·        Analyze Market Shares of Companies by Tracking all the Exhibitions

·        Particulate and Condensable Removal was the Subject of the McIlvaine Hot Topic Hour on April 25, 2013

·        More than 30 Exhibitions in the April-June Period are Relevant to Fabric Filtration

·        2000 Industrial Boilers Will Spend Between $4 and $12 Billion to Meet the New Industrial Boiler MACT Rule

·        Huge Variable in Fabric Filter Market Depending on Power Regulations in U.S. and China

Analyze market shares of companies by tracking all the exhibitions

In Fabric Filter World Markets, McIlvaine provides continuing analysis of the companies. Market shares by industry and geography are difficult to determine. However, McIlvaine tracks the exhibitions and this provides considerable insight into industry and geographical activities. For example, here are Fabric Filter and Bag exhibitors at two conferences in the U.S. in April, 2013:

Fabric Filter Exhibitors at Cement and Biomass Shows in April

It is interesting that two offshore companies (Scheuch and LTB) were exhibitors in both U.S. shows.  

McIlvaine also analyses speakers and papers. Here is one track at the Biomass show:

Track 2: Biomass Power & Thermal
A Review of Ongoing Emissions Rulemaking and the Technologies Available to Achieve Compliance
Room 101F-I

       David Minott, Practice Leader, Bioenergy/Waste to Energy, Environmental Resources Management (ERM)
EPA's New Biomass Boiler Rules: What Now?

       Melissa Hillman, Managing Consultant, Trinity Consultants
Overview of the Non-Hazardous Secondary Material Rule: Is Your Biomass Fuel A Solid Waste?

       Jaimie Hamilton, Graduate Student, Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Characterization of Emissions from Small-Scale Biomass Gasifier Electrical Generator System

       Bryan Yetter, Senior Product Manager - Pleated Products, GE Energy Air Filtration
Coal to Biomass Conversion: Innovative Filters Resolve Baghouse Size Constraints

       Andy Olds, Project Manager, Envitech Inc.
Gasification Syngas Wet Scrubber Technology for Biofuels Production

The speech by Bryan Yetter on pleated bags is an indicator that they are pursuing the market for power plants which are switching to biomass.

McIlvaine recorded webinars are a very valuable segment of the Fabric Filter World Markets. Here is a summary of the webinar last week:

Particulate and Condensable Removal” was the Subject of the McIlvaine Hot Topic Hour on April 25, 2013

Jim Griffin, Sales Manager at Donaldson Membranes, addressed “Particulate and Condensable Removal with Membrane Filters.” He pointed out that membrane filters do not rely on a cake build up for efficiency. The very low emission levels required by the new regulations make it difficult to meet the requirements when the mechanism for capture (the cake) keeps varying.  He also pointed out that the stitch seams are critical as are other seals and attachment methods. There are many instances where the basic material provides high efficiency but the dust does not pass through the media. McIlvaine reminded the audience that Jim at one time developed what he called the “square footer”.  This is a few cfm filter which can be operated in parallel with the commercial installation. The outlet emissions of each can be compared using the same media. The difference in results is the dust passing around instead of through the media.

Andy Olds, Project Manager at Envitech, Inc, covered “WESP Technology for Particulate and Condensable Removal.” Envitech supplies scrubbers and wet precipitators to various industries. There are a number of units which are removing heavy metals. Andy pointed out that substantial mercury removal can be removed by cooling the gas stream to the point at which the mercury condenses. 

Kevin Crosby, Technical Director at The Avogadro Group says that the performance of the APC equipment is defined by the test method used.  When condensibles are included there is the potential for an artifact.  With method 2012 you may show high emissions but if you test with method 39 the results are likely to be much better. With either method ammonia still causes artifacts.   

Tom Anderson, Vice-President Pleated Products at TDC Filter Manufacturing, Inc., Midwesco Filter Resources Company explained that pleated filters are performing well and can achieve efficiencies comparable to an 18-20 oz polyester felt at 50% of the pressure loss. This creates an energy savings. A bigger savings is achieved because the pulse cycle need only be 25% as often. At one plant the total energy savings was $ 22,000.  There was 1.3 million cu/ft of compressed air savings. At .01$/ft there was a $ 13,000 saving in compressed air to supplement the $ 9000 saving in fan horsepower

The power point presentations and the full recording are available to subscribers to the Fabric Filter World Markets.

