Review of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Fossil Energy's Research Plan for Fine Particulates (1999) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
3 Review of the DOE Fine Particulate Research Program
3 Review of the DOE Fine Particulate Research Program
Pages 21-37
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 21... ...
3. Develop and evaluate technologies to costeffectively control both primary particulate matter and secondary fine particulate precursors should further reductions in coal-based power plant emissions be necessary to address PM2 5 health or visibility concerns.
|
From page 22... ...
Table 3-1 shows the estimated budgets for current research projects and indicates DOE's involvement. AMBIENT PM2 5 SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS The DOE-FE program includes the establishment of monitoring sites designed to provide data for determining the relationships between emissions from coal-fired power plants and other point and nonpoint sources, ambient PM25, regional haze, and human exposure.
|
From page 23... ...
During the intensive 30-day periods, four samples per day will be taken at Lawrenceville and one sample per day will be taken at Holbrook; however, only 50 percent of the samples will be analyzed chemically. Continuous data on gaseous pollutants will be collected at Lawrenceville and Holbrook for ozone, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and NOX.
|
From page 24... ...
Therefore, an obvious priority for the project should be to determine the fuel characteristics of Midwestern power plants for their ash chemistry and to examine the data collected by power plants on current particulate, sulfur dioxide, and NOX emissions. DOE will have to determine whether existing source profiles are adequate or whether new source profile measurements will have to be made.
|
From page 25... ...
The most apparent weakness of the project is the lack of a data analysis plan that specifies how the relative contribution of power plants to the fine particle mass and haze in the GSMNP will be determined. Second, no provision is made in the sampling and analysis program for the analysis of tracer aerosol species or for other means of identifying power plant contributions.
|
From page 26... ...
A parallel study will be conducted to evaluate the relationship between air quality and the physiologic responses of a group of patients with severe cardiac conditions. A personal/indoor/outdoor exposure assessment study is also planned to help epidemiologists assess how well ambient measurements represent personal exposures.
|
From page 27... ...
the investigation of plume and atmospheric chemistry at the TVA' s Cumberland Station; and (3) the development of perfluorocarbon tracer technology to determine the contributions of regional air pollution sources in both the United States and Mexico to regional haze in the Big Bend National Park .
|
From page 28... ...
The Phase I study at CUF in 1998 found, for example, that the installation of wet scrubbers to remove sulfur dioxide cooled the plume, reduced atmospheric dispersion, failed to reduce sulfuric acid emissions proportionately, and increased the conversion of NO to nitrogen dioxide, thus making the plume more visible. A new shorter stack was installed along with the scrubbers, ostensibly because the reduced sulfur dioxide emissions would compensate for the reduced atmospheric dispersion.
|
From page 29... ...
Project to determine the contributions of regional air pollution sources in both the United States and Mexico to regional haze observed in the Big Bend National Park in Texas. In this context, DOE notes that it is important that the contributions of the Carbon I and Carbon II power plants to decreased visibility in the park be quantified.3 The details of DOE's Brookhaven National Laboratory's contribution to the apportionment of regional haze in the Big Bend National Park was not included in the information provided to the committee although it was clear that tracers would be used to estimate dispersion parameters for various power plants.
|
From page 30... ...
In general, technologies for controlling NOX emissions from coal-fired electric generators have advanced rapidly during the past 15 years. LowNOX burners and other combustion control technologies have been instrumental in meeting the requirements of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments for coal-fired power plants.
|
From page 31... ...
. The air measurement program is supplemented by atmospheric studies, one of visibility impairment and PM2 5 concentrations in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and one in Atlanta, Georgia, an elaborate study of PM25 and associated air pollution combined with health assessments.
|
From page 32... ...
by chemical composition will be necessary for quantitative analyses of contributions of various sources to ambient fine particle mass concentrations at selected receptors. Because recent and planned reductions in emissions of sulfur dioxide and NOx required by the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments will change the profiles, updated and regionally specific emission profiles of coal-fired power plants will be critical for future research.
|
From page 33... ...
. studies and activities of other state and federal agencies, academia, and the private sector, including EPA's speciation and supersite sampling network, and the PM research portfolio outlined by the NRC Committee on Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter · scientific approaches to determining the contributions of coal-fired power plants that would enable the quantification of current contributions and predictions of changes in ambient PM2 5 concentrations after the implementation of emission controls the investigation of testable scientific hypotheses, for example: Coal-fired power plants contribute at least onefourth of the PM2 5 sulfate in urban areas of the eastern United States Coal-fired power plants are not significant con tributors to ambient PM25 as far away as or farther than 1,000 km from their locations Ambient PM2 5 concentrations and visibility impairment in the eastern United States respond nonproportionally to changes in power plant emissions of sulfur dioxide Requirements for controlling sulfur dioxide and NOx emissions from power plants can be met by changing fuels and current emission-control technologies a state-of-the-art air quality model, with plume and grid capability, to improve estimates of the effects of emissions from coal-fired power plants on local and regional receptors source characterization and source apportionment using ambient monitoring data that could also be used for testing deterministic models · resources (manpower and funding)
|
From page 34... ...
Current emissions inventories, source profiles, and data on emissions chemistry should be reviewed for their applicability to the project. DOE should make a commitment to obtain source profile data for key sources that have the potential to influence the air quality in the Pittsburgh area, including selected coal-fired power plants, transportation sources, and large coking or manufacturing facilities.
|
From page 35... ...
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park Visibility Project will attempt to determine the component of regional haze associated with regional coalcombustion emissions. Sulfates are said to contribute up to 50 percent of the fine particle mass concentration in this region, and an even higher percentage to light extinction, which reduces visibility.
|
From page 36... ...
Therefore, the focus of this project on pollutant interactions is both timely and appropriate. A study of interacting phenomena in the plume will enable investigators to design more elaborate studies on specific plants to determine optimal approaches to reducing emissions of PM, sulfur dioxide, and ozone precursors, as well as hazardous air pollutants.
|
From page 37... ...
The apparent reluctance of the Mexican government to participate in the tracer experiments could compromise the BRAVO project's ability to estimate the contributions of various power plants to haze in the Big Bend National Park. Recommendations Recommendation 1.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.