Final Guideline Document: Control of Sulfuric Acid Mist Emissions from Existing Sulfuric Acid ...

188 Pages·2001·5.05 MB·English

SULFURIC ACID
AP-42 Section 5.1 7
Reference Number
EPA-450/2-77-019
5
September 1977
(OAQPS NO. 1.2-078)
GUIDELINE SERIES
FINAL GUIDELINE DOCUMENT:
CONTROL OF SULFURIC
ACID MIST EMISSIONS
FROM EXISTING SULFURIC
ACID PRODUCTION UNITS
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Office of Air and Waste Management
Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711
EPA-450/2-77-019
(OAQPS NO. 1.2-078)
FINAL GUIDELINE DOCUMENT:
CONTROL OF SULFURIC ACID
MIST EMISSIONS FROM EXISTING
SULFURIC ACID PRODUCTION UNITS
Emission Standards and Engineering Division
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Office of Air and Waste Management
Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711
September 1977
This report has been reviewed by the Emission Standards and Engineering Division, Office of Air Quality Plannmg and
Standards, Office of Air and Waste Management, Environmental Protection Agency, and approved for publication.
Mention of company or product names does not constitute endorsement by EPA. Copies are available free of charge to
Federal employees, current contractors and grantees, and non-profit organizations - as supplies permit - from the
Library Services Office (MD-35), Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, or
may be purchased from the National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Virginia 22161.
Publication No. EPA-450/2-77-019
TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY
1 -1 Ib!TRCIDL!CTIOrI
1.2 SULFURIC ACID MIST

1.3 STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE FOR MEW

SULFUR1C ACI D PLANTS
1.4 CONTROL OF ACID MIST EMISSIONS FROM

EXISTING PLANTS
1.5 Er415SIW GGIDELI'IE

1 .F CnMPLIANCT TIM[)
1 .7 IPIPACTf
2. SULFURIC ACID MANUFACTURING STATISTICS
2.1 DEFINITIONS

2.2 EXISTING PLANTS

2.2.1 Introduction

2.2.2 Location and Size

2.2.3 Type of Process

2.3 FUTURE TRENDS

2.4 REFERENCES FOR SECTION 2

3. PROCESS DESCRIPTION
3.1 CONTACT SULFURIC ACID PRODUCTION

3.1.1 Sulfuric Acid Plants Burning

Elemental Sulfur
Page
3.1.2 Sulfuric Acid Plants Burning 3-4
Bound Sulfur Feedstocks
3.1.3 Dual Absorption Plants
3.2 REFERENCES FOR SECTION 3
4. ACID MIST EMISSIONS
4.1 POINTS OF EMISSION
4.2 FORMATION AND CHARACTERISTICS
4.2.1 Sulfuric Acid Vapor
4.2.2 Sulfur Trioxide Vapor
4.2.3 Particulate Acid Mist
4.3 TYPICAL PLANT MIST EMISSIONS
4.4 REFERENCES FOR SECTION 4
5. HEALTH AND WELFARE EFFECTS OF ACID MIST
5.1 IldTRODUCTION
5.2 HEALTH EFFECTS
5.3 WELFARE EFFECTS
5.4 RATIONALE
5.5 REFERENCES FOR SECTION 5
6. CONTROL TECHNIQUES FOR ACID MIST
6.1 ABSORBER OPERATION
6.2 FIBER MIST ELIMINATORS
6.2.1 Description
6.2.1.1 Vertical Tubes
6.2.1.2 Vertical Panels
6.2.1.3 Ho'ri zontal Dual Pads
Page
6.2.2 Installation and Maintenance 6-1 7
6.2.2.1 Vertical Tubes 6-1 7
0.2.2.2 Vertical Panels 6-19
6.2.2.3 Hori zontal Dual Pads 6-21
6.2.3 Design, Installation and Start- 6- 23
up Times
6.2.4 Costs
6.3 EMISSION REDUCTION
6.3.1 SPNSS Source Testing
6.3.2 Section I l l j d ) Source Testing
6.3.3 Miscellaneous Source Test Data
6.3.4 EMent o f Acid Mist Control
6.4 EMISSION GUIDELINE FOR EXISTING
SULFURIC ACID PLAHTS
6.5 GOOD PRACTICES
6.6 REFERENCES FOR SECTION 6
7. ECONOMIC IMPACT
7.1 INTRODUCTION
7.2 INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
7.3 IMPACT ON MODEL PLANTS
7.4 RATIONALE FOR SELECTION OF GUIDELINES
7.5 REFERENCES FOR SECTION 7
Page
3-1
C.1.1 Air Impacts
G. 1.1.1 Changes i n t4ass
Emission Rates
n 1.1.2 Atmospheri c Di spersi on
b.
C. 1.1.3 Effects on Other A i r
Psol 1u tants
3.1.2 Llater Pol 1ution Impact
1;. 1.3 Sol i d llastr Disposal Impact
8.1.4 Energy Impact
8.1.5 Noise Effects
8.1 .G Other Envi rontwntal Concerns
8.2 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT UNDER ALTERNATIVE
EMISSIOfl CONTROL SYSTEMS
3.3 SOC 10- ECONOMIC IMPACTS
8.4 OTHEI? COFICERPIS OF TtIE EHISSIOPI GUIDELIIIE
5 RCFEREFICE FOR SLCTION C
Appendix A - Dispersion Analysis
Methodology and Assumptions
LIST OF TABLES

