Evaluation of the 10-MW high-sulfur fabric filter pilot facility: Volume 1, Reverse-gas and sonic-assisted reverse-gas cleaning: Final report

This report is part of a series of studies designed to build a comprehensive and quantitative data base on fabric filter (baghouse) technology applied to the collection of particulate matter from utility coal-fired power plants. These studies are generally grouped into four research areas: low-sulfur-coal pilot plant studies, high-sulfur-coal pilot plant studies, field studies at full-scale coal-fired power plants, and supporting laboratory special studies. This report presents results from an initial characterization period of the High-Sulfur-Coal Fabric Filter Pilot Plant (HSFP) located at the Scholz Station of Gulf Power Company. The HSFP was constructed and operated in a joint program between EPRI and Southern Company Services to assess the operating characteristics of baghouses when filtering fly ash resulting from the burning of coal with a high sulfur content, which creates relatively high levels of sulfuric acid. During this twenty-two month period, seven major studies were conducted: air load characterization tests, startup and baseline operation, operation at a high-than-normal filtering air-to-cloth ratio, an alternative high-sulfur coal operation, a special no-purge-shutdown test, simultaneous startup with the Unit 2 boiler, and evaluation of sonic-assisted reverse-gas cleaning. The baghouse used reverse-gas cleaning for all test periods and added horns for one test of sonic-assistedmore » reverse-gas cleaning. 2 refs., 42 figs., 16 tabs.« less