Pollution Control Guidelines

for
Conversion of Boilers/ Utilities
from
Natural Gas to Solid Fuels
(Coal, Lignite, Agro Fuels etc)

Office Order No. GPCB/ANK-C992/215695 Dated 7-6-14

Gujarat Pollution Control Board

Paryavaran Bhavan,
Sector 10AGandhinagar -382010
Website: www.gpcb.gov.in
May, 2014
Clean Gujarat Green Gujarat
ISO-9001-2008 & ISO-14001-2004 Certified Organisation
 CONTENTS

1. Foreword 2
2. Abbreviations 3
2. Background 4
3. Deliberations of the committee 4
4. Boiler system 5
5. Classification of combustion technology 6
6. Types and properties of fuel 7
7. Storage and Handling of fuel 13
8. Fuel feed mechanism 14
9. Combustion chamber and flue gas 15
10. Installation of air pollution control measures 17
11. Ash and Slag management 21
12. Other requirement 21
13. Annexure I Constitution of the committee 23

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 GUJARAT POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
Paryavaran Bhavan
Sector-10-A, Gandhinagar - 382 010.
Phone: (079) 23232152
Fax: (079) 23222784
Website :www.gpcb.gov.in
Foreword
Combustion of Fossil fuel/Bio-fuel in Boilers is one of the proven methods for
production of steam, required for the process in various types of industry. The running
of Boiler with fuels of proper specification at a higher efficiency is the key to reduce
the SOx, NOx& the PM levels in the stack which are the key air pollutants.

With increase in the price of natural gas, the Board is getting proposals/ applications
for the fuel conversion from natural gas to Solid fuels like coal, lignite, agro-waste,
briquettes, imported coal etc. from industries of various regions of Gujarat.

Simultaneous conversion of the large numbers of industries may result in to the

impetus in the ambient pollution load if not taken care appropriately right from
planning stage to execution & operation phases.

This has resulted in to need to frame a guideline for the design & operation of the
solid fuel based utilities & their Air Pollution Control Devices (APCD).
Principles followed to frame this guideline were:
i. Optimization of the fuel to be used
ii. Optimization of the combustion
iii. Application of suitable BAT for the Air Pollution Control Devices
(APCD) and operations thereof.
Vigorous consultation was carried out with experts from academia, Retd. Officers
from Chief Boiler Inspectorate, boiler manufactures, APCD manufacture & various
officers of GPCB at head office and regional offices for their valuable inputs to make
this guideline effective.
We hope, this will be useful to all the stakeholders to control the air pollution
especially flue gas emission from the industries & will prove to be effective decision
making tool. It is however, made explicitly clear that prior permission of the GPCB
under the Air Act,1981 is a must for change of fuel in boilers/ utilities.

(Hardik Shah)
Member Secretary

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Abbreviations
Apcd Air pollution control devices
Apcm Air pollution control measures
Bat Best available technology
C Carbon
Cems Continuous emission monitoring system
Cepi Comprehensive environmental pollution index
Co2 Carbon dioxide
Cv Calorific value
Daf Dry ash free
Fc Fixed carbon
Gcv Gross calorific value
Gpcb Gujarat pollution control board
H2 Hydrogen
Msw Municipal solid waste
N2 Nitrogen
Ncv Net calorific value
Nox Nitrogen oxides
Npc National productivity council
O2 Oxygen
Plc Programmable logic controller
Pm Particulate matter
Rav Reduced air volume
S Sulphur
Sox, Sulphur oxides
Tfh Thermic fluid heater
Vm Volatile matter

