Muskingum River Plant

Emissions Reduction
Programs
by Nathan Long

Precipitators
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) dictates opacity must be
below 20%. Other states may have different regulations.
Units 1-4
Each unit has a Joy/Western precipitator.
Consists of 16 fields powered by 8 transformer/rectifiers.
Neundorfer voltage and rapper controls.
Opacity averages between 5%-12%
Unit 5
Research Cottrell two boxes.
Each box has 30 rectified fields.
Neundorfer voltage and rapper controls
Opacity averages approximately 5%.

22

Precipitator Problems
Units 1-4
Casing leaks allows moisture to enter precipitator creating high levels of
sparking thus driving power levels down.
Transformer/rectifiers failing more frequently than in the past.
Reaching end of life?
Neundorfer controls aggresively ramp voltage back up following spark
quenching which may be shortening life of transformer/rectifiers.

Electrodes were failing causing grounds. Resolved by installing a heavier

gauge electrode wire.
Precipitators are undersized so any upsets often cause load curtailments to
stay under 20% opacity.

Unit 5
Precipitators are oversized. No real problems.

33

Sulfur Trioxide (SO3) and Ammonia (NH3)

Flue Gas Conditioning System
Used on units 1-4 (subcritical units)
Decreases flyash resistivity to improve collection of ash in precipitators.
Advantageous when sulfur content of coal drops below 3.5 lbs/Mbtu.
SO3 system
Molten sulfur stored in 100 ton tank (approx. 60 day capacity) at 143 deg. C (290 deg.
F).
Sulfur pumped through steam jacketed lines to sulfur burners.
Sulfur gas passes through vanadium pentoxide catalyst which accelerates the
natural process of the chemical reaction to ensure at least 95% of the sulfur dioxide
is converted to sulfure trioxide.
15 kw (20 HP), 3600 rpm process air blower 15 cm/min (530 scfm)
2.2 kw (3 HP), 3600 rpm purge blower keeps piping and nozzles clear when system is
out of service.
6 injection probes distribute the SO3 into the duct upstream of precipitator.

44

Sulfur Trioxide (SO3) and Ammonia (NH3)

Flue Gas Conditioning System
NH3 System
Used with SO3 system to enhance collectibility of the ash.
Anhydrous ammonia stored as a pressurized liquid in a bulk storage tank.
Tank equipped with 2 10 kw heaters which vaporizes the ammonia.
Ammonia vapor passes through a regulating valve (1-5 ppm) before being
injected through 6 probes.

55

Sulfur Trioxide (SO3) and Ammonia (NH3)

Problems
Sulfur Trioxide
Must maintain proper insulation on steam jacketed sulfur lines or sulfur will
solidfy. Experienced this on startups, had to heat lines with torches to get
sulfur to flow. Improved insulation took care of the problem.
The sulfur metering pumps are a submersible gear type pump with very
close tolerances. The pumps wear and eventually will not pump at which
time they have to be replaced and sent out for refurbishment. They cannot
be repaired on site.
When the system is shut down, the purge air blower must be in service or
flue gas will come back into the lines and plug the probes.
The probes are bulky and heavy and must be removed to be unplugged.

66

Sulfur Trioxide (SO3) and Ammonia (NH3)

Problems
Ammonia (NH3)
Care must be taken not to over inject or it will foul the precipitator.
Ammonia detection systems and alarms must be maintained around
the storage tank and injection skids to alert personnel of any leaks.

77

Continuous Emissions Monitoring System

(CEMS)
All five units equipped with a redundant continuous emissions monitoring
system.
Monitors:
Opacity
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
Nitrous Oxide (NOx)
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Flue gas sample is diluted with air 300:1 to extend life of instrumentation and
make the system more reliable.
Monitors analyze the gas sample and send raw data to a polling computer which
calculates mass emissions rates.
The CEMS technician performs daily checks of the data before sending on to
AEP, Columbus. The data is submitted to the Ohio Environmental Protection
Agency on a quarterly basis.
Preventive maintenance is performed on the equipment on a quarterly basis.
Monitors automatically calibrate daily.

