United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Hazardous Waste Engineering
Research Laboratory
Cincinnati OH 45268
Research and Development
EPA/600/S2-85/120 Dec 1985
SrEPA Project Summary
Evaluation of Fabric Filter
Performance at Ames Solid
Waste Recovery System
F. D. Hall, J. M. Bruck, and D. N. Albrinck
EPA conducted a 36-month study to
measure air pollution emissions and to
evaluate control technologies for waste-
as-fuel processes. One of the processes
studied was the resource recovery plant
operated by the municipal Department
of Public Works of Ames. Iowa, which
processes municipal solid waste. A
fabric filter was used to control dust
from the shredders, air density separa-
tion (ADS), and conveyor transfer
points. The fabric filter has operated
successfuly since 1978 with a notice-
able reduction in in-plant air dust
concentrations.
The major output of the Ames re-
source recovery plant is refuse-derived
fuel (RDF), which is transported to an
adjacent power plant for burning and
subsequent generation of power.
This Project Summary was developed
by EPA's Hazardous Waste Engineering
Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH,
to announce key findings of the research
project that is fully documented in a
separate report of the same title (see
Project Report ordering information at
back).
Background
Particulate concentrations in the inlet
and outlet gas streams of the fabric filter
operating at the Ames resource recovery
facility were tested to determine panic-
ulate collection efficiency of the fabric
filter and to quantify inlet and outlet
paniculate concentrations.
Over a 2-day test period, four simul-
taneous inlet-outlet test runs were
completed. Inlet samples were obtained
by EPA Method 5. Outlet samples were
obtained by simultaneously traversing
the "open-air" top of the fabric filter with
two high-volume (hi-vol) samplers, along
two separate straight traverses. The
particulate concentrations found along
each outlet traverse were averaged to
obtain the outlet particulate concentration
for each run.
The full report includes four appendices
which give detailed information about the
testing. Appendix A provides the specifi-
cations of the fabric filter unit. Appendix B
discusses the sampling and analytical
methodology. Appendix C consists of
computerized data calculations for inlet
sampling conditions and hand-completed
data sheets for outlet sampling. Appendix
D describes the quality assurance pro-
cedures.
Results
Table 1 summarizes the fabric filter
performance. Calculations of average
inlet and outlet particulate concentrations
were based only on the values from the
first three test runs because of a sampling
error during Test Run B-4. The outlet
concentration measured during Test Run
B-4 is reported as an individual value;
because there is no corresponding inlet
value, it is not used in calculating the
efficiency of collection. Excluding Test
Run B-4, the average particulate removal
efficiency was 97.8 percent.
The results of inlet particulate sampling
are shown in Table 2. The results of Test
Run B-4 were not considered in the final
evaluation because of an unreasonably
high moisture content. Excluding Test
Run B-4, inlet particulate concentration
averaged 446 mg/dry standard m3, with a
range from 259 to 748 mg/dry standard
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m3. The corresponding participate mass
flow rate averaged 32.3 kg/h and ranged
from 19.5 to 52.6 kg/h.
The results of outlet paniculate sam-
pling are shown in Table 3. Each outlet
test run is composed of two sample
traverses, right and left. The final evalu-
ation of performance is based on an
average of the right and left traverse for
each run For all test runs, outlet panic-
ulate concentration averaged 11.9 mg/
dry standard m3, with a range from 8.63
to 18.6 mg/dry standard m3. The average
paniculate emission rate from the fabric
filter was 0 878 kg/h, with a range from
0.588 to 1.36 kg/h.
Conclusions and
Recommendations
Results indicate that the fabric filter
effectively controls particulates generated
by various sources in the Ames resource
recovery plant. The fabric filter was tested
and evaluated under normal operating
Table 1. Summary of Fabric Filter Performance
Test Run No.
B-1
B-2
B-3
B-4
A verage
Inlet
Paniculate
Concentration,
mg/dry std. m3
748
259
331
b
446"
Outlet
P articulate
Concentration,"
mg/dry std m3
11.4
8.63
9.16
18.6
3.73d
Paniculate
Removal
Efficiency
%
985
967
97.2
c
97.8"
"Average of two outlet samples per run.