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1.0 Background
Most of the industries in the state of Gujarat, using fossil fuel as their energy input, are
located in urban areas with deteriorating ambient air quality in the urban areas, due to
various factors such as industrialization, traffic density, burning of MSW etc., it is
becomes all the more important to restrict new sources of air pollution. This is the
very basic of promoting cleaner fuels. However, with increase in price of cleaner fuel
like natural gas in unreasonable proportion, the industries have found it inevitable to
turn back to using cheaper fuel like Coal, lignite & other solid fuels for their survival.
With increase in the price of natural gas the Board is getting applications for the fuel
conversion from natural gas to Solid fuel like coal, lignite, agro-waste, briquettes,
imported coal etc. from industries of various regions of Gujarat.
As some of the regions of Gujarat State are covered under critically polluted areas and
also for the economical scale of operation there is a need to form a committee and
make a policy for the conversion of Natural Gas based Boiler/Utility to Solid fuel
based Boiler/Utility, which would at the same time address the issues related to Air
pollution in both, the areas covered under the CEPI and rest of the areas without
CEPI. This has lead to formation of a committee that would prepare guideline for this
purpose. For the said purpose, the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) has
constituted a Committee vide letter No: GPCB/ANKLESHWAR-C-992/167193,
dated 05/12/2013 (Annexure - I), which also had consultative meetings with industries
and academia to have their inputs.

2.0 Deliberations of the Committee:

Committee held three meetings with the experts consisting of persons from academia,
boiler manufacturers, professionals associated with the operations of boilers and
institutes like the National Productivity Council (NPC). The meetings of the
committee were held on 09/12/2013, 18/12/2013, 31/12/13, 06/01/2014, 26/03/2014
and 15/04/2014 at GPCB, Gandhinagar. The committee discussed at length the
information with regard to fuel type, fuel consumption, boiler capacity and related
required APCM and came out with this guideline.

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3.0 Boiler System
The heating surface is any part of the boiler metal that has hot gases of combustion on
one side and water on the other. Any part of the boiler metal that actually contributes
to making steam is heating surface. The amount of heating surface of a boiler is
expressed in square meters. The larger the heating surface a boiler has, the more
efficient it becomes. The quantity of the steam produced is indicated in tons of water
evaporated to steam per hour. Maximum continuous rating is the hourly evaporation
that can be maintained for 24 hours.

The boiler system comprises of: feed water system, steam system and fuel system.
The feed water system provides water to the boiler and regulates it automatically to
meet the steam demand. Various valves provide access for maintenance and repair.
The steam system collects and controls the steam produced in the boiler. Steam is
directed through a piping system to the point of use. Throughout the system, steam
pressure is regulated using valves and checked with steam pressure gauges. The fuel
system includes all equipment used to provide fuel to generate the necessary heat. The
equipment required in the fuel system depends on the type of fuel used in the system.

The water supplied to the boiler that is converted into steam is called feed water. The
two sources of feed water are: (1) Condensate or condensed steam returned from the
processes and (2) Makeup water (treated raw water) which must come from outside
the boiler room and plant processes. For higher boiler efficiencies, the feed water is
preheated by economizer, using the waste heat in the flue gas.

4.0 BOILER TYPES AND CLASSIFICATIONS:

There are virtually infinite numbers of boiler designs but generally they fit into one of
two categories:
Fire tube or "fire in tube" boilers; contain long steel tubes through which the hot
gasses from a furnace pass and around which the water to be converted to steam
circulates. Fire tube boilers, typically have a lower initial cost, are more fuel efficient

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and easier to operate, but they are limited generally to capacities of 25 tons/hr and
pressures of 17.5 kg/cm2.
Water tube or "water in tube" boilers in which the conditions are reversed with the
water passing through the tubes and the hot gasses passing outside the tubes. These
boilers can be of single- or multiple-drum type. These boilers can be built to any
steam capacities and pressures, and have higher efficiencies than fire tube boilers.
Packaged Boiler: The packaged boiler is so called because it comes as a complete
package. Once delivered to site, it requires only the steam, water pipe work, fuel
supply and electrical connections to be made for it to become operational. Package
boilers are generally of shell type with fire tube design so as to achieve high heat
transfer rates by both radiation and convection.

