Economic evaluation and comparison of alternative limestone-scrubbing options

Technical Report · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5241223

Burnett, T A; Torstrick, R L; Sudhoff, F A

The preliminary-grade economics (accuracy: -15%, +30%) of various alternative limestone scrubbing options (absorber type, with and without forced oxidation, and with and without adipic acid enhancement) are examined using the current design and economic premises established for the continuing series of economic evaluations performed by TVA for EPA. The economics are projected using the Shawnee lime/limestone computer model, which is based on long-term operating data from the EPA Alkali Scrubbing Test Facility at the TVA Shawnee Steam Plant near Paducah, Kentucky. The capital investment for the base-case limestone scrubbing process (500 MW, 3.5% sulfur coal, 1979 NSPS, spray tower, forced oxidation, landfill) is $206/kW. The first-year and levelized annual revenue requirements are 10.59 and 15.09 mills/kWh respectively. Costs for the equivalent limestone scrubbing process using a Turbulent Contact Absorber (TCA) are lower while those for the venturi - spray tower absorber are higher. The forced-oxidation landfill disposal option has a lower capital investment than the unoxidized pond disposal option for all cases studied; however, the first-year and levelized annual revenue requirements are slightly higher for the forced-oxidation landfill process for most coal applications. For the spray tower limestone process to achieve a specified SO/sub 2/ removal efficiency, it is more economical to increase the limestone stoichiometry and minimize the absorber L/G. The use of adipic acid or possibly dibasic acid (DBA) as an additive to enhance SO/sub 2/ removal in the limestone scrubbing process is an economically attractive option. The use of adipic acid remains economically attractive even if both a high unit cost and a high degradation factor for adpic acid are assumbed.

• Research Organization: Tennessee Valley Authority, Muscle Shoals, AL (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5241223
• Report Number(s): TVA/OP/EDT-82/35; CONF-820551-1; ON: DE82903515
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200202* -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Waste Management-- Noxious Gas & Particulate Emissions
ADIPIC ACID
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DATA
DESULFURIZATION
DIAGRAMS
DICARBOXYLIC ACIDS
ECONOMICS
EQUIPMENT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLOWSHEETS
FLUE GAS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
GASEOUS WASTES
INFORMATION
LIME-LIMESTONE WET SCRUBBING PROCESSES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT
POWER PLANTS
SCRUBBERS
SCRUBBING
TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
TEST FACILITIES
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
US ORGANIZATIONS
WASTES