EPA
TVA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Industrial Environmental Research
Laboratory
Research Triangle Park NC 27711
EPA-600/7-80-131
July 1980
Tennessee Valley
Authority
Office of Power
Energy Demonstrations
and Technology
Muscle Shoals AL 35660
TVA EOT-I 15
Projection of 1985
Market Potential for FGD
Byproduct Sulfur and
Sulfuric Acid in the U.S.
Interagency
Energy/Environment
R&D Program Report
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This report has been assigned to the INTERAGENCY ENERGY-ENVIRONMENT
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This document is available to the public through the National Technical Informa-
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EPA-600/7-80-131
TVA EDT-115
July 1980
Projection of 1985 Market
Potential for FGD Byproduct
Sulfur and Sulfuric Acid in the U.S
by
W.E. O'Brien, W.L Anders, and J.D. Veitch
TVA, Office of Power
Division of Energy Demonstrations and Technology
Muscle Shoals, Alabama 35660
EPA Interagency Agreement No. D9-E721-BI
Program Element No. INE624A
EPA Project Officer: Julian W. Jones
Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory
Office of Environmental Engineering and Technology
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
Prepared for
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Office of Research and Development
Washington, DC 20460
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DISCLAIMER
This report was prepared by the Tennessee Valley Authority and has
been reviewed by the Office of Energy, Minerals, and Industry, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, and approved for publication. Approval
does not signify that the contents necessarily reflect the views and
policies of the Tennessee Valley Authority or the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products
constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
ii
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ABSTRACT
The 1985 U.S. FGD byproduct sulfur and sulfuric acid markets
(sales to U.S. sulfuric acid plants) are projected to be 165,000 tons of
sulfur from 11 power plants and 554,000 tons of acid from 6 power plants,
with a combined benefit to the affected industries of $20 million.
Improvements in FGD technology and increases in costs, particularly for
fuel oil, enhanced the FGD sulfur market potential and decreased the FGD
sulfuric acid potential, relative to previous projections. The 1979
revised NSPS, as well as the requirement, in many cases, for FGD waste
treatment, improved the potential for both products. The revised NSPS,
which restrict the use of low-sulfur coal as an option, greatly increase
the FGD market potential for plants coming on-line after the mid-1980's.
Fuel oil cost escalation is an important factor in reducing FGD sulfuric
acid market potential, as are process modifications for chloride control.
Limestone scrubbing with waste sludge ponding remains the economically
predominant option. The limestone scrubbing advantage is decreased,
however, when extensive waste treatment and landfill are required.
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CONTENTS
Abstract ill
Figures vi
Tables vii
Executive Summary ix
Introduction 1
Results 5
Potential 1985 Supply and Demand 6
Power Plants 6
Sulfuric Acid Plants 6
Model Runs for the 1985 Projection 7
FGD Byproduct Sulfur 8
Sulfur Production Versus Limestone Scrubbing With Sludge
Ponding 8
Sulfur Production Versus Limestone Scrubbing With Sludge
Fixation and Landfill 9
FGD Byproduct Sulfuric Acid 10
Effects of No. 6 Fuel Oil Price Escalation 12
Chloride Removal Required 15
Chloride Removal Not Required 15
Sulfuric Acid Production Versus Limestone Scrubbing With
Sludge Ponding 15
Acid Production Versus Limestone Scrubbing With Sludge
Fixation and Landfill 16
Integrated Analysis 19
Combined Sulfur and Sulfuric Acid Results 20
Strategy Selection Summary 21
Discussion of Results 23
FGD Byproduct Sulfur 23
FGD Sulfuric Acid 24
FGD Sulfur Versus FGD Sulfuric Acid 24
Conclusions 25
Recommendations 27
References 28
Appendix
A. Byproduct Marketing System Description 31
B. System Revisions and Additions for 1985 41
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FIGURES
Number
Page
1 Increase in FGD sulfuric acid production cost with No. 6
fuel oil annual price escalation 13
2 Decrease in sulfuric acid plant avoidable production
cost due to steam credit with No. 6 fuel oil annual price
escalation 14
3 Reduction in potential FGD sulfuric acid margin with
No. 6 fuel oil annual price escalation 14
A-l Computerized FGD byproduct production and marketing system . 32
A-2 Limestone scrubbing and ponding 34
A-3 Limestone scrubbing and landfill 36
A-4 Magnesia process 37
A-5 Magnesia process without chloride scrubbing 38
A-6 Rockwell International ACP 39
B-l Sulfur capacities by source (1967-1985) - United States . . 44
B-2 Sulfur capacities by source (1967-1985) - Canada 45
B-3 Sulfur capacities by source (1967-1985) - North America . . 46
B-4 Cost-competitive ranges for Canadian sulfur at different
f.o.b. Canadian sulfur prices (short ton) below Port
Sulphur price 48
B-5 Sulfuric acid capacities by feedstock (1967-1985) -
United States 49
B-6 Sulfuric acid capacities by feedstock (1967-1985) -
Canada 50
B-7 Sulfuric acid capacities by feedstock (1967-1985) -
North America 51
vi
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TABLES
Number Page
S-l Production and Distribution FGD Sulfur and FGD Sulfuric
Acid xiii
1 Sulfur Production Versus Limestone Scrubbing With Sludge
Ponding 9
2 Sulfur Production Versus Limestone Scrubbing With Sludge
Fixation and Landfill ($0.70, $1.00, and $1.25 ACFL) .... 11
3 No. 6 Fuel Oil Escalation Compared With Energy Equivalent
Increases in Natural Gas and Coal 12
A Acid Production (No Chloride Scrubbing) Versus Limestone
Scrubbing With Sludge Ponding ($0.70, $1.00, and $1.25 ACFL). 16
5 Acid Production (No Chloride Scrubbing) Versus Limestone
Scrubbing With Sludge Fixation and Landfill ($0.70 ACFL) . . 19
6 Acid Production (No Chloride Scrubbing) Versus Limestone
Scrubbing With Sludge Fixation and Landfill ($1.00 and
$1.25 ACFL) , 18
7 Competitive Production and Distribution FGD Sulfur Versus
FGD Sulfuric Acid 22
vii
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PROJECTION OF 1985 MARKET POTENTIAL FOR FGD BYPRODUCT
SULFUR AND SULFURIC ACID IN THE UNITED STATES
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
Emission of sulfur oxides (SOX) from coal-fired utility power
plants, and wastes resulting from their control, have been subjected to
increasingly stringent regulations during the past decade. The new-
source performance standards (NSPS) promulgated by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) in 1971, the revised 1979 NSPS, and State imple-
mentation plans (SIP's) place restrictions of varying severity on SOX
emissions. In addition, the Resources Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) of 1976 has placed restrictions on disposal of wastes from
processes used to meet the emission regulations.
The use of a clean (low-sulfur) fuel and flue gas desulfurization
(FGD) are the strategies commonly used to meet SOX emission regulations.
FGD is for some time likely to be the method used to meet the 1979
revised NSPS, which require SOX emission reduction regardless of the
fuel sulfur content. Among the several FGD processes and their numerous
variations, scrubbing with a slurry of ground limestone or lime is the
most widely used. The large volume and intractable nature of the waste
sludge have led increasingly to additional treatment. Dewatering and
chemical treatment (fixation) to form a landfill material is becoming a
common practice. Recovery processes in which the scrubber effluent is
processed to recover the absorbent and produce a sulfur byproduct can
also be used. They are usually more expensive than waste-producing
processes, but the sale of the byproduct can partially alleviate the
additional cost of the FGD process. Among several of the more promising
recovery processes are the magnesia process and the Rockwell Inter-
national aqueous carbonate process (ACP). In the magnesia process the
S02 produced by regeneration of the MgO absorbent is converted to sulfuric
acid. The ACP is unique among recovery processes in that it uses spray
dryer technology. The spent absorbent is collected as a dry material.
Residual fly ash is also removed in the process, eliminating the need of
a separate high-efficiency fly ash removal system. The salts are reduced
using coal as the reductant and further processed to regenerated absorbent
and sulfur.
Utilities selecting an SOX emission control strategy are faced with
a variety of complex decisions in which the economics of the possible
ix
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strategies are important factors. The relative economics of clean fuel,
waste-producing FGD, and recovery FGD strategies are seldom clearly
evident. FGD costs vary widely depending on power plant and fuel con-
ditions. The economics of recovery processes are affected by the
marketability and price of the byproduct. In addition, the comparisons
must be based on conditions that will exist several years in the future.
This byproduct marketing projection is an attempt to integrate the many
factors affecting SOx emission control strategies into a coherent com-
puter model that projects the future potential for marketing FGD
byproducts as an economical strategy.
The byproduct marketing system consists of various programs, models,
and data bases used to make cost comparisons of SOx emission control
strategies. A power plant data base contains boiler, fuel, and emission
regulation data on existing and planned U.S. utility power plants. For
recovery processes transportation and sulfur-sulfuric acid industry data
bases are used to determine the marketability and price of the FGD
byproduct. The system determines FGD costs of a recovery process and a
waste-producing process for each power plant. As an alternative strategy,
the use of clean fuel at specified price premiums (alternative clean
fuel levels—ACFL's) is also included. The cost difference between the
recovery process and the lowest cost alternative strategy (the incre-
mental cost) is used to determine the byproduct revenue required to make
the two strategies economically equivalent. Marketability is determined
in a linear programming model that determines transportation costs and
selling prices at the U.S. sulfuric acid plants. The model integrates
the results to maximize the combined savings to the utility and sulfuric
acid industries. The power plants for which markets are established
become projected FGD byproduct marketing candidates.
This 1985 projection contains several revisions representing
economic, technical, and regulatory conditions that promise to have
important effects on the economics of SOX emission control. The design
of the FGD processes has been revised to include recent technology,
including chloride removal in a separate step for process and corrosion
control in the magnesia process and sludge fixation and landfill as a
disposal option in the limestone scrubbing process. The use of the ACP
for sulfur production has also altered FGD cost relationships. In
addition, inclusion of the 1979 revised NSPS and projected 1985 costs
for fuels have had important effects.
RESULTS
Power Plants
For 1985, 124 eligible boilers at 83 power plants are included in
the projection; 74 scheduled to be on stream by 1979 and 50 scheduled
for startup in 1980-1985. The number of eligible boilers is lower than
the number in previous projections because of a trend toward earlier
strategy selection (boilers for which a strategy precluding byproduct
production has been announced are excluded). Of the 50 eligible boilers
(out of a total of 170 boilers) scheduled for 1980-1985 startup, 21 are
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scheduled for 1985. The increase in 1985 is the result of the arbitrary
assignment of the 1979 revised NSPS to boilers starting up in 1985, thus
excluding clean fuel alone as an SOX emission control strategy. The 124
boilers are projected to represent a maximum potential production of 2.5
million tons of sulfur or 7.6 million tons of sulfuric acid.
Computer Model Runs for 1985
ACFL values of $0.70, $1.00, and $1.25/MBtu were used for the clean
fuel premium. The FGD byproduct alternatives used were sulfur production
and sulfuric acid production with and without chloride removal included
in the magnesia process. These were compared with limestone scrubbing
with ponding and limestone scrubbing with fixation and landfill.
Sulfuric Acid Plants and Smelters
In 1985, 87 sulfur-burning acid plants consuming 10 million tons of
sulfur and producing 30.5 million tons of sulfuric acid are projected to
be in operation, 75 of which are in the Eastern United States. Smelter
sulfuric acid production is projected to be about 1 million tons in
1985. The eastern acid plants represent the market for FGD byproducts.
Smelter sulfuric acid represents competition for FGD byproducts.
FGD Byproduct Sulfur
For the comparison using limestone scrubbing with ponding, there
are four potential candidates for FGD sulfur production. All four are
1985 plants subject to the 1979 NSPS and excluded in this study from the
clean fuel option, which would have been more economical at the $0.70/MBtu
ACFL. Their potential production is about 63,000 tons/year. When
limestone scrubbing with fixation and landfill is the waste-producing
alternative, the number of potential candidates for sulfur production
increases to 12, 8 of which are 1985 plants subject to the 1979 NSPS.
Their potential production is 215,000 tons/year.
For the comparison using limestone scrubbing with ponding, markets
for the entire production of the four potential candidates for FGD
sulfur production are projected. For the comparison using limestone
scrubbing with fixation and landfill, markets for 11 of the 12 candidates
are projected. The remaining plant does not have markets for which the
incremental cost plus transportation costs do not exceed the acid plant's
sulfur cost from other suppliers. Under the most favorable conditions
the potential market is 165,000 tons, representing about 1.6% of the
total sulfur market.
