A Method for Estimation of Emission Control Costs
Lyndon R. Babcock · Boston College environmental affairs law review · 1973
This article describes a generalized cost estimation method called and relationships are presented for six individual particulate control methods. More useful, however, is a generalized composite relationship which consists of a single exponential equation using flue gas flow rate and recovery efficiency terms to approximate total hourly capital and operating costs for unspecified particulate pollution control equipment. Within the discretion of the user, the method is applicable to any efficiency, for any process, for which a flue gas flow rate is known or can be estimated. The described method is applied to five major sources of particulate matter: coal-burning power plants, cement plants, refuse incinerators and blast and open hearth furnaces. An expenditure amounting to one percent of product value would result in only 90% control for a coal-fired electric power plant where gas flow rate is very high. The same relative rate of expenditure could achieve 99% control in a large cement plant or over 99.9% control in the steel industry processes which have relatively small gas volumes. Although emcost can approximate the cost of any level of emission control, it does not forecast the necessity or desirability of such control.