveyor in
the correct sequence and time. They are protected by automatic features
which trip all sections of the plant feeding into a faulty conveyor and prevent
a build-up of coal.
The system mimic board with controls and indications for the major plant
items allow us to trace the path of coal as it passes from feeders at unloading
hopper or reclaim hopper, along the conveyors, through vibrating feeders and
magnetic separators to the screening and crushing plant and on the Bunkers.

6.2

Control
Most of the equipments of the coal Handling plant excluding wagon tippler,
car puller, Beetle charger, trippers, blade feeders, dust extraction plant are
normally operated and controlled from the master control desk with an
illuminated mimic diagram, installed in a central control room. The blade

feeders and trippers being mobile equipment are operated from the machine
on getting command signal from the control desk operator. Wagon tippler with
its associated equipments is controlled separately from a control board,
installed in a separate control room. In this control room situated near wagon
discharge house, all rail track switches are actuated by remote control, usually
at a desk a mimic diagram. Signals for the movement of trains over the
discharge hopper and weigh bridges are actuated by the operator who also
controls the line side equipment. Other equipment and auxiliary plants are
controlled by control gear located on or adjacent to the respective item.

6.3

A local push-button station is provided just near the drive for all remote
controlled equipments to stop the same in case of emergencies. For the testing
of the equipments local starting can be done, provided the selection is made
for local starting can be done, provided the selection is made for local start at
the control centre end.
Protection & Interlocks
The important protections and interlocks provided in the coal handling plant
are given below:(1)

No conveyor belt can be started before the belt ahead of it, kept
running.

(2)

No belt will run if its delivery gate is opened to the belt not in
service.

(3)

If one belt runs out of alignment exceeding the specified limit, the
swaying switches will trip the belt and therefore the system
behind it.

(4)

The feeders to the first belt of delivery will trip along with that
belt.

(5)

No second belt of the same pair can run with the other belt in
service.

(6)

If a vibrating screen trips the system after screen will trip.

(7)

If the conveyor after the crusher trips, the screen and the conveyor
before the crusher will trip alongwith the feeders.

6.4

(8)

General overload tripping of the motors are provided. Motors are

also provided with short-circuit and single phase protections.

(9)

Blade feeders and trippers can be moved unless the respective

conveyor is in operation.

(10)

The car-pullar, Beetle charger can not be operated

wagon tippler is in operation or vice-versa.

(11)

All belts are provided with emergency trip.

(12)

Belts are also provided with centrifugal switches a for excessive

slipping, skewing and breaking of belt.

when the

Indication & Annunciation

Each plant item controlled from the mimic board is indicated by a small
monitor panel having a switch, an ammeter and normally three indicating
lamps. The out-of-sequence lamp lights if the contractor is not selected to its
in-sequence position. The Auxiliary-available lamp is illuminated by the
operation of the associated local push button. The Auxiliary-available lamp
indicate that the contractor supply is present.
To operate a plant item from the mimic board the supply-available &
auxiliary-available lamps must be illuminated and the out-of sequence lamp
extinguished. When the switch is closed all the lights on the monitor panel go
out.
Fault and Alarm conditions are indicated by lamps and an alarm bell, and the
load currents of the various items of plant is shown on associated ammeters.
When the whole plant is operating in sequence no indication lamps are lit up.
The state of the plant can therefore be seen quickly a dark mimic board
with ammeter readings indicates that the plant is running satisfactorily; a
flashing lamp on the mimic indicates zero, that the particular plant item had
not been started.
Generally with annunciator panels for any item of plant, two push button are
provided. In case any fault a window on the annunciator lights up and there is
an audible alarm. By pressing one push button audible can be stopped but it
leaves the visual signal until the annuciator is reset . when the fault has been