FGD Sulfuric Acid
For the comparisons using the magnesia process with chloride removal,
there were no power plants selected as potential candidates for sulfuric
acid production. There are four potential candidates using the magnesia
process without chloride removal in comparison with limestone scrubbing
with ponding. Two of the four potential candidates for sulfuric acid
xi
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production would have been selected for clean fuel at the $0.70/MBtu
ACFL but are subject to the 1979 revised NSPS. The four plants have a
combined potential production of 300,000 tons/year. For the comparison
using the fixation and landfill disposal option, 13 plants with a combined
production of 2 million tons/year are projected as potential candidates
for sulfuric acid production at the $0.70/MBtu ACFL. Of these, six
plants are subject to the 1979 revised NSPS. At the higher ACFL's of
$1.00 and $1.25 there are 15 additional plants, making a total of 28
plants with a combined potential production of 4 million tons/year.
For the comparison using limestone scrubbing with ponding, markets
are projected for two of the four plants. For the comparison using
fixation and landfill, markets are projected for 4 of the 13 plants at
the $0.70/MBtu ACFL and for 8 of the 28 plants at the higher ACFL's.
Under the most favorable conditions, the potential market is 868,000
tons, or about 3% of t"he total sulfuric market.
Integrated Sulfur-Sulfuric Acid Results
When the sulfur and sulfuric acid projections were combined (Table S-l)
several conflicts were resolved by choice of the most economical option
for power plants projected for both sulfur and sulfuric acid production.
There was little difficulty in assigning alternative markets for sulfur
but few alternative sulfuric acid markets were found. The FGD sulfur
market is projected at about 165,000 tons/year from 11 power plants.
The FGD sulfuric acid market is projected at about 554,000 tons/year
from six power plants. The combined potential market is about 2% of the
total sulfuric acid market and 1.6% of the total sulfur market. The
combined benefits for the electric utility and acid industries are about
$10 million each for sulfur and sulfuric acid, for a total benefit of
about $20 million in 1985.
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
About four-fifths of the power plants projected for sulfur mar-
keting are scheduled for startup in 1985 and are therefore defined in
this study as new plants subject to the 1979 revised NSPS. The prepon-
derance of plants scheduled for startup in 1985 projected for sulfur
marketing is partly the effect of the AGP design, which includes provision
for final fly ash removal. Separate fly ash electrostatic precipitators
(ESP's) are not needed and the capital and operating costs are applied
as a cost credit, whereas in pre-1985 plants they are assumed to be in
existence and only operating costs are credited. Another factor favoring
plants scheduled for 1985 startup is the 1979 revised NSPS, which
restrict the use of clean fuel as a compliance strategy.
The total sulfur removed also has an effect on strategy selection.
In comparisons with limestone scrubbing and with acid production, sulfur
production is favored at lower sulfur removal levels.
FGD sulfur marketing potential increased dramatically in this
projection, whereas FGD sulfuric acid marketing potential declined in
xii
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TABLE S-l. PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION FGD
SULFUR AND FGD SULFURIC ACID
Power plant location
Sulfur
Staten Island County, NY
Martin County, FL
Washington County, FL
Sherburne County, MN
Westmoreland County, PA
Montgomery County, MD
Shelby County, AL
Williamson County, IL
Rusk County, TX
Henderson County, TX
Armstrong County, PA
Sulfuric Acid
Person County, NC
Jasper County, IL
Pike County, IN
Northhampton County, PA
Delaware County, PA
Titus County, TX
Tons
7,000
28,000
20,000
8,000
24,000
10,000
12,000
11,000
9,000
7,000
29,000
165,000a
103,000
122,000
51,000
182,000
53,000
43,000
554,000b
Consumer location
Newark, NJ
Pierce, FL
Do than, AL
White Springs, FL
Dubuque, IA
North Bend, OH
Copley, OH
Baltimore, MD
Tuscaloosa, AL
East St. Louis, IL
Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth, TX
Cleveland, OH
Richmond, VA
Wilmington, NC
Norfolk, VA
Tuscola, IL
Indianapolis, IN
Deepwater, NJ
Edison, NJ
Gibbstown, NJ
Gibbstown, NJ
Shreveport, LA
Tons
7,000
28,000
7,000
13,000
8,000
8,000
16,000
10,000
12,000
11,000
9,000
7,000
29,000
165,000a
36,000
26,000
41,000
122,000
51,000
95,000
74,000
13,000
53,000
43,000
554,000b
The potential revenue/savings to both-industries combined is
projected to be as much as $10,000,000 for an approximate
average of $60/short ton of sulfur.
The potential revenue/savings to both industries combined is
projected to be as much as $10,500,000 for an approximate
average of $19/short ton of sulfuric acid.
xiii
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comparison with previous projections. These changes are partially the
result of the process design changes already discussed. Another very
important factor, however, is the price escalation for fuel oil. This
is a severe disadvantage to the magnesia process in competition with the
limestone scrubbing process, which uses little fuel, and the AGP, which
uses coal. In addition, sulfuric acid plants converting to purchase of
FGD sulfuric acid are likely to revert to oil-fired boilers for steam
production, a further disproportionate deterioration of the avoidable
production costs. Transportation costs are also more important to the
relatively high-volume sulfuric acid than to sulfur. The combined
effects result in the reduced competitiveness of FGD sulfuric acid
production vis-a-vis other compliance strategies.
The increased attractiveness of FGD sulfur production as a com-
pliance strategy can be attributed in part to the use of the ACP.
Arguably, it is an unproven process, subject to the same technological
cost increases seen in this projection in the magnesia process and in
FGD processes in general. Other relative cost advantages of the ACP
over FGD byproduct processes using wet scrubbing, such as reduced or
eliminated flue gas reheating and simultaneous fly ash and sulfur salt
collection, are unlikely to be greatly affected.
The inclusion of fixation and landfill as a disposal option for the
limestone scrubbing process improved the competitiveness of FGD byproduct
processes. Limestone scrubbing remains the most economical FGD strategy
in the majority of cases, however.
CONCLUSIONS
The potential for FGD sulfur marketing is increased over previous
projections whereas the FGD sulfuric acid marketing is decreased.
Technological and economic revisions to the byproduct marketing system
both contribute to these trends. Application of the 1979 revised NSPS
and more costly waste disposal methods for limestone scrubbing enhance
the potential for both FGD sulfur and FGD sulfuric acid.
The addition of chloride scrubbing to the magnesia process, coupled
with cost escalations (especially fuel oil), eliminated the FGD sulfuric
acid market shown in previous projections. Processes that can use coal
as the FGD byproduct energy source will have increasing economic advantages
over those which use fuel oil or natural gas.
In the ACP, simultaneous removal of SOX and the remaining fly ash
in the same ESP presents an advantage for new (1985) plants when compared
with alternative FGD processes which require separate high-efficiency
fly ash removal.
The number of power plant candidates for FGD byproduct marketing
will increase with the application of the revised NSPS. It is estimated
that this will affect boilers with startup dates in and after 1985. The
xiv
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majority of boilers coming on stream before 1985 have selected a clean
fuel compliance strategy that will not generally be an option for future
plants covered by the revised NSPS.
The potential for FGD sulfur and sulfuric acid byproduct marketing
is extremely limited when limestone scrubbing with slurry ponding is a
feasible alternative. Potential for production and marketing of FGD
byproducts increases when fixation and landfill are required.
Escalation of transportation costs will affect the marketing range
of byproduct sulfur and, especially, byproduct sulfuric acid. Rail rate
increases will also affect the marketing range of competitive sources of
sulfur and sulfuric acid, however.
Nonvoluntary sulfur production is becoming a more important factor
in the marketing economics of FGD byproduct sulfur. The effect of
nonvoluntary sources on price stability in the sulfur market is diffi-
cult to project.
RECOMMENDATIONS
An FGD sulfur and sulfuric production and marketing forecast should
be projected for 1990 or beyond. This projection to 1985 reflects only
the beginning of the effects of the 1979 revised NSPS. Also, the lead
time required to analyze and implement FGD strategies necessitates a
more extended time frame.
Technical and economic developments in spray dryer FGD recovery
processes should be followed closely. Also, developments allowing the
use of coal for FGD byproduct processes should be incorporated into
future studies.
Future studies should include projections of fertilizer industry
requirements to expand the demand system beyond existing and announced
sulfuric acid plants.
Projected demand for sulfur for new uses, such as partial or full
replacement of asphalt in paving, should be included.
The supply of refinery recovered sulfur should be projected because
of the potential increase in use of high-sulfur crude oil.
A specific byproduct marketing study should be made for the approxi-
mately 100 power units designated by the Department of Energy for conver-
sion from oil to coal. Many of these plants are in high-population
areas where disposal of wastes, if FGD were required, would be difficult.
xv
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PROJECTION OF 1985 MARKET POTENTIAL FOR FGD BYPRODUCT
SULFUR AND SULFURIC ACID IN THE UNITED STATES
INTRODUCTION
Sulfur oxides (SOX) are the major gaseous pollutants currently
subject to environmental regulations in the flue gas of fossil-fuel-
fired boilers. Coals, which may contain up to several percent sulfur,
are the predominate contributors to these emissions, and the electric
utility industry with its many coal-fired plants is an important source.
Increasing electrical use and increasing emphasis on coal as the pre-
ferred fossil fuel for utility use are expected to increase the quantity
of coal consumed in electricity generation for many years (Griffith and
Clarke, 1979). The use of coal, however, is particularly sensitive to
the increasingly strict environmental regulations governing the emission
of SOX to the atmosphere and disposal of wastes produced by control of
SOX emissions. In addition to a proliferation of State and local regula-
tions, the new-source performance standards (NSPS) promulgated by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1971 (Federal Register,
1971), the revised NSPS promulgated in 1979 (Federal Register, 1979a),
and solid-waste regulations stemming from the Resources Conservation and
Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1977 (Federal Register, 1979b) are particularly
important to electric utilities. The NSPS restrict plants upon which
construction began after 1971 but before September 1979 to a maximum
emission of 1.2 Ib of SOX per million Btu of fuel. The revised NSPS,
applying to plants upon which construction began, or begins, after
September 1978, retain the same maximum and, in addition, require a
reduction of 70% to 90% in sulfur emissions regardless of the sulfur in
the untreated fuel. RCRA, though not fully defined by promulgated
regulations, will restrict and possibly eliminate some methods of waste
disposal.
Numerous strategies, existing and potential, can be applied to the
control of fossil-fuel power plant SOX emissions. Some are applicable
to all emission regulations, some are applicable to only the less strin-
gent regulations, and some may be circumscribed by RCRA regulations.
The most widely used SOX control strategy is flue gas desulfurization
(FGD) using wet or dry scrubbing techniques, In .the past 10 years a
flourishing FGD industry has developed, offering a proliferating variety
of FGD processes. Another strategy is the use of a clean (low-sulfur)
fuel. There is, however, a limited supply of low-sulfur coal, and this
strategy will be restricted by the requirements of the 1979 revised
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NSPS. Other approaches such as coal gasification and fluidized-bed
combustion are not advanced to the level of technology likely to make
them a widely used SOX control strategy in the next 5 years. Within the
time span of this marketing projection, the use of clean fuel to meet
some non-Federal and 1971 NSPS regulations and FGD to meet any applicable
regulation are likely to be the overwhelmingly predominate SOX control
strategies of the electric utility industry.
The most widely used FGD processes employ wet scrubbing using an
alkali solution or slurry to produce a waste slurry of calcium-sulfur
salts. Finely ground limestone and hydrated lime have been the most
widely used absorbents, a use projected to continue well into the 1980's
(Smith et al., 1979). In the simplest method of disposal, the waste is
pumped to a diked pond where it settles to a semisolid sludge. The
large volume of unstable waste presents a number of practical and environ-
mental disposal problems, however, particularly in view of RCRA regula-
tions (Duvel et al., 1979).
Increasingly, utilities using limestone scrubbing are turning to
dewatering, stabilization, and fixation of the waste. In the more
extreme of these treatments, the FGD waste is transformed to a solid
suitable for landfill disposal. This usually involves mechanical
dewatering of the FGD sludge, blending it with dry fly ash (stabiliza-
tion), and adding a chemical additive to promote cementlike reactions
(fixation). The degree to which waste treatments between untreated
ponding and full chemical fixation will be widely employed is problem-
atical, although some form of waste treatment is increasingly used and
several utilities use full fixation and landfill processes (Santhanam et
al., 1979).
As an alternative to waste-producing FGD processes, recovery
processes in which the scrubber reaction products are processed to
regenerate the absorbent and produce a commercially useful sulfur by-
product have also proven attractive. Although sharing a contemporaneous
development with waste-producing processes, the more complex, and usually
more expensive, recovery processes have not been as widely used by
electric utilities. Recovery processes are, however, in commercial use
or under construction and several are in advanced stages of development.