More than 30 exhibitions in the April-June period are relevant to fabric filtration

Here are the conferences we are tracking through June 2013:

For more information of World Fabric Filter and Element Market, click on:

http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/component/content/article?id=48#n021

2000 Industrial Boilers Will Spend Between $4 and $12 Billion to Meet the New Industrial Boiler MACT Rule

In the next few months, operators of industrial boilers will have to decide whether to gamble on low gas prices for the next two decades or add air pollution control equipment to their existing systems. There are more than 10,000 boilers listed in the McIlvaine Industrial Air Emitters database and project tracking system. Less than 2000 will fall under the criteria for action set up by the new Industrial Boiler MACT rule. 

Of these 2000 units, only 500 units will have to make major capital expenditures. These plants will have to decide whether to invest the funds to meet the new regulations or switch to natural gas or even retire the units and buy electricity. The Industrial Air Emitters program is tracking these decisions as they happen

A survey conducted by URS and funded by the Council of Industrial Boiler owners found that to meet the new limits coal-fired boilers would have to spend $5.6 billon. Liquid-fired units would have to spend $5.2 billion and biomass and other units would spend $1.2 billion.

At present, the cost of natural gas is low, so it would seem attractive for these owners to tear out the old boilers and replace them with new gas turbines. The capital cost of the replacement turbines compares favorably with the capital cost of the upgrades to the existing plants. The question is what will be the price of natural gas over the lifetime of the boilers?

A number of plants do not presently have access to sufficient gas. These owners are looking at an add-on cost of up to $3/MM Btu to offset the investment by the gas supplier in new transmission lines. So even at $2/MM Btu gas when the transmission add-on is included, the economic advantage disappears.

For the plants with gas access, now the question is, what will be the availability and price in the future? Europe is reducing its reliance on gas and moving back to coal. This is a scenario similar to the one in the U.S. in 2000 when gas prices soared. Can it happen again here?

Gas has a value much higher than coal. It can be converted to liquids and sold as gasoline and it can be compressed to LNG and transported around the world. It can be used for home and commercial heating without large capital investments in pollution control equipment. Fifteen billion dollars has already been allocated for gas-to-liquids plants in the U.S. Equally large sums are being invested to convert LNG regasification to liquefaction facilities. In the meantime, the supply of conventional natural gas is rapidly dwindling. This means unconventional, including shale gas, will have to fill the void and provide for the new demands. At some point it is inevitable that the price of gas will reflect its higher value and the world prices.

Industrial boiler owners will have to answer the tough question as to when that will occur. On one hand, the shale gas supply could be so large as to ensure longer term low gas cost. On the other hand, the depletion rates and other realities could make the gas supply only able to keep up with traditional markets and the new demand in those markets.

Unfortunately the boiler owners do not have the luxury to wait. Compliance is required by 2015. So decisions have to be made in the next few months. McIlvaine is tracking these decisions plus those dealing with the Cement MACT in Industrial Air Emitters.

For more information on U.S. Industrial Emitters, click on:

http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=93extsup1.asp

Huge Variable in Fabric Filter Market Depending on Power Regulations in U.S. and China

The market for fabric filter systems is now predicted at less than $9 billion in 2016 and 2017. However, if tough particulate regulations were to be enforced in the power industry, the market would rise to as much as $15 billion per year. This is the conclusion reached in World Fabric Filter and Element Market published by the McIlvaine Company.

Fabric Filter System Revenues ($ Millions)

China is now in the process of evaluating the ability of existing precipitators to meet the particulate reduction goals. The tentative conclusion is that widespread investment in fabric filters may be the only option.   If every power plant in China were to switch from precipitators to fabric filters, the cost would be over $50 billion.

The new power plant air toxic rule in the U.S. (MATS) has been weakened to define particulate as just discrete particles and to eliminate the inclusion of condensibles. This revision will allow utilities to meet the rules with existing precipitators. However, the rule does require continuous measurement of particulate mass instead of just opacity. This means that the weight during excursions will be included in the totals. Many believe that the existing precipitators will prove inadequate when subjected to continuous mass measurement. Less than 15 percent of U.S. coal-fired capacity is fitted with fabric filters. If the remaining capacity were forced to install fabric filters, the capital investment would be in excess of $30 billion.

For more information on World Fabric Filter and Element Market, click on:

http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/component/content/article?id=48#n021

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Bob McIlvaine
President
847 784 0012 ext 112

rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com

www.mcilvainecompany.com

191 Waukegan Road Suite 208 | Northfield | IL 60093

Ph: 847-784-0012 | Fax; 847-784-0061

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