Case Study: a large coal-fired power plant in Arizona reduces coal chute downtime with Valin heat trace solution

a large coal-fired power plant in Arizona cuts coal chute downtime by up to 8 hours with Valin Corporation

The customer, a large coal-fired power plant in Arizona, faced a dangerous and inefficient challenge with its coal chutes freezing during colder months, causing significant downtime and OSHA compliance issues. Their initial solution of strip heaters was ineffective and unsafe. Valin Corporation was recruited to develop a better solution using heat trace cable.

Valin Corporation engineered and installed a self-regulating heat trace system from Chromalox on the plant's coal chutes, along with insulation and electronic controls. This solution prevented coal from freezing and clumping, which significantly decreased downtime, costs, and safety hazards for maintenance. The project maximized the up-time of the coal chutes and was scheduled for completion in 2013.