''Inaccurate value because of sampling error
"Not calculated because of sampling error
aNot including Test Run B-4.
conditions; no attempt was made to
optimize the operation or collection effi-
ciency of the unit.
Although the data show that the fabric
filter at the Ames plant functions effec-
tively, some improvements can be made.
Bag shaking, a medium-energy cleaning
mechanism, is currently used to remove
dust that is prone to bridging and difficult
to clean from the bags, and clogged bags
remain a problem at the Ames plant Use
of a high-energy cleaning mechanism
(such as air pulsing) might solve the
problem, but such a mechanism must be
implemented in the design phase of an
installation. This solution might increase
power consumption and shorten bag life,
but it would decrease maintenance time.
The dust collection hoppers contributed
to bag clogging, especially around the
perimeter of each section of bags The
location of the baghouse requires rela-
tively shallow hopper side angles, which
sometimes prevent dust from flowing
freely from bags to hopper where the
hopper side is very near the bottom of the
bag Steeper side angles would alleviate
the problem.
Table 2.
Inlet Paniculate Data*
Test Average
Run Temperature
No at Inlet, °R
B-1
B-2
B-3
B-4
555
557
557
558
Actual Volume of Volume of Gas
Gas Sampled, Sampled at Standard
m3 (ft3/ Conditions, m3 (ft3)
0.984(34.76)
1
1
1
13
.15
09
(39.95)
(40.46)
(38 44)
0.942 (33.3)
1 06
1.07
1.03
(37.6)
(379)
(36.4)
Total Paniculate
Paniculate. Concentration,
mg mg/dry std, m3
704.6
275.0
353.9
731.2
748
259
331
710
"For all test runs, the barometric pressure was 760 0 mm (29.92 in.) Hg, the stack pressure was
766.6 mm (30.18 in.) Hg, and the sampling time was 48 min
Table 3.
Outlet Paniculate Data3
Test
Run
No"
B-1R
B-1L
B-2R
B-2L
B-3R
B-3L
B-4R
B-4L
Average AW,C
cm (in ) HZ0
12 7 (5.0)
10.4(4 1)
16.0(6.3)
15.5 (6 1)
185(73)
21.8(86)
19.1 (7.5)
23.6 (93)
A verage
Temperature
at Outlet, °R
557
557
555
555
550
550
554
554
Samp/ing
Flow Rate,
m3/min (acfm)
1 07 (37.9)
0.977 (34 5)
121 (42.7)
1 19 (41.9)
131 (464)
1 45 (51 2)
1 33 (47 1)
152 (538)
Sampling
Time, min
48
40
48
45
48
45
48
45
Volume of Gas
Sampled at Standard
Conditions, m3 (ft3)
48.7(1720)
37.1 (1310)
55.2(1950)
50.7(1790)
606(2140)
62.6(2210)
61.2(2160)
65.4(2310)
Total
Particu/ates,
mg
451.4
501.5
362.2
542.5
695.0
4263
1292.3
10525
Paniculate
Concentration,
mg/dry std. m3
9.27
13.5
6.56
10.7
11.5
6.81
21 1
16.1
"For all test runs, the barometric pressure was 760 0 mm (29.92 in.) Hg.
DR designates right traverse and L designates left traverse.
cSee Figure 4-1 in the full report
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F. D. Hall, J. M. Bruck, and D. N. Albrinck are with PEDCo Environmental, Inc.,
Cincinnati. OH 45246.
Robert A. Olexsey and Michael Black are the EPA Project Officers (see below).
The complete report, entitled "Evaluation of Fabric Filter Performance at Ames
Solid Waste Recovery System," (Order No. PB 86-110 933/AS; Cost: $9.95,
subject to change) will be available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officers can be contacted at:
Hazardous Waste Engineering Research Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Cincinnati, OH 45268
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
EPA/600/S2-85/120
GQOC329 PS
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