The products most widely produced or envisioned for these processes are
elemental sulfur and sulfuric acid, both extensively used basic industrial
chemicals.
Utilities faced with the selection of an SO emission control
strategy thus have a variety of complex decisions. In the most general
sense, the choice evolves to the use of a clean fuel or to the use of
one of several types of FGD processes and is governed, within the con-
strictions of the applicable regulations, by economic considerations.
The most economical choice is seldom clearly evident, however. FGD
costs vary widely, even for the same process, depending on many power
plant and fuel conditions. The selection of a recovery process also
depends in important measure on the marketability of the byproduct whose
revenue reduces the operating cost of the process. The selection is
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dependent not only on conditions at the particular power plant, but upon
selections at other power plants as well as conditions within other
supportive or competing industries. An economically sound decision to
use a recovery process based on a certain market could be invalidated by
the same decision elsewhere. Marketing decisions are also influenced by
the costs of transportation and competition from other producers.
Further complicating these decisions is the necessity of projecting
to anticipated conditions several years in the future. The necessity of
securing regulatory agency approval and extended construction periods
combine to extend the effects of current decisions into a more distant
and less certain future.
This byproduct marketing projection is an attempt to correlate
these many and diverse factors into a coherent model, a decision-making
tool which defines the future potential for marketing of FGD byproducts
as an economical option for compliance with SOX emission regulations.
Perhaps equally important, it also identifies trends and the factors
responsible, through which future and correlative analyses may be more
efficiently applied.
For the past decade, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), in
conjunction with EPA and others, has conducted design and economic
evaluations of FGD systems to develop a systematic analysis of FGD costs
applicable to both general and specific conditions in the electric
utility industry. The byproduct marketing analysis system has been an
important part of these studies. From a limited computerized production-
transportation-marketing program (Waitzman et al., 1973), the methodology
was expanded and extended to other products (Corrigan, 1974; Bucy et
al., 1976), and finally to a comprehensive analysis of potential sulfuric
acid production and marketing by U.S. electric utilities (Bucy et al.,
1978). The byproduct marketing system used in the 1978 projection was
made available for general use, in whole or in part, through publication
of a users manual (Anders, 1979).
In recognition of the rapidly changing FGD technology and the need
to extend such projections as far as possible into the future, the
byproduct marketing system has been continually modified to represent
current projections of technological and economic conditions. An update
extending the 1978 projection to 1983 and incorporating byproduct sulfur
in addition to sulfuric acid was published in 1979 (O'Brien and Anders).
In addition to extending the project to 1985, this study incorporates
the effects of several technological and legislative developments and
recent economic trends. The limestone scrubbing FGD process used for
the waste-producing option has been expanded to include both untreated
ponding and fixation and landfill as waste disposal options. The magnesia
process used for the sulfuric acid production option has been modified
to include recent technical developments. In particular, provisions for
prescrubbing to remove chlorides from the flue gas before S02 absorption
have been added. Operating experience with closed FGD systems, in which
the absorber liquid is recycled, has revealed that the chloride content
-------
of flue gases produced by many coals is sufficient to cause intolerable
accumulations of chlorides in the recycled liquid. High levels of
dissolved chlorides cause severe corrosion and interfere with the SC>2
absorption and absorbent regeneration reactions. For the sulfur produc-
tion option, the Rockwell International aqueous carbonate process (ACP)
is used in recognition of rapidly developing FGD spray dryer technology.
Spray dryer FGD processes include final fly ash collection as an intrinsic
part of the process. Final fly ash removal can be included in this
function, eliminating the need for separate high-efficiency fly ash
collection facilities. The effects of the revised NSPS, which restrict
clean fuel as a compliance option for boilers coming on-line at the end
of the projection period, have also been incorporated into the system.
More recent cost data, particularly those representing recent projections
of fuel costs, have also been included.
A full description of the processes used in the byproduct marketing
system (except for the ACP) and the design and economic premises upon
which they are based have been published in recent TVA and EPA studies
(Anderson et al., 1980). A description of the byproduct marketing
computer system and a brief description of the FGD processes are given
in Appendix A. [A more detailed description of the computer system is
contained in the users manual (Anders, 1979).] A description of computer
system revisions and additions specific to the 1985 projection is given
in Appendix B.
-------
RESULTS
The results from the 1985 projection show that changing economic,
technological, and regulatory conditions have had significant effects on
the feasibility of producing and marketing FGD sulfur and sulfuric acid.
Previous model results, projected for 1978 and 1983, were based only on
the following regulatory compliance alternatives:
• Use of clean fuel
• Limestone scrubbing with sludge ponding
• Magnesia scrubbing (under the existing technology without chloride
removal) with byproduct sulfuric acid production
For the 1985 projection these alternatives are no longer adequate.
First, the revised NSPS will restrict the use of clean fuel as a com-
pliance method for boilers coming on stream as early as 1985. This
factor alone could double the potential candidates for FGD byproduct
marketing. Less than half of the boilers scheduled for 1980 through
1984 are committed to FGD—the majority have selected clean fuel.
In addition to the more stringent SOX removal standards, the revised
NSPS call for a much more rigorous fly ash emission standard. The 1985
results show that the most attractive compliance strategy may be one
that combines both SOX and final fly ash removal in one step as is
common in dry scrubbing. The advantage of simultaneous removal is seen
primarily in new boilers (1985) wherein the capital investment for an
electrostatic precipitator (ESP) solely for the high-efficiency fly ash
removal requirements can be avoided.
Another significant factor observed in the preparation of the 1985
projection is the increased use of sludge fixation and landfill rather
than direct sludge ponding. Although the 1985 projection shows very
little potential for byproduct marketing when sludge ponding is feasible,
the marketing opportunities are increased when sludge fixation and
landfill are required for the limestone process.
Finally, escalation of capital and operating costs (particularly
No. 6 fuel oil) and the addition of chloride removal provisions (i.e., a
prescrubber) in the magnesia process virtually-eliminated the production
and marketing of sulfuric acid under conditions projected for 1985.
Only when the chloride removal requirements were eliminated from the
magnesia scrubbing process did production and marketing of byproduct
sulfuric acid reemerge as a feasible power plant alternative.
-------
POTENTIAL 1985 SUPPLY AND DEMAND
Power Plants
For 1985, 124 boilers at 83 power plant sites are projected to be
potential FGD byproduct marketing candidates. Of these 124 boilers, 74
were scheduled to be on stream by the end of 1979 and 50 are scheduled
for 1980 through 1985. The number of boilers projected to be marketing
candidates in 1985 is much smaller than in previous model runs for 1978
and 1983. Not only have more existing boilers selected a complying
strategy that precludes byproduct marketing, the compliance strategy for
new boilers is being selected and implemented concurrently with boiler
construction, thereby precluding the possibility of byproduct marketing
much earlier than in the past. As an example of strategy selection for
new boilers, 170 boilers are scheduled for startup in 1980-1985. Of
these 170, 69 have selected a complying fuel, 21 have selected scrubbing,
50 have not committed to a specific strategy to the extent that byproduct
marketing is necessarily precluded, 6 are less than the minimum size
considered feasible for byproduct marketing (less than 100 MW), and
there were not enough data available on 24 boilers to project byproduct
marketing economics. Of the 50 new boilers that are potential byproduct
marketing candidates, 2 are scheduled for 1980, 2 for 1981, 9 for 1982,
6 for 1983, 10 for 1984, and 21 for 1985. The increased number of new
boilers in 1985 projected to be potential marketing candidates results
from the assumption that they must meet the revised NSPS and cannot use
a complying fuel alone (i.e., they must use FGD).
Based on the compliance analysis results, S02 emissions at the 83
plant sites will have to be reduced by a maximum of about 5,000,000 tons
to meet regulatory levels. This represents a maximum power plant FGD
production potential of about 2,500,000 tons of sulfur or about 7,600,000
tons of sulfuric acid.
Sulfuric Acid Plants
In 1985, 87 sulfur-burning acid plants are projected to be in
operation. These plants are projected to require about 10,000,000 tons
of sulfur and produce about 30,500,000 tons of sulfuric acid. They
represent the maximum 1985 demand projected for FGD byproduct sulfur and
sulfuric acid. Of these plants, 75 are in the 37 Eastern States. They
represent about 93% of the demand and are projected to require 9,400,000
tons of sulfur to produce 28,500,000 tons of acid. The remaining 12
plants are in the 11 Western States. They represent about 7% of the
demand and are projected to require 600,000 tons of sulfur to produce
about 2,000,000 tons of acid. Appendix B contains details on sulfur
sources and costs and sulfuric acid avoidable production costs.
Sulfuric acid plants using smelter off-gas are acid producers of
necessity and represent market competition for power plant acid.
Although the current market is assumed to be generally balanced between
supply and demand any production increases by smelters could reduce the
potential market for FGD sulfur and sulfuric acid. This possibility was
-------
provided for with a projected 10% increase by 1985 in smelter sulfuric
acid production as follows: Eastern U.S. smelters, 275,000 tons; Canadian
smelters, 200,000 tons; and Western U.S. smelters, 450,000 tons. These
projected quantities represent not only direct competition for FGD
sulfuric acid, but also indirect competition for the equivalent FGD
sulfur because sulfur is not required for the smelter acid production.
Model Runs for the 1985 Projection
Model changes for 1985 resulted in a much more complex analysis
than those of the previous projections. The changes were the addition
of limestone scrubbing with waste fixation and landfill as an additional
compliance alternative, inclusion of the revised NSPS that were assumed
to eliminate the use of a complying fuel for new plants, the provision
for chloride removal in the magnesia process, the inclusion of power
plant FGD sulfur producers in the model for the first time, and the
inclusion of Canadian recovered sulfur as direct competition with Port
Sulphur Frasch sulfur and power plant FGD sulfur. Three different cost
premiums for complying fuels (alternative clean fuel level—ACFL) were
used, but this option does not apply to plants required to meet the
revised NSPS; their only alternative is one of the FGD options. Of the
83 plants considered as potential marketing candidates in 1985, 20 are
projected to come under the revised NSPS and therefore were assumed to
require an FGD option. The remaining 63 plants are projected to have the
option of a complying fuel and therefore the ACFL would affect the
compliance strategy selection at these plants.
The ACFL's used for 1985 were $0.70, $1.00, and $1.25/MBtu. The
various scrubbing alternatives that were compared at each of these
levels are:
• Sulfur production versus limestone scrubbing with sludge ponding
• Sulfur production versus limestone scrubbing with sludge fixation
and landfill
• Sulfuric acid production with chloride removal versus limestone
scrubbing with sludge ponding
• Sulfuric acid production with chloride removal versus limestone
scrubbing with sludge fixation and landfill
e Sulfuric acid production without chloride removal versus limestone
scrubbing with sludge ponding
o Sulfuric acid production without chloride removal versus limestone
scrubbing with sludge fixation and landfill
-------
FGD BYPRODUCT SULFUR
Previous projections for 1978 and 1983 FGD sulfur production were
based on the Wellman-Lord/Allied Chemical natural-gas reduction process,
The ACP is used in the 1985 projection for byproduct sulfur production
(see Appendix B). The ACP as used for this projection is illustrative
of two important FGD process advantages. First, coal is used as the
energy source instead of oil or natural gas, and second, both SOX and
final fly ash removal are combined. Combining the removal of SOX and
final fly ash eliminates the costs of a separate ESP solely for fly ash
removal in new installations. In this study 85%-efficient cyclones are
used for initial fly ash removal.
Two constraints were placed on the selection of potential power
plant sulfur marketing candidates. The first constraint was a minimum
production capacity of 5000 tons of sulfur per year. The second con-
straint was that no plant with an incremental sulfur production cost
greater than $100 was considered. These values are considered to repre-
sent the limits of economically feasible marketing potential, and they
allow the costs of using the computerized model to be significantly
reduced.
Sulfur Production Versus Limestone Scrubbing with Sludge Ponding
Candidates at the $0.70, $1.00, and $1.25 ACFL—
The model results, in terms of the number of power plants using a
compliance strategy based on a comparison of sulfur production and
limestone scrubbing with sludge ponding at each of the three ACFL's, in
$/MBtu premium for complying fuel, are:
Number of plants
Compliance strategy $0.70 ACFL $1.00 ACFL $1.25 ACFL
Complying fuel 26 2 2
Limestone scrubbing with sludge
ponding 53 77 77
Possible sulfur production 444
Only four plants projected to select a scrubbing strategy at the
$0.70 ACFL have a projected sulfur production capacity of at least 5000
tons/year and an incremental cost of less than $100/ton. All four of
these plants would have selected a complying fuel at the $0.70 ACFL, but
they are projected to have to comply with revised NSPS and therefore do
not have the option of using a complying fuel alone. Even though the
number of plants projected to select an FGD strategy increases signifi-
cantly at the higher ACFL's, there are no additional sulfur production
candidates. The four marketing candidates have a combined sulfur pro-
duction potential of about 63,000 tons/year.
