Development of Emission

Factors for Biomass Combustion

and Co-Combustion with Coal

Emil Laurin, Anne- Marie Chapman - Environment Canada

Phil Geddis, Sebnem Madrali - Natural Resources Canada

WPAC- Nov 2013

The objective of this R&D project is to develop

Canadian industrial emission factors related to the

combustion of woody biomass and co-combustion of

woody biomass with coal in utility boilers, in the

context of heat and/or electricity generation, as well as

ash characterization.

Project Objective

Data gaps and high uncertainty regarding the “ default

” data currently used in policy development for

biomass combustion and environmental impacts

Default data – AP 42 for grate fired hog fuel type

biomass residue

Problem Statement

Project Leads� Environment Canada

� CanmetENERGY – Ottawa / NRCan

Advisory Committee• Representatives from Governments – BC, ON, NS, US DOE, EC

• Utility representatives – Manitoba Hydro, Ontario Power Generation

• Industry Associations – WPAC, Canadian Clean Power Coalition

Project Team & Collaborators

� Task 1 (April 2012 – March 2013): Creation of a database

of emissions factors for combustion of woody biomass

� Task 2 (September 2012 – December 2014): Development

of air emission factors and ash characterization by

sampling at:

� pilot-scale research furnace (PSRF) at three co-firing ratios;

� industry scale – power utility plant

� Task 3 (April 2014 – Dec 2014): Analysis

� Task 4 (January 2015 – March 2015): Reporting

Project Approach

Task 1: Creation of a database of

emissions factors• Dataset and summary report prepared by Envirochem

Services Inc.

� 61 facilities or data sources included in the database- Biomass CHP - Biomass Power - Cofiring – utility

- Biomass Heat/Steam - Experimental - Cement

Facility specific data in the dataset are shared under confidentiality

� Given access to the confidential dataset from NCASI (National Council for Air and Stream Improvement) related to the forest industry (P&P, sawmill) which will be used for comparison purposes

� Continually accepting new data as it becomes available.

� Dataset will be further populated with new data and used to develop emission factors

� Snap Shot of NOx / SOX emissions from the dataset

� Only one representative dataset per source

Task 1: Sample Data - Preliminary

� Snap Shot of Total Chlorine and Dioxins/Furans emissions from the dataset

� Only one representative dataset per source

Task 1: Sample Data - Preliminary

Task 2: Pilot Scale tests at CanmetENERGY

Test matrix :

� Target Heat input of 1,750,000 Btu/hr (0.5 MWth)

� Wood pellet Co-fire ratio’s (energy basis): 0%, ~20% and

~50%

Task 2: Pilot Scale tests at CanmetENERGY

� Flue Gas Emission (before ESP) –

� CEM (SO2, NO2, CO, CO2, O2);

� TPM, PM2.5, PM10 (method 201A heated cyclones);

� Hg and other trace metals (M5);

� HCl, HF and low hydrocarbons (FTIR)

� Ash collection

� furnace (bottom ash),

� air preheater inlet

� ESP hopper (fly ash)

� Ash analysis – XRF (bottom ash) and Trace metals (fly

ash)

� Figure 1 – Furnace layout, ash sampling locations (purple) and in-flight sampling ports (orange).

Task 2: Pilot Scale tests at CanmetENERGY

Furnace layout, ash sampling locations (purple) and in-flight sampling ports

(orange).

PRB coal and wood pellet analysis

Task 2: Pilot Scale tests at CanmetENERGYa) as received

b) as tested

c) coarse (discarded)

Task 2: Pilot Scale tests at CanmetENERGY

Task 2: Pilot Scale tests at CanmetENERGY

Task 2: Pilot Scale tests at CanmetENERGY

Task 2: Pilot Scale tests at CanmetENERGY

Task 2: Pilot Scale tests at CanmetENERGY

Task 2: Pilot Scale tests at CanmetENERGY

Port 4 – located upstream of ESP

� Emissions of major species generally followed trends expected with increased biomass addition:

� Reduction in SO2

� Reduction in NOx from coal to cofiring

� Low CO and no quantifiable effect of cofiring

� Hg favouring its elemental form with biomass cofiring

� Reduction in all halogen emissions measured with biomass

cofiring

� Some indication that the portion of the PM passing through the ESP increased with increased biomass co-firing ratio (recommend further tests for fly ash resistivity)

� Fine PM (2.5 and 10) & size distribution - Increase in the mass amount of fine (<PM

2.5) and coarse particles (>PM

10)

with increased biomass cofiring ratio (measured upstream of ESP)

Task 2 – Results from CanmetENERGY tests

Potential Utility Partners:

� Nova Scotia Power Inc. (Point Tupper GS / early 2014) – ~ 20% wood pellet cofiring

� Ontario Power Generation (Atikokan GS / late 2014 early 2015) – 100 % wood pellet

Potential Wood Pellet Suppliers

Atlantic Canada Wood Pellet Manufacturers – Shaw Resources, Viridis Energy and others(?)

Task 2: Utility Scale Emission and Ash

Sampling

� Flue Gas Emissions� SO2, NO2, N2O, CO, O2

� Particulate Matter (total, 2.5, 10, condensible)

� Halides and Hg

� VOC/SVOC

� Fuel and Ash� Collection only

� Analysis by CanmetENERGY labs (including trace metals)

Task 2: Utility Scale Emission and Ash

Sampling – Sample Priority

Expected Outcomes - 1

� Validate and increase certainty in emission data based on sound and science based knowledge

� Advance competitive and environmentally sound use of biomass for heat and/or electricity production� Growth in biomass combustion � Ensuring environmental impacts are well understood

and minimized � Encouraging further investment

Expected Outcomes - 2

� Keeping clean energy in Canada rather than exporting it (such as exporting wood pellets)

� Allow informed decision making regarding ash management

� Enhance collaboration between the public sector and industry to increase the scientific and technical knowledge

Acknowledgements

� EcoENERGY Innovation Initiative funding by NRCan

� NSPI for coal used in the CanmetENERGY pilot scale tests

� Lauzon Recycled Wood Energy Inc. and Wood Pellet Association of Canada for wood pellets used in pilot scale tests