GROUP-C

Continuous Emission Monitoring System & Coal specification questionnaires:

1. What is SO2? What are the effects of SO2? What is the set limit for GMCP SO2 emission?
What are your actions in case SOx emission is high? What is the allowed coal Sulfur content as
per contract?

What is SO2?
Sulphur dioxide is a colourless gas with a pungent, irritating odour and taste.

What are the effects of SO2?

 Effects of Sulfur to the Plant
 Affects clinkering and slagging tendencies
 Corrodes chimney and other equipment such as air heaters and economizers
 Limits exit flue gas temperature

Effects of Sulfur Dioxide to Environment

 Sulphur dioxide can harm crops and trees, textiles, building materials, animals, and
people either as a result of exposure to long-term low concentreations or short-term
high concentrations. Sulphur dioxide corrodes metal, and causes building materials and
textiles to deteriorate and weaken.
 Sulphur dioxide irritates the throat and lungs and, if there are fine dust particles in the
air, can damage a person's respiratory system
 Sulphur dioxide is a mojor contributor to acid deposition

What is the set limit for GMCP SO2 emission? ≤ 700 mg/Nm3

What are your actions in case SOx emission is high?

When the SOx is high, normally the Plant Operator starts the Flue Gas Desulfurization System,
Then increase the FGD booster fan vane opening to reduce the SOX exiting the smoke stack.
The FGD unit filters the flue gas with sea water to minimize the SOx exiting the stack that can
forms acid rain eventually.

Allowable Coal Sulfur content as per contract: ≤ 0.35%

2. What is Opacity? What are the effects of Opacity? What is the set limit for GMCP Opacity?
What are your actions in case of Opacity is high? What influences opacity exceedance in power
plant operations?

What is Opacity?
Opacity is the degree to which visibility of a background is reduced by particulates (smoke).

What are the effects of Opacity?

Many boilers fail particulate emission tests or exceed stack opacity limits due to high flyash LOI
caused by poor fineness. Fineness can also affect ignition points & flame stability.

What is the set limit for GMCP Opacity? ≤20%

What are your actions in case of Opacity is high?

When high opacity occurs, adjust the coal fineness ( through the mill classifier vanes) and
combustion until it reaches the desired parameter. Combined effects of fuel balance, fineness,
ignition points & flame stability will result in non-uniform combustion and furnace
temperatures.

What influences opacity exceedance in power plant operations?

In plant operations, coal flow, air flow, ignition and coal fineness influence the exceedance of
opacity.

3. What is NO2? What are the effects of NO2? What is the set limit for GMCP NO2? What are
your actions in case of high NOx emission?

What is NO2?
NO2 (Nitrogen dioxide) NO2 forms when fossil fuels such as coal, oil, gas or diesel are burned at
high temperatures.

What are the effects of NO2?

The main reason NOx is considered an environmental problem is because it initiates reactions
that result in the production of ozone and acid rain

What is the set limit for GMCP NO2? ≤1000 mg/Nm3

What are your actions in case of high NOx emission?

NOx emissions from boilers are influenced by many factors. The most significant factors are
flame temperature and the amount of nitrogen in the fuel. Other factors affecting NOx
formation are excess air level and combustion air temperature

As a CRO, these are ways you can adjust the NO2 emissions by adjusting the SOFA opening. (If
NOX is high, increase the opening of over fired damper).

4. Explain briefly what is HGI? What are the effects of high HGI with respect to mill and
combustion efficiency?

Explain briefly what is HGI?

HGI (Hardgrove Grindability Index) measures empirically the relative difficulty of grinding coal
to the particle size necessary for relatively complete combustion
What are the effects of high HGI with respect to mill and combustion efficiency?
The Hardgrove index of coal tells us about the ease with which it can be pulverized. A higher
Hardgrove index indicates the coal is easier to grind. 50 HGI normally is taken for calculating the
base capacity of the mill. When coal with HGI higher than 50 is fed to the pulverizer, the output
will be higher than base capacity, and below 50 HGI, the output will be lower.

5. What is Unburned Carbon? What are the effects of unburned carbon? As control operator
how can you minimize unburned carbon?

What is Unburned Carbon?

This loss directly reflects the efficiency of the combustion system. The unburnt fuel is retained
generally with the solid combustion residue. It is generally found in the form of free carbon.
The heat value of this free carbon found with combustion residue reflects the loss due to
unburnt fuel.

What are the effects of unburned carbon?

Unburned carbon forms slag inside the boiler minimizing the heat transfer. Also, the quality of
the fly ash is lessen because the unburned carbon content is high.

As control operator how can you minimize unburned carbon?

To minimize the unburnt carbon, the CRO adjust the coal flow, and air flow to accurate position
to have less unburnt carbon.

6. What is LOI? What is Ash fusion temperature?

LOI (Loss on Ignition)

Large amount of unburned fuel inside the furnace caused by high fuel moisture content and
unbalanced fuel-air ratio in the combustion process. When there is a high fuel compared on air
there is a tendency of loss of ignition as well as when fuel is high moisture content there is a
tendency of resulting if unburned fuel. LOI limit in the combustion is ≤ 4%

Ash fusion temperature

The temperature at which a special test cone made from particles of ash obtained from the coal
will (1) begin to deform, i.e., soften, or (2) completely deform or fuse into a blob.

7. Give the effects of high moisture content of coal? What is the allowable total moisture
content of coal as per contract?

Give the effects of high moisture content of coal?

Effects of Moisture in Coal
 Increases heat loss, due to evaporation and superheating of vapour
 Helps in binding fines
 Aids radiation heat transfer
 Add weight in transportation
Allowable total moisture content of coal as per contract ≤ 42%

8. What is Gross Calorific Value? What is the allowed GCV of our coal as per contract?

Gross Calorific Value

The heat produced by combustion of unit quantity of a solid or liquid fuel when burned at
constant volume in an oxygen bomb calorimeter under specified conditions, with the resulting
water condensed to a liquid.

Allowed GCV of our coal as per contract ≥ 3600 kJ/kg

9. What is Volatile Matter? What are the effects of high VM? What is the allowed VM as per
contract?

Volatile Matter
In coal, those substances, other than moisture, those are given off as gas and vapor during
combustion. Standardized laboratory methods are used in analysis.

What are the effects of high VM?

 Proportionately increases flame length, and helps in easier ignition of coal
 Sets minimum limit on the furnace height and volume
 Influences secondary air requirement and distribution aspects
 Influences secondary oil support

Allowed VM as per contract ≤ 45

10. What is Fixed Carbon? What is the allowed FC of our coal as per contract?

Fixed Carbon
Fixed carbon is the solid combustible residue that remains after a coal particle is heated and the
volatile matter is expelled.

Allowed FC of our coal as per contract ≤ 40