cleared, the visual indication can be cancelled by pressing another push

button.
Before starting the plant, a warning signal must be sounded through out the
coal handling plant to let men know that the plant is about to run. For correct
operation of the mimic board, it is important to know that all lamps on it are
working. To ensure that no lamps have blown a check circuit is installed so
that a lamp test can be made. This test must be made regularly and any faulty
lamps must be changed immediately.
Operation of coal handling plant
7,.1
The plant operation can either be Manual or Automatic. In case of manual
operation the actucation of individual equipment in proper sequence is required,but in
case of automatic operation only starting impulse given and the rest of the plant will
automatically start subject to the proper rout selection. Before starting the system
hooter is to given to alert the staff as a precautionary measure.
While starting manually, the conveyor discharging coal into the coal bunker of boiler
house or on to the coal store is switched on first, then the preceding conveyor, is
started. This is repeated till all conveyors reach their required speed. Magnetic
separators are energized before their associated conveyor. The feeders are switched
on; these are located either under the wagon discharge hopper or at the reclaiming
plant at the store. Then the screens and crushers are started. The dust extraction plant
is switched on automatically or should be started manually before the associated
conveyor.
After all conveyors have discharged their material, the conveyors with the longest
running out time are switched off at once, followed by those with a shorter running
out time, and those with the shortest time being the last to be switched off. In this way
all conveyors come to rest at approximately the same time. In case of emergency,
however, all conveyors are stopped within the shortest possible time.
The mode of operation in the coal handling plant can be divided into three systems
based upon the functional requirement of the plant.
(1)

Coal flow from wagon tippler to boiler house bunkers. This is known as
normal bunker filling operation.

(2)

Coal flow from stockyard to boiler house bunker. This is known as reclaim
operation.

(3)

Coal flow from wagon tippler to stockyard. This is known as stacking.

(4)

Bunker filling and stacking simultaneously.

Now sequential operation for the coal handling plant of Badarpur T.P.S. as shown
in fig. 7.1 will be described for above mentioned modes of plant operation.
7.2.1

Normal Raw Coal Bunker Filling - (see fig. 7.1)

1.

Run the conveyor 10 A or 10 B. the tripper should be positioned on

the chosen bunker belt among 10A or 10 B or 3A/3B running on
the empty Raw coal Bunkers.

2.

Open the flap gates FG 14 or FG -15 to the corresponding belt

i.e. 10A 0r 10B whichever is in service.

3.

Run the conveyor 3A or 3B

4.

Open flap gates FG. 12 or FG. 13 to the corresponding belt taken

into service.

5.

Run the conveyor 2 A or 2 B

6.

Open flap gates FG. 8 or FG. 10 to the corresponding belt taken

into service

7.

Start crusher & screen

8.

Check for no-load amperage. For screen it should be 12 to 13

Amps.

9.

Open the gate FG. 1 or FG. 2 to the corresponding crusher

10.

Start conveyor 1A or 1B

11.

Start the feeders of the tippler hoppers for coal feeding

12.

Start the wagon tippler

7.2.2

Reclaiming operation (Ref. Fig. 7.1)

For filling raw coal bunkers from yard i.e. for reclaiming the sequence of
operation upto the running of conveyor 1A or 1B will be same as in normal
filling, after that following sequence is to be maintained.
1.

Open gate No. FG. 11 to the corresponding belt in

service i.e. 1A or 1B.

2.

Run the conveyor No. 8

3.

Start feeder No. PF. 8

4.

Run the conveyor No. 7 & its Feeder No. PF 7

Note :The type of feeder whether from yard or normal should be selected in the
control panel immediately after giving power to the panel and before the plant
is taken into service.
7.2.3

Stacking Operation (Ref.fig. 7.1)

Supply of coal from wagon tippler to stockyard i.e. stacking may be of two
types.
(a)

Stocking of raw coal i.e. stacking of coal without passing

it through the crusher.

(b)

Stacking of crusher coal i.e. stacking of coal after passing

in through the crusher.

Raw Coal Dumping

1.

Run the conveyor 6

2.

Ensure the tripper position to be on the chute selected

for dumping

3.

Open the delivery gate of conveyor 5 on the conveyor

No. 6

4.

Run the conveyor 5

5.

Run the conveyor 9

6.

Open the gates No.5, 2 &1 on conveyor 9.

7.

Run the conveyor 1A or 1B

8.

Feeders to be started in the tippler pit and wagon

9.

Unloading should be carried out.

Crushed Coal Dumping

1.

Run conveyor 6

2.

Ensure the tripper position to be on the chute selected

for dumping.

3.

Open the delivery gate of conveyor 5 on the conveyor

No. 6

Crushed Coal Dumping

1.

Run the conveyor 6

2.

Ensure the tripper position to be on the chute selected for dumping.

3.

Open the delivery gate of conveyor 5 on the conveyor No. 6.

4.

Run the conveyor5

5.

Run the conveyor 4

6.

Ensure gate No. 6 is open

7.

Run the conveyor

8.

Open the gate No. 3, 4 & 7 on the conveyor 9

9.

