Dedicated to the Engineering, Operation @ cAMERON " vs Een ec eM CaM Me Use| © SIGH UP FOR OUR E-NEWSLETTER! May 2011 » Energy-Tech Magazine Soarch Q Home» Features » Article BE-mailto a Friend E-mail Us suare gv) 2 Februar 2010 Goto Page 12 Alternative fuel applications ensure economic and mon) environmental gains [BY NORMAND BWLD ape a Nets) Companies are increasingly exploring allemnalives to fossil els, due to their high prices and stricter government ‘regulations. simply verting or Naring process by-products tothe almospiiere nno longer meets incusties™ environmental and energy trends, and there are a number of innovative ‘solutions that companies have ‘successfully implemented to improve their energy and environmental Quick Links * FREE Magazine Sion-up * Contactthe Editor * Crestive Services Quotes performance. Among these solutions is Including exhibitor the combustion of alternative fuels, such as biogas refinery fuels, hydrogen endflammatle Grectories, sales literature, liquids, to produce usable power. brochures and product eres ‘Motivation tomake a change Behind each alternative fuels project is en incentive thatjustifes the additional investment ‘and development casts. In most cases, the motivation invclves two factors: environmental regulatons andior energy cost savings. ‘The disposal of process by-products can be problematic when considering the cost of rad transport or posttreatment. in como cases, thero aro no attornatves available cueto strict ‘omission roqulstions provonting the venting or romoval of cortain gases from tho process to tho atmosphoro. Combustion or thermal ovidation, therofore, can be both a cost-effective and eficertway'o dispose ofthese S/gmupyforyour, waste streams ‘subscription to\Energy-Tech How can combustion be a ‘solution to emissions concems when itis also a source of pollutant emissions? Tocay, modern combustion systems © vecenaeR 2010 BIOPOWER ‘canbe designed to be clean DIGITAL ISSUE. burning and extremely efficient. Industry Partners vith the latest burner designs ‘ang combuston contol My technoiogees, emissions ot NOx, ASME o.voos ard rartculte mater canbe maintained beiowne focal reguation mts. Typcaly men ting iw-BTU attematvetuels, Nox emissions ate notan issue sire ey nnerenty burn -cooler tan convertionalfossitues, CO and Yocs emissions, onthe otternand, ‘must be caretuly contoliedy designing he system se hat tunace temperatures are Kept at ‘adequate levels for proper odation ‘The combustion process also will oxidize the combustible chemical compounds that are containedin the waste steam and are potentially harmiul io the environment This category includes VOCs, THC and aromatics such as benzene. Proper desicn of the combustion Condenser sistem wll prose the necessary conditions for the complete oxidation of those compounds: i HLailh Jf ston waste steams can connie mar emes hte combustion amt ‘oxidze into harmless gases. These include sulphur (responsible for SOxemissions), fuel boundnitragen (that will increase NOx emissions) and other elements (like metals of ‘minerals that will be responsible for pariculates emissions). Special attention must be civen to the solids contained inthe fuel that can degrade the combustion chamber or boiler tubes, ‘Chemical analysis of process fuels is necessaryto determine the concentration of such elements and compounds. A case-by-case evaluation is necessary to predict performance of waste stream combustion. Some examples of waste streams are: digester gas, landfill gas, off-gas, tal gas, dryer exhaust gas, fatty acide and tars. ee dy Goodnay Technologies ‘Comparison between the cost of the combustion alternative andthe other disposal sclutons will determine which remedy will be the most profitable. The evaluation must analyze the potential energy value thet can be present in some waste streams. Wit respectto the capitalization cost, tis possible to modify an existing combustion unit Othertimes itis necessary to install a new system. Alternative fuols yiold cost savings ‘The cost of energy ypically has a significant impact on a company’s bettom line due to an ‘upwars price trendin conventional fossils fuels. Nost long-term forecasts predict this trend, vill continue with the growing global demand and limited supply of resources. Therefore, process flow charts are being scrutinized to determine if any by-product might contain sufficient energy that can be used as an alternate source.Quick Links * FREE Magazine Sign-up * Contact he Edtor * Creative Sevices Quotes Incluging exhibitor diroctories, salos iterature, brochures snd product manuals DT TE 9 CRC: Industry