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Miscellaneous Abstracts
A Prototype Baghouse/Dilution Tunnel System for Particulate Sampling of Hazardous and Municipal Waste Incinerators
P.M. Lemieux, J.A. McSorley, W.P. Linak United States Environmental Protection Agency Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
Abstract
EPA's Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory (AEERL) has developed
a prototype baghouse/dilution tunnel sampling system. This system
was designed originally for the sampling of flue gas particulate from
fossil fuel combustors, but has been modified to obtain samples of
particulate matter from hazardous and municipal waste incinerators.
Samples collected by this sampling system are to be used for health
effects studies. The sampling system simulates the flue gas quenching
processes occurring upon emission from stack to the atmosphere. A
nominal 10:1 dilution with ambient air promotes nucleation of vapor-phase
organic compounds and condensation on existing particulate matter.
This unit is able to sample 2.8 dscm/min (100 cfm) of effluent. At
the allowable particulate loading rate of 180 mg/dscm stipulated
by RCRA regulations, this sampler is able to capture approximately
20 g of sample in 1 hour. At this rate, it is feasible to generate
kilogram-sized particulate samples that are adequate for bioassay
directed fractionation and/or mouse skin painting carcinogenicity
tests. Replicate samples can also be obtained, so that duplicate health
effects tests can be performed, a luxury not normally available. It
is also possible to sample semi-volatiles using XAD-2 either upstream
or downstream of the baghouse.
"Characterization
of Emissions from the Simulated Open Burning of Scrap Tires",
J.V. Ryan, Acurex Corporation, EPA-600/2-89-054, October 1989.
Characterization of Emissions from the Simulated Open Burning of Scrap Tires
Prepared by: Jeffrey V. Ryan Acurex Corporation Environmental Systems Division Eastern Regional Office P.O. Box 13109 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 EPA Contract No. 68024701 Task No. 88-41 Date Prepared: June 1989 EPA Project Officer: Paul M. Lemieux Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory Combustion Research Branch Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 Prepared for: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development Washington, DC 20460
Abstract
Discarded automobile tires have become a serious health concern, largely
because the growing number of stockpile fires has focused attention on
the potentially harmful products of incomplete combustion (PICs) emitted
into the atmosphere from burning scrap tires. This small-scale combustion
study was designed to collect, identify, and quantify the products emitted
during the simulated open combustion of scrap tires. Fixed combustion
gas, volatile and semi-volatile organic, particulate, and airborne metals
data were collected under two types of burn conditions that varied by
the size of tire material. Burn rates, varied by material size, were used
to estimate potential emissions of identified products.
Total estimated emissions of semi-volatile organics ranged from 10 to
50 g/kg of tire material burned. Mono- and polyaromatic hydrocarbons were
the predominant emission products identified. The presence of benzo(a)pyrene
(BAP) in particulate extracts is of particular concern because it is a
known carcinogen. The presence of zinc in gaseous particulate collection
was also verified and quantified. Several trends were evaluated relating
emission products with burn rates.
"Characterization of Air
Pollutants Emitted from a Simulated Scrap Tire Fire," P.M. Lemieux,
J.V. Ryan, J. AWMA, 43: 1106-1115, August 1993.
Characterization of Air Pollutants Emitted from a Simulated Scrap Tire Fire
Paul M. Lemieux U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 Jeffrey V. Ryan Acurex Environmental Corporation Durham, NC 27713
Abstract
Discarded automobile tires have become a concern to the general public,
largely because the growing number of stockpile fires has focused
attention on the potentially harmful combustion products as well as
products of incomplete combustion (PICs) emitted into the atmosphere
from uncontrolled burning of scrap tires. This paper describes a smallscale
combustion study that was designed to collect, identify, and quantify
the products emitted during the simulated open combustion of scrap
tires. During the study, it was found that total estimated emissions
of semi-volatile organics ranged from 10 to 50 g/kg of tire material
burned. Alkyl-substituted mono- and polyaromatic hydrocarbons were
the predominant emission products identified. Elevated levels of zinc
and lead were also measured.
"Mutagenicity of Emissions
from the Simulated Open Burning of Scrap Rubber Tires," D.M.
DeMarini, P.M. Lemieux, EPA-600/R-92-127, July 1992.
