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Environment and Conservation235

Chapter 8

EnvironmentAnd Conservation

rom the planning stage right through the continuing operation of a generating station, the impact on environment and conservationare considerations uppermost in the minds of management. Theseconsiderations are factored into the economic ones in the final decisionsconcerning the plant.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONSChoice of Fuel

The fuel to be consumed is among the first decisions made whencontemplating a new generating station, and even when additions toexisting plants are proposed. The choice is not only predicated on its costand projected future costs, but also on its consequences on the utilitiesposition as a good citizen and good neighbor.Earlier, the processes involved when different fuels are employedin a large part determine the economic selection of the fuel. These in-clude costs incurred from the initial handling to the disposal of residuewhich may include smoke, radiation, etc. Often a more expensive fuel ischosen because of its greater acceptability by the community. Typically,oil is chosen over coal, and some oils producing less smoke and sulfurcompounds are often specified or legislated. Indeed, this considerationwas one of the reasons for the choice of nuclear fuel.

Emissions and Combustion

Two significant oxides of Nitrogen caused by combustion are nitricoxide (NO) and nitrogen oxide (NO

) commonly referred to as NO

inenvironmental matters pertaining air quality. They affect the environ-ment through production of acid rain and smog resulting in defoliation,direct and indirect deleterious effect on health, and reduction of the ozonelayer (greenhouse effect). The majority of NO

emissions are caused bycombustion of fossil fuels. Combustion of coal, oil and gas in stationarydevices such as power stations and in transportation movers such astrains and trucks generate about 40% of total world NO

emissions. Elec-tric generating stations are estimated to produce about 25% of this total,only part of which is due to using coal as fuel. From this, a conclusion can be drawn that emissions of N

O are mostly from natural sources (i.e.forest fires) and not human activity- but the latter has been increasingover the last several decades.Considering past and present environmental damage, and sug-gested future trends, governments are now recognizing the need forcontrols resulting in NO

reduction. In 1970 and again in 1977 the UnitedStates Congress legislation—Clean Air Act—enacted standards for newconstruction of power plants requiring the installation of pollution con-trols that result in “the lowest achievable emission rate” or “the bestavailable control technology” depending on whether the area did notmeet federal standards or where the area is meeting federal standards.Standards may differ from state-to-state, but generally “best availablecontrol technology” for new coal plants is:•selective catalytic reduction (SCR) which will achieve an emission of 15 pounds (NO

) per MMBtu of coal burned•scrubbers for SO

which will achieve emission rates of less than .3pounds per MMBtu of coal burnedRegulations in general at present do not require older coal plants tomeet these current standards. These plants could emit over .5 pounds of NO

per MMBtu and 6 pounds of SO

per MMBtu of coal burned.

Other Air Pollutants

The incomplete combustion of fossil fuel may also produce signifi-cant amounts of carbon monoxide. Again, under certain conditions,

much of this carbon monoxide is converted to carbon dioxide and car- bonic acid spray, both of which are not harmful or objectionable.Other pollutants are the gases, oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbonsand ozone. There is also some solid matter consisting of fly ash, soot andsmoke.

Pollution Control

With present technology, electrical energy cannot be generated eco-nomically from “natural” fuels economically without at the same timeproducing some undesirable residue. Earlier, the pollutants contained insmoke have been discussed and their effect on surrounding areas mini-mized through the installation of scrubbers, dust collectors and precipi-tators, and the erection of stacks higher than would otherwise be mini-mally required.The high stacks serve to dissipate both the sulphur and carboncompounds over wide areas into the upper atmosphere so that theireffect at ground level is negligible.Sudden load increases of load may call for a rapid increase insteam supply. This, in turn, generally results in more incomplete combustion of the fuel producing a greater amount of smoke, sometimes involuminous quantities. This sudden increase in demands for electricitymay be brought about by foreseen or unforeseen storms or otherweather conditions, from special or unanticipated events and situations,or from the sudden interruption of other sources which a generatingstation may be called upon to assume. The “spinning reserve” genera-tors help to mitigate such occurrences, as does switching of transmissionlines where available.