BOARD MEETING DATE: July 7, 2006
AGENDA NO. 3

Execute Contract to Demonstrate Ultra-Low NOx Burner for Large Industrial Boilers

SYNOPSIS:

The Gas Technology Institute and Coen Company have developed an innovative ultra-low NOx burner capable of operation at less than 5 ppm NOx on large industrial boilers.  This action is to field-demonstrate the prototype burner on a working boiler.  Of the total $300,000 project costs, the AQMD’s contribution is proposed to be an amount not to exceed $90,000 from the Clean Fuels Fund.  The Southern California Gas Co. will also contribute $90,000, and the remaining $120,000 will be provided by Coen in the form of burner fabrication and installation services.

COMMITTEE:

Technology, June 23, 2006, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Authorize the Chairman to execute a contract with the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) to field-demonstrate an ultra-low NOx burner on a working boiler at a cost not to exceed $90,000 from the Clean Fuels Fund.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

Existing boilers have NOx limits of 30, 40, or 9 ppm, depending on size and date of permitting, and new boilers rated at or above 20 MMBtu/hr are limited to 9 ppm NOx, the current NOx BACT.  Boilers in this size range that are in RECLAIM have a similar NOx limit profile.  An advanced ultra-low-NOx burner for large (20 to 193 MMBtu/hr) industrial boilers, capable of operation at or below 5 ppm NOx and 30 ppm CO (called forced internal recirculation – FIR), has been developed by the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) and the Coen Company, a leading supplier of burners used in industrial boilers.  Staff is recommending that AQMD co-fund a field demonstration project because the target NOx and CO emission levels are well below current BACT levels for this class of boilers, and the technology offers additional advantages in terms of improved boiler efficiency and avoidance of ammonia-based NOx control.  Since this technology is retrofitable to most boilers, there is also the potential to reduce emissions from the existing boiler population.

Proposal

Staff proposes that the AQMD co-fund a demonstration of the FIR burner technology for large, natural gas-fired industrial boilers to achieve 5 ppm NOx and 30 ppm CO.  The project will include a six month testing and evaluation phase followed by transfer of operation to the host site and monitoring of performance for a minimum of two months.  The proposed project includes a market study by the Coen burner company specifically addressing deployment of the technology in the South Coast Air Basin.

The selected test site is a boiler at the California Institute of Technology (CalTech) in Pasadena.  This 50,000-lb/hr (62 MMBtu/hr input) B& W watertube boiler is currently equipped with a conventional high-FGR burner permitted for 30 ppm NOx.  CalTech has agreed to make the boiler available for extensive testing during the course of this project, and will provide significant in-kind support during installation and testing.

The objectives of the proposed project are to demonstrate the ability of a 62 MMBtu/hr FIR burner on a 50,000-lb/h package watertube boiler to meet the targets listed below:

•     Stack NOx emissions at or below 5.0 ppm;
•     Stack CO emissions at or below 30 ppm;
•     Stack total hydrocarbon (THC) emissions at or below 10 ppm;
•     Ability to deliver 50,000 lb/h of 100-psig steam;
•     Turndown of at least 5 to 1; and
•     Smooth reliable startup and response to facility steam demand.

Phase 1 of the project, funded by the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), will demonstrate the burner at 9 ppm NOx with zero FGR.  Phase 2 will include the installation of the 5-ppm modifications followed by testing and evaluation to meet the objectives above.  Tests will specifically address emissions and flame characteristics at full load, half load and minimum load as well as load ramping and cold startup.  Longer-term emissions monitoring and close observation by the plant operating staff will address the combustion and emissions performance of the burner in normal operation for a minimum of two months.

Sole Source Justification

The proposed project qualifies for sole source funding based on the following criteria in AQMD’s Procurement Policy and Procedures Manual:

• VIII.B.2.c.(2) – the project involves the use of proprietary technology;
• VIII.B.2.d.(1) – the project involves cost sharing with other sponsors; and
• VIII.B.2.d.(8) – the project is a research and development effort with a nonprofit institution.

GTI is an independent not-for-profit research and development organization located in Des Plaines, Illinois.  Its primary functions include energy and environmental research, development and demonstration projects, educational and technology transfer activities and technical/economic evaluations for industry and government.

The AQMD’s contribution is 30% of the total project costs, with cost-share being provided by SoCalGas and Coen.  In addition, these costs do not include $200,000 already spent on design and fabrication of the 9-ppm burner, the in-kind support by CalTech, or the nearly $1.7 million previously spent on 9-ppm and 5-ppm FIR burner development by GTI.

Benefits to AQMD

Coen intends to market the FIR burner as a part of its existing burner line as an energy-efficient alternative to more conventional ultra-low-NOx burners.  As part of this project, Coen will develop a market assessment and plan to introduce a 5-ppmv option for the FIR burner.  The market assessment will specifically address the boiler population in the South Coast District.

If successfully demonstrated and deployed, staff estimates NOx reductions of 1,191 tons per year for the existing, applicable boiler population.  Further reducing the NOx BACT for new boilers from 9 ppm to 5 ppm would save an additional 2.4 tons per year of NOx emissions each year going forward.

The proposed project is included in the Technology Advancement Office Clean Fuels Program 2006 Plan Update under the item “Develop and Demonstrate Clean Stationary Technologies.” 

Resource Impacts

The total project cost is $300,000, with the proposed AQMD contribution not to exceed $90,000.  Funding sources include $90,000 from SoCalGas, $90,000 from AQMD and $120,000 worth of equipment and services from Coen as shown in the table below.

Sufficient funds are available from the Clean Fuels Fund, established as a special revenue fund resulting from the state-mandated Clean Fuels Program. Funds are available from fees received from stationary sources within the AQMD, and must be utilized for sponsoring research and development projects on stationary sources by state law.