Particulate matter in flue gas

[21121956]

Hello everybody:

In medium speed Diesel engines burning Bunker C (distillate Nº 6) the content of particulate matter in the exhaust gases of the majority (not all) of the engines has increased from some time ago and, its value is above the allowable upper limit.

The World Bank on its Thermal Power: Guidelines for new plants, shows that the upper value of particulate matter in flue gas should be less than 50 mg/Nm³.

The other constituents of the flue gas: CO,CO₂,O₂,SO₂ and NOx are O.K.

Where can I find information/comments regarding with the causes that provoke this increment and what is a way to bring back these engines to their normal operation?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

 

[dickon17]

Particulate matter is carbon based, partially burned fuel which survives the combustion process. Common cause is poorly atomized fuel. I would check the fuel injectors and fuel pump injection pressure. Also check if fuel quality is worse, ie higher sulfur content. Are duty conditions similar, or are you running at higher loads? How close are you to the legal limit? Anybody checked the ingnition timing lately?

 

[rmw]

Check your fuel and do some searching around on this site for words like "Bunker fuel" etc. There have been some interesting discussions. #6 Distillate used to be just that a distillate. Too often it is some very heavy nasty bottoms brought back up to #6 specs by blending with a lighter distillate like #2 or similar.

If your injectors are designed for true #6 but are having to try to burn this "feau" #6, that would cause them to do differently than they were designed for.

The problem with blended fuel is that if you got injectors that could handle what is in your tanks now, who knows what 'blend' the next batch might be.

Power Generators who burn heavy fuel oil have to deal with the same issues. Some have seen asphalt that ought to be on a road somewhere cut with a little diesel and pawned off as #6.

rmw