ICT’s comprehensive SCR tuning program concentrates on optimizing reactor and reagent injection efficiency, while ensuring the system performs at the desired level. This SCR tuning program encompasses baseline measurement of pertinent flue gas species at the inlet and outlet of the SCR. Based on the baseline results, adjustments to the ammonia injection grid are made to improve NH3/NOx ratios at the inlet of the SCR, thereby improving SCR performance while minimizing NH3 slip. ICT has the equipment necessary to perform continuous emission monitoring of pertinent flue gas species at the inlet and outlet of the SCR as well as equipment for measurement of SO3 and NH3 slip.

1. SCR Tuning: Economic Benefits
Innovative Combustion Technologies, Inc. (ICT) is a service company based in Birmingham, AL that has
been serving the power industry since 1993. We are a results oriented company that specializes in providing
assistance to fossil fired power plants to resolve operational and maintenance challenges, optimize
combustion, and achieve the best operating efficiencies and unit capacities while limiting emissions.
ICT’s comprehensive SCR tuning program concentrates on optimizing reactor and reagent injection
efficiency, while ensuring the system performs at the desired level. Our tuning program encompasses
baseline measurement of pertinent flue gas species (NOx, O2, etc.) at the inlet and outlet of the SCR. Based
on the baseline results, adjustments to the ammonia injection grid are made to improve NH3/NOx ratios at
the inlet of the SCR, thereby improving SCR performance while minimizing NH3 slip.
ICT has the equipment necessary to perform continuous emission monitoring of pertinent flue gas species
(O2, NOx, CO) at the inlet and outlet of the SCR as well as equipment for measurement of SO3 (EPA Method
8A) and NH3 slip (FTIR or EPA CTM 027).
Program Economics:
The implementation of an ICT SCR tuning program, in most cases, will lead to increases in production and
decreases in operating costs that will pay for the tuning program within a year. The following pages show
the economic impact of improved deNOx performance at the same ammonia injection rates for various unit
capacities and fuels fired. The table below summarizes annual ammonia savings following a SCR tuning
program.
2% 5% 10%
PRB $13,172 $32,929 $65,859
Illinois Basin $16,935 $42,338 $84,676
Bituminous $21,639 $54,098 $108,196
PRB $16,465 $41,162 $82,323
Illinois Basin $21,169 $52,922 $105,844
Bituminous $27,049 $67,623 $135,246
PRB $19,758 $49,394 $98,788
Illinois Basin $25,403 $63,507 $127,013
Bituminous $32,459 $81,147 $162,295
PRB $23,051 $57,626 $115,253
Illinois Basin $29,636 $74,091 $148,182
Bituminous $37,869 $94,672 $189,344
Improvement in NOx Reduction
400 MW Unit
500 MW Unit
600 MW Unit
700 MW Unit

2. Ammonia SCR Economic Analysis
The following charts and tables show an economic analysis of SCR tuning. The numbers show an estimated
yearly savings to be expected with SCR tuning for 400, 500, 600, and 700 MW units when improving NOx
reduction by the SCR from 80%, 85%, and 88% to 90% DeNOx. This estimate only takes cost of the
ammonia reagent into account and is therefore a very rough estimate. In order to perform this analysis,
several assumptions had to be made:
1. Prior to tuning, all plants supplied only the stoichiometric amount of ammonia necessary to achieve
90% DeNOx but are not achieving that level. Ammonia injection into an SCR is a complex subject
with many different variables (ammonia slip, inlet NOx distribution, catalyst deactivation, etc.),
however this assumption is helpful in simplifying the overall process to estimate the economic
impact of SCR tuning.
2. NOx concentrations at the SCR inlet (economizer outlet) were estimated to be within the following
range for three different types of coal as shown in the table below:
These ranges were used to obtain high, low, and average estimated yearly savings with SCR
tuning.
3. A capacity factor of 0.7 was applied to all of the calculations. This assumption estimates the total
annual energy output of the plant is equivalent to the plant running at full load for 70% of the year.
From this calculated annual energy output, an estimate for the amount of coal burned per year could
be estimated.
4. The stoichiometric ratio for NOx:NH3 for complete reaction in the SCR was assumed to be 1:1,
which roughly corresponds to 1.76 lb NOx/lb NH3.
5. The following table shows the HHV values used in the calculations for the three types of coal:
6. The price of anhydrous ammonia used in the final calculation was $793/ton
(http://farmdocdaily.illinois.edu/2013/08/fertilizer-costs-move-down.html). While anhydrous
ammonia is the most expensive to store and ship, it is the cheapest form of ammonia and the
option selected by most industrial processes. If urea or hydrous ammonia are used as the SCR
reagent, then the numbers shown below may increase by 4-5 times.
The tables and charts showing the estimated annual savings with SCR tuning are shown on the following
pages:
Coal NOx at SCR Inlet [lb/MMBtu]
PRB 0.25-0.45
Illinois Basin 0.35-0.55
Bituminous 0.45-0.70
Coal HHV [Btu/lb]
PRB 8,800
Illinois Basin 11,800
Bituminous 12,500