Start the crusher

Rest of the sequences will be same as in normal bunker filling (from start crusher
& screen)

See normal bunker filling sequences

7.2.4

Bunker filling & stacking simultaneously (Ref. fig. 7.1)

To achieve this simultaneously feeding, de-interlocking for the
conveyors and feeders is done through a switch provided on the panel.
Now both the conveyors 1A and 1B and both the feeders for these
conveyors can be run simultaneously.
Then normal bunker filling operational sequences should be followed
upto the running of the crusher and screen, rest of the steps to be
followed are given below-

7.3.1

(1)

Ensure that belt are running in centre. If not, check carrying

and return rollers for its free movement. See if the feeding is at
the centre. Check up the return idlers and snub pulley, drums
etc. for its cleanliness.

(2)

See that all the carrying and return idlers are rotating.

(3)

See that there is no material trapped between the belt and the
pulley, if it is , check up the scrapper of the belt.

(4)

See that no coal is falling from the skirt plate.

(5)

Observe the performance of gravity take-up

(6)

See that the tramp iron metal is being thrown away from the
magnetic pulley to the tramp iron chute.

(7)

While loading coal from the hoppers, see that no tramp iron
passes sides or cuts on edges.

(8)

Inspect the belts periodically for scratches on its top and bottom
sides or cuts on edges.

(9)

Ensure that the tail end pulleys of conveyors are not touching to
the water in the pit.

Crushers

(1)

Check up the no-load current

(2)

Observe the normal running sound of the crushers.

(3)

Check up the product (out put lump size) and adjust for desired out put.

7.3.2

Vibrating Screens

(1)

Check up screens for normal vibrations

(2)

Check up their V-belts while running.

7.3.3

Vibrating Feeders

(1)

See that the feeding is normal, for its corresponding current, it not,
adjust the PAN-angle suitably.

(2)

Observe the flow of coal to be uniform over the width of the PAN.

(3)

See that PAN is free to vibrate and does not touch sides of the hood.

7.3.4

Precautions to be taken during starting & running :Checks Before starting

(1) Check up that power and control fuses are normal.
(2) Ensure that all the pull cords & belt sway switches are normal.
(3) Thermal relay should be in energized condition.
(4) Check the H.T. Voltage of 6.6 KV Board
(5) See that the equipment to be put into service are not under permit.
(6) Check whether the chutes from one conveyor to another are clear.
(7) Check up the head end, tail end, take-up pulleys and return roller,
and see that no coal is accumulated near them.
(8) Check that the belt scrapers are normal and effective.
(9) See that all the doors and man-holes of crushers, vibrating screens,
chutes etc. are closed.

7.4.2

(10)

Check oil levels of all the gear boxes.

(11)

Check all the V-belts of screens are in proper position.

(12)

Check that is no water in pits at tail end of conveyors.

Check During Running

Trippers

(1)

See that the discharge chute of trippers does not get choked-up
due to flooding of bunkers.

(2)

Observe the size of coal being fed to the bunkers. If oversize

coal is fed, check up crusher rings or hammers.

(3)

Check up the trolley for its smooth movement.

(4)
7.4.3

7.4.4

See that feeding is stopped while shifting trolley from one

bunker to another.
General Checks
(1)

Feel the bearings of all the equipments for vibrations, high

temp or smooth running etc.

(2)

Check any leakages of coal in chutes due to wear of the plates.

(3)

Ensure that all the sump pumps are running normal.

(4)

Check periodically availability of water for fire fighting.

Emergency Operations
Partial Choking of Crusher
In case the wet coal is fed to the system partial choking may occur in
the ducting below the crusher, in its by-pass and delivery. In such
cases even with lower feeding rate than specified, the crusher starts
taking abnormal current.
In such case crusher should be taken out of service for its duct
cleaning.

7.4.5

No wagon Available
When the reclaiming conveyors is out of order and no coal loaded
wagon is available in the yard, feeding of coal is continued through
wagon tippler hopper by dozing the coal on the hopper by dezers.

7.4.6

Very Big size of coal

When the supplied coal is of very big size and the feeding through
tipper hopper by dumping the wagons becomes very feeble, the
feeding rate can not cope up with the coal demand of units.
Try to get the screens cleared by breaking the lumps and in addition to
wagon tipper feeding a partial yard feeding can be incorporated by
running the reclaiming conveyor No. 8 (Fig. 7-1).

