Troubleshooting and optimization of a baghouse dust collector at a Nickel production plant in New Caledonia (GA8)

ISSUE

A nickel smelter located in New Caledonia has the particularity of recirculating the hot gases from the reduction and melting furnaces to the calciner units which off-gases are recirculated to the ore milling / drying units. The gases from the mills / dryers are loaded with crushed ore dust that must be recovered and recirculated in the process. This dust is collected using two baghouse dust collectors. However, since the start up, the two baghouses do not meet the emission standards set at 20 mg / m³. In addition, the life of the filter bags is too short and much less than predicted by the manufacturer (4 to 6 months instead of 3 years). 

TECHNOLOGICAL CHALLENGE

The challenge of this project was to be able to solve the emission problems and short bag life observed on the baghouses of this new pyrometallurgical process. This project also had the challenge of having to be done remotely, from our Montreal offices. 

RECOMMENDED SOLUTION

STS Canada was mandated to identify the source of these two problems and to provide the necessary instructions for their resolution. STS has therefore carried out an audit of the dust collectors using its tools developed internally for this type of application. The audit, conducted from our Montreal offices, identified the filter bag failure mechanism and the reason for high emissions. A new type of filter media as well as a new philosophy of operation of the baghouse dust collectors was then proposed. 

RESULTS

The baghouse filtration system is now under control and the standard for particulates is met with values below 10 mg / m3. In addition, after eight months of operation, the new bags show no signs of deterioration.