Economics of nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and ash control systems for coal-fired utility power plants

Technical Report · Fri Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:5100405

Maxwell, J D; Humphries, L R

A US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-sponsored economic evaluation was made of three process combinations to reduce NO/sub x/, SO/sub 2/, and ash emissions from coal-fired utility power plants. One case is based on a 3.5% eastern bituminous coal; the other two are based on 0.7% western subbituminous coal. NO/sub x/ control is based on an 80% reduction from current new source performance standards (NSPS); SO/sub 2/ and fly ash control are based on meeting the current NSPS. Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) is used for NO/sub x/ control in all three cases. Limestone scrubbing and a cold-side electrostatic precipitator (ESP) are used in the 3.5% sulfur coal case. Lime spray dryer flue gas desulfurization (FGD) and a baghouse for particulate collection are used in one 0.7% sulfur coal case; limestone scrubbing and a hot-side ESP are used in the other. The economics consist of detailed breakdowns of the capital investments and annual revenue requirements. For systems based on a 500-MW power plant, capital investments range from $167 to $187 million (333 to 373 $/kW) and first-year annual revenue requirements from $54 to $60 million (29 to 33 mills/kWh). The 3.5% sulfur coal case is highest because of the higher SO/sub 2/ control costs. The case with the spray dryer and baghouse is marginally lower in cost than the case with limestone scrubbing and hot-side ESP. Costs for NO/sub x/ control range from one-fourth to one-half of the total costs, largely because of the high cost of the catalyst. The costs of the overall systems and the relationships of the component costs are complexly interrelated because of the interactions of the three processes.

• Research Organization: Tennessee Valley Authority, Muscle Shoals, AL (USA). Div. of Energy Demonstrations and Technology
• OSTI ID: 5100405
• Report Number(s): TVA/OP/EDT-84/13; EPA-600/7-85-006; ON: DE86900097
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010800 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Waste Management
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200202 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Waste Management-- Noxious Gas & Particulate Emissions
500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AEROSOL WASTES
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
ASHES
BAGHOUSES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTROL
DENITRIFICATION
DESULFURIZATION
ECONOMICS
ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATORS
EQUIPMENT
FLUE GAS
FLY ASH
GASEOUS WASTES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION CONTROL
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT
RESIDUES
SCRUBBING
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
WASTES