Bad bag detection systems installed on the COHPAC (Compact Hybrid Particulate Collector) at Alabama Power, E.C. Gaston Unit No.3

Conference · Thu Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1999

OSTI ID:20082247

Berry, M S; Harrison, W; Corina, B; Wilson, R; Harrington, J

In December of 1996, Alabama Power Company, a subsidiary of the Southern Company, began operating a baghouse in conjunction with an existing hot-side precipitator on the cold side of the air heaters. The concept combining an electrostatic precipitator and a baghouse is termed a COHPAC (Compact Hybrid Particulate Collector), an EPRI technology. The baghouse is installed on Unit No.3 which is a 280 Mwe pulverized coal fired unit. Unit No.3 shares a common stack with Unit No.4, so the baghouse treats 50% of the total stack flow. The installation has resulted in the ability of both boilers to operate without costly boiler load reductions, which were quite common prior to the installation of the COHPAC system because of stack capacity. To date, after nearly three years of operation the COHPAC system has meet and exceeded all performance expectations. The installation has consistently provided low outlet emissions (<0.01 lb/Mbtu) and low opacity levels. To date, there have not been any known bag failures and maintenance has been minimal. Testing has shown bag life to be finite but no data has been compiled on this type system showing the operating window that would ensure optimal performance. Mullen Burst tests have shown degradation in bag strength, which indicates that this degradation at some point could result in premature failure of the bags. The COHPAC system installed at E.G., Gaston includes over 2,000 bags corresponding to roughly 57,500 ft{sup 2} of collecting surface area. Current methods of finding damaged bags are quite laborious and time intensive. A system to monitor performance and locating damaged bags will be presented. Associated performance and overall historical operating data on Unit No.3 will also be presented.

• Research Organization: Southern Company Services, Birmingham, AL (US)
• OSTI ID: 20082247
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
BAGHOUSES
DAMAGE
DETECTION
ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATORS
FABRIC FILTERS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
HYBRID SYSTEMS
ON-LINE MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS
PERFORMANCE