5.0 CLASSIFICATION OF COMBUSTION TECHNOLOGY

I. GRATE FIRING TECHNOLOGY

A. Stationary Grate
Manual feeding
Mechanical feeding
B. Dumping Grate
Pneumatic spreading
C. Inclined water cooled Grate
Stationary water cooled grate
Vibrating water cooled grate
D. Travelling Grate (TG)
Pneumatic spreader stocker
Mechanical spreader stocker
E. Moving Grate (MG)
Gravity feed
F. Reciprocating Grate (RG) / Pulsating Grate (PG) Air
Cooled / Water cooled
Drop feed with Multiple screw feeders

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 II. FLUIDIZED BED COMBUSTION
Over Bed Feeding
Under Bed Feeding

6.0 Types & properties of Fuels:

6.1 Coal:
Coal is classified into three major types namely anthracite, bituminous, and lignite.
However, there is no clear demarcation between them. Coal is further classified as
semi-anthracite, semi-bituminous, and sub-bituminous. Anthracite is the oldest
coal from a geological perspective. It is a hard coal composed mainly of carbon
with little volatile content and practically no moisture. Lignite is the youngest coal
from a geological perspective. It is a soft coal composed mainly of volatile matter
and moisture content with low fixed carbon. Fixed carbon refers to carbon in its
free state, not combined with other elements. Volatile matter refers to those
combustible constituents of coal that vaporize when coal is heated. The common
coals used in for example Indian industry are bituminous and sub-bituminous coal.
The gradation of Indian coal based on its calorific value is as follows:
Grade Calorific Value Range (in kCal/kg)
A Exceeding 6200
B 5600 6200
C 4940 5600
D 4200 4940
E 3360 4200
F 2400 3360
G 1300 2400
Normally D, E and F coal grades are available to Indian industry.
The chemical composition of coal has a strong influence on its combustibility.
Physical properties of coal include the heating value, moisture content, volatile
matter and ash. The heating value of coal varies from coal field to coal field.
The typical GCVs for various coals are given in the Table below.
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 GCV for various coal types:
Parameter Lignite Indian Indonesian coal South African
(Dry Basis) Coal coal
GCV 4,500 * 4,000 5,500 6,000
(kCal/kg)
*GCV of lignite on as received basis is 2500 3000

6.2 Bagasse:
Bagasse is the waste product left after crushing of cane and extraction of juice in
cane sugar mills. It is a seasonal product, as the crushing campaign lasts from 6 to
10 months in a year; the plant is longer near the equator and gets progressively
shorter away from it. Cane is a tropical crop that extends across the globe. Bagasse
forms 2430% of the cane weight. Bagasse burning has been an integral part of the
sugar cycle from the beginning. Steam and power requirements of these
widespread rural factories have been adequately met with bagasse-based
cogeneration and off-season purchase of grid power. Traditionally the bagasse
burning has been carried on inefficiently in sugar mills as there was always excess
bagasse left with no great market value, and it is too bulky to transport or store.
Burning was a way of disposal of this bulk. In the last couple of decades, there has
been a sea change in this scenario with the enhanced possibilities of production of
paper, certain value-added chemicals, and cogenerated power. Encouragement of
its use for distributed power and green power even in small quantities has helped
in adopting cogeneration in sugar factories in a big way. Bagasse has now attained
its rightful place as a good, consistent and bulk waste fuel in tropical countries that
provides good market value. Bagasse burning is also environmentally friendly as
combustion temperature is low due to the quenching effect of the fuel moisture and
no fuel sulphur to pollute with sulphurous gases. It is now burnt efficiently in
vastly improved boilers at increasingly higher pressures and temperatures at low
NOx and SOx.

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Properties of Bagasse
C 47.0 (%)
H2 6.5 (%)
N2 44.0 (%)
O2 2.5 (%)
S Traces

