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DEFINITIVE SOX CONTROL PROCESS EVALUATIONS: LIMESTONE, LIME, AND MAGNESIA FGD PROCESSES
Citation:
Anderson, K., J. Barrier, W. O'Brien, AND S. Tomlinson. DEFINITIVE SOX CONTROL PROCESS EVALUATIONS: LIMESTONE, LIME, AND MAGNESIA FGD PROCESSES. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/7-80/001.
Description:
The report gives economic and ground-to-ground energy evaluations of limestone slurry, lime slurry, and magnesia (producing sulfuric acid) flue gas desulfurization (FGD) processes. The lime slurry process, using purchased lime and lime calcined onsite, remains lower in capital investment (90 $/kW for the base-case 500-MW power plant burning 3.5% sulfur coal) than the limestone slurry process (98 $/kW). The limestone slurry process remains lower in annual revenue requirements (4.02 mills/kWh) than the lime slurry process (4.25 mills/kWh). The magnesia process is about one-third higher in capital investment (132 $/kW) and one-fourth high in annual revenue requirements (5.05 mills/kWh including credit for acid sales) than the limestone slurry process, because of absorbent-recovery and acid-producing complexities. The lime slurry process using purchased lime is more economical than the limestone slurry process at low absorbent consumption rates (below about 200 MW or 2% sulfur coal). Onsite lime calcination becomes economical compared to purchased lime for larger power plants and higher coal sulfur levels (about 1000 MW with 3.5% sulfur coal, 750 MW with 5% sulfur coal). The limestone slurry process has the lowest overall (raw material, FGD, and disposal) energy requirements (26% less than lime and 30% less than magnesia).