The growing emphasis on cleaner, more sustainable power generation is pushing plant operators to rethink processes that aren’t environmentally sound, and wet ash handling is a prime target. Traditional wet ash cooling and conveying can account for more than 40% of a power plant’s total water requirement, and the industry has been steadily converting from wet systems to dry ash handling as a result. That shift meaningfully reduces a plant’s environmental footprint while cutting O&M costs. With the right system, it can turn what was once a costly, polluting waste stream into a marketable by-product.
Lathrop Trotter is proud to represent Magaldi, the company that pioneered dry bottom ash handling technology more than 40 years ago. With 230+ systems installed worldwide, Magaldi’s patented dry ash conveyor systems have been recognized as the Best Available Technology (BAT) for performance and reliability in bottom ash handling.
Magaldi Ash Handling Solutions
Magaldi’s dry ash handling systems are built on the same patented Superbelt® and Ecobelt® steel belt conveyor technologies used across its material handling product line, adapted specifically for the extreme heat and abrasiveness of boiler ash. Both systems feature overlapping steel pans on a redundant steel mesh belt so it withstands high material temperatures, resists impact, and delivers long service life with low, easy maintenance, even when handling ash straight out of the boiler.
Magaldi’s MAC® (Magaldi Ash Cooler) system provides dry extraction, air cooling, and mechanical handling of bottom ash from pulverized coal-fired boilers and eliminates the need for water in the ash cooling and conveying process entirely. Since no water is used, plants no longer need the dewatering bins, water treatment systems, pumps, and piping that wet systems require, removing an entire category of ongoing maintenance and operating cost. A typical MAC® installation also includes the Magaldi Postcooler (Ecobelt®). This system is a secondary enclosed conveyor that provides additional cooling as ash travels to its final delivery point and features a with a self-cleaning plate system that keeps fines moving through the belt rather than building up in the system.
Beyond eliminating water use, the MAC® system recovers heat that would otherwise be lost through the bottom of the furnace including sensible heat, radiant flux, and the chemical energy in unburned carbon. This measurable recovery improves boiler efficiency, typically within a range of 0.1 to 0.6 percent depending on coal properties and ash rates, as calculated under ASME PTC4. That efficiency gain translates directly into lower coal consumption and reduced CO2 emissions. Because MAC® ash comes out dry with lower unburned carbon content, it also carries far greater resale value to the cement industry than wet ash, turning a disposal cost into a potential revenue stream. Magaldi’s dry technology is available both for new boiler installations and as a retrofit for existing wet ash handling systems, and a companion SuperMAC® configuration extends the same dry-handling benefits to boilers burning lower-ranking, higher-ash coals.
Advantages of Magaldi Dry Bottom Ash Handling
- No water required for ash cooling or conveying, other than minimal dust control at discharge
- Eliminates dewatering bins, water treatment systems, pumps, and piping required by wet systems
- Increases boiler efficiency by an estimated 0.1–0.6% (per ASME PTC4), lowering coal consumption and CO2 emissions
- Produces a drier, lower-carbon ash that is more marketable to the cement industry than landfilled wet ash
- Recognized as Best Available Technology (BAT), backed by 250+ installations worldwide since 1985
- Available for new boilers or as a retrofit for aging wet bottom ash handling systems
- Helps plants meet CCR/ELG and other current environmental standards limiting water and ash pond use