6.3 Rice Husk:

Rice husk is very uniform in size usually <3 mm, requiring no particular fuel
preparation. Together with its CV of 3500 kcal/kg, rice husk is an attractive fuel
except for its seasonality. It requires a lot of space for storage. It is normal,
therefore, to adopt multi fuel firing to take care of off-season. Captive power
plants of 520 MW, attached to the rice mills, have been erected in a number of
locations instead of transporting husk over longer distances. Rice husk has 15 to
20% ash and is highly abrasive, as the ash contains silica to the extent of 90%. It is
very dry, containing only 7 to 9% moisture and not compressible for baling
purposes. it has 20% FC and 80% VM, requiring a normal furnace volume and
adequate surface area. Husk demands a high ignition temperature and adequate
time for combustion either on grate or on bed. VM leaves the fuel at 500C.
Stoker firing is a good and simple firing system for rice husk. Its low fan power,
simple operation, and seamless 1:4 turndown make it ideally suited for husk.
Bubbling fluidized bed combustion is also an alternative, as husk has a good 15
20% ash to create its bed material and is sufficiently heavy to stay in the bed,
unlike a light material such as bagasse. The higher fan power is offset by better
combustion efficiency of 24%. Silica in ash is mostly in crystalline form. Only
20% is in the amorphous form, and recovering silica in amorphous form has
several high-end uses, which can be achieved only on controlled combustion of
rice husk, limiting the firing temperatures to 860C. For this reason, the husk is
pulverized in special mills and burnt in suspension to obtain ash with the desired
properties. Analyses and properties of rice husk are given in following Tables.

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 Properties of Rice Husk and Ash:
Husk bulk density 100300
Husk particle density (kg/m3) 600600
Bulk density (kg/m3) 12501500
Particle density (kg/m3) 23002800
Ash softening temperature (0C) >1400
Ash fusion temperature (0C) >1600
Theoretical air (kg/kg or lb/lb) 2.85
Theoretical CO2 (%) 20.6
H2O in flue gas (kg/kg or lb/lb) 0.77
H2 in fuel (%) 3.0
Bulk density with 48% M in stacked condition (kg/m3 200.0 and 12.5
and lb/ft3)
Loose condition (kg/m3 and lb/ft3) 120.0 and 7.5
Angle or repose degrees 4550 variables

6.4 Wood:
Wood is a complex vegetable tissue composed mainly of carbohydrates, and in
common with all types of vegetation, it has a relatively low heating value in
comparison with coal and oil. Heating value of different woods should have been
nearly the same, but for the presence of varying amounts of resins, gums, and other
substances, which creates a wide variation. For the same reason, any similar
formula for estimation of GCV does not work with wood. Wood was the prime
fuel till the early nineteenth century when coal and, later on, oil started displacing
it. In the meanwhile the energy need and production has gone up dramatically.
Progressive reduction of forests; better uses for wood, namely, furniture, paper,
rayon, and so on; and enormous demand for energy that could be satisfied only by
fossil fuels have combined to make wood and its products waste fuels today. In
fact, wood-based steam generation is confined to Scandinavia, Canada, the United
States, and certain South American countries, where forests are still abundant.
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 Properties of Wood on Dry Ash Free (DAF) Basis
VM (%) 80-85
H2 5.9-6.0
Theoretical air (Kg/1,000 kcal) 1.235
Theoretcal CO2 (%) 20.25
GCV(DAF)(Kcal/kg) 4830

Moisture content of freshly cut wood varies from 30 to 50%, which reduces to
1825% after a year of drying. There is a loss of fuel value in the meantime.
Woods with <50% moisture burn well. Owing to rain, snow, or transportation
by water, moisture content can go to as high as 70%. At more than 65%
moisture, the combustion is not self-sustaining, as the heat produced is not
sufficient to dry the moisture. Support fuel such as oil is then needed.
Ash in wood is less at <2.5%.
There is practically no nitrogen or sulfur, eliminating the fear of fuel NOx
formation and corrosion.
The moisture content depends on the type, handling, storage, and age of wood.
Generally, wood logs can be taken as containing 40% moisture, sawdust, and
chips 1525%, and wood refuse from seasoned wood 15% moisture.

6.5 Agro fuels:

Agro fuels, or bio fuels, or vegetable fuels, as they are variously called, are
essentially wastes generated by various crops. Fuels such as wood and bagasse are
also agro fuels, but because of their relatively large availability, they have been
used as regular fuels for a long time and generation of steam and power for a few
decades now. The distinction between agro/bio fuels and biomass has to be clearly
understood. Agro fuels form only a part of biomass, which is a comprehensive
term embracing all organic matter formed, directly or indirectly, by virtue of
photosynthesis. Besides agro fuels like crop, forest, agro-industrial residues and
purpose-grown trees, biomass includes aquatic plants and even animal wastes.
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 Nature of Agro fuels with increasing energy costs and growing concern toward the
environment, there is a heightened interest in harnessing the various agro fuels,
although the steam and power they generate on a stand-alone basis is rather modest
as of now. The main drawback of agro fuels is their limited and seasonal
availability coupled with limited transportability due to their bulky nature.
However, with low or no S and very low N2, bio fuels are ecologically friendly.
The disadvantage turns to favour, as small power plants can be put up, distributed
over a wide area and close to small communities provided they are built with fuel
flexibility. Based entirely on agro fuels, the benefit of carbon credits also accrue.

