Particulate Matter Emissions from a Coal-Fired Power Plant

Particulate matter emissions of filterable particulate matter (FPM), condensible PM (CPM), PM10, and PM2.5 at FGD inlet and stack in a coal-fired power plant were measured by EPA method 201A and method 202. The results indicated that emissions of total particulate matter (TPM) are 40.99mg/m³ and 120.58mg/m³, and the filterable PMs are the highest emissions at both sampling locations which accounted for 76.3% and 75.4% of TPM, the PM10 are 14.73mg/m³ and 88.23 mg/m³, the PM2.5 are 3.17mg/m³ and 52.15mg/m³ at FGD inlet and stack, respectively. The concentration of PMs in flue gas increases significantly after the flue gas passing through the FGD unit. The increase values of PM10/FPM and PM2.5/FPM ratios are 106% and 266%, respectively, but the CPM/TPM ratio is almost at the same level (23.7~24.6mg/m³) after the flue gas passing through the FGD. The test indicated that FGD operation has a significant effect on particulate matters emission due to releasing finer particles and part volatile metals in FGD slurry. Some measures should be taken to control PM emissions for a utility boiler equipped with FGD unit.