3. Tuning from 80% to 90% DeNOx:
$0
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
$140,000
$160,000
$180,000
$200,000
400 MW 500 MW 600 MW 700 MW
80% to 90% DeNOx Average Savings [$/yr]
PRB Illinois Basin Bituminous
Low High Average
PRB $47,042 $84,676 $65,859
Illinois Basin $65,859 $103,492 $84,676
Bituminous $84,676 $131,717 $108,196
PRB $58,802 $105,844 $82,323
Illinois Basin $82,323 $129,365 $105,844
Bituminous $105,844 $164,647 $135,246
PRB $70,563 $127,013 $98,788
Illinois Basin $98,788 $155,238 $127,013
Bituminous $127,013 $197,576 $162,295
PRB $82,323 $148,182 $115,253
Illinois Basin $115,253 $181,112 $148,182
Bituminous $148,182 $230,506 $189,344
80% to 90% NOx Reduction
400 MW Unit
500 MW Unit
600 MW Unit
700 MW Unit

4. Tuning from 85% to 90% DeNOx:
$0
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
$80,000
$90,000
$100,000
400 MW 500 MW 600 MW 700 MW
85% to 90% DeNOx Average Savings [$/yr]
PRB Illinois Basin Bituminous
Low High Average
PRB $23,521 $42,338 $32,929
Illinois Basin $32,929 $51,746 $42,338
Bituminous $42,338 $65,859 $54,098
PRB $29,401 $52,922 $41,162
Illinois Basin $41,162 $64,683 $52,922
Bituminous $52,922 $82,323 $67,623
PRB $35,281 $63,507 $49,394
Illinois Basin $49,394 $77,619 $63,507
Bituminous $63,507 $98,788 $81,147
PRB $41,162 $74,091 $57,626
Illinois Basin $57,626 $90,556 $74,091
Bituminous $74,091 $115,253 $94,672
85% to 90% NOx Reduction
400 MW Unit
500 MW Unit
600 MW Unit
700 MW Unit

5. Tuning from 88% to 90% DeNOx:
$0
$5,000
$10,000
$15,000
$20,000
$25,000
$30,000
$35,000
$40,000
400 MW 500 MW 600 MW 700 MW
88% to 90% DeNOx Average Savings [$/yr]
PRB Illinois Basin Bituminous
Low High Average
PRB $9,408 $16,935 $13,172
Illinois Basin $13,172 $20,698 $16,935
Bituminous $16,935 $26,343 $21,639
PRB $11,760 $21,169 $16,465
Illinois Basin $16,465 $25,873 $21,169
Bituminous $21,169 $32,929 $27,049
PRB $14,113 $25,403 $19,758
Illinois Basin $19,758 $31,048 $25,403
Bituminous $25,403 $39,515 $32,459
PRB $16,465 $29,636 $23,051
Illinois Basin $23,051 $36,222 $29,636
Bituminous $29,636 $46,101 $37,869
88% to 90% NOx Reduction
400 MW Unit
500 MW Unit
600 MW Unit
700 MW Unit