Alternatively the boilers are equipped to fire multiple agro fuels so that one or the
other fuel can be burnt in each season. Power plants of only 530 MW are popular
from the view of fuel collection. Often fuels are co fired in limited quantities in
large boilers.

It is important to remember that no agro fuel can have, on a DAF basis, a GCV
<13,500 kcal/kg (7,500 Btu/lb) or air requirement <1.21 kg/1,000 kcal (6.8
lb/10,000 Btu) of GCV, which is the minimum for cellulose (C6H19O5).

Agro fuels are very friendly both from the ease of burning and from environmental
compliance views. Also the ash in fuels is very low, typically <10%,

General Range of Properties of Agro fuels

Parameter Range Remarks

VM (DAF) (%) 72.090.0
H2 (DAF) (%) 5.6-5.8
M (%) 10.0
Theoretical CO2 (%) 20.220.75
f-factor 1.0151.005 For CO2 calculation

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 GCV (DAF) (kcal/kg) 45005500 4000 300 as received
GCV (DAF) (Btu/lb) 800010000 7200 550 as received
Theoretical air (kg/kcal) 1.22/1000 Actual GCV
Theoretical air (lb/Btu) 6.85/10000

7.0 Storage and Handling of fuel:

7.1 Uncertainty in the availability and transportation of fuel necessitates storage
and subsequent handling.
7.2 The main goal of good coal storage is to minimize carpet loss and the loss
due to spontaneous combustion.
7.3 Preparing a hard solid surface for coal to be stored
7.4 Preparing standard storage bays of concrete and brick industry, coal
handling methods range from manual and conveyor systems. It would be
advisable to minimize the handling of coal so that further generation of fines
and segregation effects are reduced.
7.5 The fuel storage house shall be suitable to store the fuel required for 10-15
days continuous operation of the boiler.
7.6 Completely closed / covered dust free system shall be provided for storage &
conveyance of solid fuel. The openings of fuel storage house shall be
provided with proper shutters and flexi-curtains such that no dust shall go
out in the plant.
7.7 Fuel Storage area must be covered with roof and wind breaking walls. The
boundary walls shall have the height of more than the height of coal stack.
7.8 Approach roads (for movement of vehicles and handling of coal) must be
paved and sprinkling system (with fine mist) shall be provided at solid fuel
as well as at ash storage and handling areas to prevent fugitive emission.
7.9 De-dusting arrangement shall be made while loading and unloading of fuel
as well as ash.
7.10 High pressure water atomizer nozzles shall be installed all along the
conveyer and feeding system of fuel as well as at ash discharge point /
conveyance. One such nozzle at every 3meter distance shall be provided.

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 7.11 Applicable and suitable measures mentioned in the Guidelines of GPCB for
Coal handling shall be followed as available on the GPCB website.

8.0 Fuel Feed Mechanism:

8.1 Coal Fired boilers to use coal of low sulphur (<1%) and with suitable size
(5-25 mm in combustion chamber or 0-50 mm in the yard as received). Bio
fuels do not have the issue of NOx &SOx due to absence of Sulphur & lower
combustion temperature (<10000C).
8.2 The fuel shall be crushed to the size of 15 25 mm with the help of crusher.
The crusher shall be provided with dust extraction system. The dust
extraction system will extract the dust generated during crushing of fuel and
maintain the crushing area dust free.
8.3 Fuel shall be fired uniformly and in less quantity at a time such that the bed
thickness does not exceed about 6 to 9 inches (and not in big heaps).
Depending on high/low steam demand, the frequency of firing could be
increased or decreased (say 4 to 5 times / hour during higher steam demand,
or say 2 to 3 times /hr. during lower steam demand).
8.4 All boilers/ utilities using coal or bio fuel shall fire with auto feeding
arrangement and to be controlled with pressure or temperature.
8.5 Every time the fuel is fired, the damper should be set to High position for
a minute or two (this would suck more combustion air required for burning
volatile matter & thereby reduce soot / black smoke formation), and then it
should be set back to Low position, till the next firing. (Setting could be
made after a few trails). This damper adjustment should be done by the
boiler operator throughout the boiler operation as a part of his regular duty
like firing fuel for achieving optimised combustion at all time & thereby
preventing pollution.
8.6 Multipoint fuel feeding to ensure uniform spread of fuel (coal/bio fuel) to
ensure efficient combustion at controlled temperatures.

