Boiler MACT and other oddities

Finally, the holidays are over and the shows and meetings that for me occupy a good deal of time during December and January are done.  Now I can get back to a normal regimen for my blog.  In reviewing my earlier blog from January I went out on a very thin limb by making various predictions for 2012.  Under the “Sports” section, I guessed LSU over Alabama and Green Bay to win it all.  As all of you know from reading my blogs, these were obviously typos. 

I just returned from the annual ABMA meeting in Palm Springs, California.  For those of you living in a cold climate, I will not tell you how wonderful the weather was out there; stay away in the summer though!  At the conference was an economist who forecast a decent 2012 and 2013 so plan accordingly.  After a few sidesteps in 2014, we can expect growth during the period 2015-2017 with some slowing in 2018 and another steep recession in 2019.  I’ll leave each of you to mull over the merits of these ideas and plan accordingly.  I will say that the economist has a good record on these matters.

As I have discussed in previous newsletters and blogs, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s March 2011 ICI-BMACT rules continue to evolve and gel.  In the end of December these rules were published in the Federal Register.  Sorting out all the meandering paths taken by this legislation, the obstructions in Congress along with court challenges and rulings takes someone much more attuned to these nuanced efforts than a simple, non-political guy like me.  Suffice it to say that it appears things are moving forward.  There are two measures going through our dysfunctional government:  HR 2250 (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr2250rh/pdf/BILLS-112hr2250rh.pdf),  a house bill designed to allow more time for review of the EPA proposal (it’s been going on for 10 years now so the extra time being requested fails the smell test here);

and S1392 (http://eenews.net/bills/111/Senate/180811105617.pdf, the Senate equivalent of the same odious bill. 

 The ABMA position on this is clear and forceful: it strongly opposes both of these bills and urges all the stakeholders in the process to get moving on getting the final rules codified and the relevant EPA rules moving forward. 

More on this as it develops.

Finally, after my “brilliance” in showing my prognosticating skills, here’s my quote for the day.

“Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future.” ~Niels Bohr, Danish Physicist, 1885-1962.

Happy 2012

Happy New Year

Oh my.  Just look at the calendar!  I blinked and it is 2012.  When I was a boy of around 10, I remember thinking that when the millennium changed from 1999 to 2000 that I would be 53 years old.  Naturally, that seemed rather ancient to me at the time but I look back to 2000 fondly as I was “only” 53.  Alas.

With that bit of nostalgia out of the way, let me start my first blog by wishing everyone, including the Mayans who predict a 2012 catastrophe, Happy New Year!

Predictions for 2012

As with most companies, E-Tech must submit forecasts to its owners as to the business climate we expect to see for 2012.  A decade or two this was a simpler task as the world was a less complicated place.  Even though we are a small company, E-Tech has to look at the macro side of the world as the interrelationships of our little planet are so powerful in what we do.  So here is what I think is going to happen this year.  Note that these predictions are based on reasoning, not necessarily what I hope will occur.

1.       The Economy – This one’s easy as most analysis I have seen point to a continued improvement in the US economy in general and to other parts of the world in particular.  Are there blips out there?  Sure.  China will have to come to grips with many issues that endanger it including its banking system.  A consensus for US growth seems to be around 2.5%.

2.       Unemployment – Public sector losses will dampen employment so that by the time elections come around in November, the rate will not be much different than it is now.

3.       And speaking of the election… I predict Obama will be re-elected in a run against Mitt Romney.  Do not be surprised to see the president have a different VP.  In a move more toward a dysfunctional government, the GOP will capture the Senate thereby assuring that Congressional approval ratings remain in single digits.

4.       On a microeconomic level, specifically my own business, I predict 2012 to be a reasonable year though not as robust as 2011 was.  Most of E-Tech’s representatives share this view as well as customers who replied to our requests for their opinions.

