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Reclaiming Pennsylvania: How Delta Ducon Equipment Is Powering Coal Refuse Reclamation

Delta ducon power group green circle around logo

Always great to see our equipment playing a role in cleaning up old mine sites right here in Pennsylvania. 🌲


The Delta Ducon Power Group engineering team has officially wrapped up shipments for a new 20 TPH (Tons Per Hour) Crushed Limestone Optimization Project at a 110 MW power plant in Western, PA. The facility's installation contractors are now on-site putting everything together, with the system slated for an official start-up later this summer.


To ensure long-term reliability and seamless bulk material handling in this highly abrasive environment, the specialized setup features:

  • Four of our 14" Delta Ducon Extreme Rotary Valves

  • Custom auxiliary feeding equipment

  • An 8” pneumatic transport and injection system


While the engineering behind this heavy-duty pneumatic conveying technology is impressive, the real story is the massive environmental impact these Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) plants have on the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.


🌍 The Big Picture: PA's Coal Refuse Industry By the Numbers


Legacy abandoned mine lands have left a heavy footprint on our state. However, the specialized technology utilized by Pennsylvania’s coal refuse reclamation facilities is completely changing the landscape.

According to the latest Appalachian Region Independent Power Producers Association (ARIPPA) Environmental and Economic Impact Report, these reclamation efforts have achieved incredible milestones:


  • 257 Million Tons of toxic coal refuse have been successfully cleared from our landscape to date.

  • 1,210 Miles of polluted streams have been actively restored thanks to acid mine drainage prevention.

  • 8,070 Acres of legacy abandoned mine lands have been completely reclaimed and restored to nature.

  • $62 Million is generated in annual environmental and public health value to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.


How the Technology Works: Limestone Injection & CFB Boilers


Delta Ducopn Rotary Valve Feeders

How do we turn a legacy environmental hazard into clean power and reclaimed land? It all comes down to precise material feeding.


By utilizing Delta Ducon's rugged rotary airlocks and pneumatic conveying systems to feed crushed limestone into specialized CFB (Circulating Fluidized Bed) boilers, the plant can capture 95% to 99% of sulfur dioxide emissions right during the combustion process.


This advanced emission control technology prevents the severe, uncontrolled air pollution and toxic runoff that occurs when abandoned waste piles are left to erode or spontaneously combust out in the open.


[Crushed Limestone Storage]
          │
          ▼
[Delta Ducon Extreme Rotary Valves]  <── (Handles highly abrasive material)
          │
          ▼
[8" Pneumatic Transport & Injection]
          │
          ▼
[CFB Boiler Combustion] ──> [95%-99% of SO2 Emissions Captured Instantly]

Engineering Built for the Toughest Environments


Handling crushed limestone requires equipment that can withstand severe abrasion without losing a reliable seal. The Delta Ducon Extreme Rotary Valve is specifically engineered for these punishing applications, ensuring maximum uptime and minimal maintenance for power generation and environmental reclamation facilities alike.


Great work by the Delta Ducon engineering team on getting this critical project designed, manufactured, and out the door on schedule. We look forward to a successful start-up this summer and to continuing our role in cleaning up Western Pennsylvania’s legacy mining sites.



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