A Ferro Silicon Producer in Norway

Application

A Ferro silicon producer in Norway was exhausting the gas of a 22 mW furnace through a 16-compartment Elkem baghouse. There were two 11 mW furnaces also at this plant that were emitting to the atmosphere. New legislation in Norway required them to be cleaned up.

Optimization Potential

GORE® membrane filter bag tests carried out at this plant in a one-compartment trial showed it would be possible to introduce two new fans for both 11 mW furnaces and exhaust all the gas through the existing Elkem baghouse. Even greater benefits were anticipated and a second trial was set up using GORE® membrane filter bags in only 8 of the 16 compartments and exhausting the gas from all these furnaces through them.

Solution

Installed GORE® membrane filter bags. Operation at twice the flow and grain loading and at a lower pressure drop, 5.9" w.g. (150 mm) as opposed to 7.87" w.g. (200 mm).

Results

As a direct result of this operation, it has enabled the producer to clean up the plant with very little capital expenditure and greatly reduced operational costs.