What Are the Common Faults of Flake Grates?
The faults that flake grates develop in actual operation mostly fall into a few areas: jamming, coal and air leakage, damaged grate bars and abnormal drive. Causes differ by fault type, so troubleshooting can follow the fault category.
Fault types and common causes
| Fault type | Common causes |
|---|---|
| Serious coal and air leakage | Gaps between grate bars too wide; worn sealing strips |
| Drive system faults | Worn drive sprockets; improper chain tension; damaged main shaft bearings |
| Ash build-up and blockage in the wind box | Ash and slag collecting and blocking the wind box |
Coal and air leakage, and ash in the wind box
Once the gaps between grate bars grow too wide or the sealing strips wear, coal leakage and uneven air distribution appear together: primary air passes through the gaps, and the air supply across the combustion surface gets worse. Ash collecting in the wind box also blocks the air ducts and affects primary air distribution. During inspection, check the grate bar gaps, the wear on the sealing strips and the ash build-up in the wind box at the same time.
Drive system faults
Problems in the drive train concentrate in three places: the drive sprocket, chain tension and the main shaft bearing. A worn drive sprocket, improper chain tension or a damaged main shaft bearing can all cause abnormal drive. When troubleshooting, first check the sprocket tooth profile and the chain tension, then listen to the bearing as it runs.
Spare parts and replacement
We supply flake-type chain grates together with spare parts such as grate bars and sealing strips, matched to the grate model. Once the faulty area is confirmed on site, we can support selection and part matching, with parts shipped from the partner factory.
