“Multi-pollutant Control Technology” was the Hot Topic on Thursday September 26, 2013 and on Friday September 27, 2013

Presenters for “Multi-pollutant Control Technology” on Thursday, September 26, 2013

John Pavlish, CATM Director at EERC-CATM (Center for Air Toxic Metals), discussed a better way to measure HCl and toxic metals. EERC CATM has developed and is in the process of field testing a new multi-element sorbent trap (ME-ST)-based method that shows promise to serve as an alternative to EPA Methods 29 (metals) and 26A (HCl). The accuracy and the ease of the new method seem to make it a much better choice than current methods.  Three sites were tested with the new method and compared to the standard.

The ability to more accurately measure the metal HAPs could prove even more useful in the future when there is more focus on the toxicity of individual metals. The limits took into account only what is being done by the top 12 percent rather than setting much different limits on metals based on toxicity.

Andy Carstens, a manager in Sargent & Lundy's Environmental Services Group, provided a high-level review of “novel” multi-pollutant technologies and their current status in the industry.  Several technologies are commercial including the Gore mercury module which has been in operation at Sherburne station since July of this year. The J Power Activated Coke technology is one that promises high removal of all the pollutants.

Presenters for “Multi-pollutant Control Technology” on Friday, September 27, 2013

Peter Spinney, Director Marketing & Technology Assessment at NeuCo, Inc., discussed the MATS) rule, with a particular emphasis on its Work Practices Requirements, which take effect April, 2015. These MATS Work Practices provisions require coal-fired generators to comprehensively inspect and tune all boilers 25 MW or larger every three years. Also required is expensive and time consuming manual unit testing to demonstrate that the units are being operated as efficiently as possible. He explained how  generators using neural networks to optimize NO_x and CO can defer the tuning, testing and reporting to April, 2016, and reduce the frequency of subsequent tuning to every four years, as well as greatly simplify the required performance testing.

He summarized NeuCo’s boiler optimization technology which integrates optimal combustion and boiler cleanliness operations, including the recently released CombustionOpt MATS Edition.  This focused and highly cost-effective optimization package provides the ability to obtain a reduced MATS regulatory burden through neural combustion optimization, in addition to multivariate Predictive Control (MPC), both of which are key to sustaining benefits in NO_x and CO reductions.

Jon Norman, Manager Sales & Technology at United Conveyor Corporation, discussed using dry sorbent injection (DSI) for multi-pollutant removal. He explained how to avoid interactions between the sorbents and choose the best injection locations for optimum removal of each pollutant.  He reached the following conclusions for PRB coals:

• Fuel additives and PAC injected upstream of the air heater (AH) perform the best, but any trona/SBC injection must be at AH outlet. Otherwise, trona/SBC will react with the halogen from the fuel additive.

• Brominated PAC (BPAC) injection at AH inlet with trona/SBC injection at AH outlet performs very well. Trona/SBC injection at AH inlet would remove HCl/SO₂ needed to oxidize Hg in the AH.

• Trona/SBC at AH inlet with Brominated PAC injection at the AH outlet is effective, but more Brominated PAC is needed. This may be due to NO₂ formation and/or HCl removal upstream of BPAC.

Rod Gravley, Technology Director at Tri-Mer, Corp., discussed the UltraCat ceramic filter system. The Tri-Mer UltraCat ceramic filter system has multi-pollutant removal capability. The filters remove PM at state-of-the art levels. The catalyst embedded in the filter walls is capable of destroying NO_x with very high efficiency.  The catalyst also destroys the Organic HAPS targeted in the Cement NESHAP and the dioxins targeted by the incinerator CISWI MACT.  The filter system can be configured with integrated dry sorbent injection for the removal of SO_x and HCl.  For mercury removal, powdered activated carbon (PAC) is injected.  For the Boiler MACT, EPA glass regulations and many other state and federal rules, the Tri-Mer UltraCat system is an all-in-one solution. Based on the solid fuel experience in Europe, it should be an attractive choice for coal-fired power plants. The plant displayed below has five modules, each of which would be the equivalent of 50,000 ACFM at 850°F. So a large power plant could require between 15-20 modules.  They could be stacked.

Sterling Gray, Business Development and Technology Manager at URS Corporation, cited the advantages of combined Hg and SO₃ removal using a single sorbent. The presence of SO₃ in the flue gas can interfere with mercury capture by native unburned carbon (UBC) or injected activated carbon. The SBS injection process can effectively remove both SO₃ and mercury using just the native unburned carbon normally found in flyash. Specific advantages include the following:

• SBS injection can reduce SO₃ levels to <1 ppm and allow air preheater (APH) operation at flue gas temperatures <250°F.
• Hg capture rates of 50-90 percent can be achieved prior to the wet scrubber using the native UBC in the flyash, reducing potential for mercury re-emissions and need for wastewater treatment.
• Co-removal of HCl and Se with the ash can greatly reduce wet scrubber concentrations and wastewater treatment requirements.

Bob McIlvaine discussed the Mercury Reduction Global Decisions Positioning System™ and specifically discussed the

• Mercury Reduction Decision Tree

• MATS route map in the GDPS

• Air Quality Conference Route Map

• Chinese version of Mercury Reduction Decision Tree

He explained that the Global Decisions Positioning System™ (GDPS) is a way to move from Decision Tree to Decision Tree within a sector of the Global Decisions Orchard.

Industrial Air Quality Orchard Sectors

Power Plant Air Quality Orchard Sector

Bios, Abstracts and Photos can be seen at: BIOS, ABSTRACTS, PHOTOS - 9-26 and 9-27, 2013.htm

The individual presentations are as follows:

• Multi Pollutant Control Webinar - Hot Topic Hour - Part 1, September 26, 2013  (Webinar Recording  Dated:  9/26/2013)
  
   

• Cost Effective Measurement of Halogens and Metals Using a Sorbent Trap Approach by John Pavlish, Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) - Hot Topic Hour September 26, 2013  (Presentation  Dated:  9/26/2013)

• Industry Status on "Novel" Multi-Pollutant Control Technologies for Power Plants by Andrew Carstens, Sargent & Lundy - Hot Topic Hour September 26, 2013  (Presentation  Dated:  9/26/2013) 

• Multi Pollutant Control Webinar - Hot Topic Hour - Part 2, September 27, 2013  (Webinar Recording  Dated:  9/27/2013)
  
   

• Boiler Optimization and MTS Work Practices Requirements by Peter Spinney, NeuCo. - Hot Topic Hour September 27, 2013  (Presentation  Dated:  9/27/2013)

• UltraCat Catalytic Ceramic Filter Systems by Rod Gravley, Tri-Mer - Hot Topic Hour September 27, 2013  (Presentation  Dated:  9/27/2013)

• UCC Dry Sorbent Injection, Multi-Pollutant Removal with DSI by Jon Norman, United Conveyor - Hot Topic Hour September 27, 2013  (Presentation  Dated:  9/27/2013)

• Combined Hg and SO3 Removal Using a Single Sorbent by Sterling Gray, URS Corp. - Hot Topic Hour September 27, 2013  (Presentation  Dated:  9/27/2013)