Measurement Challenges and Metrology for Monitoring CO2 Emissions from Smokestacks – Workshop Summary

Abstract

PrefaceNIST traceable standards, reference materials and certifications have provided advances in measurement sciences and calibrations needed for industry to compete in the global economy. Emissions monitoring for electric power generation is a vital sector that merits investments for industrial competiveness and regulatory effectiveness. Responding to the needs of the public, private industries, and regulatory agencies, NIST has supported scientific research and technology development to provide the best measurement standards and innovation in instrumentation. Electric power is the engine for U.S. industry and commercial growth. Therefore effective action is needed to meet regulatory requirements and improve greenhouse gas measurements.Coal and natural gas are important domestic resources in the U.S. Both provide over 65% of the nation's electricity and serve the economic demand for stable, reliable, and cost effective electric power. Accurate and reliable emissions monitoring from smokestacks is thus vital for complying with regulations and minimizing environmental and health effects. NIST's role in supporting this industry is to improve the accuracy in emissions measurements and to minimize the uncertainty in operating conditions, testing, and analysis.Developing standards and establishing common measurements has benefits beyond ensuring optimal emissions monitoring operations and meeting regulatory compliance. It offers the opportunity to make improvements and develop procedures that can form industry standards. Best practices can be developed and dialog can begin with other emissions monitoring operations, local and state regulators, and more importantly the community in which the source resides. Standards and reference materials are not only to fulfill management demands or regulatory oversight; they offer a baseline from which improved systems can develop. Thus, NIST's role is not only to provide a service but to catalyze innovation by empowering experts in the field.The opportunities to share best practices between measurement experts (e.g., National Metrology Institutes -NMIs) and emissions monitoring specialists are limited. As such, NIST organized a forum to bring together all interested parties including NIST research staff, research staff from other NMIs, industrial professionals and researchers, regulators, and equipment suppliers. The venue is intended to generate ideas for broad improvements in the field by sharing solutions to common emissions monitoring problems.Opportunities that empower experts and simulate improvements can achieve far reaching impact by involving the international community. Understanding the challenges and factors that can provide improvements should be shared not only in the U.S. but with experts in other iii countries. While clean coal is making improvements in many U.S. power plants, basic monitoring systems are only beginning to be introduced in other countries where smog is a serious health risk. In China, for example, it is reported that a new coal fueled power plant...

Improving measurement for smokestack emissions - workshop summary

“…This was the second such workshop hosted at NIST, with the first being held in 2015. [1] Flow measurement accuracy was the focus of discussion, with the objective of the workshop being to provide a forum to exchange experiences, best practices, and ideas related to current and emerging issues with measuring emissions from smokestacks. The workshop gathered experts from the electric power generation industry including the Electric Power Research Institute, manufacturers of smokestack flow meters, companies that perform in situ calibrations of smokestack flow meters, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other national metrology institutes.…”

“…New facilities such as the Smokestack Simulator, and existing facilities like the NIST Wind Tunnel and the National Fire Research Laboratory are being utilized for this research. NIST has also organized and hosted past workshops [1], providing a forum for a diverse group of industry stakeholders to share their perspectives on the strengths and weakness of current flow measurement protocols and discuss potential improvements.…”