Ability to Measure Mass PM, Ammonia, SO3 and NOx is Hot Topic on Oct. 13, 2011

Since the Utility MACT was first proposed by EPA in May, many persons have expressed concern over the ability of the industry to accurately measure some of the regulated emissions especially mass particulate matter (PM) at the limits proposed by EPA as well as “unregulated” gases that need to be measured for process control. The Cross State Air Pollution (transport) Rule (CSAPR) will also act to reduce the limits and increase the difficulty of measuring/monitoring regulated pollutants at very low levels.

In various presentations both during McIlvaine Company Hot Topic Hours and elsewhere, concerned parties have questioned the accuracy and efficacy of the EPA test procedures. Some have presented evidence of errors and biases in and between various test procedures. Others have simply discussed the difficulty of measuring low levels of reactive gases like SO3 and ammonia. Measurement accuracy can have a serious impact on existing sources that may not meet the new limits once the MACT and the proposed test methods within it and the CSAPR become the law of the land.

The following speakers will describe the current and proposed methods for measurement of Mass PM, Ammonia, SO3 and NOx; tell participants what they need to do to insure accurate, repeatable data and discuss the implications for the utility industry of errors in their measurement data.

Ed Burgher, Manager of Business Development & Technical Sales at Avogadro Environmental Corporation; Mark Pastore, Director, Business Development at Environmental Energy Services, Inc. and John Jeffery at Environmental Energy Services, Inc., will co-present the perspective of a stack testing company on the accuracy of stack testing methods gained over fifteen years of testing experience. They will focus on the importance of understanding the test methods being employed and the way the tests are actually run to ensure consistent and accurate data.

Craig A. Clapsaddle, BetaGuard PM Sales Manager at Mechanical Systems, Inc/MSI

Krag Petterson, Principle Product Engineer for Emissions Monitoring at Pall Corporation, will discuss the use of the Xact Multi Metals CEM as an alternative to monitoring with a PM CEM and a mercury CEM. The recently proposed National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants from Coal and Oil-fired Electric Utility Steam Generating Units (Utility MACT) requires continuous monitoring of both PM (as a surrogate for non-Hg HAP metals) and mercury on coal-fired power plants.  In addition, EPA has proposed individual and total non-Hg metal HAP limits as an alternative to using PM as a surrogate.  The Xact 640 is a multi-metals CEM that offers the possibility of compliance monitoring of both mercury and non-mercury HAP directly with a single CEM rather than using both a mercury CEM and a PM CEM.  Previously, the Xact has been approved by the EPA for compliance monitoring on a hazardous waste incinerator and has passed a mercury RATA on a coal-fired power plant.

 

Dan Kietzer, Business Development Manager at SICK MAIHAK, Inc. Process Automation Division, will discuss SO3 control using dry sorbent injection (DSI).  DSI offers benefits in both lower emissions and less corrosion to critical plant components. Until recently, a real time monitor to provide feedback control of the DSI was not available. Real time SO3/H2SO4 analyzers have been installed and tested in coal-fired power plants in the U.S. and have been used to control the injection process and reduce sorbent usage. An overview of the technology and performance will be discussed.

Shawn Nelezen, a Client Account Manager and Senior Project Manager with The Avogadro Group, LLC, will discuss the definition and types of particulate matter, recent changes in particulate matter test methodology, the implications of test method on results including interferences, and detection limits relative to the proposed MACT limits.

To register for this “Hot Topic Hour” on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. CDT, click on:  http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/brochures/hot_topic_hour_registration.htm.

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Top Notch Speakers at Air Quality Conference - Arlington, Virginia, October 24, 2011

More than 1000 years of air quality experience is represented in the speakers at this biannual conference. They will be exchanging their ideas over various topics which are challenging the industry. Because of the format there will be ample time to engage them in direct conversations. If you need any contacts ahead of time just call us.

Additional Exhibition Information 

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Here are the Headlines for the September 30, 2011 – Utility E Alert

UTILITY E-ALERT

#1044 – September 30, 2011

Table of Contents

COAL – US

§  Make Hydrochloric Acid with Illinois Coal

§  Progress Energy to Shut 172 MW North Carolina Coal-fired Power Plant

§  EPA Wants Major Changes to PSNH Coal-fired Power Plant in Bow, New Hampshire

§  Coal Dust Explosion at Hastings, Nebraska Coal-fired Power Plant

COAL – WORLD

§  NTPC Forms $700 Million Joint Venture Power Project with Ceylon Electricity Board in Sri Lanka

§  400 MW Power Plant Expansion Project in Quezon Province, Philippines

§  AES Corp. to Pursue $1 Billion Expansion for Masinloc Coal-fired Power Plant

GAS / OIL – US

GAS / OIL – WORLD

§  Black & Veatch to Participate in Expansion of Chana and Wang Noi Power Plants in Thailand