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 8.7 Secondary air opening to be kept full open at the time of firing for one or
two minutes. Later, the opening "Must" be reduced till next firing. (Setting
by trial & error).
8.8 Fire bed shall be cleaned at appropriate time to avoid build-up of fire bed
thickness, if not, this would reduce the primary air supply successively &
result into improper combustion.
8.9 Soot deposits in tubes shall be cleaned from time to time with proper tool.
Build-up of deposits effects the steam generation adversely, and result into
higher fuel gas temp. & higher stack loss.
8.10 The economiser shall be kept properly insulated.
8.11 Good quality feed water should be used for boiler & appropriate chemicals
should be added, as directed by boiler supply, for avoiding tube deposits,
else it would reduce steam generation.
8.12 CO2 % shall be checked frequently (say once a day initially) to ensure
proper boiler operation & take corrective actions, if required, immediately.
8.13 During operation of the boiler, the fuel stored in fuel storage house shall be
loaded to a grizzly hopper, top opening of which is generally at 150 mm
above ground level to facilitate easy loading of the fuel.

9.0 Combustion Chamber and flue gas:

9.1 Fully automatic, efficient and Complete Combustion of fuel in boiler

The fuel from hopper shall be fed in the boiler furnace with screw / rotary feeders.
The Boiler shall be equipped with fully automatic Water/air Cooled Oscillating
Grate for complete and efficient combustion of any type of solid fuel. The inclined
water/air cooled oscillating grate shall be cooled by force circulation of boiler feed
water/air, which shall maintain the lower bed temperature to reduce the ash fusion
tendency. The heat absorbed by grate in this circulating water is put back to
Pressurized De-aerator Tank. The primary under grate, combustion air shall be
distributed, compartment wise along the length of grate in the proportion required
for complete and efficient combustion of fuel. The gentle oscillations of the

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 oscillating grate moves fuel on inclined grate surface along length. The fuel burns
completely during this movement.

9.2 Spray and tray type De-aeration of Boiler Feed Water

The dissolved oxygen in boiler feed water shall be completely removed in a spray
and tray type de-aerator tank. In pressurized de-aerator tank boiler feed water
temperature shall be maintained at approx. 105 Deg C at which the solubility of
oxygen in water is very low and water shall be further to be passed through
multiple trays for removal of oxygen and other gases from water.

9.3 Fully automatic, continuous modulation control for steam generation.

The heat released by fuel after combustion on oscillating grate shall be absorbed in
water walled, membrane type furnace, followed by heat recovery economizer.
Typical flue gas outlet temperature, at economizer outlet shall be 160 10 Deg C.

The fully automatic continuous modulation control for steam generation shall
include;
a. Steam Drum Water Level Auto. Control to maintain steady water level in
steam drum
b. Furnace Draft Auto control to maintain negative pressure in furnace.
c. Combustion Air Auto. Control to maintain controlled excess air for
combustion.
d. Economizer Inlet temperature Auto control to maintain temperature above
dew point.
e. Fuel feeding Auto control to maintain steam pressure at load variations.

Oxygen in flue gas shall be continuously monitored to control the excess

air; typically oxygen in flue gas will be below 7.5% by volume.

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 9.4 Fully automatic, online cleaning of boiler on flue gas side

Steam operated soot blowers shall be provided for automatic and online cleaning
of boiler on flue gas side.