7.4.7

Bunker Fires

A fire in the coal bunker should be recognized at once as a serious

danger to personnel and equipment and should be dealt with promptly
and adequately. As long as there is a fire in the bunker, there is danger
of a possible explosion of combustible gases, and steps should be taken
to smother the fire. Steam or carbon dioxide may be piped in directly
to covered bunkers and to the affected areas in open-top bunkers.
While the fire is being smothered with steam or carbon dioxide, the hot
coal should be disposed off by running the coal feeders, until the
bunker empty.
In a bunker in which a fire has started, all the coal must be emptied
before more coal is added, since a few hot pieces will start a new fire.
The cause of a bunker fire should be established. The fire may have
started from coal already overheated or burning in storage or more
likely, the cause may be spontaneous combustion because of the length
of time the coal had kept in the bunker itself. Dead pockets within a
bunker should be eliminated. To reduce the effect of external heat
from adjacent steam lines etc., insulation should be fitted and
ventilation provided around the bunker. Care should be taken to avoid
loading the bunker with overheated coal.
8.1

There are various factors which necessitate the storage of coal, these
factors are as mentioned below :
(i)

Complex nature of fuel handling system.

(ii)

Difficulties in transportation.

(iii)

Porbable labour trouble or similar factor.

(iv)

Bad weather conditions.

Considering the above factors, it is essential that a suitable quantity of coal

should be stacked. Of course there should be some fixation for the quantity to
be stored.That means inventory must be controlled suitably, considering the
above mentioned factors. The quantity on the other hand should not be very
large in order to avoid blockage of the large amount of money. It is considered
quite reasonable to stock the fuel for about a months supply. If very big
quantity is stored there are many adverse effects.
8.2

Adverse effects of coal storage :

The following factors affect the coal storage adversely.
(i)

Oxidation of coal

(ii)

Wind loss

(iii)

Carpet loss

(iv)

8.3

Pilferage

Oxidation of coal :
Coal may undergo various changes with passage of time. The main reactions
taking place due to combination of carbon and oxygen are the formation of
carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and other carbon Oxygen compounds.
Formation of these compounds lead to deterioration of coal quality. The loss of
calorific value of coal due to oxidation may rang from 0.5% to 1.5%. This
loss can be reduced by using three sided wall construction for coal storage.
The top surface of the coal should be hardened by bulldozer to reduce
oxidation of coal. The coal may be arranged in flattened rectangular heaps
instead of conical heaps to reduce oxidation.

8.4

Spontaneous combustion of coal

Spontaneous combustion is a very great hazard in the coal storage. Due to this
incident huge amount of coal is wasted. At times not only the coal is wasted,
the life of personnel working in an industry also becomes unsafe. Keeping this
in view, certain factors which lead to safe certain factors which lead to unsafe
storage should be considered thoroughly and the storage should be done in a
very scientific way, the following table illustrates the various safe and unsafe
conditions of coal storage.
Table on safe and unsafe conditions of storage of coal.
Factor
for

Favourable for safe

Not favourable

Storage

safe storage

1.

Size of coal

Anthracite

Other varieties

2.

Size o f coal

even size excluding

Dust coal

Mixed size with

more percentage

of
Dust coal
3.
coal.

4.

Condition of

Heated and cooled

Cool

coal after three

Months of mining

Size of coal
Storage

smaller than 500

tones capacity

freshly mined

more than 500

tones capacity

5.

Size of coal
Storage

three sided wall

storage, with
Hardened ground
And away from
Source of heat

Open storage near

source of heat.

6.

Height of coal
Storage

Less than 2.5

meters.

more than 2.5

Meters.

Spontaneous combustion can be avoided by regularly monitoring the temperature at

different points of coal stack. If there are any hot spots, coal should be removed from
these spots if possible or water should be sprayed on the hot coal.
8.2.3

Wind Loss :
Due to the blowing of wind, a considerable quantity of coal is blown away.
Usually this factor is not perceived. But experiments have revealed that this
loss at times amounts to about 0.5 to 1.0 per cent of the total stock lying in the
yard per year. If scientific coal storage bays are provided, it should be possible
to reduce the wind loss considerably on the lines suggested earlier.

8.2.4

Carpet coal loss :

If the ground of the yard is not hardened, a part of the ground clay and soil
may mix with the bottom layer of coal yard. That very layer becomes useless
due to very high percentage of inner material. That way a considerable amount
of coal is wasted. At times it has been seen that approximately 10 c.ms of the
bottom layer of the yard is wasted as the carpet coal loss due to soft layer of
the coal stocking yard. When the total loss due to this is calculated, it can be
found that such loss amounts to considerable quantity.