Mutagenicity of Emissions from the Simulated Open Burning of Scrap Rubber Tires
Paul M. Lemieux U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 David M. DeMarini U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Health Effects Research Laboratory Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 Prepared for: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development Washington, DC 20460
Abstract
Discarded automobile tires have become a serious health concern, largely
because the growing number of stockpile fires has focused attention on
the potentially harmful products of incomplete combustion (PICs) emitted
into the atmosphere from uncontrolled burning of scrap tires. This report
describes a follow-up to a small-scale combustion study that was designed
to collect, identify, and quantify the products emitted during the simulated
open combustion of scrap tires. During the previous study, it was found
that total estimated emissions of semi-volatile organics ranged from 10 to
50 g/kg of tire material burned. Mono- and polyaromatic hydrocarbons
were the predominant emission products identified. For the follow-up study
described in this report, the extracts from this study were subjected
to bioassay-directed fractionation to determine mutagenic potencies of
the extracts. The results from these bioassay studies were then compared
to data from other conventional combustion sources to give an indicator
of the relative potencies of the emissions from uncontrolled burning of
tires. The fractionated extracts were then subjected to further GC/MS
analysis to determine the classes of compounds giving the highest mutagenic
potencies. In addition, a real world sample from an actual tire burn was
subjected to the same bioassay analyses so as to determine the relevance
of the small-scale simulations, performed in the EPA's Open Burning Facility
in Research Triangle Park, to actual field samples taken from a full-scale
tire fire.
"Characterization of Emissions
from the Simulated Open Burning of Non-Metallic Automobile Shredder Residue,"
J.V. Ryan and C.C. Lutes, Acurex Corporation, EPA-600/R-93-044, March
1993.
Characterization of Emissions from the Simulated Open-Burning of Non-Metallic Automobile Shredder Residue
Prepared by: Jeffrey V. Ryan and Christopher C. Lutes Acurex Environmental Corporation 4915 Prospectus Drive P.O. Box 13109 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 EPA Contract No. 68-DO-0141 Technical Directive Nos. 91-030/92-055 EPA Project Officer: Paul M. Lemieux Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 Prepared for: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development Washington, D.C. 20460
Abstract
The reclamation process for ferrous and non-ferrous metals from scrap
automobiles generates a non-metallic waste product called "fluff,"
consisting of a combination of plastics, rubber, glass, wood products,
and electrical wiring. The waste product is often stockpiled or landfilled.
A number of these stockpiles have caught fire, resulting in the emission
of numerous air pollutants. To gain insight into the types and quantities
of these air pollutants, a study was conducted in which the open combustion
of fluff was simulated and the resulting emissions collected and characterized.
Samples were collected and analyzed for volatile and semivolatile
organics, particulate, and metal aerosols. Typical combustion process
gases, carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitric
oxide (NO), oxygen (O2), and unburned hydrocarbons (THC)
were monitored continuously. The respective samples were analyzed
using GC/MS, GC/FID, gravimetric, and atomic emission methodologies
to identify and quantify the types of compounds present in the open
combustion process emissions. The resulting mass/volume concentrations
were related to the measured net mass of material consumed through
combustion and known dilution air volume to derive an estimate of
overall emissions. Volatile and semivolatile organics characterized
included mono- and polyaromatic hydrocarbons, substituted alkanes
and alkenes, aldehydes, nitriles, phenols, chlorinated aromatics,
heterocycles, and polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and furans. Of the
11 metal aerosols characterized, cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc were
found in significant quantities. The emission characterizations performed
indicated that substantial quantities of air pollutants are emitted.
For the organic pollutants alone, the emission of more than 200 g/kg
of fluff combusted was observed.
"Evaluation of Carbon
Black Slurries as Clean Burning Fuels," R.K. Srivastava and W.P.
Linak, Fuel, V. 73, No. 12, pp. 1911-1917, 1994.
Evaluation of Carbon Black Slurries as Clean Burning Fuels
Ravi K. Srivastava Acurex Environmental Corporation 4915 Prospectus Dr. Durham, NC 27713 William P. Linak Combustion Research Branch, MD-65 Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
Abstract
The Hydrocarb process is being evaluated as a method of producing methanol,
hydrogen-rich fuel gas, and carbon black from coal, biomass, or municipal
waste feedstocks. Since carbon black has significant heating value (33.78
x 106 J/kg, 14,100 Btu/lb) and contains neither sulfur, nitrogen,
nor inorganic ash, there is potential for its use as a clean burning fuel
or fuel extender in boilers and industrial furnaces. To obtain a preliminary
assessment of this potential, a series of experiments was performed to
examine the pumpability, atomization, and combustion characteristics of
slurries made of mixtures of carbon black with No. 2 fuel oil and methanol.
Carbon black/No. 2 fuel oil and carbon black/methanol slurries with carbon
black contents of up to 50 and 45 weight percent, respectively, were pumped
and atomized by means of a peristaltic pump and air atomizing scheme and
burned in an 82 kW (280,000 Btu/hr) laboratory combustor. Measurements
of slurry spray droplet size distributions indicated mean droplet diameters
of approximately 100 and 30 µm for the carbon black/No. 2 fuel oil
and carbon black/methanol mixtures, respectively. Particulate emissions
from the combustion of slurries containing 47 weight percent carbon black
in No. 2 fuel oil and 42 weight percent carbon black in methanol were
approximately 40 and 28 mg/dsm3, respectively. These particulate
emissions are significantly higher than corresponding emissions from "base
case" No. 2 fuel oil and methanol tests (0.75 and 0 mg/dsm3,
respectively). However, in spite of the increased particulate emissions,
carbon monoxide emissions from all tests were similar (less than 50 ppm
dry, corrected to 0 percent oxygen, for furnace stoichiometric ratios
of 1.05 or greater). In addition, at 20 percent excess air, nitric oxide
emissions from the combustion of the carbon black/No. 2 fuel oil and carbon
black/methanol (approximately 50 and 15 ppm, respectively) were significantly
lower than those measured from the combustion of No. 2 fuel oil and methanol
(105 and 30 ppm, respectively).
