Hot Topic Hour February 23: Low NO_x Technology

The following speakers helped us understand the NO_x control technologies.

Richard (Rick) Himes, a Senior Project Manager in the Boiler Performance and Post Combustion Programs at EPRI, discussed “Holistic Impacts of NO_x Control Technologies on Boiler Equipment and Hg/SO₃ Emissions." He stated the following:

Pollution emission regulations require multi-pollutant considerations.

• Trade-offs can exist in system performance and cost impacts with different operating scenarios.
• Additional information required to enable optimization 

EPRI working to quantify impacts and potential costs associated with different operating scenarios.

§  Conducting field tests to quantify trade-offs

o   Program 71 – Boiler Performance and NO_x Control

o   Program 73 – Post Combustion NO_x Control
 

§  Seeking/evaluating potential host sites

David Capozella, Director, Catalyst Technologies at Fuel Tech, Inc, discussed the impact of catalyst technology on fuel flexibility and provided and described the demonstrated benefits of TIFI^® on boiler and SCR operation.

§  TIFI^® Targeted In-Furnace Injection™ successfully controlled slag, fouling, SO₃, and ABS

§  Prevented ABS formation, and removed ABS from a Fouled Air Heater

§  Catalyst Life significantly extended by maintaining low SCR and AH dP

§  Ammonia slip is managed – preventing need to buy new catalyst prematurely

§  TIFI mitigates several contributors to catalyst deactivation by gaseous Arsenic.

Sterling M. Gray, Manager, SBS Injection Technology at URS Corporation explained that there is an option which is more expensive than SNCR but can obtain much higher NO_x removal. It involves the use of hydrogen peroxide to convert NO_x to NO₂.  Some breakthroughs by the URS/FMC partnership have resulted in efficient removal of the NO₂ in downstream scrubbers where there is a high sulfite content. So inhibited oxidation lime systems would be a good example.

NO_x removal as high as 70 percent is achieved at cost per ton of NO_x removed which is much lower than SCR. The URS/FMC target is older coal-fired units that want to avoid the capital cost of SCR.  There is also the potential to combine the PerNOxide system with SNCR. When asked whether the PerNOxide could be combined with SCR for higher efficiencies, Sterling answered in the affirmative. With PM_2.5 and ozone ambient rules, many utilities with 90 percent efficient SCR systems may be looking for ways to achieve 95 percent or even higher.

Mike Cooper of CoaLogix/SCR-Tech explained how catalyst management plans incorporate regeneration. He asked the participants to take away the following:

• SCR catalyst is a durable highly engineered asset
• Lower life-cycle costs require:

• Proper catalyst selection upfront
• Proactive SCR management program
• Regeneration, brokering and new catalyst

• SCR Management is good for your bottom line
• SCR Management is good for the environment

The Bios, Abstracts and Photos are linked below.

BIOS, ABSTRACTS, PHOTOS - FEBRUARY 23, 2012.htm