FGD and DeNOx
NEWSLETTER       

                                                                                                                                     August 2006
                                                                                                                                        No. 340

DBA and Mg Lime are Two Routes to 98 Percent SO₂ Removal

McIlvaine's “Hot Topic Hour” on July 13 had 18 people including utilities and suppliers viewing the FGD Decision Tree branches on organic acids and lime FGD system costs while discussing the need and economics of increased FGD removal efficiency.

The desirability of using organic acids to enhance SO₂ removal is dependent on a number of factors. One is the value of SO₂ allowances, another is the scrubber system design, and a third is the cost of the acid. Also there is the consideration of associated costs such as wastewater treatment.

 Invista personnel cited a number of advantages for use of DBA including flexibility in coal purchases, reduced capital cost for new FGD systems, reduced pump electricity consumption, improved performance of the FGD system, reduced limestone consumption and reduced maintenance costs.

Carmeuse personnel spent a few minutes pointing out the very high efficiency achieved for decades with magnesium enhanced lime FGD systems. They pointed out that several Midwest utilities had decided against DBA on the basis of wastewater contamination. Invista personnel pointed out that DBA is readily biodegradable. The wastewater treatment issue is very site specific. Both Carmeuse and Invsita agree on that point.

The detailed information on DBA and its use in FGD is found on the McIlvaine website which you can access with the links in Figure 2.

Figure 2. FGD Decision Tree for Invista

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