Resource Recovery from Flue Gas Desulfurization Systems

The cost effective benefits of yielding a flue gas desulfurization (FGD) sludge predominantly composed of CaSO₄·2H₂O, have been previously established. The recovery of this material as FGD by-product gypsum has been demonstrated abroad. Recently U.S. wallboard manufacturers have recognized the viability of this recovery practice. Such techno-economic decision making variables as a) by-product specification, b) transportation costs, and c) location of suitable FGD systems enable the recognition of FGD by-product recovery. Recent investigations of resultant solids content and chloride washing reflect the technical possibility of delivering a suitable product. Commercial and economic factors favor recovery based upon rising disposal and transportation costs. Existing and near term proposed systems surface the technical and commercial problems faced by utilities considering recovery.

Generation of an oxidized FGD sludge consisting of 90⁺% CaSO₄·2H₂O and dewatered to 80⁺% solids is technically achievable by air sparging within the FGD system. Although the product is suitable for land disposal, electric power utilities should consider and evaluate by-product recovery. U.S. wallboard manufacturers have established technical criteria for FGD by-product gypsum. Percent CaSO₄·2H₂O, final solids content, particle size, and chloride content are primarily technical parameters. Technology exists within the FGD industry to satisfy these criteria and results are discussed.

Economic factors comparing mining costs, transportation costs, and disposal costs are developed for specific utility projects. Such comparison established generalized financial criteria for a given utility to develop the economic reasonableness of considering FGD byproduct recovery.

End product user perspectives are presented providing electric utilities with a realistic appreciation for by-product recovery potential. Location of existing wallboard plants highlight potential recovery regions. Quality control problems are discussed in terms of generating a by-product rather than a disposable material.     

Comparison of Air Pollutant Emissions from Vaporizing and Air Atomizing Waste Oil Heaters

Information presented in this paper is directed to individuals concerned with emissions from combustion of waste crankcase oil for space heating. Studies were performed to characterize gaseous and particulate emissions and vaporizing pot solid residues resulting from the combustion of waste crankcase oil. Two types of waste oil burners were tested. One was a vaporizing oil burner rated at 35.2 kW (120,000 Btu/h heat input), and the other was an air atomizing oil burner rated at 73.3 kW (250,000 Btu/h heat input). Except for NO_X and SO_X, gaseous emissions were similar to those from conventional distillate oil combustion. NO_X and SO_X emissions were higher due to higher fuel nitrogen and sulfur concentrations. Waste oil from automotive use showed higher inorganic levels than crankcase oil used for truck engine lubrication. Both burner types discharged high levels of metallic species, but the air atomizing unit had much higher stack emission levels than did the vaporizing pot system. Also, particulate loading levels were an order of magnitude higher for the air atomizing burner than for the vaporizing pot burner when firing the waste oils. However, the vaporizing pot burner generated a waste residue containing the majority of its elemental emissions. Elements which exceeded threshold limit values for one or both heaters were cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, nickel, phosphorus, and zinc. However, the nickel and much of chromium appeared to be a sampling artifact caused by the stainless steel sampling system.     

The Relationship between Cross-Sectional and Time Series Studies

Abstract

There is a dearth of information on dust emissions from sources that are unique to the U.S. Department of Defense testing and training activities. However, accurate emissions factors are needed for these sources so that military installations can prepare accurate particulate matter (PM) emission inventories. One such source, coarse and fine PM (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5) emissions from artillery backblast testing on improved gun positions, was characterized at the Yuma Proving Ground near Yuma, AZ, in October 2005. Fugitive emissions are created by the shockwave from artillery pieces, which ejects dust from the surface on which the artillery is resting. Other contributions of PM can be attributed to the combustion of the propellants. For a 155–mm howitzer firing a range of propellant charges or zones, amounts of emitted PM₁₀ ranged from ～19 g of PM₁₀ per firing event for a zone 1 charge to 92 g of PM₁₀ per firing event for a zone 5. The corresponding rates for PM_2.5 were ～9 g of PM_2.5 and 49 g of PM_2.5 per firing. The average measured emission rates for PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 appear to scale with the zone charge value. The measurements show that the estimated annual contributions of PM₁₀ (52.2 t) and PM_2.5 (28.5 t) from artillery backblast are insignificant in the context of the 2002 U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) PM emission inventory. Using national–level activity data for artillery fire, the most conservative estimate is that backblast would contribute the equivalent of 5 x 10^–4% and 1.6 x 10^–3% of the annual total PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 fugitive dust contributions, respectively, based on 2002 EPA inventory data.     

