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Sustainable Thermal Drying & Power Solution
A revolutionary approach to zinc sulfate production in California's high desert using solar thermal energy instead of fossil fuels.
Project Overview
Location
650-acre Darwin site in California's high desert
Purpose
Zinc sulfate monohydrate production facility
Innovation
Solar thermal-powered steam drying system
Investment
$10 million capital project
Regulatory Challenges
Fuel Restrictions
No LPG or natural gas available at the remote location.
Air Quality Permits
Stringent California regulations restrict diesel fuel usage.
Renewable Mandates
Compliance with aggressive clean energy requirements.
Solar Thermal System
Solar Collection
Parabolic troughs concentrate sunlight onto receiver tubes
Heat Transfer
Thermal oil or molten salt reaches high temperatures
Steam Generation
Heat exchangers convert water to high-pressure steam
Thermal Storage
Sand-filled tanks store excess heat for night operation
Steam Spray Dryer Technology
2 tons/h
Evaporation Capacity
High-throughput processing
150,000
RPM
Maximum centrifugal atomization
98%
Water Removal
Achieved in seconds
95%+
Product Purity
High-quality zinc sulfate output
Dual-Purpose Power Generation
Repurposed Turbofan
Modified aircraft engines create on-site electricity
Resource Efficiency
Decommissioned engines gain second life
Energy Independence
Powers mining and plant operations
Production Flowchart
Ore Extraction
Mining and crushing operations
Processing
Milling, acid leaching, and filtration
Purification
Removing contaminants from solution
Solar Drying
Steam-powered spray drying system
Packaging
Bagging high-purity zinc sulfate product
Environmental & Economic Benefits
Industry Leadership
Model for sustainable mining operations
Cost Reduction
Lower operational energy expenses
Renewable Integration
Zero fossil fuel dependency
Environmental Compliance
Meets California's strict regulations