Air Quality Control Services
Black & Veatch regularly performs fleet wide multi-pollutant studies and regulatory
analyses to support preparation of fair quality applications for construction permits
and Title V air operating permits. This is accomplished through utilization of the
most recent EPA and state application requirements, impact assessment guidelines
and approved air dispersion models. While overseeing the entire air permitting process,
our Air Quality group provides strategic input including recommending emission control
technologies, coordinating conceptual design and facility engineering inputs such
as equipment performance and emission estimates, as well as negotiating permit terms
and limits with state and federal regulatory agencies.
Black & Veatch enhances project design through specialized air quality studies
related to odor mitigation, toxic health risk analysis, deposition, visibility impairment
and cooling tower plume studies. In addition we assist with achieving regulatory
compliance with respect to all Titles of the Clean Air Act, including:
- Title III Risk Management Plans
- MACT Determinations
- BACT Determinations
- Title IV Acid Rain Allowance Requirements
- Continuous Emissions Monitoring Requirements
- Title V Operating Permits
- Compliance Certifications
- Meteorological and Ambient Air Quality Monitoring
- Climatological
Black & Veatch understands the complexities of environmental retrofit projects
due to the wide variety of technical options coupled with unique, site-specific
challenges. To mitigate the effect of retrofit complications, we utilize a programmatic
methodology that steps our clients through the conceptual engineering design processes
with careful consideration of the potential impact of choices made. The overall
objective of this systematic process is to ensure the development of the ideal,
balanced approach for meeting the projects’ multiple objectives.
The basic components of Phase 1 Engineering Planning are:
- Technology Evaluation and Equipment Sizing
- Plant & Equipment Arrangements
- Development of Specifications
- Engineering Studies – Draft Analysis, Stack Considerations, Reagent and By-Product
Handling
- Balance of Plant Modifications and Impacts
- Operations & Maintenance Requirements
- Instrumentation and Controls
- Permitting Plan / Construction Plan / Outage Plan
- Cost Estimates
- Contacting & Execution Plan
- Recommended Vendors and Suppliers
- Procurement Plan
Black & Veatch has been involved with NOx control solutions since the early
1980s when low NOx combustion technologies became part of the Black & Veatch
design for coal fueled power plants. Since that time, Black & Veatch has developed
extensive experience regarding the evaluation, design and application of all types
of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions reduction technologies including neural networks,
natural gas reburn, Mobotec, LoTOx technology, selective non-catalytic reduction
and others.
The most effective post-combustion NOx control technology used today is selective
catalytic reduction (SCR) and our Air Quality group has significant experience in
the design and installation of 29 operational SCRs that total more than 12,000 MW.
This project experience developed into a programmatic, integrated SCR approach that
when coupled with the extensive EPC experience of Black & Veatch, provides the
expertise and functionality to execute SCR projects throughout a full range of roles
- from owner’s engineer to EPC contractor. Our objective is to work with our clients
in a collaborative manner to ensure the development of the optimal approach for
achieving objectives associated with large scale environmental retrofit projects.
Black & Veatch has been designing flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems for
electric generating power plants since the 1960s. Today, Black & Veatch is one
of the foremost designers of power plant FGD systems and have designed or contracted
to design more than 34 FGD systems for new generating units up to 825 MW. The retrofit
of FGDs on existing generation units add an additional 23 systems of FGD project
experience. Collectively, Black & Veatch has over 22,000 MW of FGD experience.
Black & Veatch possesses extensive experience with the predominant FGD processes
- wet limestone, wet lime, lime spray dryer absorber and circulating dry scrubbers.
Black & Veatch has experience with FGD systems treating flue gas from a variety
of fuels and fuel blends leading to the design of FGD systems with the fuel flexibility
necessary in today’s volatile market.
As an OEM, Black & Veatch retains the exclusive North American license of the
CT-121TM Jet Bubbling Reactor – a superior scrubbing technology for today’s coal
fueled plants. This technology utilizes a superior gas to liquid contact method
along with robust process chemistry to obtain 99% SO2 removal, co-benefits of fine
particulate and mercury removal, with lower capital and life-cycle costs.
Regardless of the technology used, our integrated FGD system design approach not
only addresses SO2 removal performance, but also considers:
- Plant Water and Wastewater Management
- Process Reliability
- Process Availability
- Reagent Availability
- Operability
- Maintainability
- Constructability
- Life Cycle Costs
- FGD Byproducts
- Material Consideration
Black & Veatch has extensive experience in the design and application of all
types of electrostatic precipitator and fabric filter systems for the control of
flue gas particulate emissions from electric generating power plants. This experience
encompasses particulate removal systems for new generating units ranging in capacity
from 4 to 825 MW. In addition to systems for new units, Black & Veatch has also
designed numerous retrofits and upgrades for existing utilities.
Black & Veatch has project experience with particulate control devices which
have been used downstream of semi-dry flue gas desulfurization processes for collection
of the solid waste. Control devices used in this application include electrostatic
precipitators (ESPs), reverse gas fabric filters and pulse jet fabric filters. Additionally,
Black & Veatch has experience with the design and installation of wet ESPs retrofitted
downstream of wet flue gas desulfurization systems.
Black & Veatch has performed numerous particulate control studies to evaluate
and recommend particulate control technologies or modifications to increase particulate
control collection, decrease opacity or evaluate fuel switching impact. Also carefully
evaluated are the technologies for flue gas conditioning such as SO3 and NH3 injection
systems, as well as flue gas humidification. Electrostatic precipitator modeling
can be completed to evaluate potential upgrades to existing equipment or to estimate
performance of existing equipment with a variety of fuels.
Black & Veatch performs a wide variety of studies that address reducing emissions
of hazardous pollutants. With the solidification of the Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR),
establishing a mercury (Hg) control strategy without impacting other plant systems
is critical for regulatory compliance. Many of the Hg control strategies use proven
technologies while newer methods are still at the slip-stream level development.
Regardless of the maturity of the technology, Black & Veatch strives to stay
abreast of their effectiveness of Hg control. Some of the Hg control technologies
considered during our evaluations are:
- Pulse Jet Fabric Filter (PJFF)
- High A/C Ratio PJFF after ESP
- Fuel Blending and Switching
- Combustion Modifications
- Low Temperature Hg Oxidation Catalyst (ESP with Wet FGD Only)
- EPRI MerCAP
- Powered Activated Carbon (PAC) Sorbent Injection
- Halogen Impregnated Sorbent Injection (Iodine and Bromine)
- Advanced Sorbent Injection (Amended Silicates & Sodium Tetra Sulfide)
- Direct or In-Direct Flue Gas Cooling
- Emerging Multi-Pollutant Control Technologies