10.0 INSTALLATION AND OPERATION OF AIR POLLUTION

CONTROL MEASURES:

10.1 Industry falling in critically polluted areas shall have to achieve norms of PM
as 100 mg/Nm3 in stack emission and for that industry shall upgrade APCM.
10.2 The applicant shall be required to provide following minimum APCM based on
type of fuel and its consumption, fuel property like CV equivalent (NCV of
fuel), equivalent ash content, equivalent moisture content etc. the industry
may add to the APCM prescribed below, if need be so.
Table-1
Steam generation Type of APCM
capacity (in TPH)
Less than 1 Cyclone + Water Scrubber
1 to 8 Multi cyclone + Bag Filter+ Water Scrubber
8 and more ESP+ Water Scrubber

10.3 All the APCM viz. dust collectors, cyclones, multi cyclones, water scrubbers,
bag filter and ESP shall be designed tailor made and applicant shall submit all
the detailed design parameters considered by the equipment manufacturer
based on the fuel to be utilized in Boilers and other utilities.
10.4 The APCM shall be approved by the schedule-I environmental auditor, which
shall look in to feasibility of the change in fuel, with respect to this guidelines.
10.5 The unit shall install on line continuous emission monitoring system (CEMS)
and link it with the server of GPCB for real time data transfer for boiler more
than 8 TPH capacity or equivalent capacity of TFH.

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10.6 If Boilers is of more than 8 TPH capacities, the unit shall install online CO2
analyzer/ online CO2 monitoring system and the combustion efficiency of the
Boiler should be checked regularly.
10.7 The Bag filter shall conform to following minimum requirements for better
efficiency and results:
a) High temperature resistant bags like glass fiber bags shall be used.
b) Manometer for indicating differential pressure shall be provided.
c) GPS based alarm and buzzer system shall be installed for abnormal
pressure difference.
d) Pulse jet system shall be regularly checked for its efficient working.
e) Reliable and efficient spark arrester should be installed prior to bag filter
in case of biomass fired boilers.
f) The differential pressure across bag filter shall not exceed 125mmWC or
as per the design criteria supplied by the Bag Filter manufacturer.
Recording facility should be available.
g) Knocker or vibrators (pneumatic or electromagnetic) should be provided
on hopper and to be operated automatically through sequential timer.
h) Bag filter shall be properly insulated to avoid acid condensation due to
cooling of flue gas temperature. Inlet flue gas temperature should be
maintained above the acid dew point condensation temperature.
i) Bag filter shall be preceded by cyclone/ multi cyclone for coarser
particles and Economizer/ buffer/ quencher/ heat recovery system to
avoid carry-over of spark in to the bag filter.
j) If coal of higher sulphur content is used Bag filter shall followed by
scrubber and lime injecting system (lime injection shall be done in the
boiler furnace along with coal) should install boiler furnace.
k) If fuel has high sulphur content (more than 0.1%) wet alkaline scrubber
shall be provided in addition to (f) above.
10.8 In case of ESP, minimum 3 fields shall be provided.
10.9 Control of SOx through one of the processes mentioned below (for coal fired
boilers).

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 Wet Limestone Process
Semi-wet Flash Absorption Process
Spray Drying-cum-Absorption Process
Sodium Alkali Process
Ammonia Process
10.10 Control of particulate matter by installing efficient ESP/Bag filters.
10.11 Control of NOx with latest combustion grate technology, dynamically
Air/Water cooled grate system (for multi fuel boilers & less than 20 TPH
capacity).
10.12 PLC controlled operations.
10.13 Boiler efficiency shall be minimum 75 % and record for the same shall be
maintained.
10.14 Boilers having capacity of 3 TPH or more shall be provided with Online
monitoring system and auto fuel feeding system with conveyer/screw belt.
10.15 The cyclone bottom opening should be kept air tight & leak proof; else, it
would reduce cyclone efficiency. The duct collected should be taken out from
time to time (say once per shift) & appropriately disposed avoiding secondary
pollution.
10.16 Cyclone, multi cyclone, bag filter and ESP shall be provided with rotary air
valve for auto collection/discharge of fine dust.
10.17 Material of construction of wet scrubber should be S.S. 316 or equivalent to
with stand against corrosion and acid effect. All water circulation pipe and
pump should be S.S. 316 or acid and corrosion proof.
10.18 Sufficient water storage tank and filter arrangement to be provide for
removing micro dust from circulating water.
10.19 Air pressure line of adequate capacity shall be provided for efficient working
of air pulse jet system.
10.20 Energy meter for APCM shall be provided and record for the same should be
maintained.
10.21 In bag filter technical by-pass can be allowed only heavy duty bypass damper
arrangement in case if the by-pass is provided by manufacturer itself and can

