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AMBER® 363-II LOW EMISSIONS FUEL
ULTRA LOW SULFER STAND-BY FUEL FOR NOx, SOx & PM REDUCTION
AMBER® 363-II FUEL SATISFIED CLIENTS
From hospitals and colleges to breweries and aerospace companies, from film studios to oil companies, from Air Force bases to prisons these and many other types of organizations have purchased AMBER® 363-II FUEL for the cost-effective reduction of emissions it provides. Today, in southern California, as an approved stand-by fuel for interruptible natural gas for use in boilers, generators, and turbines, AMBER® 363-II FUEL is used in over 250 locations.
INTRODUCTION
Amber Lubricants has a new low NOx emission fuel for use as a stand-by fuel for interruptible natural gas supply for static sources. This clear fuel produces NOx emissions equal to or lower than the primary fuel. As part of an overall stand-by fuel package, it is, in most cases, more cost effective than methanol or propane. As a virtual drop-in replacement for #2 diesel, little, if any, capital investment is required to change to this clean, stand-by fuel alternative--facilitating compliance for both source owners and regulators.
In 1990, Congress adopted the Clean Air Act Amendments, and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was given the task of coordinating the efforts to reduce ozone-generating airborne pollutants. Southern California--in particular the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD)--took a lead in pollutant reduction, and was one of the first to have its plan approved by the EPA. The extent to which the ultimate Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT) levels and Lowest Achievable Emission Rating (LAER) levels will reflect the emission limits set by SCAQMD Regulation 1146 for other areas of the United States is uncertain.
AMBER® 363-II FUEL fuel was originally developed as a stand-by fuel with the emission requirements of SCAQMD Regulation 1146 in mind. Depending on the specific boiler/burner configuration, NOx emissions in the range of 10-30 ppm can be achieved.
AMBER® 363-II FUEL and Regulations
The EPA mandated that all non-attainment states must submit a detailed plan for controlling emissions. The NOx RACT levels for most non-attainment areas are presently less stringent than those specified under SCAQMD Regulation 1146.
AMBER® 363-II FUEL and Other Fuels
The comparison between low sulphur #2 diesel and AMBER® 36-II3 FUEL yields both positive similarities and key differences. The similarities of heat input, viscosity and specific gravity make AMBER® 363-II FUEL a virtual drop-in replacement for #2 diesel in stand-by applications. However, the higher flash point, which gives AMBER® 363-II FUEL a "combustible" rating, makes storage and transportation easier. The virtual elimination of fuel-bound nitrogen and the reduction in fuel-bound sulphur lead to major improvements in emissions. Finally, #2 diesel requires 6% oxygen to meet smoke opacity requirements, which reduces boiler efficiency. AMBER® 363-II FUEL needs only 2%, and this has no apparent adverse effect on boiler
performance.
| Typical
Property Comparison between AMBER® 363-II FUEL and #2 Diesel |
||
| AMBER® 363-II FUEL | #2 Diesel | |
| Flash Point, ºF | 152 | 125 |
Heating Value, Btu/lb |
20,173 133,500 |
19,000 138,500 |
| Nitrogen, ppm | <0.3 | <400-700 |
| Sulphur, ppm | <1 | <500 |
| Viscosity, Cst | 1.54 | 1.9-4.1 |
| Weight/gallon, lb | 6.622 | 7.29 |
| Specific Gravity | 0.799 | 0.8398 |
| API Gravity @ 60 °F | 46.4 | 37 |
Ash Content, wt
% |
<0.001 |
<0.001 |
| Cetane Number | 59.2 | 47 |
| Distillation, °F IBP 40% 90% End Point |
381 397 476 510 |
372 475 615 663 |
| Pour Point °F | -15 | 20 |
| Oxidation Stability | <0.1 | <0.1 |
The comparison with methanol and propane initially shows the significant differences between these fuels and AMBER® 363-II FUEL. Both methanol and propane are much lower in heat input per gallon and also lead to lower boiler efficiency. They are both flammable and may require above ground storage tanks. Propane is explosive while methanol is toxic and corrosive to equipment. Neither of the fuels can be directly used in existing diesel generators due to their need for spark ignition. Even after the appropriate conversion, methanol requires a significant warm-up time in the generator before full power is reached. The main benefit of both methanol and propane, relative to AMBER® 363-II FUEL, is that they have lower unit fuel prices, although this is likely to be offset by other factors in most applications.
In comparison with natural gas, the NOx emissions of AMBER® 363-II FUEL are usually very similar. This means that, in any given situation, the stand-by fuel will allow emission levels to be maintained when the primary fuel is interrupted. In addition, when natural gas is being used in co-firing situations, switching to the stand-by fuel will not require equipment adjustments or blend ratio revisions for emission levels to remain unaltered.
The Effect of Boiler/Burner Type on AMBER® 363-II FUEL Performance
Although the absolute NOx emission levels will vary with each particular boiler/burner combination, AMBER® 363-II FUEL has performed to Regulation 1146 standards in many types of boiler and low NOx burner set-ups. Most of these boilers were fire-tube or water-tube types and ranged up to 125 MM Btu/hr. in size. They were supplied by several manufacturers including Cleaver Brooks, Kewanee, Babcock & Wilcox, Dixon, Johnson, Hurst, Todd, and International. They were used with low NOx burner packages supplied by COEN, Industrial Combustion, Sellers, Todd, Webster, Donlee, Alzeta, PowerFlame, CSI, NOX-miser, and Vitatherm.
Selecting a Stand-by Fuel for Natural Gas in a Retrofit Situation to Replace #2 Diesel
- Ensure that all alternatives under consideration meet the appropriate emission and all other
related regulations- Establish and compare their heat input values
- Add in the effect of the different boiler "efficiencies" with the various fuels.
- Calculate the necessary tank sizes for the defined stand-by period
- Calculate the fuel cost to fill these tanks
- Generate the capital cost of installing new tanks and lines, if necessary
- Establish the cost of obtaining permits for installing these new tanks, especially if they are above ground
- Establish the cost of refurbishing the existing equipment to make it suitable for the new fuel. In the case of methanol, this might include the cost of changing all the contact surfaces to avoid corrosion. In the case of propane or methanol, this might include the cost of converting an IC generator from compression ignition to spark ignition.
- Establish the cost of cleaning the existing tanks and lines if appropriate
- Calculate the total cost to install a new stand-by system for each fuel
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