Maximizing Sinter Plant Operating Flexibility Through Emissions Trading and Air Modeling

摘要

This paper provides details on the dispersion modeling analysis performed to demonstrate air quality impacts associated with an emission trading scheme for a sintering operation in Youngstown, Ohio. The emission trade was proposed to allow the sinter plant to expand its current allowable sulfur dioxide (SO_2) emissions while being offset with SO_2 emissions from boilers at a nearby shutdown steel mill. While the emission trade itself was feasible and the emissions required for the offset were available (the boiler shutdown and their subsequent SO_2 emission credits were never claimed, banked, or used elsewhere), the second criterion for determining compliance was a demonstration of minimal air quality impact. The air analysis combined the increased ambient SO_2 concentrations of the relaxed sinter plant emissions with the offsetting air quality of the shutdown boilers to yield the "net" air quality impacts. To test this net air impact, dispersion modeling was performed treating the sinter plant SO_2 emissions as positive and the shutdown boiler SO_2 emissions as negative. The results of the modeling indicated that the ambient air concentrations due to the proposed emissions increase will be offset by the nearby boiler emissions to levels acceptable under EPA's offset policy Level II significant impact concentrations. Therefore, the dispersion modeling demonstrated that the emission trading scheme would not result in significant air quality impacts and maximum operating flexibility was provided to the sintering facility.