Partners (UT ye Efficiency Webinar sponsored by Ta ccPev tof? New page 20f 2 ‘The economies of fuel savings are easily calculaied using the SHMMBTU, oF dollars per millions of BTU. The present market price for natural gas is $5.08 MMBTU1. This means that every MMBTU worth of energy found in the by- products could save $5.68 in natural {gas purchasing cost. For example, a plant venting an average of 2,000 SCFM of H2 (205 BTUISCF) during the year could reducs its annual onergy ccst by $1.8 million it burned hydrogon to oft tho natural gas cost. Given tho huge savings potential itis ovidontthat an investment into = combustion and sieam generating system is attractive. Simply laring or venting hich BTU process gas is nolonger the wayto go. ‘The fring ofhigh BTU fuel often equates to higher NOx emissions. Butwith the current technology itis relatively easy to contol NOx emissions to meet regulation limits. Examples of process by-products that have a significant energy value include: hydrogen, refinery gas, syngas, CO, produced gas and methanol, among others, Integration is instrumentalto success During preliminary engineering discussions of an atemnate fuel combustion or metmal oxidaton project, there are special considerations that must gids of geseoun ues sr Br ‘Signup foryour, menmnammme SUUSCIiption toEnergy-Tech independently controledto produce something else —the ‘main production of the plant. This will confer avariatle characteristic to most ofthe process fuels. Variations in available flow, pressure, composition and tomperature are Co aT When one looks at how a combustion system wores, on can see thatthe basic functonis to control the air and tue! flow to obiain a precise mixture ratio and produce the desired amount of energy. To achieve this task, aa typical combustion system relles on a stable, constant and reliable fuel Source, Ike natural 1988, for Instance. Wnen fedwin a fuel source that Is not stable, ne combustion system will have to react and automatically adjust sett in some way to remain eficient and sate. This Is a serious design challenge. ‘The success ofthe system depends greatly on the understanding cf the process and the necessary knowledge to predetermine the normal operating conditions and the potential upset conditions. Once this is understood, the required intalligence will be designed into the combustion system so itwil be able to automatically adjust itself tothe changes, and reciprocelly forthe process. The combustion system and the process are now dependent on each other. They are inked through their respective operating conditions. This integration starts right at the beginning of he project and is completed during the commissioning ofthe combustion system. Collaboration between the process pzople and the comibusticn people is of paramount importance. Hore are some typical points that chould bo considered when embarking ona process fuels firing project * Header pressure and its conta! sirat2gy * Condensation in gaseous fuels —verity pariculate content, potential condensation and corrosion * Composition variations and related characteristics, such as density, heating value, et. * Fuel available flow and its variation through time * Sustaining fuels, simultaneous firing and other fing strategies * Steam demand scenarics * Funace configurations, temperature and residence time, among oter things \wimout 2 doubt, process tus! fring projects are more complex than standard natural cas Jobs. Nevernielass, numerous projects have been successfully commissionedto date. The Innovative approach, experience and collaboration between the combustion equipment supplier and the process company all conbibute to push the limits of what can ve achieved. A thorough understanding of a plant's process and fuel characteristics is recommended to ensure the sucsess of an altemative fuels project. Several companies, such as Cleaver- Brooks Engineered Systems Group (featuring Nebraska Boilers, Natcom Burners and Eneray Recovery products), regularly custom design combustion and stam generator systems for various gaseous and liquidtuels. Notes: 1. Source: oilnergy.com, NYMEX Henty-hub gas price Jan. 25, 2010, 5.676 USDAIMETU Normand Bujold has 25 years of experience in mechanical design and has soent the past 15, -yearsin the industrial combustion business. As vice president of design engineering for Cleaver-8rooks Engineered Systems Group, Bujoldis resoorssible forthe design and develooment ofthe Natcom product ine. Under his supervision. 9 pom natural cas burners, thermal oxidizers, gas heaters and process fue! burners have been sold in more than 15