Installation of First Compliance Particulate Monitor for the Electric Utility Industry

An electric utility in Kentucky operating a coal-fired power plant hired Mechanical Systems, Inc. to replace a continuous opacity monitoring system (COMS) that was located in the duct work upstream of the flue-gas desulfurization system. High readings were causing frequent derating and negatively impacting revenue.

We participated in several meetings with the regulatory agency, and after selecting a representative sampling location within the stack, installed a BetaGuard Particulate Monitor that would provide reliable, real-time measurements of particulate concentrations and report variations in operational parameters of the combustion equipment, allowing the plant engineers to quickly react to conditions that would cause unwanted derating. The installation was our first executed in full compliance with the EPA’s Performance Specification 11 (PS-11) for the installation of particulate matter continuous emissions monitoring systems (PM-CEMS). We collected and correlated all site-specific data and confirmed the acceptability of the BetaGuard system that was installed and placed into operation.

Operations at the plant immediately improved, and the customer’s rapid ROI lead to installation of a second BetaGuard PM in another stack at the same plant. To learn more about this project or how a BetaGuard Particulate Monitor can improve your operations, contact Mechanical Systems Inc. today.