Reduction of Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM)

emission from Stack

by AMMONIA DOSING
DEFINITION:
Ammonia helps to reduce resistivity of fly ash resulting in better ionization of the
particles and increase in collection efficiency of ESP fields.

CONTRIBUTORS FOR POLLUTION OF ENVIRONMENT:

ASH in Coal for SPM.
SULPHUR for SOX.
Improper COMBUSTION for NOX.

STATUTORY LIMIT:
SPM : 150mg/Nm3.
SOX: 2000mg/ Nm3.
NOX: 750 mg/ Nm3.

WORKING PRINCIPLE OF ESP

Transformer

e
e

e
e

Rectifier

e
e

mA

+ Positive Ions

KV

e Negative Ions

e Free electron

e
e

e
e

e
e

e
e

e
e

e
e
e
e

+
e

e
e
e

+
+

WORKING PRINCIPLE IN DETAIL:

1) Step-up Transformer increases output Voltage from 415 V to 55 KV or
more according to the design criteria of ESP.
2) Output AC voltage is converted to DC through rectifier banks.
3) (+) ve side is connected to collecting plates and (-) ve side is connected to
discharge electrodes as shown if figure above.
4) When ash particles pass between collecting and discharge electrodes, due to
high electro-static field, the ash particles are ionized (negatively charged)
and attracted towards collecting plates where particles are collected.
5) After formation of sufficient thickness of ash particles on collecting plates,
collecting electrodes are hammered by continuous/intermittent rapping
mechanism.
6) Major portion of the Ash particles are thus collected in the hopper below
and a small quantity is carried over to the next fields due to velocity of flue
gas inside the ESP. Higher flue velocity increases re-entrainment of ash to
next fields.
7) Discharge electrodes are also hammered intermittently by another rapping
mechanism to dislodge the positively charged particles, which are collected
on discharged electrodes.

Principle of TIMER Setting of CERM Drive:

Excessive Rapping on thin layer leads to re-entrainment problem because of
less cohesive mass resulting increase in emission.
Inadequate rapping causes excessive sparking, which reduces efficiency.
Too many plate rapping at the same time increases emission level.
Excessive rapping also reduces the life of the internal components.

Effect on Size distribution of the collected dust

1000
800
600
400
200

0.05

0.5

Mass Mean Diameter (Micron)

10

Dry Air
7% H2O by volume

1011

14% H2O

1010

25% H2O

200

300

400

500

600

700

Temperature, F

NORMAL PRECIPITATORs VOLTAGE -- CURRENT

Power Supply Current Limit

1200

Clean Plate Air Load Curve

All Fields

1000

Operating CurveThird Field

800
600

Operating CurveSecond Field

400

Operating CurveFirst Field

200

10

20

30

Voltage in KV

40

50

% of COLLECTION in ESP FIELDS

at Different position

ESP FIELDS

100%
GAS FLOW Dust

80%

80%

80%

80%

20%

4%

0.8%

0.16%

80%

16%

3.2%

0.64%

Burden

TO
0.16%
STACK Dust
Burden

ASH HOPPER

COLLECTING EFFICIENCY OF ESP

DEPENDS on following Chemical & Physical conditions:
Flow Rate and Distribution of Flue Gas.
Concentration & Size of Dust Particles.
Temperature & Moisture content in Flue Gas.
SO3 (Sulfur Trioxide) content in Flue gas.
Air Leakage in ESP.
Unburntcarbon percentage.
Resistivity of Dust Particles.

Improvement of Resistivity of Dust Particles.

Water Fogging to agglomerate the Particles.
Use of SULPHUR TRIOXIDE (in case of Lignite SO3 Conditioning may
not be suitable)
Use of AMMONIA Injection.

Principle for Improvement of Collection Efficiency by AMMONIA.

NH3 with flue gas Moisture react to form Ammonia Sulfate and Bisulfate
compounds help to agglomerate and increase ash particle size.
Reduce Resistivity of Dust Particles.

Caution:
Higher injection rate of NH3 may result ash to clinging to the Plates of ESP,
reducing the Plate rapping infecting.

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM of
AMMONIA DOSING SYSTEM

NH3 injection header

NH3 injection header

No. of pipes: 8
Size of Pipe: 15mm
Size of hole: 4-6 mm
No. of holes:19

4-6 mm holes are facing

towards ESP and along
the flue path direction.

ESP A-Pass inlet duct

ESP B-Pass inlet duct

Flow meter

Pressure gauge

Solenoid valve

Isolating valve
Manual control valve

Ammonia Cylinder
Conveying Air
from Air Heater

EXPERIMENTATIONS TO REDUCE SPM

by AMMONIA DOSING IN ESP
AT TITAGARH GENERATING STATION
Major tasks to achieve better performance of ESP
1) Prime task is to maintain ESP Fields available at all time.
2) Ash evacuation from ESP hoppers is to be confirmed so that no ESP field is
lost due to shorting by ash in hoppers.
3) Rapping mechanism should run perfectly and operating time of CERM
drive is to be optimized.
4) For better ionization, Ammonia injection system has to be incorporated
to reduce resistivity of ash particle in exit flue gas.
IMPROVEMENT BY STRUCTURAL CHANGES:
Performance of ESP can be improved by structural changes i.e. by increasing the
size of the ESP.
But Constraints are:
1) Not enough space
2) Not enough room for increase of the field size
3) High cost involvement.
4) Long outage required.