5.       Inflation – Not too much of a factor.  For our own business, steel prices, at least for the time being, are stable or lower.  Natural gas prices by the end of the year figure to be $3.50 or so.  Take note, however, that the US is beginning to export large amounts of natural gas; though this is not probably going to have too much impact in 2012, we could see an upward blip in 2013 or 2014.  E-Tech is seeing increased pricing pressures due to scarce fabrication resources in the Tulsa area.  This could cause fabricated costs to rise with or without material price increases.

6.       The stock market – Oh boy, here we go!  I believe that long-term, the market is bearish as there are so many issues – debt, growth, political stagnation in the US, lack of a coordinated plan for adapting to a global market, education problems – that must (my word) be addressed at a macro level and won’t be.  With that caveat, I think 2012 and 2013 will be decent years with gains of 5% or so each year.  Beyond that, buyer beware!

7.       Sports – LSU over Alabama (I would have preferred to see Oklahoma State lose to one of these two but the BCS saw to that not happening).  And in the Super Bowl?  My money’s on Green Bay.

Finally, these are my own opinions and as anyone who knows me will say, I’m wrong far more often than right.  And to that end, you may all, at the end of the year, remind me of this fact – unless, of course, the Mayans were right after all.

For my first blog of 2012, it’s appropriate to have a New Year’s quote.

The proper behavior all through the holiday season is to be drunk.  This drunkenness culminates on New Year's Eve, when you get so drunk you kiss the person you're married to.  ~P.J. O'Rourke (born 1947)

Merry Christmas to all

As this month is already nearly gone - and the first half spent traveling - I wish to say only to all of you, your associates and families, the very best of a wonderful holiday.  When the new year starts, I have plenty to tell you but that will be my first New Year's Resolution.  And since I fall flat on these promises every year, I intend to keep this one so stay tuned.

Celebrating Thanksgiving

In a departure from the usual, I'll scoot away from my normal business and talk a little about Thanksgiving.  Although most Americans associate this holiday with the early Pilgrims in New England, Thanksgiving is celebrated throughout the world in some fashion.

For example, our wonderful neighbors to the north celebrate their Thanksgiving in October.  In 1957, the Canadian Parliament proclaimed:

"A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed – to be observed on the 2nd Monday in October."

I had the very good fortune of hosting a visitor from Korea yesterday who told me about their Thanksgiving, a wonderful three-day holiday celebrated about the time of the autumnal equinox.

For me, I am blessed to have my 85 year old mother coming to visit me from Greensboro, NC and with her visit, make her wonderful creamed onions, a New England tradition.  So to all of you out there, my best wishes for a wonderful holiday full of bounty and family.

MACT Update Rev. 1

MACT update

In my posting of September 15, I gave an update on the boiler MACT rules from the EPA.  Among the salient points were 1) October 24^th was the “final” date, and 2) that the ABMA (and by extension us at E-Tech) supported these changes.  Because of a House of Representative initiative early in October, a monkey wrench has been thrown into the mix.  The United States EPA announced on October 24^th that it was not going to propose revised air pollution standards for boilers on October 31 as previously planned but instead would issue, by November 30, a proposed rule.  This would impact area source boilers (the bulk of what most of us see; those that are smaller than 100mm btu/hr), major source boilers, and solid waste incinerators.  From my earlier blog, the major source boiler leg of this trio hade been on hold.  What happens next?  It’s anyone’s guess but stay in touch for more information.

News from the ABMA

As I mentioned in the section above, the ABMA has taken a proactive role in the MACT debate and who better, when you think of it?  One of the slams against the EPA from the Republican side of the House has been that all of these new regulations will add to the deficit and take away from jobs.  Politics aside, I’m not one for having to choose between my job and my health (or for others, their safety).  So we should all ask the question as to who knows best on what might be possible under MACT: the boiler companies?; or Congressmen pandering to special interests? 

The ABMA will be putting out a couple of ads in a variety of familiar magazines in our industry (Power Engineering magazine, Power magazine, Engineered Systems magazine and others) offering advice and counsel on this topic.  In addition a special web site will be set up – it’s not up yet – to answer questions relating to this important issue.  For those interested, the site will be Boiler MACT Facts from the ABMA.  I cannot tell you when it may be up and running.