Projected market potential—
The model results indicate potential markets for the total production
of the four marketing candidates. The projected distribution for these
8
-------
plants is shown in Table 1. The final results from the comparison of
sulfur production with sludge ponding at each of the ACFL's are:
Number of plants
Compliance strategy
Complying fuel
Limestone scrubbing with sludge
ponding
Sulfur production
$0.70 ACFL
26
53
4
$1.00 ACFL
2
77
4
$1.25 ACFL
2
77
4
TABLE 1. SULFUR PRODUCTION VERSUS LIMESTONE
SCRUBBING WITH SLUDGE PONDING
($0.70, $1.00, and $1.25 ACFL, in $/MBtu premium for
complying fuel; all plants shown are scheduled for 1985)
Power plant location
Washington County, FL
Westmoreland County, PA
Montgomery County, MD
Rusk County, TX
Tons
of sulfur
20,000
24,000
10,000
9,000
63,000
Consumer location
Do than, AL
White Springs, FL
North Bend, OH
Copley, OH
Baltimore, MD
Fort Worth, TX
Tons
of sulfur
7,000
13,000
8,000
16,000
10,000
9,000
63,000
Sulfur Production Versus Limestone Scrubbing with Sludge Fixation
and Landfill
Candidates at the $0.70, $1.00, and $1.25 ACFL—
The comparison of sulfur production and limestone scrubbing with
sludge fixation and landfill instead of sludge ponding shows distinctly
improved prospects for marketing. The results at each of the three
ACFL's, in $/MBtu premium for complying fuel, are:
Compliance strategy
Number of plants
$0.70 ACFL $1.00 ACFL $1.25 ACFL
Complying fuel
Limestone scrubbing with sludge
fixation and landfill
Possible sulfur production
51
20
12
62
12
69
12
-------
Twelve plants projected to select an FGD strategy at the $0.70 ACFL
have a projected sulfur production capacity of at least 5000 tons/year
and an incremental cost of less than $100/ton. All of the plants that
were candidates based on the comparison with sludge ponding described
earlier are also candidates when compared with sludge fixation and
landfill. Four of the 12 plants have projected scrubbing costs less
than the $0.70 ACFL and 8 plants are projected to have to comply with
revised NSPS and have no complying fuel option under the assumptions
of this study. As in the comparison with sludge ponding, the number of
plants selecting an FGD strategy increases significantly at the $1.00
and $1.25 ACFL but there are no additional candidates for sulfur pro-
duction. The 12 marketing candidates have a combined sulfur production
potential of about 215,000 tons/year.
Projected market potential—
The model results show potential markets for 11 of the 12 candidates.
The single excluded plant was considered because FGD was the only option,
but the incremental cost plus shipping cost to potential consumers is
projected to exceed the consumers cost from other suppliers. The
projected market distribution for the 11 plants is shown in Table 2.
All of the plants with marketing potential based on the comparison with
sludge ponding described earlier also have marketing potential based on
the comparison with sludge fixation and landfill, and the projected
distribution for these four plants is unaffected by the competition from
the seven additional plants. The final results from the comparison of
sulfur production and limestone scrubbing with sludge fixation and
landfill at each of the ACFL's, in $/MBtu premium for complying fuel,
are:
Number of plants
Compliance strategy $0.70 ACFL $1.00 ACFL $1.25 ACFt
Complying fuel 51 9 2
Limestone scrubbing with sludge
fixation and landfill 21 63 70
Sulfur production 11 n n
FGD BYPRODUCT SULFURIC ACID
Two variations of the magnesia process were used for FGD sulfuric
acid production in the 1985 projection. Separate process variations
were used because of questions related to chloride control requirements
for various coal characteristics and operating conditions (see Appendix B).
As in the case of the sulfur models, two constraints were placed on
the selection of potential power plant sulfuric acid marketing candidates.
The first constraint was a minimum production capacity of 40,000 tons of
sulfuric acid per year. The second constraint was that no plant was
considered if the incremental sulfuric acid production cost exceeded
$40/ton. These values were selected because FGD acid production installa-
10
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TABLE 2. SULFUR PRODUCTION VERSUS LIMESTONE
SCRUBBING WITH SLUDGE FIXATION AND LANDFILL
($0.70, $1.00, and $1.25 ACFL)
Power plant location
Staten Island County, NY
Martin County, FLa
Washington County, FLa
Sherburne County, MN
Westmoreland County, PAa
Montgomery County, MDa
Shelby County, AL
Williamson County, ILa>d
Rusk County, TXa
Henderson County, TX
Armstrong County, PAa'e
Tons
of sulfur
7,000
28,000
20,000
8,000
24,000
10,000
12,000
11,000
9,000
7,000
29,000
Consumer location
Newark , NJ
Pierce, FL
Do than, AL
White Springs, FL
Indianapolis , IN
North Bend, OHC
Copley, OHC
Baltimore, MD
Tuscaloosa, AL
East St. Louis, IL
Indianapolis, INb
Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth, TX
Cleveland, OHC
Tons
of sulfur
7,000
28,000
7,000
13,000
8,000
8,000
16,000
10,000
12,000
5,000
6,000
9,000
7,000
29,000
165,000
165,000
Scrubbing costs were greater than $0.70 ACFL, but 1985 boilers
cannot comply by using clean fuel alone.
Also a potential purchaser of power plant acid, which is pro-
jected to result in greater savings.
Also a potential purchaser of power plant acid, but purchasing
sulfur is projected to result in greater savings.
Scrubbing costs were greater than $1.00 ACFL, but 1985 boilers
cannot comply by using clean fuel alone.
Also a potential producer and marketer of acid, but sulfur pro-
duction is projected to result in greater revenues.
11
-------
tions of less than 40,000 tons/year are not projected to be economically
feasible and there are no markets projected for sulfuric acid at prices
above $40/ton regardless of location.
Effects of No. 6 Fuel Oil Price Escalation
Of particular significance to the magnesia process are the effects
of fuel oil price escalation. Table 3 illustrates the effects of various
annual percentage price escalation rates for No. 6 fuel oil and the
equivalent unit price increases in No. 6 fuel oil, natural gas, and
coal. Based on a late 1979 wholesale price of $0.60/gallon for No. 6
fuel oil, even a 5% per year escalation amounts to an increase of over
$0.20/gallon by late 1985. The energy-equivalent increase for natural
gas is $1.37/kft3 and for coal is over $30.00/ton. At a 15% per year
No. 6 fuel oil price escalation rate (the approximate rate projected
through 1985), the price of coal would have to increase by over $116/ton
(over three times the current price) to equal the No. 6 fuel oil price
escalation on an energy-equivalent basis.
TABLE 3. NO. 6 FUEL OIL ESCALATION COMPARED WITH ENERGY
EQUIVALENT INCREASES IN NATURAL GAS AND COAL
No. 6 fuel oil Equivalent price increase, 1979-1985
annual price No. 6 fuel oil, Natural gas, Coal,
escalation $/gal $/kft3 $/ton
rate. % (149.000 Btu/gal) (1.000 Btu/ft3') (11.000 Btu/lb)
5
10
15
20
25
0.20
0.46
0.79
1.19
1.69
1.37
3.11
5.29
8.00
11.33
30.13
68.35
116.32
175.94
249.36
The magnesia FGD byproduct sulfuric acid process, which uses No. 6
fuel oil for drying and calcining the magnesium sulfite, is particularly
sensitive to the projected escalation. An increase of $0.01/gallon
increases the FGD sulfuric acid production cost by $0.55/ton. This
relationship in terms of percentage annual price escalation from late
1979 through 1985 is shown in Figure 1. At the projected 15% annual
price escalation, the No. 6 fuel oil price increase equals a sulfuric
acid production cost increase of over $43/ton. The net effect on
incremental sulfuric acid costs is reduced somewhat by escalation of
costs for limestone scrubbing with fixation and landfill, but their
projected escalation rate is not nearly as high as that for No. 6 fuel
oil. Obviously, the economics of this process would be improved sub-
stantially by substitution of coal for the fuel oil.
12
-------
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¥&$ INCREASED FGD COST
- '/Ml/ ^j§
%%% DECREASED ACID PLANT AVOIDABLE COST ^
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— •'$£•
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PRICE ESCALATION RATE (%) TO 1985, #6 FUEL OIL
Figure 3. Reduction in potential FGD sulfuric acid
margin with No. 6 fuel oil annual price
escalation.
14
-------
margin for sales of FGD sulfuric acid. Their additive effect on potential
FGD sulfuric acid sales margin is shown in Figure 3. At the projected
15% escalation rate for No. 6 fuel oil, the combined effect of increased
FGD production costs and decreased existing acid producer avoidable
production costs results in a reduction of the potential FGD sulfuric
acid sales margin of about $54/ton.
Chloride Removal Required
There are no potential candidates for sulfuric acid marketing based
on the magnesia process variation with provisions for chloride scrubbing.
The provision for chloride scrubbing increases acid production costs to
the point that, in comparison with limestone scrubbing with sludge
ponding, there are no plants with a projected incremental production
cost of less than $90/ton. In comparison with limestone scrubbing with
sludge fixation and landfill there is some improvement, but even then
there are no plants with a projected incremental cost of less than
$60/ton.
Chloride Removal Not Required
When provisions for chloride removal are not included in the
magnesia process (as in previous projections for 1978 and 1983), potential
candidates for sulfuric acid marketing reappear as in the earlier projec-
tions. However, as in the case of sulfur production, the projected
potential for marketing in comparison with limestone scrubbing with
sludge ponding is much less than when the comparison is made with lime-
stone scrubbing with sludge fixation and landfill.
Sulfuric Acid Production Versus Limestone Scrubbing with Sludge Ponding
Candidates at $0.70, $1.00, and $1.25 ACFL—
The model results from the comparison of sulfuric acid production
with limestone scrubbing with sludge ponding at each of the ACFL's, in
$/MBtu premium for complying fuel, are:
Number of plants
Compliance strategy $0.70 ACFL $1.00 ACFL $1.25 ACFL
Complying fuel 26 2 2
Limestone scrubbing with sludge
ponding 53 77 77
Possible acid production 444
Only four plants projected to select an FGD strategy at the $0.70
ACFL have a projected sulfuric acid production capacity of at least
40,000 tons/year and an. incremental cost of less than $40/ton. Two of
these plants would select a complying fuel at the $0.70 ACFL, but they
are projected to have to comply with revised NSPS and, therefore, do
not have the option of a complying fuel alone. As in the other compari-
sons, the number of plants projected to select an FGD strategy increases
15
-------
at the higher ACFL values, but there are no additional acid production
candidates. The four marketing candidates have a combined sulfuric acid
production potential of about 300,000 tons/year.
Projected market potential—
The model results show potential markets for only two of the four
candidates. Both of the excluded plants were considered because FGD was
their only option, but delivered costs to potential customers are
projected to be greater than the customers' own avoidable production
cost. The projected market distribution is shown in Table 4. The final
results from the comparison of sulfuric acid production and limestone
scrubbing with sludge ponding at each of the ACFL's, in $/MBtu premium
for complying fuel, are:
Compliance strategy
Number of plants
$0.70 ACFL $1.00 ACFL $1.25 ACFL
Complying fuel 26
Limestone scrubbing with sludge
ponding 55
Acid production 2
79
2
79
2
TABLE 4. ACID PRODUCTION (NO CHLORIDE SCRUBBING) VERSUS
LIMESTONE SCRUBBING WITH SLUDGE PONDING
($0.70, $1.00, and $1.25 ACFL)
Power plant location Tons of acid Consumer location Tons of acid
Person County, NC 103,000
Titus County, TX 43,000
146,000
Richmond, VA
Wilmington, NC
Norfolk, VA
Shreveport, LA
36,000
26,000
41,000
43,000
146,000
Acid Production Versus Limestone Scrubbing with Sludge Fixation
and Landfill
Candidates at the $0.70, $1.00, and $1.25 ACFL—
The model results from the comparison of sulfuric acid production
and limestone scrubbing with sludge fixation and landfill at each of the
ACFL's, in $/MBtu premium for complying fuel, are:
16
-------
Number of plants
Compliance strategy $0.70 ACFL $1.00 ACFL $1.25 ACFL
Complying fuel 48 9 2
Limestone scrubbing with sludge
fixation and landfill 22 46 53
Possible sulfuric acid production 13 28 28
Thirteen plants projected to select a possible sulfuric acid pro-
duction strategy at the $0.70 ACFL have a projected production capacity
of at least 40,000 tons/year and an incremental cost of less than $40/ton.