Design Vs Actual at TGS.

Parameters

Design

Actual

Efficiency of ESP

99.4

99.4

Ash in Coal

25%

30 - 32%

Inlet Dust burden

21.52 gm/Nm3

24.5 - 27.77 gm/Nm3

Clean dust burden at ESP Outlet

0.13 gm/Nm3

0.147 - 167 gm/Nm3

SPM at ESP outlet

130 mg/Nm3

147 - 167 mg/Nm3

DEVELOPMENTAL PROJECT
FOR AMMONIA DOSING AT TGS

In TITAGARH GENERATING STATION, Ammonia dosing system has been

developed in house and following results achieved. After having significant result in
reduction of SPM level, same dosing system has been incorporated in other two PF
stations i.e. in BBGS and SGS.

Operating System of AMMONIA Dosing:

8 Nos. of 15mm NB tubes are inserted in each pass of ESP inlet duct.
19 Nos 6mm holes are drilled on each 15mm NB pipe for flowing air and
Ammonia mixture.
15mm NB pipes are fitted inside the ESP flue path so that these holes are
facing towards ESP.
Conveying air is supplied from FD Fan discharge for uniform Ammonia
distribution.
One pressure regulator at Ammonia cylinder outlet to maintain 2-5 kg/cm2 .
3Nos. solenoid operated valves and 3 Nos. Flow regulators are connected as
shown in figure.
One bye-pass line for manual control.
One flow meter is connected common outlet for measurement.
80mm NB pipe is connected with FD Fan discharge duct and conveying air
line for Ammonia injection.

LOGIC OF SYSTEM OPERATION of AMMONIA Dosing:

Pre-adjusted at equivalent to 1 ppm flow of Ammonia.
When opacity of the flue gas crosses 30 gm/Nm3 first solenoid valve (S1)
will operate.
Second solenoid valve operates till opacity crosses 45 mg/Nm3.
If Opacity goes beyond 55 gm/Nm3, third solenoid valve (S3) will come in
operation.
Reverse operation will occur during decreasing SPM level due to action of
Ammonia.
Bye-pass valve is to be opened if the opacity of flue gas crosses the value of
65gm/Nm3 after 30 minutes from switch ON of third solenoid valve (S3).

SAFTY PRECAUTION:
1) Ammonia pipe line has been hydraulically tested at 50 kg/cm2.
2) Low-pressure line of Ammonia line is also tested for leaks.
3) Enclosure for Ammonia Injection in a control station
4) Sprinkler system has been incorporated around Ammonia injection
station. This water sprinkler can be operated from remote end.
5) Shed over Ammonia cylinder has been done for avoiding exposed direct
sun light.
6) Water spraying system provided inside NH3 cylinder storage area.
7) Care to be taken during NH3 cylinder handling / transportation.
8) Monthly checking of NH3 concentration in surrounding atmosphere
around ammonia injection control station. Monthly checking of flue gas
for NH3 content.
9) Monthly checking of ash for NH3 content.
10) Physical checking of ESP internals, duct, ID Fan runner, casing etc.
11) Occupational health center should be equipped for first aid to attend
personnel who is exposed with Ammonia gas.
12) Display with Caution note about NH3 handling.

EFFECT OF AMMONIA DOSING ON DIFFERENT SPM

LEVELS
TITAGARH GENERATING STATION
EFFECT ON SPM level for NH3 injection for 2 ppm
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
1

Higher the SPM level

more the effect

10

No. OF READINGS
Without NH3

With NH3

11

12

13

14

15

Sustenance effect of Ammonia over SPM

after stopping Ammonia Dosing
TITAGARH GENERATING STATION
AFTER EFFECT ON SPM WITH NH3 (2ppm) for 20 hrs.
NH3 injection
started at the

145

rate of 2ppm

125
105

Injection

MILL CUT-IN

stopped

85
65
45
25
1

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

TIME
Av. SPM

RESULTS:
TITAGARH GENERATING STATION
SPM LEVEL MEASURED BY WBPCB
999857

800

786.09 3227

Ammonia
dosing
introduced

700
600
474.6

500
434.22

400
275.75

300

292.7

200 164.5 165.25

124.62

100
0

114.32 132.7
94.92

65.34
59.14
38.94 28.37 34.33 42.5653.86
27.25
# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 2 3 4 1

98
25173029181140

2 3

86

70
2136

95
36

25171222

63
234430493339

# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# -# 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 4

UNIT No.

Results achieved:
SPM level reduced significantly:
Can maintain below 75mg/Nm3.

CONSUMPTION OF AMMONIA:
Dosing Rate

With 2 ppm
dosing

With 3 ppm
dosing

Hours of Dosing
Per Day

Ammonia dozing
per day (kg)

No. of days can be dosed by

one cylinder.

1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
3
4
5
6

0.36
0.71
1.07
1.43
1.78
2.14
0.5
1.1
1.6
2.1
2.7
3.2

112
56
37
28
22
19
74.7
37.4
24.9
18.7
14.9
12.5

Online display of SPM at TGS & Corporate Office

Generation Division

Online

SPM
Hosted From TGS Server By Environmental Cell

TITAGARH GENERATING STATION : SPM

28.4
1:21:45 PM

35

Trend Graph Historical Value

Daily Trend & Statistics

1:21:45 PM

40

1:21:45 PM

For Details: sujoy.ghosh@cesc.co.in

14.5

Average Value

1:21:45 PM