I am putting a link to these ads on the E-Tech web site if you wish to look at them.   I do believe you’ll find them to be interesting and informative.

ABMA Boiler MACT ads

There are two of them and they're listed under "downloads".

To finish, here’s my blog quote of the day.  As Thanksgiving is right around the corner, it seems appropriate we honor that day.

Our rural ancestors, with little blest,
Patient of labour when the end was rest,
Indulged the day that housed their annual grain,
With feasts, and off'rings, and a thankful strain.

~Alexander Pope (1688-1744)

Don't Overspend When Buying an Economizer

Don’t Overspend When Buying an Economizer

Most of us know that economizers save you money by recycling heat that would otherwise be wasted up the stack.  Typical fuel savings range from 3-8%.  But economizers come in many different shapes and sizes and are manufactured by a wide variety of companies that have their own ideas as to specific design features.  On the E-Tech website, there is a white paper that will guide you through what makes sense (and CENTS) in economizer designs.  Here is a link:

E-Tech White Paper on Choosing an Economizer

But beyond the nuts and bolts discussion detailed in the white paper are other plain sense ideas that apply to all economizer selection criteria, even if an E-Tech design is not your first choice.

1.        Gas side pressure drop (a function of velocity) plays a large role in determining the size and cost of an economizer: the more pressure drop that can be taken through the vessel, the less expensive the cost.  This particular variable has perhaps the highest impact on the size and price of the unit.

2.       In determining the size and shape of an economizer, one must also consider the entire boiler setting.  Buying the least expensive economizer may cost you more in the long run when taking into account support steel and transitions.  Think about the whole package before making a decision.

3.       Fin pitch will have a large bearing on the cost of an economizer so follow good engineering practices to resolve this issue.  Here are a few guidelines to follow:

a.       Serrated finning, generally used with clean-burning fuels, is less expensive than solid fins.

b.      Carbon steel fins are much less expensive than stainless.  Not only that, but the conductivity of stainless fins is less than one-half that of its carbon counterpart.  Unless there is a chance of condensation of moisture in the gas stream, use carbon steel fins.

c.       Fin pitch recommendations:

                                                               i.      Coal/Wood, two fins/inch or less

                                                             ii.      #6 Fuel oil, three fins/inch

                                                            iii.      #2 or #4 Fuel oil up to 4.5 fins/inch.  Serrated is acceptable

                                                           iv.      Natural gas, hydrogen, butane, 6 fins/inch or more, serrated.  Note that with this fuel, sootblowers should not be necessary.

4.       Tube material.  You’ve already spent money on an expensive deaerator.  Why waste additional dollars paying for stainless tubing?  Not only is the cost of stainless tubes significantly higher, it is also not allowed under Section I of the ASME Code.  Your boiler is stamped to Section I.  Make sure the economizer is too.

5.       Along the same lines, unless you have a condensing economizer (or very hot flue gases), there is no good reason not to have carbon steel inner casing.  Spending money on a stainless steel casing offers no benefit for a higher cost.

6.       There is a valid difference of opinion as to whether an economizer needs removable end panels to facilitate tube removal should that become necessary.  Those who say “no”, argue that it’s just as easy to torch off the end casing as it is to remove all the bolts.  This is a matter of personal preference so pick your side and stick to it.

7.       Don’t oversize your economizer!  If you have a 500 HP boiler that never, ever will run more than 300 HP, then buy a smaller unit, one designed for 300 HP.  Remember, though, that once you choose this path, you’re pretty much committed to it.

8.       Finally, on smaller boilers, a cylindrical design is a great cost cutter as there are usually no transitions needed.  Much is made of the circular design not being repairable which is true in many cases.  However the circular design has far fewer tube welds and a much better frequency of repair record than rectangular designs.

To finish, here’s my blog quote of the day.  I’ve always been intrigued by the sayings of Confucius and I found one that’s perfect.