A Method for Predicting the Effective Volume Resistivity of a Sodium Depleted Fly Ash Layer

Research has been conducted to develop a technique for predicting the effective volume resistivity of a fly ash layer that has been exposed to circumstances leading to a hot-side precipitator problem known as sodium depletion. Eight fly ashes, representing a major portion of U.S. coals, were evaluated by subjecting 0.5 cm ash layers to a continuously applied voltage gradient of 4 kV/cm for periods of time up to 35 days at a temperature of 350°C (662°F). Resistivity was determined at 350°C before the test started and after the long period of applied voltage used to create the sodium depleted situation. In this condition, resistivity was also determined at 280°C (536°F) for an average electric field Intensity of 4 kV/cm and immediately prior to breakdown. This experimental method can be used with any ash sample to estimate resistivity In a sodium depleted condition. But in addition, a correlation resulting from these resistivity data has been developed. This correlation Is combined with an existing technique for predicting resistivity to produce a method for calculating the expected ash layer resistivity after sodium depletion has occurred.     

Concentrations and distributions of 18 organochlorine pesticides listed in the Stockholm Convention in surface sediments from the Liaohe River basin,China

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were analyzed in 26 surface sediment samples from the Liaohe River basin, and the distributions of and potential environmental risks posed by OCPs in the basin were evaluated. Eighteen OCPs listed in the Stockholm Convention were determined using isotope-dilution gas chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry. This is the first study of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in the Liaohe River basin sediments. The total OCP concentrations were 0.39–68.06 ng g^?1 dry weight. The total α-, β-, γ-, and δ-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), the total dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT – p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDD), p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), o,p^'-DDT, and p,p′-DDT), and the HCB concentrations in the sediment samples were 0.1–28.48 ng g^?1 (mean 4.01 ng g^?1), 0.08–6.52 ng g^?1 (mean 3.07 ng g^?1), and 0.18–24.8 ng g^?1 (mean 4.38 ng g^?1), respectively. The HCB concentrations were higher than the concentrations of the other OCPs, and the HCHs and HCB together were the dominant OCPs. β-HCH was the most abundant HCH isomer. The concentrations of DDTs and other OCPs were relatively low, and the (DDE+DDD)/DDT ratios (>0.5) and DDD/DDE ratios (<1) indicated that no recent DDT inputs had occurred in the Liaohe River system. The main sources of HCHs were probably the historical production and agricultural use of HCH in the study area. The DDT and HCH concentrations were generally below or similar to the concentrations that have been found in other parts of the world. An ecotoxicological evaluation indicated that HCHs in surface sediments pose slight risks to human and ecological health in the Liaohe River basin.     

Speciation and persistence of doxycycline in the aquatic environment: Characterization in terms of steady state kinetics

The aim of the present work was to establish the kinetics for the degradation of doxycycline in the aquatic environment with a view to arriving at a kinetic model that can be used to predict the persistence of antibiotic with confidence. The degradation of doxycycline in both water and sediment phases of aquatic microcosm experiments, as well as in distilled water control experiments, was studied over a period of 90 days. An initial 21% loss due to adsorption by the sediment was observed in the microcosm experiment soon after charging. Biphasic zero-order linear rates of degradation, attributed to microbial degradation of the free and sediment or colloidal particle-adsorbed antibiotic, were observed for both water phase (2.3 × 10^?2 and 4.5 × 10^?3 μgg^?1 day^?1) and sediment phase (7.9 × 10^?3 and 1.5 × 10^?3 μgg^?1 day^?1) of the microcosm experiment. The covered distilled water control experiment exhibited a monophasic zero-order linear rate (1.9 × 10^?3 μgg^?1 day^?1) attributed to hydrolysis, while the distilled water experiment exposed to natural light exhibited biphasic liner rates attributed to a combination of hydrolysis and photolysis (2.9 × 10^?3 μgg^?1 day^?1) and to microbial degradation (9.8 × 10^?3 μgg^?1 day^?1). A kinetic model that takes into account hydrolysis, photolysis, microbial degradation as well as sorption/desorption by colloidal and sediment particles is presented to account for the observed zero-order kinetics. The implications of the observed kinetics on the persistence of doxycycline in the aquatic environment are discussed.     

Maximum Ground-Level Concentrations with Downwash

Equations are derived from the Gaussian plume mode! and prescribe the critical downwind distance, wind speed, and plume rise values that result in maximum ground-level concentrations (MGLC) under downwash conditions. The derivations apply to bent-over plumes and encompass the Schulman-Scire and Huber-Snyder building downwash treatments.