Power Air Quality Insights No

				Power Air Quality Insights No. 29 November 3, 2011

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· “Optimization of Air Pollution Control Systems” is the “Hot Topic Hour” on November 10, 2011

“Optimization of Air Pollution Control Systems” is the “Hot Topic Hour” on Nov. 10, 2011

Optimizing the operation of energy producing assets to minimize cost and increase profits (or reduce rates for non-profit utilities) has certainly been a goal of utility management for some time. Now however, with the Utility MACT and the Cross State Air Pollution (Transport) Rule (CSAPR) acting to reduce the limits for all regulated pollutants to barely measureable levels, optimization of Air Pollution Control (APC) systems to achieve these limits economically and with minimum capital investment will become a strategy of choice.

Optimization of the complete train of equipment is not easily achieved. There are many conflicting goals and constraints such as contracts for power delivery, management of demand, integration of renewable resources such as wind and solar plants and distributed generation, rapidly changing fuel costs, fuel delivery contracts, the design, age and maintenance requirements of producing assets as well as the emission limits and GHG considerations. Fortunately, the suppliers to the industry have developed a wide range of equipment, technologies, software and systems that individually or in combination will help optimize power production and APC systems. In previous Hot Topic Hours we have discussed methods for improving the efficiency of the various equipment used for APC such as SCRs, ESPs and Baghouses. This Hot Topic Hour will focus on monitoring and control software.

Strictly speaking, the combustion process is not considered part of the APC system but optimizing the combustion process including the fuel preparation and flow, burner combustion, air heaters and other components of the steam generation process can have a significant effect on the overall APC system. By reducing the fuel and air required to generate a specific amount of electricity and reducing the pollutants generated, the load on the APC equipment is reduced allowing this equipment to operate more efficiently and with less chemical additions.

Software and control systems are available to optimize the combustion process as well as individual APC equipment and the overall plant operation. Software is also available to help optimize demand/load management both for an individual facility or enterprise-wide including all producing assets as well as power purchase contracts. Some of this software will also include other variables such as fuel costs, plant operating efficiencies and emission requirements in the optimization scheme.

The following speakers will describe the available software and control systems, technologies and methods for optimizing APC systems to meet today’s challenges for emission limits, GHG reductions and profitability. They will also describe real world experience with improving the operating efficiency of fossil-fueled power plants, discuss the impact on maintenance and overall operating cost and tell plant operators how to get the best bang for the buck, so to speak.

Peter Spinney, Director, Marketing & Technology Assessment at NeuCo, Inc, will discuss the implications of recent and emerging air emissions regulations (including CSAPR and Boiler MACT) on the power industry, what it means for your plant and differences from past emissions regulations. He will also highlight how BoilerOpt^® can improve overall unit performance, reduce NO_x, and increase boiler reliability which results in fewer adverse consequences associated with low-NO_x operations, including less slagging, water wall corrosion, ammonia slip and air heater fouling.

William “Bill” Poe, a consultant with Invensys Process Systems, will provide a brief overview of optimization of NO_x reduction control systems and review a few case studies of the results. The recent announcement of the Cross State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) has raised the importance and interest in optimization of air pollution control systems. Optimizing combustion controls as well as SCR and SNCR systems can significantly impact the emissions of NO_x.

Stephen K. Storm, C.E.M., Senior Consultant, Stephen Storm, Inc, will share comprehensive and “real world” experiences gained over the past decades, reviewing factors that should be taken into consideration prior, during and after any APC project. In addition, his presentation will focus on the importance of pre-investment planning, preparation and ultimately, the development of a preservation of performance plan to ensure sustainable, reliable, efficient and environmentally sound operations.

The market in the U.S. for NO_x control systems is hot as the plains states scramble to meet the requirements of the new CSPR regulations. The European market has slowed due to the financial crisis and liberal interpretation of EU rules. The Chinese market continues to expand robustly. These are the most recent conclusions in NO_x Control World Markets published continually online by the McIlvaine Company (www.mcilvainecompany.com).

NOx Control Equipment	2012 ($ Millions)
Africa	$6.6
CIS	$6.9
East Asia	$3,609.8
Eastern Europe	$302.0
Middle East	$28.8
NAFTA	$1,327.8
South & Central America	$13.6
West Asia	$9.0
Western Europe	$479.9
Total	$5,784.4

Chinese power plant selective catalytic reduction systems account for an appreciable percentage of the total. However, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea also represent an appreciable replacement market.