He who will not economize, will have to agonize.  ~ Confucius (551 BC – 479 BC)

The Skinny on Boiler Emissions

Emissions

Because of all the political dialogue, as a population, we tend to have heard about emissions in one form or another.  With my recent blogs on Boiler MACT regulations, I thought it would make a good article to talk about the types of emissions we see in our industry and what can be done to do away with emissions or mitigate their effects.  Although my slant as an employee of E-Tech, Inc. is to offer solutions to emission issues, boiler economizers such as we design and manufacture, can only moderate these pollutants to a certain degree.  Furthermore, my knowledge base is limited to our products to an extent.  Boiler manufacturers have more impact on this and therefore, more smarts.

At E-Tech, my company, we concern ourselves primarily with:

·         Nitrogen compounds (NO_X)

·         Sulfur Oxides (SO_X)

·         Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s)

Certainly there are other things to worry about such as particulates but that is not within the scope of this blog.

NITROGEN COUPONDS (NO_X)

NO_X is a generic term for nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and is formed from the reaction of nitrogen and oxygen during the combustion process.  NO_X is not to be confused with nitrous oxide (laughing gas, for example).   Although this discussion is related to boilers, NO_X is produced from any combustion process, particularly from automobiles.  NO_X Pollution from cars, trucks, planes, etc., can be particularly high in areas of high motor vehicle activity and around densly populated parts of the country. 

While it is true that NO_X can encourage the formation of acid rain, it is not the main reason we look at reducing them.  It is because of the effects on the production of ozone that we endeavor to lower this pollutant.  To reduce NO_X a variety of methods have been introduced over the years, and as time has gone on, improvements have been made.  Here, in no order, are several.

·         Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) – In this method, ammonia is injected in the boiler exhaust gases with a catalyst that allows the ammonia to reduce the NO_X

·         Flue Gas Recirculation (FGR) – This is been around for a while and is an effective means of reducing emissions on smaller boilers (30,000 PPH or less is a good range).  In essence FGR involves recirculating cooler exhaust gases back into the combustion process to lower the temperature.

·         Burner Modifications – Fifteen years ago or more, burners having NO_X levels of 30-50 PPM were considered pretty cutting edge.   Since then, some of the ultra-low NO_X burners offer as low as 5 PPM

·         Efficiency – Finally, this is where E-Tech comes in.  By adding heat recovery equipment to the boiler, the firing rate for any given output is reduced, thereby lowering emissions.

SULFUR COMPOUNDS (SO_X)

I remember years ago when I first heard about acid rain.  It was in New England where I was born and it was having an impact on the lakes and trees of the area.  Although I didn’t understand it at that time, I remember there were certain parts of the country – the rust belt (before it got rusty) – that were blamed for the phenomenon.  While acid rain has been around for centuries the issue became more urgent in the 1970s and 1980s in the US.  Many laws have been promulgated through Congress and the EPA to help turn back the clock to cleaner times.  One of the biggest culprits in acid rain is sulfur.  Even though sulfur compounds can be naturally formed (volcanoes, etc.), much is produced by man through the burning of sulfur-laden fuels such as coal and heavy oil.

As a large portion of our nation’s utilities produce electricity through the burning of coal, the industry has done much to reduce its pollution footprint.  Many coal-burning plants use flue gas desulfurization, a process by which 95% or more of the SO₂ will be removed.  In addition, as natural gas has become more plentiful and less costly, it is being used more and more; its future looks bright not only in the boiler market but also for fleets of cars and trucks.

Although I wish I could plug economizers here, there’s not much an economizer can do except lower the firing rate of the boiler.

VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOC)

VOCs are compounds with high vapor pressures and low water solubility.  They are comprised mainly of carbon and hydrogen.  Many VOCs are dangerous to both human health and the environment and may include both manmade as well as naturally occurring elements.  E-Tech has worked with many companies involved in the design and manufacturing of thermal oxidizers, one method of destroying hazardous pollutants.

My blog quote for the day is about autumn, my favorite time of year.

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.  ~ Albert Camus