In trials conducted at British Energy's Eggborough Power Station, Ace Arc's Dirt Whacker was found to be a most durable and effective conveyor belt cleaner. The power station has two identical conveyor belts used to carry coal and, over recent years, has been testing a number of systems to find the most effective means of removing the residue. It uses other belt scraper systems, for instance Hosch and Brelko, but in head-to-head tests the Dirt Whacker proved equally as effective while requiring less maintenance.

'This was the first belt cleaner we have found which matched the Hosch and Brelko in terms of cleaning, and it had a number of operational advantages,' says technician John Neale.

'The Dirt Whacker works using self contained air pressure and is completely self-adjusting while the other systems require regular attention.

Also, we usually have to re-blade the other belt cleaners every 18 months or so, but the Dirt Whacker still does not require re-blading after more than two years of operation.' The Dirt Whacker's blades are fitted to hinged mountings in the form of articulated parallelograms, which maintain a constant blade-to-belt angle of 90 degrees - the optimal angle for effective cleaning.

A heavy-duty rubber sleeve, which passes through each of the blade mountings, maintains a constant blade to belt pressure.

The system automatically compensates for scraper blade wear, totally removing the need for manual adjustment, and its maintenance-free operation means ongoing costs are minimal.

The Dirt Whacker can be customised to suit any operating conditions and locations.

It can be sized to suit any belt width and is compatible with most existing scraper mounting arrangements, as well as reversible conveyor systems.