88

Nox Reduction Goals

Units 1- 2 Maintain NOx Emission Rate under
779 kg/kcal (0.44 lb/mbtu)
Units 3-4 Maintain Nox Emission Rate under
466 kg/kcal (0.308 lb/mbtu)
Unit 5 Maintain NOx Emission Rate under
101 kg/kcal (0.067 lb/mbtu) with SCR

99

Terminology

Theoretical air is the minimum air required

for complete combustion of the fuel,
resulting in stoichiometric combustion.
Stoichiometry (also called stoichiometric
ratio) is a term relating the actual air to the
theoretical minimum air required to complete
combustion.
10 10

Terminology

Excess air is the amount of air supplied for combustion

in "excess" of that theoretically required for complete
combustion.
This additional air is required because of imperfections
associated with the combustion process and the
practical limitation of providing the Three T's of
Combustion.

11 11

Overfire Air

_______________________________________________________________________

Secondary Furnace

overfire air

zone 2

zone 2: Bring in 15-25% of total air

in the overfire air to complete the
combustion process.
fuel/air mixture
zone 1
fuel/air mixture

Primary Furnace

zone 1: Bring in 75-85% of total

combustion air to burn fuel under
less than stoichiometric conditions.

12 12

How OFA System Reduces NOx U1&2

Fuel-rich combustion zone

The reducing environment helps control fuel and

thermal NOx
The lower peak flame temperature helps further reduce
the formation of thermal NOx

Overfire air zone

Thermal NOx formation is limited due to lower gas and

flame temperatures
13 13

How OFA System Reduces NOx

U3&4

Fuel-rich zone
Withholding air causes the cyclones to be operated fuel-rich. As
a result, CO is produced within the cyclone. In the lower furnace,
this CO aggressively reduces already formed NOx to N2 in its
attempt to form CO2.
The lower peak flame temperature provides an additional
incremental reduction in NOx.
Overfire air zone
Thermal NOx formation is limited due to lower gas and flame
temperatures.

14 14

N O x F orm ation R ate

Application of Overfire Air

Reducing

C O E m issions

Oxidizing

0.85

1.0

1.15

Combustion
Zone Stoichiometry
Business Confidential

28

15 15

Thermal NOx Mechanism

Atmospheric Nitrogen

[O2], temp.

NOx
Critical
Temperature

16 16

Non SCR NOx Reduction Problems

Reducing atmosphere caused:
Accelerated tube wastage in primary furnace
Had to find acceptable stoichiometric setting to limit wastage

Severe erosion/loss of refractory on furnace floor. Large amounts

of molten iron pooled on the furnace floor at a higher frequency.
Suffered numerous tap throughs.
Started with silicon carbide refractory. Experimented with other forms
of refractory. High alumina, 5% chrome refractory seems to hold up
best.

Severe pluggage in convection pass. Added 6 electric sootblowers

to keep area clean.

17 17

Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR)

Began operation in May, 2005.
Operates from May 1 through September 30.
Will be required to operate year round beginning in 2009.
Therefore, it was decided not to install bypass ducts and dampers.

Two reactor boxes (north and south)

Sized to hold four layers of catalyst. Initial operation is with two layers. Third layer is
to be installed in Spring of 2007. Fourth layer is for future use, perhaps for mercury
removal.

Catalyst supplied by Hitachi America Ltd.

Plate type, titanium dioxide (TiO2) carrier impregnated with tungsten trioxide (WO3)
and vanadium pentoxide (V2O5).
72 catalyst modules per layer (9 wide X 8 deep grid).
Initial guarantee is for 16,000 hours of 90% NOx removal before third layer is added.

18 18

Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR)

Two draft booster fans were installed to overcome the new SCR system
pressure drop.
Located between the precipitator and the stack
Howden Variax constant speed, single stage, horizontal, axial flow.
Utilizes variable pitch blades for flow control. Blades are hydraulically controlled.
Impeller diameter is 3.7 meters (146 inches).
Operates at 895 rpm.

Ammonia vapor system

Urea brought in by truck
Dissolved in water to a 40% by weight solution in a mix tank.
Heated to 210 deg C (410 deg F) at 28.12 kg/scm (400 psig) by steam in a
hydrolysis reactor (hydrolizer). Steam comes from high pressure turbine
exhaust.
Produces ammonia and carbon dioxide.

19 19

Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR)

Ammonia vapor system (continued)
Spent solution (recycle ~ 3% solution) is continuosly withdrawn from the
hydrolizer, sent through an economizer and then to a recycle storage tank.
It is then used in the mix tank to mix batches of urea solution.
Gaseous ammonia and carbon dioxide leave the hyrdolizer vessel and
feeds a dilution skid upstream of each catalyst box. Each skid has an
ammonia flow control valve that meters the correct amount of ammonia to
achieve desired NOx reduction.
The rate of ammonia generation in the hydrolizer is controlled to maintain
constant manifold pressure at the dilution skids.
When the ammonia vapor gets to the dilution skid, it is diluted and mixed
with air from dilution air fans. It is then injected into the duct through a grid
of pipes upstream of the catalyst.