These 13 plants include all of the plants that are marketing candidates
in the comparison with limestone scrubbing with sludge ponding. Seven
of the 13 plants have projected scrubbing costs less than the $0.70 ACFL
and 6 plants are projected to have to comply with the revised NSPS and,
therefore, have no option for a complying fuel alone. Unlike the com-
parisons described previously, in this case there is a significant
increase in the number of potential marketing candidates at the $1.00
and $1.25 ACFL. There is no change between the $1.00 and $1.25 ACFL,
but at these levels there are 15 additional candidates (over the $0.70
ACFL) for a total of 28. Because all candidates required to comply with
the revised NSPS were selected at the $0.70 ACFL, the additional candidates
are projected to select an FGD strategy only at the higher ACFL's. The
candidates at the $0.70 ACFL have a combined sulfuric acid production
potential of about 2,000,000 tons/year, and at the $1.00 and $1.25 ACFL
the projected production potential increases to almost 4,000,000 tons/year
of sulfuric acid.
Projected market potential—
The model results show potential markets for 4 of the 13 candidates
at the $0.70 ACFL and for 8 of the 28 candidates at the $1.00 and $1.25
ACFL. The projected market distribution is shown in Tables 5 and 6.
The two plants with marketing potential based on the comparison with
limestone scrubbing with sludge ponding also have marketing potential in
comparison with limestone scrubbing with sludge fixation and landfill.
The projected distribution for these two plants is not affected by the
competition from the additional plants. The final results from the
comparison of sulfuric acid production with sludge fixation and landfill
at each of the ACFL's, in $/MBtu premium for complying fuel, are:
Number of plants
Compliance strategy $0.70 ACFL $1.00 ACFL $1.25 ACFL
Complying fuel 48 92
Sludge stabilization and landfill 31 66 73
Acid production 488
17
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TABLE 6. ACID PRODUCTION (NO CHLORIDE SCRUBBING) VERSUS
LIMESTONE SCRUBBING WITH SLUDGE FIXATION AND LANDFILL
($1.00 and $1.25 ACFL)
Power plant location
Person County, NC
Jasper County, IL
Pike County, IN
Jefferson County, OH
Northhampton County, PA
Delaware County, PA
Titus County, TX
Armstrong County, PA°
Tons of acid
103,000
122,000
51,000
228,000
182,000
53,000
43,000
86,000
868,000
Consumer location
Richmond, VA
Wilmington, NC
Norfolk, VA
Tuscola, IL
Indianapolis, INa
North Bend, OHb
Cleveland, OHb
Copley, OHb
Deepwater, NJ
Edison, NJ
Gibbstown, NJ
Gibbstown, NJ
Shreveport , LA
Cleveland, OH
Tons of acid
36,000
26,000
41,000
122,000
51,000
90,000
91,000
47,000
95,000
74,000
13,000
53,000
43,000
86,000
868,000
a. Also a potential purchaser of power plant sulfur, but purchasing acid
is projected to result in greater savings.
b. Also a potential purchaser of power plant sulfur, which is projected
to result in greater savings.
c. Also a potential producer and marketer of sulfur, which is projected
to result in greater revenues.
18
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TABLE 5. ACID PRODUCTION (NO CHLORIDE SCRUBBING) VERSUS
LIMESTONE SCRUBBING WITH SLUDGE FIXATION AND LANDFILL
($0.70 ACFL)
Power plant location
Tons of acid Consumer location Tons of acid
Person County, NC
Northhampton County, PA
Titus County, TX
Armstrong County, PAa>
103,000
182,000
43,000
86,000
414,000
Richmond, VA
Wilmington, NC
Norfolk, VA
Deepwater, NJ
Edison, NJ
Gibbstown, NJ
Shreveport, LA
Cleveland, OHC
36,000
26,000
41,000
90,000
26,000
66,000
43,000
86,000
414,000
a.
b.
c.
Scrubbing costs were greater than $0.70 ACFL, but 1985 boilers
cannot comply by using clean fuel alone.
Also a potential producer and marketer of sulfur, which is projected
to result in greater revenues.
Also a potential purchaser of power plant sulfur, which is projected
to result in greater savings.
INTEGRATED ANALYSIS
The computerized model results just described were developed inde-
pendently for each ACFL and scrubbing process (waste disposal versus
marketable byproducts). Although the higher ACFL values carry the
implication of increased market competition from other power plants,
this is not directly addressed by the model and the competitive marketing
aspects of FGD sulfur in comparison with FGD sulfuric acid are not
addressed at all. An integrated analysis is therefore required to
develop a collective projection of byproduct marketing potential for
1985. The collective projection based on combined results requires
several additional considerations because the purpose of this projection
is to identify as many plants as possible where the production of market-
able FGD byproducts might be economically feasible.
All of the power plants that are potential sulfur or sulfuric acid
marketing candidates in comparison with limestone scrubbing with sludge
ponding are also potential candidates in comparison with limestone
scrubbing with sludge fixation and landfill. Therefore, limiting the
final projection to the latter comparison does not exclude any potential
candidates. Likewise, limiting the final projection to the highest ACFL
does not exclude any potential candidates. A power plant is not a
19
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reasonable marketing candidate if the potential market would be easily
lost because other plants that are more competitive at a higher ACFL
also select a marketing strategy. The final step in developing the
combined marketing projection is a comparison of the potential for
marketing FGD sulfur with the potential for marketing FGD sulfuric acid.
Combined Sulfur and Sulfuric Acid Results
The sulfur and sulfuric acid results presented earlier contain
several conflicts between sulfur marketing and sulfuric acid marketing.
These conflicts must be resolved to prepare a combined projection,
otherwise, a single power plant might be projected to market both sulfur
and sulfuric acid and a single acid plant might be projected in one case
to purchase FGD sulfur and continue production and at the same time in
another case to shut down and purchase FGD sulfuric acid.
The first conflict involves a power plant that is projected to be a
potential marketer of both sulfur and sulfuric acid. The problem is
somewhat simplified because the same acid plant is projected to be the
consumer of either FGD sulfur or FGD sulfuric acid from this power
plant. Based on the power plant's incremental production costs and the
acid plant's delivered sulfur and avoidable production costs (including
sulfur costs from other sources) FGD sulfur is projected to result in
greater potential combined power plant and acid plant benefits. The
selection of sulfur instead of sulfuric acid for this power plant reduces
the potential 1985 FGD sulfuric acid production by about 85,000 tons/year.
The remaining marketing conflicts involve acid plants that are pro-
jected to be potential purchasers of both FGD sulfur and FGD sulfuric
acid. These conflicts are more difficult to resolve than the previous
case because the potential power plant sulfur suppliers are not the same
as the potential power plant sulfuric acid suppliers. No matter which
byproduct is selected for a given power plant and acid plant combination,
the result is the effective elimination of that market for the other
byproduct. Although in the case of sulfur the power plant production
can equal any percentage of the acid plant requirements, this is not
true for sulfuric acid. Model results indicate that even when the
purchase of FGD acid alone is considered, acid plants cannot economically
reduce production by arbitrary percentages. These percentages are
limited by design (turndown ratio), the number of trains, and steam-
generation requirements. Because of this, circumstances would have to
be very unusual for a sulfuric acid plant to purchase significant amounts
of both FGD sulfur and FGD sulfuric acid.
Four acid plants are projected to be potential purchasers of both
FGD sulfur and FGD sulfuric acid. Based on power plant incremental
production costs and acid plant delivered sulfur and avoidable produc-
tion costs (including sulfur costs from other sources), the purchase of
FGD sulfuric acid is projected to result in a greater potential benefit
for one of the acid plants and the corresponding power plant supplier;
FGD sulfur is projected to be a better choice in the other cases. The
purchase of FGD sulfuric acid in the first case would eliminate the
20
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market for about 8000 tons/year of sulfur from another power plant.
The purchase of sulfur in the remaining three cases would eliminate the
market for about 228,000 tons/year of sulfuric acid from another power
plant.
Additional model runs were required to determine if the two power
plants projected to lose their potential market for one byproduct to the
power plant producers of the other byproduct could find another market.
The results indicate that the FGD sulfur producer would have no problem
finding alternative markets that would be only slightly less profitable,
but this is not expected to be the case for the potential FGD sulfuric
acid producer because no alternative markets are indicated.
The combined projection for competitive FGD sulfur and sulfuric
acid market distribution is shown in Table 7. The FGD sulfur marketing
potential is projected to be about 165,000 tons/year from 11 plants and
the FGD sulfuric acid marketing potential is projected to be just over
500,000 tons/year from 6 plants. The use of FGD sulfur instead of
sulfur from current sources could result in a combined benefit for the
utility and sulfuric acid industry of as much as $10,000,000 in 1985.
Potential benefits from the use of FGD sulfuric acid are projected to be
just slightly higher at $10,500,000 in 1985.
Strategy Selection Summary
The combined compliance strategy and potential byproduct marketing
projection for 1985 is:
Compliance strategy Number of plants
Complying fuel 2
Limestone scrubbing 64
Projected sulfur marketer 11
Projected sulfuric acid marketer __6
Total 83
As shown, 17 power plants out of the 83 considered are projected to be
potential candidates for byproduct marketing in 1985. Of the 17, 11 are
projected to be potential sulfur marketers with an estimated production
of up to 165,000 tons/year. The remaining six plants are projected to
be potential sulfuric acid marketers with an estimated production of up
to 554,000 tons/year. The combined benefits to the utility and sulfuric
acid industries are projected to be as much as $20,000,000 in.1985.
21
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TABLE 7. COMPETITIVE PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION
FGD SULFUR VERSUS FGD SULFURIC ACID
Power plant location
Sulfur
Staten Island County, NY
Martin County, FL
Washington County, FL
Sherburne County, MN
Westmoreland County, PA
Montgomery County, MD
Shelby County, AL
Williamson County, IL
Rusk County, TX
Henderson County, TX
Armstrong County, PA
Sulfuric Acid
Person County, NC
Jasper County, IL
Pike County, IN
Northhampton County, PA
Delaware County, PA
Titus County, TX
Tons
7,000
28,000
20,000
8,000
24,000
10,000
12,000
11,000
9,000
7,000
29,000
165,000a
103,000
122,000
51,000
182,000
53,000
43,000
554,000b
Consumer location
Newark, NJ
Pierce, FL
Do than, AL
White Springs, FL
Dubuque , IA
North Bend, OH
Copley, OH
Baltimore, MD
Tuscaloosa, AL
East St. Louis, IL
Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth, TX
Cleveland, OH
Richmond, VA
Wilmington, NC
Norfolk, VA
Tuscola, IL
Indianapolis, IN
Deepwater, NJ
Edison, NJ
Gibbstown, NJ
Gibbstown, NJ
Shreveport, LA
Tons
7,000
28,000
7,000
13,000
8,000
8,000
16,000
10,000
12,000
11,000
9,000
7,000
29,000
165,000a
36,000
26,000
41,000
122,000
51,000
95,000
74,000
13,000
53,000
43,000
554,000b
The potential revenue/savings to both industries combined is projected to
be as much as $10,000,000 for an approximate average of $60/short ton of
sulfur.
The potential revenue/savings to both industries combined is projected to
be as much as $10,500,000 for an approximate average of $19/short ton of
sulfuric acid.
22
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DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
FGD Byproduct Sulfur
Effects of New Plants and Revised NSPS—
In the competitive production and distribution solution for FGD
sulfur versus FGD sulfuric acid (Table 7), 11 plants are shown producing
and marketing 165,000 tons of sulfur. Seven of these plants with
131,000 tons (or four-fifths of the market) are scheduled for initial
operation in 1985 (by definition these plants are assumed to be subject
to the revised NSPS). Furthermore, these 7 sulfur-marketing power
plants come from 21 potential candidates in 1985, whereas the remaining
4 plants shown to be potential marketers of sulfur are from a field of
29 candidates in the 1980-1984 startup period. The increase in poten-
tial marketing plants from less than 14% of the candidates in 1980-1984
to over 33% in 1985 results from (1) the advantage of a dry-scrubbing
system with final fly ash removal built into the S02 removal system in a
new plant and (2) the higher cost of a separate ESP for fly ash removal
under the revised NSPS.
The sharp increase in the number of candidates with the 1985 plants
(21 versus 10 in 1984, 6 in 1983, 9 in 1982, and 2 each in 1981 and
1980), as previously stated, results from the assumption that the revised
NSPS restrict the clean fuel compliance option.
