Establishment of emission characteristics, emission factors and health risk assessment from a coal-fired power plant

Abstract

The objectives of this research are to investigate the emission characteristics of a coal-fired power plant (CFPP) in Malaysia and the ability of the air pollution control devices (APCDs) currently in used to comply with the limits specified in the new Environmental Quality (Clean Air) Regulations 2014 (CAR 2014) as well as to establish emission factors for the studied CFPP. The emission data are further used to evaluate the health risks of the emissions from CFPP under CAR 2014 by air dispersion modelling and health risk assessment (HRA). The studied CFPP is a 2100 MW employing APCDs of electrostatic precipitator and flue gas desulphurisation (FGD). Emissions were determined using manual and continuous stack samplings. The emission characteristics were established from the modified CFPP configuration that took into account the effects of coal quality (combustion of only sub-bituminous or bituminous coal) with FGD being in on and off modes. Each pollutant demonstrates different characteristics which would further influence the control mechanism. The study also showed that the existing APCDs were able to comply with the CAR 2014. The emission factors were established for uncontrolled and controlled emissions which would allow the estimation of the impact of emission from CFPP prior to development of new plant or expansion of existing plant as well as selection of APCDs needed to comply with emission standard. For HRA, the predicted ground level concentrations from air dispersion modelling were used as input. The HRA demonstrated different health risks for scenario of emissions from the studied CFPP under normal operation and scenario in the event that pollutants are emitted at limits specified in CAR 2014, with further assessment been given to the latter.