20 20

TM
Ammonia
-on-DemandTM
Ammonia-on-Demand
To
SCR

Dry
Storage

Preheater

Flash
Separator

Demin Water

Blower
Hydrolyzer

Mix Tank

Steam

Ambient
Air

21 21

Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR)

Problems
Large particle ash (LPA)
Large particles of ash carried through the ductwork settles out on the screens
above the catalyst. As it accumulates it blocks off the gas path and finer ash
then builds up as well.
Creates a differential increase through the catalyst from ~ 50 kg/sqm (2 inches
water) to ~ 96.5 kg/sqm (3.8 inches of water) at which time the unit has to be
brought off line for cleaning of the catalyst.
At 96.5 kg/sqm (3.8 inches of water) differential, the catalyst chamber is 50%
blocked.
Creates a problem for the booster fans to maintain desired economizer outlet
pressure.

Currently designing a hopper to install under the economizer to catch the

large ash before it reaches the catalyst boxes.
May incorporate a screen to catch and direct the ash to the hopper.
Plan to install hopper in Spring of 2007.

22 22

NOx 0.72 lb/Mbtu CEM Lef t

Exit Gas Temp Minimum

SO2 2.33 lb/Mbtu

Plant Information (PI) Screen

NH3 Inj ection

North SCR Reactor

l b/hr

NH3 Inj ection

Under Range
lb/hr

60 F
0 psi

63 F
1 psi

6.28
Gas Inlet
5.98 In. H20 From Economizer

North
SCR Diff.

NOx 0.71 lb/Mbtu

5.66 In. H20

South

732.63 DEG F

SCR Diff.

NOx 0.66 lb/Mbtu

Layer 1

30.07 PPM

Layer 2

NOx T rends
0.2
Layer 2
0.1

739.67 DEG F

732.47 DEG F

Layer 3
North Air Heater
AH Diff.
2.80 In. H20

South Air Heater

AH Diff.
3.36 In. H20

GAS OUTLET
732.20 DEG F

Layer 3

Layer 4

GAS OUTLET

310.83 DEG F

304.83 DEG F

NOx 0.72 lb/Mbtu

0.0

2.37 In. H20

Layer 1
Calc. SO3 Leav ing SCR

Layer 4

South SCR Reactor

5.60

Gas Inlet
From Economizer

739.94 DEG F

1.89 In. H20

627 MWG.IPW
10/5/2006 1:33:21 PM

NOx 0.71 lb/Mbtu CEM Right

301 DEG F

731.42 DEG F
NOx 0.60 lb/Mbtu

% Remov al

8.9 % Remov al

North
Precipitator

South
Preci pitator
-3.83 In. H20
-3.40
-3.75

North

South

Booster Fan

Booster Fan

219 Amps
37 %

274 Amps
44 %

-6.65 In. H20

-6.74
-6.99

23 23

Flue Gas Desulfurization System

Work has begun to build a flue gas desulfurization system
on unit 5. Project has been postponed to an in service date
of 12/31/2010.
Chiyoda design from Japan
Differs from the conventional spray tower scrubber in that it
uses a jet bubbling reactor which sparges the flue gas into a
lime slurry bath where 100% of the flue gas reacts with the
lime slurry before bubbling off the top and leaving the
reactor to the stack.
Foundations have been completed for the reactor and a new
252 meter (826 foot) high stack.
24 24

Flue Gas Desulfurization System

Designed to provide sufficient limestone slurry to absorb
98% SO2 from the flue gas.
Allows the burning of 11.3 mgm SO3/kcal (7.5 lb SO2/Mbtu) coal

Redundant 100% ball mill systems capable of grinding 40

tons of limestone per hour.
895 kw (1200 hp), 4kV motors, horizontal, wet, with steel grinding
balls.

SCR booster fans will be replaced with two Howden, 50%

capacity axial fans, each rated at ~ 11.2 mw (15,000 hp).
Gypsum will be produced at ~ 73 tons/hour and will be
dewatered by one vacuum belt filter before being landfilled.
25 25

Conceptual Model for Scrubber

Jet Bubbling
Reactor

Typical Spray
Tower

Liquid is sprayed to
into Gas

Jet Bubbling Layer

Gas is sparged
into Liquid
Reservoir