Change fuel and you change your emissions. Change burners and you change your emissions. Install a wet scrubber and you change your emissions.
Southern Research is one of the premier resources in the country that you can call on for assistance when you are faced with switching coal, installing low NOx burners, wet scrubbers, or making other changes that affect your plant's emissions.
We have an internationally recognized staff of pollution control experts, accompanied by unique facilities and equipment. We will work with you to find the best solution to your air pollution needs.
Southern Research developed the industry-standard computer models for particulate control systems:
Using our models and expertise, we can predict how fuel changes will affect electrostatic precipitator or fabric filter performance. We can also estimate the effects of flue gas conditions systems on emissions. The models assist us in analyzing performance problems by determining if your control device is performing as it should. The models also provide a cost-effective means to evaluate upgrade strategies.
Southern Research has more than 35 years of experience quantifying emissions, measuring the properties of suspended particles and evaluating pollution control equipment. We have conducted evaluations at over one hundred sites and on many types of sources. Whether you need advanced measurements, such as mercury or air toxics mass balances or particle-size distributions at high temperature and pressure, or more routine measurements, such as mass concentration or LOI determinations, we can fill that need. We offer a unique video droplet analyzer to study wet scrubber mist eliminator performance. Since we developed many of the emissions measurement and analytical techniques now in use, we take pride in providing the highest quality emissions and particle measurements.
Southern Research has conducted extensive research programs to understand the mechanisms that limit the performance of particle control devices. Our experience extends beyond collection of fly ash to particulate collection downstream of spray dryers, AFBC, FPBC, low NOx burners, wet scrubbers, SCR and other sources. We have unique laboratory and field capabilities to apply to control-device troubleshooting, fuel-switching problems and upgrading efforts.
If you are planning to upgrade your existing equipment, consider that we have also studied most of the technologies offered to improve the performance of existing particulate control equipment, including:
We have built our reputation in emissions measurement and control by combining trustworthy data with accurate scientific diagnoses and practical recommendations. As changing regulatory and competitive pressures affect plant equipment and operation, these are examples of some of the resources Southern Research offers you:
Laboratory Analyses
Field Measurements
Special Diagnostic Capabilities
For over 65 years Southern Research has been finding solutions to complex problems. We will collaborate with you to provide timely, accurate, and useful information. Call us to discuss your specific emissions measurement and air pollution control needs.
Southern Research is a pioneer in electrostatic precipitator research. We have conducted air pollution control research and measurement regarding ESPs since the late 1960s. The standard electrostatic precipitator performance model was originally developed at Southern Research and updated over the past four decades. A sophisticated Windows-based version is currently available. We have conducted on-site testing of hundreds of full-scale utility and industrial electrostatic precipitators, both cold-side and hot-side. The early research to understand special problems related to hot-side ESP performance were conducted by Southern Research, including sodium depletion and back corona.
Southern Research has been studying baghouses (fabric filters) applied to coal-fired flue gases for almost thirty years. We have experience both with low-ratio (reverse-gas, reverse-gas-sonics, and shake-deflate) and high-ratio (pulse-jet) types of baghouses. We have conducted on-site testing at a number of full-scale, fabric-filter installations and have conducted a number of utility-industry surveys on baghouse applications for the Electric Power Research Institute. We have conducted extensive research into filtration fabrics for coal fly ash applications and worked closely with EPRI in the development of their COHPAC process for using fabric filters as polishing units downstream of poorly performing ESPs. This process has taken on added importance recently as activated carbon injection for vapor-phase mercury control has been aggressively marketed. Southern Research is ready to assist utility and industrial clients with their fabric filter performance issues.
Problems can occur when reducing wet scrubber operating costs associated with flue gas reheat, because "rain-out" from the stack can occur. Tests may be required to ensure that mist eliminator performance specifications are being met Southern Research has a proven method for quantifying wet scrubber droplet concentrations, carryover, and emission rates - the Southern Research Video Droplet Analyzer. The Video Droplet Analyzer provides a means of accurately quantifying mist eliminator (ME) carryover and droplet concentrations in stacks. The droplet sizes that cause the greatest part of ME carryover and stack "rain-out" are typically a few tenths of a millimeter up to a few millimeters in diameter. The Video Droplet Analyzer provides droplet measurements up to 5,300 micrometers - sizes larger than competitive methods - and is uniquely able to quantify droplet emissions over the critical range of droplet sizes. The traversing capability of the system and real-time data it provides also make it a useful tool in diagnosing droplet carryover problems. It has also been used for several nozzle development projects at Southern Research. See the attached article for a description of the application of this device at a Midwest utility.
Fly ash resistivity is the primary parameter that affects electrostatic precipitator performance. Southern Research understood this from the very beginning of our involvement with ESPs and devoted considerable research efforts to understand this parameter. The standard testing protocol for fly ash resistivity available from the IEEE was developed at Southern Research, and we continue to provide excellent laboratory test facilities to conduct resistivity measurements on fly ash samples from around the world. We can conduct both the standard ascending and descending temperature mode tests as well as specialized tests in which we simulate the injection of water vapor or sulfur trioxide for resistivity modification. The instruments for conducting in situ measurement of ash resistivity (the point-place resistivity probe) were developed at the Southern Research. We have conducted hundreds of measurements at a variety of full-scale utility and industrial coal-fired boilers. Our scientists developed the basic ash resistivity model used world-wide today as part of the electrostatic precipitator model. The current version of the model was updated recently to improve its predicted capability for fly ashes from coal blends. Call us today about your resistivity needs.
Contact:
Ken Cushing
205-581-2381
cushing@southernresearch.org