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 operate with electro pneumatic system in case of high temperature or low
temperature gas (due point temperature acid formation), RAV not operating.
By-pass gas should pass through only cyclone or multicyclone before
connected to chimney. In any case manual by-pass system is not allowed.
10.22 Auto by-pass system should display on control panel.
a) Stack/chimney requirements:
i. Stack height shall not be less than 33 meters in any case.
ii. The Stack height requirement based on sulphur dioxide emissions by
using the equation stack height = 14(Q)0.3 [where, Q is the
emission rate of SO2 in kg/hr.]
iii. By using simple Gaussian plume model to maintain ambient air
quality requirements for all concerned parameters, in the receiving
environment.
The required stack height shall be the maximum of the above three (i, ii
& iii) considerations. In any case stack height should not be less than 11
meters.
b) If boilers to be connected with other utilitys common chimney, the
diameter of chimney should be square root of both chimney diameter.
Sampling point should be provided as per GPCB requirement.
c) Sufficient space should be provided between boiler/utilities and chimney to
install APCM.
d) Chimney should be provided with strong ladder and platform to take
sample.
e) Approach road between boilers/utilities should be provided without any
obstacles.
f) 230 V electrical points with weather proof plug and switch to be provided
near chimney for sampling instrument.

10.23 Maintenance record i.e. regular cleaning, replacing damage part or changing
the instrument should be maintained compulsory for all air pollution control
devices.

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10.24 The policy may be made more stringent based on the prevailing environmental
scenario of in respective areas.
10.25 Since the reduction in emission is also related to better operation of the boiler,
minimum loss of heat & steam, optimum speed of ID & FD fans, adequate area
of the combustion chamber, proper balance of steam generation and
transmission surface areas, a Standard Operating system shall be developed for
each boiler by applicant and should be displayed at the boiler house.

11.0 Ash & Slag management

11.1 Water locking arrangement shall be provided for removal of ash/slag from the
combustion chambers.
11.2 Where appropriate, options may be explored for recycling of ash/slag either
within the facility or outside. Depending on the soluble fraction of the slag, as
approved by concerned authority, slag can be used for utilization of metals, as
road construction material etc.
11.3 Dry slag and ash (residues from combustion processes, boiler dust, residues
from treatment of combustion gases etc.) shall be placed in closed bags,
containers etc. to prevent diffused emissions.
11.4 The ash after complete combustion of fuel on water cooled oscillating grate
shall be automatically discharged. It shall be removed outside the furnace
through water quenched conveyors; hence ash discharge is at low temperatures.
Also, as this ash is wet there is no dusting of ash in the boiler house.
11.5 Medium and Large scale industries, having coal / other solid fuel consumption
about 50 MT/day shall provide silo with fully enclosed, dust proof conveyor,
alarm system and pneumatic valve for ash handling.

12.0 Other requirement:

12.1 Proper sign boards shall be placed at all concerned areas.
12.2 In case of emergency, protocol to be followed shall be established and all
operating staff shall be trained, accordingly. Inter-locking systems and alarm
systems shall be provided at all reasonably possible areas.

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12.3 Adequately qualified and trained staff shall be deputed for the operation; no un-
skilled personnel shall be engaged for operation of the boilers.
12.4 The boiler shall incorporate all safety measures so as to provide complete
protection to the operator and the unit against all possible operational/
machinery failures.
12.5 Dedicated back-up power facility shall be provided with arrangement to
automatically start functioning immediately in case of power failures.
12.6 The whole equipment, not necessarily combustion chamber, may be painted
with two coats of heat resistant (aluminium) paint.

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 Annexure-1

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