SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS WITH BROAD BENEFITS: Electrostatic Precipitators And Energy Reclamation

Epsco’s engineering experience and understanding of the interrelationship of systems enables our consultant teams to develop not only effective technology solutions to air pollution control issues and challenges, but also to provide practical, precise planning and evaluation that addresses those issues and overcomes those challenges with results that both enhance air quality and financial/operational concerns.

Case in point: the lost power generation capacity an electric utility in the Southern United States suffered as a result of issues related to their electrostatic precipitators. The utility’s flue gas SO2 regulation-mandated shift to lower-sulfur coal, forcing the installation of an SO3 fly ash conditioning system. The ultility lost more than 10% of its generating capacity – at a time of peak summer electricity demand – upon transitioning from the flue gas SO2 system.

Epsco’s evaluation of the electrostatic precipitators was enhanced by our team’s ability to analyze the utility’s entire system from both flue gas technology emissions perspective and the company’s operational goal of reclaiming the diminished generation capacity resulted in an innovative and effective approach to wet cooling of the hottest zones of the flue gas. Using atomized water droplets only in those hottest flue gas zones not only enabled the utility to meet its primary goal of recapturing much- needed generating capacity while meeting flue gas SO2 regulations and emissions requirements.

Equally important was the practical as well as technical insight Epsco brought to the consultation. Because the generation capacity loss was taking place during a time of rising demand for electricity, the assessment and evaluation sought -- and succeeded to find – a temporary solution whose devices and equipment could be implemented immediately while design of devices and equipment required for a permanent solution proceeded.