The gas turbine market will not be as robust in 2012 as it will be in the several subsequent years. A number of the gas turbine installations in the U.S. involve peaking turbines. Special catalysts or cooling systems are required for this application.

The European market has been reduced by the decision of the lignite power plants in Germany to meet the limits with combustion control rather than backend control equipment. The danger is the potential impact on fuel cost and efficiency.

Cement kilns are a promising growth area. Some plants in Europe are now equipped with SCR and many plants in Europe and the U.S. are utilizing SNCR.

Catalyst manufacturers are experiencing high utilization of their production facilities. Catalyst life in coal-fired power plants is five years or less. Therefore, the replacement business now exceeds that for catalysts for new power plants. China has added substantial catalyst manufacturing capability but presently all the manufacturers have backlogs.

Geothermal projects are moving forward all around the world. McIlvaine Renewable Energy Update and Projects tracks them as well as the other more commonly discussed forms of renewable energy.

Cornwall Council has granted planning permission for the development of the UK’s first commercial deep geothermal power plant, near Redruth in Cornwall, Developed by British company Geothermal Engineering Ltd, the plant will provide both renewable heat for the local area, and renewable electricity, which will be fed into the National Grid. The plant is expected to be fully operational in 2013. The announcement marks a major milestone in the development of geothermal energy in the UK.

The plant is to be built on a brownfield site within an existing industrial estate. Work will begin in early 2011 to drill 4.5 kilometres into the ground to access rocks at temperatures of approximately 200 degrees Celsius. This will be the deepest on-shore well in the UK. The plant will provide up to 55 MW of renewable heat energy for the local community, and 10 MW of electricity.

Ormat Technologies Inc. announced that a second Ormat designed and manufactured geothermal power plant was inaugurated recently in Las Pailas, Costa Rica.

Under a contract with Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economica “BCIE”, Ormat supplied all the power equipment, supervised the installation and conducted the testing and start-up of the 42 MW power plant. The field development and the construction were executed by the Instituto Constarricense de Electricidad (“ICE”), the Costa Rican National Electricity and Telecommunications Company which will operate the plant.

The Las Pailas is the second geothermal power plant supplied to Costa Rica using Ormat Binary Technology.

Green Rock and Pacific Hydro have signed a binding agreement to develop conventional geothermal resources for power projects. The binding Memorandum of Understanding covers Green Rock’s North Perth Basin permits in the energy-hungry Mid West region of Western Australia and Pacific Hydro’s and Green Rock’s licenses in the Artesian Basin in South Australia. Initial power projects of at least 25 MW are contemplated in both the North Perth Basin and the Great Artesian Basin, leading to hundreds of MW of generation from each basin over the coming decade. Green Rock and Pacific Hydro will jointly promote the opportunity to upstream investors to farm-in and substantially fund drilling to prove the resources.

Mustang Geothermal announced that it has started exploration at its Condoroma-Chaquelles geothermal concession in southern Peru.

The company is excited about the Condoroma Project because of the geothermal potential of the area and its location relative to major commercial mining development. Rural and commercial electrical consumers including the mining industry are in need of additional electrical power sources and it is Mustang Geothermal’s goal to provide a source of clean, renewable energy to these consumers.

The Condoroma concession is centered on a string of active thermal springs three kilometers in length with the measured surface temperature of 58 degrees C and significant observed water discharge. Based on the geology of the area, proximity of recent volcanic vents and geophysical/geospatial data used to evaluate the background of the potential properties, Mustang believes that a significant geothermal potential exists in the area. The company is poised to embark on rapid exploration and development to meet the growing power needs in the region. The concession is close to the major power grid and with the estimated resource potential could significantly aid in producing abundant, clean and renewable energy to support both rural and commercial consumers.

Canadian Deep Earth Energy Production Corp. announced “that it has received its first exclusive area for geothermal power development from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Energy and Resources.”

The property is secured in a Lease of Space Agreement where the minister has leased to Deep all rights and interests in the spaces, which may be found to exist from the top of the Winnipeg Formation to the base of the Deadwood Formation. The project area is located in Southeast Saskatchewan, west of Estevan, and totals 5,920 acres (-9.5 sections). Total rental fees for this project area are less than $10,000/year.

The lease is a 15 year term, renewable for another 15 years if the geothermal project continues to produce electricity for commercial sale and is in compliance with all acts and regulations.

An initial estimate from an independent technical report prepared by Borealis Geopower suggests the potential for – 5MW of electrical generation at this site.