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PC Pumps Play Important Role in Flue Gas Clean-Up
Northern Indiana Power Service Company (NIPSCO) asked Pure Air Products, a company well known for advanced flue gas desulphurization (AFGD) technology, to help them manage sulphur gas (SOx) boiler emissions from their new plant in Chesterton, Indiana. They wanted to not only meet, but exceed, new and tougher S0x emissions standards enacted in the Clean Air Act of 1990. On their wish list, in addition to clean emissions, were minimum initial investment, economical operation, no disruption to power production for the large population they serve, low life-cycle costs, and finally, profitability. Further, they wanted Pure Air to assume total system operation responsibility.
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The starting situation
During plant design, management alerted the design engineers to two
potential fluids handling problems:
• transferring the high density gypsum slurry to the dewatering /
centrifuge tanks, and
• transferring the filtrate from centrifuge water leftover from dewatering
the gypsum. This filtrate sludge is moved to the waste treatment
facility, to be turned into cake.
Both the gypsum slurry and the filtrate sludge are highly abrasive, with unpredictable densities. With high chloride levels, they are also very corrosive. Furthermore, the pumps needed to operate reliably for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, when required. Design engineers referred management to seepex Inc.
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The solution
For the gypsum slurry, seepex recommended a BN 70-6L close-coupled progressive cavity pump, and for the filtrate sludge, three NS 17-6L and three NS 26-6L bare shaft pumps. Both the slurry pumps and the filtrate pumps are equipped with rubber-coated bodies and duplex stainless steel wetted rotating parts. 6L geometry provides additional volumetric and mechanical efficiency. The slurry pumps are further outfitted with a stator retensioning device which allows the stator to be adjusted as needed to prolong stator life.
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The benefit
Management notes that the slurry pumps operate trouble-free even with fluctuating solids percentages. The filtrate pumps have operated around the clock with virtually no maintenance required. As a result of their efficient and environmentally responsible operation, the plant won the coveted 1993 Power magazine Power Plant of the Year Award, and is often called upon to serve in an advisory role to other plants whose management wants to institute similar programs.
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Key Facts
- Can handle corrosive and abrasive materials
- Reliability for 24h service
- Minimal personnel supervision
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Significant Cost Savings
- Low life cycle and operational costs
- Minimal repairs
- Virtually no downtime
- Turn waste into a marketable commodity
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