Boiler Course

Category: Dust Emission Control

  • Why Palm Oil Mill Has High Dust Emission Count

    Malaysia government has implemented a tighter dust emission requirement; the new requirement will be fully implemented start from June 2019.  Many palm oil factories which installed with biomass boiler are all required to improve their dust emission control fulfilling this latest requirement.

    In Skill Energy, we have encountered some inquiry about new emission standard.  To our experience, we agree biomass boiler is emitted higher dust content as compare to Natural Gas and Electrical Boiler.  In this article, we try to elaborate the some key substance and quantitative about biomass boiler dust discharge.

    Dust Emission Standard

    There are more than 2000 palm oil mill factory throughout Malaysia.  Every palm oil mill is equipped with its own biomass boiler for supplying steam and power as palm oil process needs.  The dust discharge to the environment is enormous and this has created great burden to environment.

    Palm oil industry has been working very hard to utilize the effluent from the industry, many palm oil by-products have been converted to renewable energy, organic fertilizer, consumable long fiber products.  However there is still challenge for improving the dust emission to the air.

    Start from June 2019, the dust discharge requirement is set not greater than 150mg/m3.  The dust discharge is measured while 12% CO2 concentration.  Whereby existing dust discharge standard is set at 400mg/m3.

    Effluent from Biomass Boiler

    In palm oil mill, user always used Palm Fibre and Palm Kernel Shell as the biomass source for biomass boiler.  Let us understand the key effluent for using these 2 biomass materials:

    (chart)

    From both table, we could identify the key components we should work toward in reducing the dust emission.  However in practical situation, the case may varies as user also uses the mixture between Palm Fibre and Palm Kernel Shell with certain ratio like 7:3 or 6:4 depending the heat value they want.  The elemental effluent has to be normalized but we leave this part for our engineers.

    After calculation, we could get the Emission Factor = 0.0342kg-Dust/kg-Biomass.

    Dust Collector

    After go through the above calculation, we could roughly understand what are the emitted substance and quantity we should remove before the air discharge to environment.  The multi-stage cyclone or electrostatic precipitate device will be designed and installed.

    Furthermore, Skill Energy will establish set of quality control and monitoring plan to ensure the entire dust emission control system is maintained.   Please contact Skill Energy if you want to clarify anything about boiler and dust collector.

  • How Dust Emission Control System Could Help

    How Dust Emission Control System Could Help

    Recently many biomass boiler users have the needs to implementing dust control emission system and effective dust collector for their plant.  Every palm oil mill comes with own biomass boiler for own steam and electric used within the process.  From study, a palm oil mill will emit an average 51g/sec of dust particulate into the air base on the amount of palm kernel shell and shredded EFB they burn.

    Palm oil industry is contributing major income for Malaysia.  However throughout the pass 20 years of development in palm oil industry, Malaysia government has to search a reliable and sustainable way to further promote the industry.  Malaysia government has gazetted tighter environmental control by DOE department.

    Dust Emission Requirement

    The latest requirement for biomass boiler whereby the particulate emission has to fulfil less then 150mg/m3 @ 12% of CO2, this requirement will be enforced start from June 2019.  Recently we had encountered many enquiries about Dust Emission Control System to be installed in biomass boiler.

    Many users has been using dilution methodology by installing additional blower in order to lower than the particle discharge concentration however with the latest requirement, DOE has stated that the dust emission measurement has to be done at 12% CO2 concentration.  With this condition imply, biomass boiler user has to install a proper and effective dust collector system.

     Dust Collector Mechanism

    There are several methodology used in dust collector system:

    1. Wet System
    2. Cyclone System
    3. Electrostatic Precipitator System

    From our experience and feedback from user, we know that Wet System could not fulfil the dust discharge requirement set by DOE department.  Cyclone and Electrostatic Precipitate system have been proved to be more effective while come to dust collector.

    Skill Energy has been given consultation on installing and commencing dust control emission system.  We are an independent party which give appropriate recommendation to user without bias to any brand or manufacturer.

    We will select and advice the suitable dust emission control system to user after study the mill condition and existing discharge level.

    Achievable Dust Emission Level

    We had come across some users asking if >150mg/m3 discharged particulate is too stringent for palm oil mill to comply?  No doubt this requirement is stringent then earlier requirement, 400mg/m3 discharge, but it is still doable and achievable.

    From our past experience, we are confident saying that by installing a suitable Dust Collector System, we are able to fulfil this dust emission level,  Perhaps, many countries has implemented even stringent emission rule in order to overcome air pollution challenge.  For example, China is encountering heavy midst condition especially during winter time.  China has enforced a much more crucial dust emission guideline, 20mg/m3, for factory to fight against air pollution.

    To show our commitment to environment and corporate social relation, we strongly urge our reader to install dust emission control system.  Working with Skill Energy, we will also helping our user to setup a way for monitoring the dust emission which complies to Malaysia government requirement.

    Please kindly contact Skill Energy for any boiler related knowledge and needs.  We are always here for working with you.