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CONTROLLING SO2 EMISSIONS FROM COAL-FIRED STEAM-ELECTRIC GENERATORS: WATER POLLUTION IMPACT. VOLUME II. TECHNICAL DISCUSSION
Citation:
Sugarek, R. AND T. Sipes. CONTROLLING SO2 EMISSIONS FROM COAL-FIRED STEAM-ELECTRIC GENERATORS: WATER POLLUTION IMPACT. VOLUME II. TECHNICAL DISCUSSION. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/7-78/045b.
Description:
The report gives results of one task in a comprehensive program to review the New Source Performance Standard (NSPS) for SO2 emissions from coal-fired steam-electric generating plants. The results compare two alternative standards to the existing NSPS (1.2 lb SO2/million Btu of heat input): (1) 0.5 lb SO2/million Btu of heat input, allowing credit (as does the existing NSPS) for physical coal cleaning or use of low sulfur coal; and (2) 90% removal of SO2 from stack gases, regardless of original coal sulfur content. The comparisons are in terms of their effect on the quality and quantity of power plant wastewater effluents and on the amount of plant water consumption. Potential effects of SO2 control system effluents on the environment are evaluated, and alternative treatment processes are discussed. A total of 108 plant systems were discussed, including combinations of three NSPS, five flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems, five coal types, four plant sizes, and sulfur removal by coal cleaning. Volumes and quality of wastewater streams varied very little from one alternative NSPS to another; all streams can be treated adequately using commercially available technologies. However, the alternative standards increase total water consumption 8-11%, depending on the FGD process used. Physi-coal cleaning plus lime/limestone scrubbing increases total water consumed 8-12%.