Amount of Sulfur in Coal Burned—
As discussed in the process descriptions (Appendix A) the pre-1985
plants are assumed to have an existing ESP for separate removal of fly
ash. This is a much greater advantage for the wet-scrubbing processes
than for the AGP and tends to preclude pre-1985 plants from competitive
sulfur production. However, four pre-1985 plants are projected to be
potential FGD sulfur producers. The fuel sulfur content for these
plants is consistently low. It ranges from 0.92 to 1.04 Ib sulfur/MBtu,
with an unweighted average of 0.97 Ib sulfur/MBtu. The pre-1985 plants
are potential marketers of sulfur primarily because of the high unit
cost of treating relatively small quantities of sludge by fixation and
landfill. Even though the sulfur produced has an increased unit cost at
low volumes, the equivalent unit cost for the limestone process with
fixation and landfill has an even greater increase at the lower volumes.
This more than offsets the initial capital advantage of the limestone
process because of the existing ESP. It is this improved incremental
cost of sulfur at lower coal sulfur levels that makes the four pre-1985
plants competitive.
On the other hand, the coal sulfur content of the seven 1985 plants
marketing sulfur has a higher and wider range of 1.25 to 3.20 Ib sulfur/
MBtu, and averages 2.09 Ib sulfur/MBtu. Lower sulfur content in the
fuels of these plants would probably improve their competitive positions.
With the aforementioned advantage accruing to the 1985 plants, however,
higher annual sulfur production levels are more competitive with limestone
slurry processes than are competitive in the pre-1985 plants.
23
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FGD Sulfuric Acid
Magnesia Process with Chloride Removal—
Higher capital and operating costs are approximately equal factors
in making this process, as currently projected for 1985, noncompetitive
with either limestone scrubbing with sludge ponding or limestone scrub-
bing with fixation and landfill, despite the fact that the magnesia
process has the lowest raw materials costs of those included in this
evaluation.
Magnesia Process Without Chloride Removal—
It was seen with sulfur byproduct projections that the new (1985)
plants had a significant advantage over existing (pre-1985) plants. The
opposite is true with FGD sulfuric acid from the magnesia process without
chloride removal. Existing plants are assumed to have fly ash disposal
facilities already installed. Therefore, an existing plant adding
limestone scrubbing with fixation and landfill does not benefit by
elimination of construction costs for the fly ash pond other than an
allowance for land. In the new plant comparisons, however, fly ash
removal and disposal facilities are not yet built. This results in a
full credit to the limestone scrubbing process for elimination of the
fly ash transportation and pond construction costs. This result is seen
in Table 7, showing the maximum FGD sulfuric acid sales in competition
with FGD sulfur. All six of the sulfuric acid marketing plants are pre-
1985. After 1985 the magnesia process, even without chloride removal,
becomes significantly less competitive in comparison with the limestone
scrubbing process with fixation and landfill.
Amount of sulfur in coal burned—The unit cost advantage at low
sulfur levels in the fuel for the ACP is not present for sulfuric acid
production. The unit cost increases at low volumes for the magnesia
process are not significantly lower than the corresponding increases for
the limestone process with fixation and landfill.
FGD Sulfur Versus FGD Sulfuric Acid
In the final competitive production and marketing comparison,
554,000 tons of FGD sulfuric acid (equivalent to 181,000 tons of sulfur)
is marketed and 165,000 tons of FGD sulfur is marketed. All of the
sulfuric acid, however, depends upon pre-1985 conditions (existing
plants) whereas four-fifths of the sulfur is from new (1985) plants
under the revised NSPS.
Under 1980 cost conditions, FGD sulfuric acid from the magnesia
process without chloride removal has a lower sulfur-equivalent incre-
mental cost than FGD sulfur in all cases except for new plants with low
sulfur throughput. The escalation of fuel oil No. 6 costs to 1985
levels, however, has significantly deteriorated the competitiveness of
the magnesia process, even without chloride removal, in comparison with
the ACP using coal for its FGD byproduct fuel.
24
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CONCLUSIONS
Sharply Increasing fuel costs (especially oil and natural gas) are
a critical factor in the FGD sulfur and sulfuric acid processes. The
projected increase in No. 6 fuel oil cost by the end of 1985 severely
restricts the market potential of sulfuric acid from the magnesia
process, even under the optimistic case with no chloride removal require-
ment.
Processes that can use coal as the FGD energy source will have
increasing economic advantages over those which use fuel oil or natural
gas. Even with a highly unlikely equal escalation rate for these three
fuels, the gap per MBtu would widen. Despite projected increases in
coal transportation costs, its economic advantages over fuel oil and
intrastate natural gas will become even more substantial. Also, the
future availability of natural gas and fuel oil for FGD application is
uncertain. The economics of the magnesia process byproduct sulfuric
acid would be greatly improved if coal could be substituted for fuel
oil.
The necessity for chloride removal in the magnesia process will be
a very important factor in its sulfuric acid production costs. The
addition of chloride scrubbing and neutralization to the 1985 magnesia
process, coupled with cost escalation (especially fuel oil), eliminated
the FGD sulfuric acid market shown in previous projections.
In the ACP, simultaneous removal of SOX and the remaining fly ash
(after 85% upstream removal by mechanical collectors) in the same ESP
presents an advantage for new (1985) plants when compared with alternative
FGD processes which require separate high-efficiency ESP's and scrubbers.
Lower sulfur throughput favors FGD sulfur marketing since the cost
increase per ton of sulfur removed at low levels is not as great as that
for limestone scrubbing with fixation and landfill or the magnesia
process.
The number of power plant candidates for FGD byproduct marketing
will increase with the application of the revised NSPS. It is estimated
that this will affect boilers with startup dates in and after 1985.
Less than half of the boilers projected to come on-line between 1980 and
1984 are committed to FGD systems. The majority have selected a clean
fuel compliance strategy which will have restricted applicability for
future plants covered by the revised NSPS.
25
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The potential for FGD sulfur and sulfuric acid marketing is extremely
limited when limestone scrubbing with slurry ponding is a feasible
alternative. Land limitations, potentially more stringent regulations,
and other factors may, however, impose severe restrictions on ponding as
it is currently practiced. An increasing number of limestone slurry
processes are seen to be selecting landfill disposal methods. Potential
for production and marketing of FGD byproducts increases when limestone
slurry fixation and landfill are required. Although direct capital
costs are usually lower for fixation and landfill, higher operating
costs (principally labor) increase the overall process costs and thus
reduce the incremental FGD byproduct costs.
The potential for producing and marketing FGD sulfuric acid from
the magnesia process versus limestone scrubbing with fixation and land-
fill is greater for existing than new plants. For plants not yet built
the full advantage of not building fly ash transportation and ponding
facilities, which are not necessary with fixation and landfill, is
realized whereas these facilities are presumed to be installed in
existing plants.
Transportation costs, especially by rail, are becoming more important.
Escalation of these costs will affect the marketing range of byproduct
sulfur and, especially, byproduct sulfuric acid. In addition, substantial
rail rate increases will affect the marketing range of competitive volun-
tary and nonvoluntary sulfur and sulfuric acid products recovered from
sources such as Canadian and U.S. sour gas, refineries, and smelters.
Other nonvoluntary sulfur production is becoming a more important
factor in the marketing economics of FGD byproduct sulfur. Voluntary
production of Frasch sulfur once was the dominant source of U.S. sulfur.
Nonvoluntary sources will constitute 65% of the U.S. sulfur capacity and
almost 78% of North American capacity by 1981. How this will affect the
price stability of the sulfur market is difficult to project at this
time. Much will depend on market growth, especially from potential new
uses such as sulfur substitution for asphalt in road-paving applications.
26
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RECOMMENDATIONS
An FGD sulfur and sulfuric production and marketing forecast should
be projected for 1990 or beyond. This projection to 1985 reflects only
the beginning of the effects of the 1979 revised NSPS. In addition, the
increased lead time required to analyze FGD options and implement
decisions necessitates a more extended time frame.
Technology and economic developments in spray dryer FGD recovery
processes should be followed closely.
Developments allowing the use of coal for FGD recovery processes
now using fuel oil or natural gas should be followed closely and incor-
porated into future studies.
Future studies should include projections of fertilizer demand by
geographical areas to expand the demand system beyond its current limita-
tions of existing and announced sulfuric acid plants and to evaluate the
economics of fertilizer production from FGD sulfuric acid near the point
of use.
A specific byproduct marketing study should be made for the approxi-
mately 100 power units designated by the Department of Energy for con-
version from oil to coal. Many of these plants are in high-population
areas where disposal of wastes if FGD were required would be difficult.
These are also areas of historically high sulfur costs.
Projected demand for sulfur for new uses such as partial or full
replacement of asphalt in paving should be included.
The increased supply of refinery recovered sulfur should be pro-
jected because of the potential increase in use of high-sulfur crude
oil.
27
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REFERENCES
Anders, W. L., 1979. Computerized FGD Byproduct Production and
Marketing System: Users Manual. TVA ECDP B-2, Tennessee Valley
Authority, Muscle Shoals, Alabama; EPA-600/7-79-114, U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
Anderson, K. D., J. W. Barrier, W. E. O'Brien, and S. V. Tomlinson,
1980. Definitive SOX Control Process Evaluations: Limestone, Lime,
and Magnesia FGD Processes. TVA ECDP B-7, Tennessee Valley Authority,
Muscle Shoals, Alabama; EPA-600/7-80-001, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Washington, D.C.
Bucy, J. I., J. L. Nevins, P. A. Corrigan, and A. G. Melicks, 1976.
The Potential Abatement Production and Marketing of Byproduct
Elemental Sulfur and Sulfuric Acid in the United States. Report
S-469, Tennessee Valley Authority, Office of Agricultural and
Chemical Development, Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
Bucy, J. I., R. L. Torstrick, W. L. Anders, J. L. Nevins, and
P. A. Corrigan, 1978. Potential Abatement Production and Marketing
of Byproduct Sulfuric Acid in the U.S. Bulletin Y-122, Tennessee
Valley Authority, Muscle Shoals, Alabama; EPA-600/7-78-070, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
Corrigan, P. A., 1974. Preliminary Feasibility Study of Calcium-
Sulfur Sludge Utilization in the Wallboard Industry. Report S-466,
Tennessee Valley Authority, Office of Agricultural and Chemical
Development, Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
Duvel, W. A., Jr., D. M. Golden, and R. G. Knight, 1979. Sulfur
Dioxide Scrubber Sludge - What Disposal Options are Still Available?
Preprint, paper presented at the Sludge Management Session, 86th
National AIChE Meeting, Houston, Texas, April 1979.
Federal Register, 1971. Standards of Performance for New Stationary
Sources. Federal Register, Vol. 36, No. 247, Part II.
Federal Register, 1979a. New Stationary Sources Performance Standards;
Electric Utility Steam Generating Units. Federal Register, Vol. 44,
No. 113, pp. 33580-33624.
Federal Register, 1979b. Criteria for Classification of Solid Waste
Disposal Facilities and Practices. Federal Register, Vol. 44, No. 179,
pp. 53437-53468.
28
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Griffith, E. D., and A. W. Clarke, 1979. World Coal Production.
Scientific American, Vol. 240, No. 1, pp. 38-47.
O'Brien, W. E., and W. L. Anders, 1979. Potential Production and
Marketing of FGD Byproduct Sulfur and Sulfuric Acid in the U.S.
(1983 Projection). TVA ECDP B-l, Tennessee Valley Authority,
Muscle Shoals, Alabama; EPA-600/7-79-106, U.S. Environmental Pro-
tection Agency, Washington, D.C.
Santhanam, C. J., R. R. Lunt, and C. B. Cooper, 1979. Current
Alternatives for Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) Waste Disposal -
An Assessment. In: Proceedings of the Symposium on Flue Gas
Desulfurization, Las Vegas, Nevada, March 1979. F. A. Ayer, ed.,
EPA-600/7-79-167a, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington,
D.C. pp. 561-594.
Smith, M., M. Melia, and T. Roger, 1979. EPA Utility FGD Survey:
April-June 1979. EPA-600/7-79-022e, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Washington, D.C.
Waitzman, D. A., J. L. Nevins, and G. A. Slappey, 1973. Marketing
H2S04 Abatement Sources - The TVA Hypothesis. Bulletin Y-71,
Tennessee Valley Authority, Muscle Shoals, Alabama; EPA-650/2-73-051,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C.
29
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APPENDIX A
BYPRODUCT MARKETING SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
COMPUTER SYSTEM
The system description presented here is a highly simplified
version of the comprehensive description presented in the users manual.
