In March 1996, EPRI sponsored a demonstration project to showcase the potential for reducing NOx emissions by improving combustion control without the use of SOFA or Low-NOx burners. The project scope included the installation of Beck Drives on the windbox dampers, burner tilts, coal mill dampers, fan dampers and boiler feed pump fluid couplings. A Foxboro IA DCS and Rosemount sensors were also installed. TVA/EPRI is convinced that the accuracy and repeatability of the Beck drives has allowed them to maximize NOx reduction and improve boiler efficiency.

The Nucor facility in Flowood, MS was previously owned by the Birmingham Steel Corporation, and it was sold to Nucor Steel in November 2002. The site is a mini-mill that produces approximately 400,000 tons per year of structural steel including flat, angle and rebar products. Major equipment in the mill includes one electric arc furnace (EAF), one multi-strand continuous caster, and one rolling mill with a Bricmont reheat furnace. PLC controls are used in all operating areas.

In 2011, the City of Durham’s North Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) identified an opportunity to improve reliability and reduce maintenance costs associated with their ducking skimmer scum troughs by replacing the multi-rev electric actuators with Beck rotary actuators. Scum troughs remove sludge from the surface of the feed water and are integral to most primary, secondary and final clarifiers.

The ArcelorMittal – Galati mill was having trouble maintaining a reducing atmosphere in their continuous galvanizing preheat furnace. An oxygen starved environment within the furnace is created by maintaining slightly fuel rich combustion at the burners. This limits oxidation of the steel sheet, improving quality as it’s heated prior to coating. Combustion air flow is monitored and, in a cascade control scheme, the gas valve is adjusted to control CO to a level of 4 to 6%.

Precise control of fan fluid couplings is critical to boiler performance, and structural integrity. This pulp mill performed an evaluation of their Recovery Boiler FD & ID fan application to determine the cause of cyclical speed fluctuations.

The SSAB facility in Axis, AL is a steel mini-mill that manufactures plate and coiled products, and it became commercial in April 2001. Major equipment in service includes a Fuchs 175-ton twin-shell electric arc furnace, twin-station ladle metallurgy furnace (LMF), slab caster, rolling mill with a reheat furnace, and plate finishing facilities. PLC controls are used in all areas.

Sunoco’s Philadelphia refinery, now owned by Philadelphia Energy Solutions, identified an opportunity to improve operating efficiencies and safety of their low-sulfur gasoline (LSG) production units.

A large aluminum reduction facility, which produces a variety of intermediate aluminum ingots and round billets, is located in the southeastern United States and has three main operating areas – Carbon Electrode Preparation, Pot Line and Aluminum Casting.

The responsiveness of an air operated actuator was tested on a Cracking Furnace ID damper. The pneumatic actuator responded inconsistently. The actuator has a full stroke speed rating of 10 seconds over 90 degree travel with 50 psi. The actual air supply pressure was 85 psi, but it took 20 seconds to open the damper, and 120 seconds to close!