The software monitors and helps operators control the entire coal-handling system. With the software, fewer workers are needed to feed coal into Burns Harbors' coke batteries, reducing costs and human error, says Tom Zendzian, an engineer at Burns Harbor. Coal arrives at Burns Harbor by train. A conveyor belt carries the coal from the rail cars to a stacker reclaimer unit. The stacker reclaimer distributes the coal in a field that has coal piles segregated by volatility.
Operators maintain up to six coal piles.
Bethlehem Burns Harbor keeps about 20 days' worth of coal in the field. When coal arrives, workers enter its type into the coal-handling computer program. The system then tracks the coal as it travels to the stacker reclaimer. Sensors monitor the location of the stacker reclaimer. A worker operates the stacker reclaimer, but if it isn't in the proper location to deliver coal to the correct coal pile, the computer system freezes the stacker's controls.