For more details, reference to the users manual and the 1983 projection
report is suggested.
The byproduct marketing system consists of a number of integrated
computer programs, models, and data bases that can be used to make cost
comparisons of FGD strategies designed to meet clean air regulations.
For strategies that produce a salable byproduct, the marketability of
the byproduct is determined and its effect on FGD costs is included in
the cost comparisons. The system can use this data or user-supplied
data to develop situations for comparison of alternative FGD strategies.
For comparisons based on the use of clean fuel without FGD, an alterna-
tive clean fuel level (ACFL) is used to represent the cost differential
between a complying fuel and a noncomplying fuel. In the cases of
sulfuric acid and sulfur production, the system determines the incre-
mental cost of the product. Incremental production cost is defined as
the production cost per ton of sulfuric acid or sulfur above the cost of
either limestone scrubbing or the ACFL value, whichever is lower, unless
the revised NSPS apply. The ACFL value is not considered for those
plants that are assumed not to have the option of a complying fuel.
Figure A-l shows a simplified block diagram of the computer system.
It consists of four subsystems. The supply (or power plant) subsystem
includes data bases and programs which provide data on power plants,
emission control regulations, raw materials costs (including limestone
delivery cost), and FGD design and cost data. These are used to
determine the scrubbing costs for the processes being considered on a
boiler-by-boiler basis for each power plant in the data base. The
demand (or acid plant) subsystem consists of programs and data bases on
sulfur transportation costs and sulfuric acid plant operating costs that
are used to determine acid plant avoidable production costs. Avoidable
production cost is the expenditure that could be avoided by shutting
down a sulfur-burning acid plant and marketing purchased acid. This
cost reduction is the break-even price that can-be paid for FGD sulfuric
acid. For the sulfur demand, the break-even price that can be paid for
FGD sulfur is the delivered price to the acid plant for either Calgary
recovered sulfur or Port Sulphur Frasch sulfur. The transportation
subsystem consists of data bases and programs to provide rail mileages,
31
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SUPPLY
SUBSYSTEM
FOSSL
FRED
POWER
PLANT
DATA
BASE
PROJECT 1 985
INDWDUAL
POWER PLANT
OPERATNG
STATISTICS
9
PROJECT 1 985
REGULATORY
COMPLIANCE
STATUS
¥
CALCULATE 1985
SCRUBBING COSTS
FOR PLANTS
PROJECTED TO
BE OUT OF
COMPLIANCE
DEMAND
SUBSYSTEM
PROJECT 1985
DELIVERED SULFUR
COSTS TO
SULFUR BURMNG
ACD PLANTS
TRANSPORTATION
SUBSYSTEM
LINEAR PROGRAM MODEL SUBSYSTEM
COMPARE POWER PLANT
INCREMENTAL SULFUR AND
SULFURC ACD PRODUCTION
COSTS WITH ACD PLANT
DELIVERED SULFUR COSTS
AND SULFURC ACD
A VOCABLE PRODUCTION
COSTS. RESPECTIVELY
PROJECT 1985
TRANSPORTATION
RATES
PROJECT POWER PLANTS
WITH A POTENTIAL
FOR PRODUCNG AND
MARKETfCFGO
BYPRODUCT SULFUR
OR SULFURC ACD
IN 1985
Figure A-l. Computerized FGD byproduct production and marketing system.
-------
tariffs, and rate-basing information for power plants and acid plants
from the other subsystems. It is used to calculate sulfuric acid and
sulfur transportation costs. The fourth subsystem consists of a linear
programming model and various optional report generators. It uses the
results of the other three subsystems to select the least-cost option
for each power plant considered for byproduct marketing.
FGD PROCESS DESCRIPTIONS
The three processes used in this study are the limestone process,
the magnesia process for sulfuric acid production, and the Rockwell
International aqueous carbonate process (ACP) for sulfur production.
Two waste disposal variations of the limestone process are used—
untreated ponding and fixation and landfill. The magnesia process is
also used in two variations, with and without an additional prescrubber
for chloride removal. The prescrubber is included in the revised
magnesia process because of concern that under some conditions chloride
buildup in the process could lead to reduced MgO utilization, severe
corrosion, and to contamination of the regenerated off-gas with hydro-
chloric acid. The need of chloride control has not been demonstrated
for all coals and all operating conditions, however. A variation of the
process without chloride control is therefore included.
All of the FGD systems are based on a four-parallel-train design
for the 500-MW base case, each with a forced-draft (FD) booster fan, fed
from a common plenum. Reheat to 175°F with indirect steam heat is
provided for the wet-scrubbing processes. The designs are generic,
based on current industry practice and vendor information.
In order to make equitable comparisons between processes, some
equipment and land credits are made. Existing (pre-1985) plants are
assumed to have ESP units and fly ash disposal facilities and these
costs are not included. For limestone scrubbing with fixation and
landfill in existing plants, it is assumed that the existing fly ash
pond is used as the landfill site. Fly ash transportation and pond
maintenance are applied as credits because the fixation and landfill
process includes fly ash disposal. (TVA's Solid Wastes Section of the
Water Quality Branch of the Office of Health and Safety has recently
estimated wet ash-handling storage and disposal costs at $13.50/ton.
This estimate was based on a 35-year lifetime and represents the life-
time levelized cost.) For the existing-plant magnesia process and ACP
that require chloride disposal, an incremental pond cost is included,
assuming that these wastes are discarded in the existing ash pond. For
new (1985) plants ESP units to meet the 0.03 Ib/MBtu NSPS are included
for the wet-scrubbing processes. For the ACP an 85%-efficient mechanical
collector is included ahead of the spray dryer. The remaining fly ash
is removed in the sulfur-salt particulate collectors.
The limestone scrubbing process (Figure A-2) uses mobile-bed
absorbers with presaturators and mist eliminators. A 15% solids slurry
of crushed and ball-milled limestone at a stoichiometric ratio of 1.3
33
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FLUE
GAS
PLENUM
F.D.
FAN
PRE-
SATU-
RATOR
SO, SCRUBBING
REHEAT
SLURRY
SLURRY
PREPARATION
WASTE
WATER
POND
TO STACK
LIMESTONE
Figure A-2. Limestone scrubbing and ponding.
-------
moles per mole of sulfur removed is used. In the ponding variation the
15% solids scrubber purge stream is pumped one mile to an earthen-diked,
clay-lined pond where it settles to a final solids content of 40%.
Excess water is returned to the FGD system. The pond is sized for the
remaining life of the power plant and is designed for a depth that
minimizes the sum of land and construction costs.
In the fixation and landfill variation (Figure A-3) the sludge is
dewatered to 60% solids by thickening and filtration and then blended
with dry fly ash and 4% lime (based on FGD waste solids). The resulting
wastes are trucked one mile to a landfill site.
The magnesia process (Figure A-4) uses a spray grid column absorber.
A venturi scrubber for chloride removal is used in place of the presatu-
rator for the process with chloride control. Chevron mist eliminators
are used on both the scrubber and absorber. The chloride scrubber uses
absorber liquid and fresh water. The chloride scrubber waste stream is
neutralized with limestone and pumped to the ash pond. The spray grid
column uses a 15% solids slurry of MgO as the absorbent at a stoichi-
ometry of 1.05 moles of MgO per mole of sulfur removed and an L/G ratio
of 10 gal/kft3. The spent slurry from the absorber, containing magnesium
sulfite (MgS03) as the major component, is centrifuged to 85% solids,
dried in an oil-fired dryer, and calcined in a fluid-bed reactor. The
MgO is returned to storage and the S02 is processed to sulfuric acid.
The magnesia scrubbing variation without chloride scrubbing is shown in
Figure A-5. It has a presaturator instead of a chloride scrubber, no
chloride neutralization system, and a reduced fan size.
The ACP (Figure A-6) is a dry-scrubbing process. It is based on
spray dryer technology in which a solution of soda ash (Na2C03) absorbent
is atomized in the flue gas. Solution concentration is controlled to
permit complete evaporation. The resulting sulfur salts are collected
as a dry powder. No reheat is required in most applications because the
flue gas is not saturated and remains sufficiently hot for plume buoy-
ancy. The sodium-sulfur salts are reduced to sodium sulfide (Na2S)
using coal in a molten-salt reducer. The Na2S is further processed in a
series of carbonation reactions to hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which is
converted to sulfur in a Glaus plant, and Na2C03, which is reused in the
process. The ACP has not yet been used in commercial application, so
the design used in this evaluation is based on vendor and published
information. However, a contract has been awarded to Rockwell Inter-
national for a 100-MW demonstration facility at the Huntley plant of
Niagara Mohawk in Buffalo. Construction on the 5-year project was
started in 1979.
35
-------
FLUE
GAS
PLENUM
F.D.
FAN
FLY ASH
LIME
PRE-
SATU-
RATOR
SO, SCRUBBING
DEWATERING
WATER
REHEAT
TO STACK
SLURRY
SLURRY
PREPARATION
LIMESTONE
BLENDING
LANDFILL
Figure A-3. Limestone scrubbing and landfill.
-------
FLUE
GAS
PLENUM
SCRUBBER
TO
ASH POND
OIL
OIL
S02 SCRUBBER
REHEAT
TO STACK
SLURRY
SORBENT
DEWATERING
SORBENT
REGENERATION
SORBENT
STORAGE AND
PREPARATION
MAKEUP
'MgO
MgO
S02
H2S04
PRODUCTION
PRODUCT
' ACID
Figure A-4. Magnesia process.
-------
FLUE
GAS
PLENUM
u>
00
F.D.
FAN
OIL
OIL
S09 SCRUBBING
REHEAT
TO STACK
SLURRY
SORBENT
DEWATERING
SORBENT
REGENERATION
SORBENT
STORAGE AND
PREPARATION
MgO
SO,
H2S04
PRODUCTION
MAKEUP
MgO
PRODUCT
ACID
Figure A-5. Magnesia process without chloride scrubbing.
-------
FLUE
GAS
PLENUM
PARTICULATE
AND
S02 SCRUBBING
FLYASH
TO
ASH POND
COAL
SODA
ASH
Na2C03 SOLUTION
TAIL6AS
PARTICULATE
REMOVAL
SORBENT
REDUCTION
1
SORBENT
REGENERATION
H,S
FLYASH
TO
ASH POND
SULFUR
PRODUCTION
TO
STACK
PRODUCT
SULFUR
Figure A-6. Rockwell International AGP.
-------
APPENDIX B
SYSTEM REVISIONS AND ADDITIONS FOR 1985
SCRUBBER COST GENERATOR
New Power Plants and Boilers Through 1985
Projected boilers scheduled for completion in the years 1980
through 1985 were added to the data base. A total of 170 new boilers
was identified for this period and 50 are included in the 1985 model.
The remaining 120 projected boilers were not considered for the follow-
ing reasons.
Number of boilers
not considered Reason
69 Selected clean fuel for compliance
21 Committed to scrubbing
13 Incomplete fuel information
11 Plant location unknown
6 Plant size below 100-MW screen
Total 120
Updated Regulations and Compliance Plans
The 1985 projection is based on regulatory data available from EPA
through February 6, 1979. The major changes in State implementation
plans (SIP's) were in Ohio and Florida. The Ohio SIP's had not been
finalized at the time of the EPA listing used for the 1983 projection.
The Florida SIP's have been liberalized in the latest listing. The
revised NSPS are assumed to apply to all boilers coming on stream in
1985, based on estimated time between approval of plans and startup.
FGD Processes
The 1983 projection used the processes and data as they existed in
the scrubber cost generator in the fall of 1978. There have been changes
in technology, particularly for the magnesia process, since that time.
The 1985 projection reflects most recent technology changes, many of
which increased the capital and operating costs. The addition of
chloride scrubbing and neutralization particularly added to the magnesia
scrubbing costs. A variation of the magnesia process was added without
chloride removal provisions for systems for which chloride scrubbing
might not be required.
41
-------
AGP
The AGP was substituted for the previously used Wellman-Lord/Allied
Chemical methane reduction process for byproduct sulfur production. The
AGP technology has not been demonstrated to the extent nor on the scale
that the technology used in the 1983 projection had been demonstrated.
Future process revisions to the AGP could affect the projected FGD
sulfur market potential in the same way that magnesia process revisions
affected the FGD sulfuric acid market potential. Therefore, the absolute
quantities and margins of projected FGD byproduct sulfur sales may be
somewhat uncertain.
Limestone
The technology of the limestone process with pond disposal is
established. Thus, little change other than escalation of capital and
operating costs through 1985 was made in its data base. Limestone
scrubbing with fixation and landfill was added to the scrubber cost
generator to provide for those circumstances where ponding of the
limestone slurry is not possible. The fixation system is similar to a
commercial fixation process such as that employed by IU Conversion
Systems, Inc. (IUCS).
