SmartAsh™ System shows hopper operating issues within days of startup.

After initial software and hardware bugs were sorted out during the first days following installation, the software began producing useful information, including the identification of hopper operating problems.

The SmartAsh hopper management system installation at FirstEnergy’s Lake Shore plant was completed the week of April 23. A few hopper operating problems have already been identified, and plant personnel are working to correct them. Because the plant ESP is currently underperforming, it is possible to determine whether the SmartAsh system can provide useful information for troubleshooting—for example, correlation of power levels in the fields and ash chemistry to ash collection by each field (that is, ash quantity in each hopper). Without SmartAsh, it would be difficult to determine if such a correlation existed and, therefore, which fields were underperforming and whether that was the result of the power supplies, ash chemistry attributes, or other factors. For more information, contact Ralph Altman at 423.899.0072 (raltman@epri.com).