Situation
A large northern European coal port had slowly become surrounded by the nearby city and needed to be enlarged and relocated. The Port Authorities were very conscious of the risk of dust blowing on the city which was still nearby, so they looked for a dust control system that would provide excellent control and would be robust in their extreme winter weather.
In addition to controlling the dust and dealing with winter ice storms, their challenges included creating full access for an intensive rail system and their ship-loading systems.
Solution
The Port Authorities and local contractors worked with WeatherSolve engineers to develop a solution that matched the Port’s very specific design criteria.
Due to the large size and length of the coal piles a 23 m tall dust fence was decided upon. The fence was carefully positioned, together with numerous openings to create the required access lanes for machinery, rail cars and conveyors required while still providing the required wind protection and dust control.
The fence panels are made from a heavy duty 24% βe fabric near the ground to provide effective control of fine dust movement. The fabric is also designed to gently flex in the wind, inhibiting prolonged ice buildup and allowing the fence to maintain peak performance. As an added precaution the fence components were sized to safely withstand the extreme levels of ice buildup specified by local building codes.
Outcome
The new Port is now operating. Concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 measured at downwind monitoring stations have more than satisfied the regulatory targets established in the port development program.
Winter ice storms are proving to be no problem.
