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Biomass to Steam - The Environmental Challenge
1. Biomass to Steam: The
Environmental Challenge
Presented April 18th, 2012
BBI International Biomass
Conference
2. Overview
• Making Green Power Via Gasification
• The Environmental Challenge
• Technical Approach
• Results / Lessons Learned
3. The Project Objective
• Produce 360,000 lb/hr of 850 psig
steam
• 60 MW worth of Electricity
• Over the Fence line Agreement with
Chemical Plant to Take 90% of Energy
Generated
4. Why Gasification?
•Demand for low cost energy from alternative sources
increasing
• Woody biomass
• Agricultural byproducts
• Refuse derived fuel
• Spent tires
• Carpet fibers
• Automotive shredder residue
•Reduced burden on landfills
• Creating energy while reducing waste
5. The Environmental Challenge?
– Projected Environmental Permitting in State of
Michigan Required Emissions to Be Equivalent to
a Similar Sized Natural Gas Facility
– Challenge of Varied Fuel Needs Versus Absolute
Requirements of Stack Emissions on TPY Basis
7. Particulate Matter
• What is Particulate
Matter?
» Mixture of air-borne
particles and liquid
droplets composed of
acids, water, organic
chemicals, and metals
» PM10, PM2.5
8. HCl
• HCl gas produced from fuels that may
contain Chloride:
» Solid waste (MSW, RDF)
» Plastics
• Hydrochloric Acid formed in the
presence of liquid water
• Environmental / Health Hazards
» Corrosive
9. SOX
• Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) & Sulfur Trioxide (SO3)
» SO3 Forms Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4) aerosol with moisture
• Generated as a result of combustion of fuels that contains
Sulfur
» Solid waste (MSW, RDF) O
S O
» Tires
» Cardboard O
» Plastics H H
• Environmental / Health Hazards O
» Acid Rain S S
O
O O O
10. NOX
• Nitric Oxide (NO) & Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
• Produced during combustion at high temperatures
» Nitrogen in air
» Small amounts of nitrogen in biomass fuels
• Environmental / Health Hazards
» Forms acid rain
» Creates smog
» Depletes the ozone layer
N
O
O O N
11. Mercury (Hg)
• Mercury exists in different forms:
» Elemental Mercury (Hg, Hg0, Hg2+) – vapor phase, reactive
» Mercuric Oxide (HgO) – solid particulate
» Mercuric Chloride (HgCl2) – vapor, water soluble
• Generated from solid waste incineration
• Environmental / Health Hazards
» Toxic
12. Technology Alternatives
Dry Fabric Dry Wet
Scrubber Filter ESP Scrubber
Acid Gas
Acid Mist*
Hg
Moisture
PM2.5
Metals
*Acid mist refers to condensed aerosols (< 1micron) which include HCl and H2SO4.
21. WESP-2F Technology
• WESP Field #2
– PM/PM10/PM2.5 and fine acid particle removal
– Upflow demisting design
22. WESP-2F Technology
• Control / Pump Skid
– Dual pumps for uptime guarantee
– Pre-pipe / pre-wired for easy install
– Single interface for complete
system control
23. Results
• System Permitted for NOx
Reduction Via Selective
Catalytic Reduction Followed
by WESP
• Liquid Blowdown to Be
Evaporated and Discharged as
Solids with Gasifier Bottom
Solids
• Permit Approved by State of MI
in late Dec, 2011.
–WESP-2F Test Unit at Gasifier Location