§  Iraq Awards $650 Million in Power Plant Deals

§  Construction Begins at South Korea's Poncheon Power Station

CO2

§  Alstom and Datang to Develop Two CCS Projects in China

§  Summit Power Forms New Carbon Capture Business Unit 

§  German Upper Chamber Rejects Carbon Storage Bill

BIOMASS

NUCLEAR 

BUSINESS

§  Fuel Tech Inc. Receives $3 Million in Emissions Control Orders

§  GE and Toshiba to Promote New Combined Cycle Power Plants with GE Technology

§  Malaysia Petronas in Deal for Stake in Singapore Power Business

§  Top Notch Speakers at Air Quality Conference, Arlington, Virginia, October 24, 2011

 

HOT TOPIC HOUR

For more information on the Utility Environmental Upgrade Tracking System, click on: http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/brochures/energy.html#42ei.

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Use of Biogas Increasing

Biogas projects represent a win-win situation. Not only are pollutants removed but energy is created. Even a zoo project was included in a recent McIlvaine Renewable Energy Update.

NTT America, a global infrastructure services provider and wholly-owned subsidiary of NTT Communications Corporation, announced that it has deployed Bloom Energy Servers at its Lundy Data Center in San Jose, CA, through NTT Worldwide Telecommunications Corporation, a core firm that performs global data center operations in NTT Communications Group. As part of several broad energy efficiency initiatives, NTT America continually monitors advancements in energy conservation technologies and chose Bloom Energy’s proven fuel cell technology, running on directed biogas, as the best choice to minimize its carbon footprint and decrease the amount of electricity pulled from the public grid, while at the same time reducing operating costs. The Bloom Energy Servers are connected to a natural gas pipeline, and utilize biogas from a California dairy farm to generate electricity on-site.

*****

Consumers Energy has contracted to purchase the total renewable energy output produced by the Fremont Community Digester (FCD), which held a groundbreaking ceremony in Fremon, MI in June.

“This is the first time that Consumers Energy will be buying renewable energy from fuel produced by processed food waste. This innovative facility is another sign that Michigan’s energy reform law is working by driving investment in renewable energy projects,” said David Ronk, the utility’s Director of Transactions and Resource Planning.

The $22-million digester and electric generator is being built by NOVI Energy, Indus Energy and North Central Cooperative, and is expected to begin commercial operation in the summer of 2012. Agricultural waste products for the FCD will be supplied by Gerber Products, Fremont Cooperative Produce Company and other area agricultural companies.

Consumers Energy will purchase approximately 380,000 megawatt-hours MWh or 19,000 MWh per year, of electricity from the FCD over the next 20 years at a cost of $55 million. The FCD’s electric output is estimated at 3.1 MW.

*****

 

Joined by local and state officials at Kreider Farms, Bion Environmental Technologies Inc. unveiled groundbreaking new technology that protects local streams and the Chesapeake Bay, saves taxpayer money, and creates a source of renewable energy.

Forgoing the traditional approach of treatment at municipal wastewater and stormwater facilities, Bion’s new advanced micro-aerobic digestion technology provides on-site nutrient treatment at a livestock farm before they ever have an opportunity to flow into local streams and watersheds. The result is a dramatic reduction in nitrogen and phosphorus from animal waste that otherwise would enter the Chesapeake Bay. When Bion’s projects at Kreider Farms are fully implemented the technology will create enough biomass to power approximately 2,700 homes.

Bion’s recently-completed $7.5-million installation at Kreider Dairy Farms, a 1,200 dairy-cow operation, was funded by Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will verify nutrient reductions. Offsets can be used by municipal wastewater and regional stormwater facilities as qualified reductions for the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Chesapeake Bay initiative. The credits could also be made available for use by municipalities in other states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed area.

*****

In its June session, the Board of Management of the Toronto Zoo voted unanimously to enter into an agreement with ZooShare Biogas Co-operative Inc. to develop and operate a 500-kW scalable biogas plant. The project will be the first cooperatively-owned biogas plant in Canada and the first zoo-based biogas plant of its kind in North America.

Under the proposed terms of the agreement ZooShare will be responsible for fully funding, designing, developing, constructing and operating the plant on lands leased from the zoo. Food waste from a major grocery retailer and all of the Zoo’s manure, which is currently composted, will go to the proposed plant where it will be processed into electricity, heat and fertilizer. The project represents an investment of $5.4 million, the majority of which will be raised from the community through the issuance of community bonds.

For more information on Renewable Energy Projects and Update please visit
http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/brochures/Renewable_Energy_Projects_Brochure/renewable_energy_projects_brochure.htm

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Bob McIlvaine
President
847-784-0012 ext 112
rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com
www.mcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com

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