Performance and Cost Comparisons between Fabric Filters and Alternate Participate Control Techniques

A study was conducted to evaluate performance and cost comparisons of fabric filters and alternate fine particulate control techniques. In relating the removal of fine particulate to costs, due to the lack of fractional efficiency data, it was found necessary to treat a specific application in order to make the study manageable. The case chosen is that of the coal fired industrial boiler since Enviro-Systems has a pilot program in this application area.     

Collection Efficiency as a Function of Particle Size,Shape and Density: Theory and Experience

The performance features of both industrial and experimental fabric filter systems with respect to the concentration and particle size properties of the collector effluents are examined. From a qualitative viewpoint the factors that should influence significantly the collection characteristics of a fabric filter are dust properties, fabric properties, operating parameters, filter cleaning method, and critical interdependencies. The quantitative prediction of performance and the establishment of design parameters are limited for a generalized approach but data have been reported that provide excellent support for limited applications.     

A Policy of Options

As many of you know, I previously served as Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency at a time when the problem of air pollution control was reaching a peak of public awareness. The work of the Air Pollution Control Association in investigating facts and accelerating the development of solutions earned my high respect then and my continued admiration now.     

Cyclic Trends in Los Angeles Fine Participates

Noontime visibilities in downtown Los Angeles, averaged over the smog season of June through November, show two cycles of general deterioration and improvement. The improvement since 1962 is confirmed by available high volume filter data and conditions in 1974/75 are at least as good as at anytime since observations were begun in 1933. The decrease in frequency of “rule 57” days suggests that the improvement of the last decade and perhaps the cyclic variation of the past 40 years has been primarily of meteorological origin.     

Interpretation of Meteorological Pollutant Roses in Areas Subject to Nocturnal Drainage Winds

The composition of aerosol particle products formed from the photochemical reaction of terpenes with NO_x and the chemical reaction of terpenes with ozone was determined using direct insertion probe/high resolution mass spectrometry. Samples of the aerosol particles generated from these gas phase reactions were collected on stainless steel disks using a specially-designed impactor. The samples were analyzed using computer-controlled high resolution mass spectrometry. The photochemical reaction of limonene with NO_x produced more than 30 reaction products in the aerosol phase. The major products identified included aldehydes, alcohols, acids, peroxides, and nitrate esters of alcohols, acids, and peroxides. In addition, there was evidence of dimeric and possibly trimeric reaction products. The composition of aerosol particle products formed from the dark reaction of ozone with limonene was determined and found similar to those products generated in the photochemical reaction, excluding the nitrated species. Aerosol concentrations were monitored using nephelometry which indicated a conversion of terpene to aerosol of 50% or greater for both the limonene and terpinolene reaction systems. The results show that direct insertion probe high resolution mass spectrometric technique has the capability for determining the composition of very polar and high molecular weight materials in aerosol particles. The composition of terpene aerosol particle products and the mass spectral data obtained from their analysis can be used in further studies to determine the importance of terpene aerosol particle formation in ambient air.     

An Ozone Event in Indianapolis

There are doubts concerning the sources of the pollutant ozone in an urban location. Current control regulations,¹ for example, are based on local sources. Many studies suggest that plumes of pollutants released by upwind areas are the cause. For example, New York City has been associated with high O₃ in New England,² Chicago with O₃ in Milwaukee,³ and St. Louis with O₃ in rural Illinois.⁴ Others^5,6 have suggested the problem must be treated on a synoptic scale. In an effort to understand the problem at Indianapolis better, a series of experiments involving aircraft flights were conducted in the Indianapolis area and their results are herein reported. Specifically, a cross country flight of over 100 mi both to the northeast and southwest of Indianapolis, a vertical spiral to 28,000 ft, low level data associated with takeoff and landing of the aircraft, and ground data at four sites, are available for the afternoon of June 9,1976.     

An Overview of EPA’s Quality Assurance Program

Quality Assurance has been defined in many different ways to express concern for the “quality” of the output of some operation or function. For the purpose of this presentation, quality assurance is defined as the sum of those activities within an environmental monitoring or measurement program which are primarily for the purpose of documenting the precision, accuracy, representativeness, and completeness of the data that are produced. Further, we view quality assurance as a management tool which encompasses both administrative and technical functions which generally fall into three categories: (1) Prevention which includes those activities carried out prior to the proper placement and operation of the measurement system; (2) Evaluation which includes the continuous overview and checks on the performance of the systems and operators; and (3) Correction which includes changes made to improve or stabilize the capability and performance of the system.     

AISI-EPA-Battelle Coke Oven Door Sealing Program

The problem of coke oven door leakage is generally recognized as one for which no proven solution exists. In 1974 the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the American Iron and Steel Institute entered into a jointly funded research project with Battelle Columbus Laboratories. The initial project was to define the problem by literature search, operator interviews and profile measurements of jambs and doors.

Numerous concepts of seal designs were developed and then rated by industry and Battelle reviews. It was determined that a metal-to-metal seal offered the greatest probability of success. It was felt that jamb warpage was the most serious problem to be solved.

In the fall of 1976 another contract was signed by EPA and AISI assigning Battelle the task of developing to the point of fabrication a system to eliminate or significantly reduce leakage from coke oven end closures. This program included mathematical modeling, physical modeling, field data collecting, analysis, and full scale unit design.

A retrofittable door seal design has been developed and preparations are underway for operating evaluation at eight steel plants. The design is retrofittable to the two principal coke oven doors in service and should accommodate the worst jamb warpage usually found.     

R&D Activities,Operating Experience Discussed at Fabric Alternatives Forum

ABSTRACT

Previously reported volatile organic compounds (VOC) radiocarbon (¹⁴C) measurements for 1992 summertime Atlanta, GA, have been compared with chromatographic data and emissions inventory predictions. The chromatographic approach that was used provided a more comprehensive VOC characterization than typically achieved, and the emissions inventory was research-grade level (date-, site-, and time-specific). The comparisons are in general agreement that biogenic emissions contribute only modestly (<10%) to the VOC content of the particular ambient samples that were collected and measured. The choices of sampling site (near city-center) and times (early morning and late evening) are major influences on the results, which consequently should not be regarded as representing the average VOC biogenic impact for the Atlanta area.