Table
-A

Compl iance Times for l?sit El imi nator
Instal lation
Contact Process Acid Plants
Size Distribution of Sulfuric Acid
Establishments i n the U.S.
Summary of U.S. Single Absorption Plants
Contact Process Acid and Oleum Production
Growth of Sulfuric Acid Industry i n the U.S.
Production of Sulfuric Acid i n the U.S. by
Regions
ti SO4 and SO3 Vapor Pressures at Selected
id
Temperatures and Concentrations
Particle Size Distribution i n Selected
Sulfuric Acid Plant Absorber Effluents
Mist Eliminator Lead Times
Acid Mist Control Costs for Existing
Sulfuric Acid Plants
Installed Capital Costs for Acid Mist
Control i n New Plants
Estimated Costs for New Sulfur Burning Dual
Absorption Sulfuric Acid Unit
1971 Acid Mist Test Results Using EPA
Method 8
Results of Acid Mist Testing for Section
l l l ( d )
Results of Acid Flist Tests Made by Companies 6-43
Using EPA Method 8
Horizontal Dual Pad Mi s t Eliminator Inlet and 6-46
Exit Particle Size 1)istributions at a Sulfur-
i c Acid Plant Producing Strong Olem
Tab1e Page
6.9 State Regulations for Acid Mist Emissions 6-48
from Existing Sulfuric Acid Plants
7.1 Production Costs for Existinp Acid Plants 7-5
7.2 Alternative Acid Mist Control Levels and 7- 9
Corresponding Control Equipment
8.1 Dispersion Analysis Results 8-4
LIST OF FIGURES
-Paqe
3.1 Contact-Process Sulfuric; Acid Plant Curnino 3-2
Elemental Sulfur
3.2 Cont?ct-Process Sulfuric Acid Plant Uurnina 3-5
Snent Acid
3.3 ha1 Absorption Sulfuric Acid Plant 3-7
4.1 Sulfuric Acid Plant Concentrations of Yist 4-
for Mass Stack Emissions per Unit of
Producti on at In1et SO2 Vol ume Concentrations
6.1 Vertical Tube Mist Eliminator Element 6-13
6.2 Vertical Panel Yist Eliminator 6-1 1
6.3 Horizontal Dual Pad Mist Eliminator 6-14
6.4 Vertical Tube Mist El irninator Installation 6-18
6.5 Vertical Panel Mist tl irninator Instal lation 6-20
6.6 ketrof i t Horl zontal Dual Pad Mist El iminator 6-22
Tnqtal latinn
6.7 Relative Changes in Capital Costs for \!~rtical 6-30
Tube Mist tliminator rlernent~a t. Different
Rcrnoval Ff f lciencles and Pressure Drops
1.1 INTRODIJCT
Section Ill(d) o f the Clean A i r Act, 12 ll.2.C. 1857~-6(d),as
amended, requi res EPA to establ ish qrocedures under \hich Staten
submit plans to control certain existinq sources of certain
pollutants. nn Yovember 17, 1975 (4'7 Fn 5334'7) FPP implemented
section Ill(d) by promulgatinq Subpart 9 of QO CFP Part 60
estahlishinq procedures and requirements for adoption and submittal
of qtate plans for control of "desimated pollutants" from "desinnated
facilities". Designated pollw tants are pollutants which are not
included on a l i s t published under section lr)8(a) of the Act
(National Ambient I\.ir flual -ity Standards) or section 112(h) (1)(A)
(Hazardous A i r Pol1utarits) , but for which standards of performance
for new sources have been established under section Ill(b). A
desiqnated facility i s an existing facility which emits a designated
pollutant and which would Ile suhject to a standard of performance for
that pollutant ifthe existinq facility were new.
n
Subpart of 40 CFR Part 63 nrovides that EPA w i l l publish a guideline
document for development o f State missi on standards after prornul gatio n
of any standard o f performance frlr a des iqnated pollutant. The docu~ent
will specifv eniission qvidelines and times for compliance and w i l l
include other pertinent inforniation such a? discussion of the pollutant's
effects on public health and welfare and description of control techniques
and their effectiveness and costs. The emission guide1 ines will
reflect the degree o f emission reduction attainable wit? the best