Heyl & Patterson Blog

Coal is under mounting pressure from cheap natural gas, tougher federal pollution standards and state-level energy efficiency requirements.  The Environmental Protection Agency's newest proposal for toxic-waste disposal in water could require millions of dollars in spending to upgrade individual power plants.  The EPA aims to ban the use of slurry ponds for the disposal of waste left over after coal is burned to generate power.  Transmission grid stability will again emerge as a major issue because power plants may be shut down, either for upgrades or replacement.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Pittsburgh, PA - Heyl & Patterson Inc., a world leader in thermal processing systems and bulk material handling, announced that it has joined the Pennsylvania Mining Export Program (PAMEX), an initiative that provides assistance to Pennsylvania-based companies to successfully penetrate the Southern African market.

Electricity drives our nation’s economy and powers smart technologies that enhance our quality of life.  Today, the electric power industry is a robust industry that contributes to the progress of our nation.  America’s electric companies pay billions of dollars in tax revenue, employ nearly 400,000 workers, provide a variety of public service programs to benefit the local communities they serve, and produce one of our most valuable commodities — electricity.

The sole purpose of a locomotive is to move a train along railroad tracks.  It has no payload capacity of its own, and it isn't a very efficient mode of transportation.  While it is an effective engine for powering supplies of bulk materials such as coal, iron ore, limestone and chemicals across the country, pushing individual railcars a few feet at a time into a rotary unloader is not the best use of its abilities.

Much has been made of the recent development by Ohio State University into clean coal processing technology.  This effort utilizes an innovative process called "chemical looping."  Typical coal-fired power plants burn coal to heat water, which makes steam, which then turns the turbines that produce electricity.  In chemical looping, coal isn't burned with fire, but instead is chemically combusted within a sealed chamber so it does not pollute the air.

Iron is the world's most commonly used metal and is the main ingredient in steel, which represents almost 95% of all metal used in any given year.  World iron production averages two billion metric tons of raw ore annually, and ore with quantities of greater than 60% iron can be fed directly into iron-making blast furnaces.  Iron-rich rocks are common worldwide, but ore-grade commercial mining operations are dominated by Australia, Brazil, India and, with higher production than the other three combined, China.

The drought-stricken Mississippi River is at its lowest levels in nearly 50 years, which has made barge navigation much more difficult and disrupted the loading and unloading of barges at ports along the river.  Ports have become too shallow, and some have required dredging.  Companies now reduce their barge loads to avoid bottoming out, using four barges to haul the same amount that three would ordinarily haul, so that the barges sit higher in the water.  More barges have meant more trips, leading to increased transportation costs.

Throughout history, coal has been a useful resource.  It is primarily burned for the production of electricity and/or heat, and is also used for industrial purposes, such as refining metals.  Coal is a fossil fuel, and forms when dead plant matter is converted into peat, which after time becomes lignite, then sub-bituminous coal, bituminous coal and finally anthracite. This involves biological and geological processes that take place over a long period.  Coal is the largest source of energy for the generation of electricity worldwide.

The Pittsburgh area is in the unique position to deliver innovative solutions that address the energy needs of the region, the United States and the world, with a rich portfolio of assets.  The region enjoys a competitive advantage in natural resources, supply chain presence and innovation in the energy sectors of coal, natural gas, nuclear, wind, solar, electricity distribution and transmission, and intelligent building technologies.

Heyl & Patterson manufactures Rota-Side Wagon Tipplers and side arm chargers for the Indian market through an exclusive relationship with FLSmidth India.  While some tippler manufacturers are capable of offering either Turnover Wagon Tipplers or C-Frame Rotary Tipplers, Heyl & Patterson offers both models.  Either style can be installed at a customer's site, depending on the site conditions, and both tippler designs comply with the latest RDSO specifications, G33 Rev 1.