Case Study #1: Glass Furnace Exhaust for Container
and Flat Glass Manufacturing
Case Study #2: Glass Fiber Manufacturing Case Study #3: Fiber Optics Manufacturing Case Study #4: Abrasives, Ceramics and Other
Non-Soluble PM2.5 and Submicron Particulate
Case Study #5: Coal and Solid Fuels Combustion
Case Study #6: Diesel Exhaust Emissions /
Locomotive Diesel Pollution
Case Study #6:
Diesel Exhaust Emissions /
Locomotive Diesel Pollution
Tri-Mer Cloud Chamber Scrubber (CCS) with integrated SCR at the trainyard
in Roseville, California. Roseville is near Sacremento.
Background
In 2006, Tri-Mer Corporation, developer of the CCS technology, teamed with Advanced Clean-up
and U.S. air quality authorities on a full-scale demonstration of the CCS for locomotive diesel
pollution emissions from locomotives that are immobile or moving only short distances within
a rail yard.
The objective was to demonstrate the ability of the CCS to remove fine and submicron particulate
matter (PM) and SOx. Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) equipment was integrated with the CCS
to provide NOx removal. The demonstration testing was deemed very successful and a Media Day
event was held at the site by the governmental authorities in August, 2006. The official report is
posted on the Placer County Air Pollution Control District website at www.placer.ca.gov/apcd
under the project name Advanced Locomotive Emissions Control System (ALECS).
Tri-Mer Corporation provided the locomotive diesel pollution control technology, including integration
of the SCR. Equipment engineering and manufacturing was completed at its Michigan factory.
Tri-Mer was also responsible for installation and demonstration of the technology. After using
its own advanced particulate characterization equipment to calibrate the ALECS system, the
government agencies contracted with an independent third party testing company and laboratory
to provide conventional testing and analysis of PM, SO2, and NOx for the final report.
With the successful demonstration test, the CCS is now regarded as the first technology to
demonstrate high removal efficiencies when operating at the flow volumes typical for large
diesel engines. Implementation of the CCS technology is anticipated at several locations.
A similar test is planned for the Port of Long Beach on emissions from the diesel generators
of ships at dock. The CCS technology is being applied to numerous other difficult applications.
Units have been operating 24/7 for more than six years with low operating costs, and very
low maintenance costs.
The following summary in italics is excerpted from the official report:
Executive Summary
The Union Pacific Railroad’s J.R. Davis Rail Yard in Roseville, California, is a major center for
locomotive maintenance and repair, as well as for assembling and reassembling trains of freight
cars. Over 90 percent of all Union Pacific rail traffic in Northern California goes through the yard.
Locomotive operations at the rail yard have been determined to be a significant source of
emissions of diesel particulate matter (PM) and other pollutants. An agreement between the
Placer County Air Pollution Control District (PCAPCD) and the Union Pacific Railroad Company
(UPRR) includes a mitigation plan for reducing PM emissions from the rail yard.
Part of this plan is an assessment of the use of stationary air pollution control equipment to
capture and treat emissions from motionless locomotives while idling or undergoing engine load
tests during maintenance. The Advanced Locomotive Emission Control System (ALECS)
comprises a set of stationary emissions control equipment connected to an articulated bonnet.
The bonnet is designed to capture locomotive exhaust, delivering it to the ground-based emission
control system via ducting. The hood remains attached while the locomotive is moving slowly
along the track to the extent of the ducting. The emission control equipment comprises a sodium
hydroxide wash to remove sulfur dioxide (SO2), a triple cloud chamber scrubber for PM removal,
and a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) reactor to reduce oxides of nitrogen (NOx).
The ALECS is designed to treat exhaust flows between 2,000 and 12,000 standard cubic feet
per minute (scum). The former is approximately the exhaust flow from a locomotive at idle,
while the latter is approximately the exhaust flow from a line-haul locomotive at throttle
notch 8 (full power).
The ALECS proof-of-concept was a public-private collaborative project involving the PCAPCD,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management
District (SMAQMD), UPRR, Advanced Cleanup Technologies Inc. (ACTI), the South Coast Air
Quality Management District (SCAQMD), the California Air Resources Board (CARB), and the
City of Roseville. Engine, Fuel, and Emissions Engineering, Inc. (EF&EE) was contracted by the
SCAQMD to conduct emission measurements before and after the ALECS.
Emission measurements were performed on two locomotives: a General Motors Electro-Motive
Division GP38 and a General Electric C39-8 (Dash 8). The GP38 has a 2000 horsepower
two-stroke diesel engine, and is typically used for switching and local service. The Dash-8
has a 3900 horsepower four-stroke engine, and is normally used for line-haul freight service.
Tests were performed with the locomotives motionless at notch 1, notch 3, notch 5, and notch
8 power settings, and while moving slowing back and forth along a small section of track.
See www.placer.ca.gov/apcd for the complete executive summary and full report.
Average Control Efficiencies of the Major Pollutants:
California Locomotive Diesel Pollution Test on Tri-Mer
Cloud Chamber Scrubber (CCS)
1 The anomalous low average PM value (in comparison to the other PM control efficiencies)
has been investigated by ACTI, but it could not be explained. The data is included in the
overall average calculation for completeness.
Complete report at www.placer.ca.gov/apcd
Tri-Mer Corporation has conducted tests on a different source of locomotive diesel pollution at
their testing facility in Michigan with similar results: removal efficiencies for PM between 94%
and 98% with removal of SO2 consistently over 99%. Tri-Mer and the government agencies
were very pleased with the Roseville results. The CCS has been validated for implementation
on large diesel sources. As with other CCS applications, these results and other scientific
data gathered during the testing period will lead to further enhancements of the
Cloud Chamber technoogy.
Process flow through integrated CCS (PCC Preconditioning Chamber and CGV Cloud
Generation Vessel) plus SCR Selective Catalytic Reduction unit.
Fabrication of the equipment at the Tri-Mer factory in Owosso, MI. Left to right:
Dr. Clyde Richards, scientist and inventor of the CCS; Bret Ruess, Integration Director;
John Pardell, V.P. and principal; Shawn Grace, Manufacturing Project Manager.
Not shown: Rod Gravley, Technology Director and executive project manager.
Site in Roseville, CA during installation of the demonstration project. A trolley and capture
hood allowed limited locomotive movement, bringing emissions to the CCS. Stationary
repair facilities are also under consideration. Another application is ships at docks operating
their diesel genrators for on-board power.
Media Day was held on August 2, 2006. Events included technical explanations and inspection
of the technology as well as remarks by local, state, and national environmental authorities.
Have a potential application? Tell Us About It . . .
We Can Help You with Some Guidelines.
For more information contact:
Kevin Moss (801) 294-5422
kevin.moss@tri-mer.com
(NOTE: For larger particulate, see Whirl /Wet® page.) See our CCS Scrubber Q&A Page for more information.
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