AN ANALYSIS OF BEST AVAILABLE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS FOR KRAFT RECOVERY FURNACE NOX EMISSIONS

As part of a major modernization project at its mill in International Falls, Minn., Boise Cascade Corp. was required to obtain a prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) air permit. To obtain the permit, topdown best available control technology (BACT) analyses were performed on PSD-affected emission units. This paper presents the results of the top-down BACT analyses completed for NO(x) emissions from the mill's modified recovery furnace. Proper combustion control was found to be the best available control technology for NO(x) emissions from the recovery furnace. The analyses revealed that selective catalytic reduction, selective noncatalytic reduction, and flue-gas recirculation were technologically infeasible, and thus were eliminated from further consideration as NO(x) control methods. Anderson and Jackson stress the fact that local issues must be factored into the site-specific analysis. Although regulatory agencies require a national and international review of potential control technologies, BACT determinations are made on a case-by-case basis.