Cost Escalation
Capital costs were escalated through 1985 using the Chemical
Engineering cost indexes. Operating costs were escalated through 1985
based on TVA projections.
TRANSPORTATION COST GENERATOR
Rail Rate Increase
Rail rates were projected through 1985 from actual rates in late
1979. They are expected to double in this 6-year period (approximately
a 105% increase), with a projected annual escalation of 12.7%.
Barge Rate Increase
Barge rates were also projected through 1985 from actual late 1979
rates. Application of the waterways users tax and pass-on of this tax
in rates are assumed. The 6-year increase is projected to be 76%—lower
than the rail rate increase despite the waterways users tax inclusion.
The average annual escalation over this period is projected at 9.9%.
Truck Transport
Highway transportation costs were added to the model to represent
the most common method of limestone transportation. The late 1979
average trucking rate of $0.065 is escalated by 10% per year through
1985.
42
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ACID PRODUCTION AND SULFUR COST GENERATOR
Sulfuric Acid Plant Data Base
The sulfuric acid plant capacity data were updated by comparing
information from several sources. Additional plants to be in operation
by 1985 were added and some plants indicated as closed were eliminated
from the data base. Demand in 1985 is equated to 82% of the sulfur-
burning acid plant capacity.
Sulfuric Acid Avoidable Production Cost
This cost, the expenditures per ton of sulfuric acid which can be
avoided by shutting down the sulfur-burning acid plant and buying acid,
was modified to conditions projected for 1985. The variable conversion
cost was reduced significantly because of the increased byproduct steam
credit. The sulfur price at Port Sulphur was increased from the 1983
projection of $62.50/short ton ($70.00/long ton) to $80.00/short ton
($89.60/long ton). This is roughly equivalent to the late 1979 listed
price per long ton at Tampa ($95.50). Although Frasch sulfur prices
increased sharply in 1979, the increasing influence of nonvoluntary
recovered sulfur is expected to have a leveling effect on prices.
The trend in the United States toward nonvoluntary recovered sulfur
is seen in Figure B-l. In 1970 voluntary Frasch production constituted
over 59% of the U.S. production capacity. By 1981 the Frash capacity
will be about 35% of the total U.S. capacity. Meanwhile nonvoluntary
sulfur production capacity from refinery operations will have increased
from about 19% in 1967 to almost 38% of U.S. capacity in 1981. Sour gas
and other nonvoluntary capacity have retained about the same percentage
of U.S. capacity. Overall, the nonvoluntary sources have increased
their capacity share in the past 10 years from 40% to 65%.
As shown in Figure B-2 Canadian sulfur production capacity is all
nonvoluntary. It is predominantly from sulfur removal from sour natural
gas. The dominance of the Canadian sour gas sulfur source peaked in
1974 at 93% of the Canadian sulfur production capacity. By 1981 it is
projected at about 78% of total Canadian capacity. The decline is due
to a slight decline in sour gas sulfur capacity caused by dilution of
sulfur content in the wells by reinjection of sweetened (sulfur removed)
natural gas and an increase in refinery sulfur capacity from 3% in 1974
to 16% by 1981.
The combined North American (U.S. and Canada) situation (Figure B-3)
shows nonvoluntary recovered sulfur increasing from a low of 58% of
North American capacity in 1970 to 78% by 1981.
Canadian recovered sulfur already has a suppressing effect on the
price (or rather marketable price) of Port Sulphur sulfur in the upper
United States west of Chicago. The price of sulfur at production points
near Calgary, Alberta, is traditionally substantially below the Port
Sulphur level because of its nonvoluntary nature and freight and
43
-------
-
..
-
28
26
24
22
20
I 6
•
V)
§ I
NO CAPACITY DATA
CHANGES AVAILABLE
AFTER 1981
7?«7^^-'^.lf7'«v?
•>/ OTHER ;•:>•//.
'
FRASCH iii'iiiVi1
i-l'l'i1!'!1!1!'!'!'!'!!!!
i ill, 1,111, i|i,i,iiiiiii.i.i
!x! :!!l:i I';! iiii1
67 68 69 70 71 72 73
74 75 76 77
YEARS
78
79 80 8
82 83 84 85
Figure B-l. Sulfur capacities by source (1967-1985) - United States.
-------
28
26
24
22
20
I 8
" 16
i-
1 i4
GO
Q I 2
09
2
C
CO
10
e
-:
NO CAPACITY DATA
AVAILABLE AFTER
AFTER I 98 I
•"-•? OTH
2S?ft?&fs '••'••.••?r-Tr^^K:?::^.
^M^fcxs;:^^^^
67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85
YEARS
Figure B-2. Sulfur capacities by source (1967-1985) - Canada.
-------
03
2
:
e
-
c
-
1
NO CAPACITY DATA
CHANGES AVAILABLE
AFTER 1981
' i' i' i • i • i • i • i • i • i • i • i • i • i • i • i • i • i • i i -1 • i • i
i i i i i i i i i ri ri I i i i i 'i 'i i i 'i
'ill I I I I I I I I I I l I I I I I I I I1
i , i ii i i i i i,, i i i . - , i-
i it
78 79 80
81
82 83 84 85
YEARS
Figure B-3. Sulfur capacities by source (1967-1985) - North America.
-------
handling costs. Figure B-4 shows the approximate competitive ranges for
Canadian sulfur at prices of $35, $45, and $55/short ton less than Port
Sulphur prices. The current competitive range for Calgary recovered
sulfur is probably somewhere between the $35 and $45 limits shown. An
f.o.b. advantage of $55/short ton would be required for Canadian sulfur
to compete with Port Sulphur Frasch sulfur in the largest U.S. markets
of central Florida, the lower Mississippi River, and North Carolina.
Canadian sulfur is projected for a $45/short ton price, f.o.b.
Calgary, in 1985. It is substituted at this price plus delivery costs
for those midwestern locations where it is competitive with the
delivered cost of Frasch sulfur from Port Sulphur.
As in past projections, only the sulfur-burning acid plants are
considered potential markets for FGD sulfuric acid (and, in the 1985
projection, for FGD sulfur). The relative capacity of sulfur-burning
acid plants compared with other sulfuric acid sources has declined
slightly in the United States in the past dozen years. The total
capacity of sulfur-burning acid plants has increased substantially,
however, as seen in Figure B-5. Both the share and the total amount of
smelter sulfuric acid capacity have increased significantly but appear
to be leveling off, as has sulfuric acid produced from refinery sludge.
The sulfuric acid production capacities for Canada by type of feed-
stock are shown in Figure B-6. The percentage of sulfuric acid capacity
in Canada from sulfur feedstock has dropped from over 73% in 1967 to
under 53% in 1981 even though the total amount of sulfur-burning capacity
has increased. Smelter sulfuric acid and other unidentified feedstocks
have increased in the same period from about 27% to 47% of total Canadian
sulfuric acid capacity. There is no refinery sludge sulfuric acid
production in Canada unless it is in the unidentified feedstock
("other") category shown.
Canadian total sulfuric acid capacity, however, makes up less than
10% of total North American capacity. Therefore, as seen in Figure B-7,
the profile of capacities by feedstock for North America is very similar
to that for the United States. The total capacity for the United States
amounts to over 57 million tons of the roughly 65 million tons of North
American capacity projected for 1981, the last year for which capacity
change data are available.
The transportation and handling data as they apply to the delivered
cost of sulfur through acid plants, and thus the avoidable production
costs, have also been updated through 1985. Rail and barge transportation
have escalated as shown for the transportation data base and handling at
the terminal has been escalated at a much lower rate since much of this
cost is related to fixed costs on existing capital investments.
Market Simulation Linear Programming Model
The most important change from previous studies is the inclusion of
FGD byproduct sulfur in the marketing system. Canadian sulfur is included
47
-------
• CALGARY
i
SULPHUR)-$35
PORT;SULPHUR
:4;POR
SULPHUR
-
Figure B-4. Cost-competitive ranges for Canadian sulfur at different f.o.b. Canadian sulfur
prices (short ton) below Port Sulphur price.
-------
REFINERY SLUDGE
;SMELTER
/////
0 CAPACITY DATA
RANGES AVAILABLE
AFTER I 98 I
67 68 69 7O 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 8O 81 82 83 84 85
YEARS
Figure B-5. Sulfuric acid capacities by feedstock (1967-1985) - United States.
-------
-
03
z
C
•-•
-
1
.
••
-
-
:
x
NO CAPACITY DATA
CHANGES AVAILABLE
AFTER I 98
mmrnmmm
67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85
Figure B-5. Sulfuric acid capacities by feedstock (1967-1985) - Canada.
-------
.
a
-
:
-.
«.
B3
a
c
i
OTHER
REFINERY SLUDGE
I
SMELTER^
NO CAPACITY DATA
CHANGES AVAILABLE
AFT I 98 I
67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 8O 81 82 83 84
Figure B-7. Sulfuric acid capacities by feedstock (1967-1985) - North America.
-------
as a competitive source at $45/short ton, Calgary, along with Frasch
sulfur at $80/short ton, Port Sulphur. Other FGD sulfur marketing
conditions are a minimum annual production rate screen of 5,000 short
tons and a maximum incremental production cost screen of $100/short ton.
An incremental production cost higher than the Port Sulphur rate is used
to allow for possible power plant marketing advantages because of loca-
tion. Significant changes to the sulfuric acid marketing data are
screens of a minimum of 40,000 short tons of annual FGD production and a
maximum incremental production cost of $45/short ton.
The ACFL of $0.50/MBtu used in the 1983 projection was dropped, the
$0.70 and $1.00 ACFL were retained, and a $1.25 ACFL level was added.
Provisions were also made to reflect the revised 1979 NSPS for 1985
boilers. The new regulations require a minimum of 70% sulfur removal,
and thus force an FGD comparison regardless of the ACFL since the option
to use a clean fuel compliance strategy alone no longer exists with the
revised NSPS.
52
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TECHNICAL REPORT DATA
(Please read Instructions on the reverse before completing)
1. REPORT NO.
EPA-600/7-80-131
2.
3. RECIPIENT'S ACCESSION NO.
4. TITLE ANDSUBTITLE
Projection of 1985 Market Potential for FGD
Byproduct Sulfur and Sulfuric Acid in the U.S.
5. REPORT DATE
July 1980
6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE
7. AUTHOR(S)
W.E.O'Brien, W.L.Anders, and J.D.Veitch
8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO.
TVA EDT-115
9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
TVA, Office of Power
Div. of Energy Demonstrations and Technology
Muscle Shoals, Alabama 35660
10. PROGRAM ELEMENT NO.
INE624A
VL CONTRACT/GRANT NO.
EPA Inter agency Agreement
D9-E721-BI
12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS
EPA, Office of Research and Development
Industrial Environmental Research Laboratory
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED
Final; 1/79-4/80
14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE
EPA/600/13
^.SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES TERL_RTp project officer
2489,
,6. ABSTRACT The report projects the 1985 market potential for flue gas desulfurization
(FGD) byproduct sulfur and sulfuric acid in the U.S. The projection is 165,000 tons
of sulfur from 11 power plants and 554,000 tons of acid from 6 power plants, with a
combined benefit to the affected industries of #20 million. FGD technology improve-
ments and cost increases, particularly for fuel oil, enhanced the FGD sulfur market
potential and decreased the FGD sulfuric acid potential, relative to previous projec-
tions. The 1979 revised New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), and the require-
ment (in many cases) for FGD waste treatment, improved the potential for both pro-
ducts. The revised NSPS, which preclude low-sulfur coal as an option, greatly incr-
ease the FGD market potential for plants coming on line after the mid-1980s. Fuel-
oil cost escalation is important in reducing FGD sulfuric acid market potential, as
are process modifications for chloride control. Limestone scrubbing with waste
sludge ponding remains the economically predominant option. The limestone scrub-
bing advantage is decreased, however, when extensive waste treatment and landfill
are required.
7.
KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS
DESCRIPTORS
b.lDENTIFIERS/OPEN ENDED TERMS
c." COSATI Field/Group
Pollution
Flue Gases
Desulfurization
Sulfur
ulfuric Acid
Byproducts
Marketing
Calcium Carbonates
Scrubbers
Sludge
Ponds
Pollution Control
Stationary Sources
13B 05C
21B
07A,07D 131
07B
08H
14G
8. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT
Release to Public
19. SECURITY CLASS (This Report)
Unclassified
21. NO. OF PAGES
68
20. SECURITY CLASS (Thispage)
Unclassified
22. PRICE
EPA Form 2220-1 (9-73)
53
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