The debate over stainless steel versus plastic in coal handling equipment such as bunkers, silos, hoppers and railcars has persisted for decades. Plastic advocates cite impressive numbers about coal flow, the elimination of plugging, and improved coal handling economics. Opponents question its long-term durability and its need in areas where eastern bituminous coal has been successfully handled for years using traditional stainless steel hoppers. Ahead of the curve compared to many utilities, American Electric Power (AEP) appears to be firmly behind plastics, having installed plastic liners in dozens of hoppers and railcars over the past few years. "We have been experimenting with polymer linings like TIVAR 88 for almost twenty years to resolve coal flow problems," said Swadhin Chakraborti, a principal materials handling engineer for AEP, and an expert in coal flow. "Provided it is properly installed, TIVAR 88 has worked very well for us at many AEP facilities." Manufactured by Poly-Hi Solidur of Fort Wayne, Ind. (a Menasha subsidiary), TIVAR 88 liners are a proprietary formulation of polyethylene designed specifically for bulk material handling.
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