"Review of Bench-,
Pilot-, and Full-Scale Orimulsion® Combustion Tests," C.A. Miller,
R.K. Srivastava, and R.E. Hall, presented at the 24th International Technical
Conference on Coal Utilization and Fuel Systems, March 8-11, 1999, Clearwater,
FL
Review of Bench-, Pilot-, and Full-Scale Orimulsion® Combustion Tests
C.A. Miller, R. K. Srivastava and R.E. Hall U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
Abstract
Orimulsion®, an emulsion of bitumen from the Orinoco region of
Venezuela and water, has been proposed as a fuel for utility and industrial
boilers in the United States. This fuel is currently being used in
boilers in five other countries and has been tested at the pilot and
full scales both in the U.S. and abroad. More fundamental bench-scale
work has also been conducted to evaluate the basic behavior of Orimulsion®
in combustion environments. As a result of the interest in Orimulsion®
as a potential fuel for boilers in the U.S., Congress has requested
that EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) conduct a study
on the potential environmental impacts associated with its use as
a fuel. In response to this request, ORD has developed a technology
assessment plan to evaluate the environmental issues associated with
the use of Orimulsion®, including a review of available emissions
and combustion testing previously conducted. The results of work published
to date and of several unpublished test programs have been reviewed
by ORD as a part of the Congressionally requested study. Previous
studies for which results are available include four bench-scale studies
of the fundamental combustion performance of Orimulsion®, six
pilot-scale studies of Orimulsion® combustion and control of Orimulsion®
emissions, four full-scale demonstrations of Orimulsion® use in
utility boilers, and five evaluations of Orimulsion® use during
commercial operation. In addition, several feasibility studies and
overviews of Orimulsion® use in utility and industrial boilers
have also been conducted and are presented. Finally, the use of Orimulsion®
in miscellaneous applications, including as a gasifier feedstock,
as a medium for coal fines recovery, and as a fuel for cement kilns,
is discussed. This paper presents an overview of the previous work
conducted on Orimulsion® combustion and air emissions, particularly
in comparison to the combustion characteristics and emissions from
heavy fuel oil. Conclusions as to the suitability of Orimulsion®
as a fuel are not presented.
"Fine Particle Emissions from
Heavy Fuel Oil Combustion in a Firetube Package Boiler," C.A. Miller,
W.P. Linak, C. King, and J.O.L. Wendt, Combustion Science and Technology,
Vol. 134, 1-6, p. 477, 1998.
Fine Particle Emissions from Heavy Fuel Oil Combustion in a Firetube Package Boiler
C. Andrew Miller, William P. Linak, Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division, MD-65, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 USA Charles King, Acurex Environmental Corp., P.O. Box 13109, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 USA Jost O.L. Wendt, Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 USA
Abstract
Combustion is a significant source of fine particulate matter (PM) emissions,
and heavy oil combustion is suspected of producing particulate emissions
with potentially significant toxicity. This paper is concerned with the
characterization of particulate emissions from a practical boiler burning
heavy fuel oils. The purpose of the study was to identify possible mechanisms
that might relate both the combustion process and the fuel burned to the
size segregated characterization of the fine particles formed, and consequently
to their propensity to cause pulmonary injury. The data presented, therefore,
help suggest specific fundamental issues which define directions for future
research in this area.
In this initial study, samples of PM were taken from the stack of a commercial
732 kW (2.5x106 Btu/hr) rated firetube boiler burning four different heavy
fuel oils, including two grades and three sulfur contents. Submicron and
supermicron particle size distributions (PSDs) were measured using an
in-stack cascade impactor, a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS),
and an in-situ light scattering system. Size classified bulk samples were
also collected using a high volume dilution sampler. Finally, EPA Method
5 (total particulate) and Method 60 (metal analyses) samples were extracted
and analyzed. Measured PSDs showed evidence of a submicron accumulation
mode between 0.07 and 0.08 µm diameter. PM less than 2.5 µm
diameter (PM2.5) which included the accumulation mode and a significant
portion of a broad coarse mode, comprised between 30 and 50% of the total
PM mass emissions. Small particles less than 0.25 µm diameter contained
significant quantities of metals and sulfates, while larger particles
(>2.5 µm) were composed primarily (70-95%) of cenospheric carbon.
These and related data are interpreted in the light of possible mechanisms
governing the partitioning of toxic metals from heavy oil combustion.