ASTM D6866, Beta Analytic » Waste to Energy

Carbon-14 Lab Presents at CIWM Futureproofing Thermal Treatment Conference

admin — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 06:06:52 +0000

Deputy manager for European operations Alex Shroff presented the Carbon-14 method to participants of the Futureproofing Thermal Treatment Conference organized by the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CWIM). The conference presented different methods available for sampling and measuring biogenic carbon content of mixed waste streams and the current existing options for the sustainable treatment of air pollution control (APC) residues.

Other conference speakers include Dr. Chris Manson Whitton of Progressive Energy Ltd., who also talked about Carbon-14; Peter Edwards and Christian Riber of Ramboll; Emma Clarke and Andy Jones of Future Industrial Services Ltd.; Costas Velis of Imperial College London; Dr. Mike Wise of Tetronics Ltd.; and Dr. Paula Carey of Carbon 8, among others.

The one-day conference was held on November 15, 2011, at the Austin Court in Birmingham, UK.

Carbon-14 Method

The Carbon-14 method involves measuring the Carbon-14 or radiocarbon content of a material and correlating it to biogenic carbon content. Biogenic carbon refers to carbon that comes from non-fossil sources like biomass.

Materials that come from contemporary biomass and other renewable sources have a known radiocarbon level. Materials from fossil sources have no radiocarbon in them. Thus, the radiocarbon content of a material is easily correlated to the biogenic carbon content.

The Carbon-14 method is one of the methods presented in EN 15440, a European standard for the determination of the biogenic carbon content of solid recovered fuels. Under this method, either the solid mixed waste or its combustion emission can be used as a sample. This inherent flexibility of the Carbon-14 method makes it an ideal analytical tool for the waste-to-energy industry.

Beta Analytic Carbon-14 Presentation at CIWM Conference

Beta Analytic Comments on US EPA Proposed Rule for Deferral of Biogenic CO2 Emissions

beta analytic — Wed, 04 May 2011 08:57:20 +0000

ASTM D6866 lab Beta Analytic Inc. has submitted a public comment on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule for the deferral of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from bioenergy and other biogenic sources. The company is recommending to the EPA that stationary sources combusting mixed fuels use ASTM D6866 testing to accurately measure their biogenic CO2 emissions. With respect to alternative fuels, the company has pointed out that sewage sludge is not 100% biomass.

The EPA has proposed to defer for three years the application of the prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) and Title V permitting requirements to biogenic CO2 emissions from bioenergy and other biogenic stationary sources. PSD requirements involve installation of the Best Available Control Technology (BACT) for the sources, among others. Title V permitting, aka “part 70 permits,” relates to Title V of the Clean Air Act.

Facilities affected by the proposed rule include electric utilities burning biomass fuel; manufacturers of wood products, wood pellet fuel, and pulp and paper; solid waste combustors and incinerators; sewage treatment facilities, solid waste landfills; ethanol manufacturers; and food/beverage processors burning agricultural biomass residues using fermentation processes or producing biogas from anaerobic digestion of waste materials.

The proposed rule was published in the US Federal Register on March 21, 2011. The 45-day public comment period closes on May 5.

Beta Analytic Public Comment

The EPA has requested comments whether the deferral should specify that stationary sources use a specific method for determining their biogenic CO2 emissions. The EPA has also sought comments on ways to ensure there is an accurate estimate of how much biogenic CO2 is subject to the deferral for a specific facility, particularly when combusting mixed fuels (Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OAR-2011-0083, Paragraph Citation 76 FR 15252).

Beta Analytic’s public comment:

Dear Sir/Madam:

We are recommending that stationary sources combusting mixed fuels use ASTM D6866 testing to accurately measure their biogenic CO2 emissions. This standard method is used to determine the exact percentage of biogenic CO2 emissions produced from combusting fuels that are partly fossil and partly biomass, e.g. municipal solid waste, used tires, and sewage sludge. ASTM D6866 has already been incorporated in the EPA’s Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule (40 CFR Part 98) and Western Climate Initiative’s Mandatory Reporting Requirements, among others.

We would also like to point out an oversight in the EPA GHG Reporting Rule concerning the biogenic CO2 emissions of stationary sources that combust sewage sludge as fuel. Based on our internal lab tests using ASTM D6866, sewage sludge/biosolids are only about 80% biogenic. Numerous researches have demonstrated that sewage sludge contains a significant amount of fossil carbon due to detergents, shampoos, and other petroleum-based consumer products that enter the waste stream. Two of these researches are:

J. McEvoy and W. Giger, Accumulation of linear alkylbenzenesulphonate surfactants in sewage sludges, Naturwissenschaften, Volume 72, Number 8 / August, 1985, 429-431

W Giger, PH Brunner, and C Schaffner, 4-Nonylphenol in sewage sludge: accumulation of toxic metabolites from nonionic surfactants, Science 10 August 1984, Vol. 225. no. 4662, pp. 623 – 625

We hope the EPA will take into account the fossil inputs in materials assumed to be 100% biomass or renewable, e.g. sewage sludge and demolition wood (with petroleum-based paint or adhesives).

Sincerely,
Thierry Tamers
Director
Beta Analytic Inc.
4985 SW 74 Court
Miami, FL 33155
Tel: (1) 305-662-7760
Email: info@betalabservices.com

Source: Beta Analytic comment filed in www.regulations.gov

Beta Analytic to Participate in WTERT 2010 Bi-Annual Meeting

beta analytic — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:46:03 +0000

ISO 17025-accredited Beta Analytic, Inc., will join the Waste-to-Energy Research & Technology (WTERT) Council’s meeting to be held in New York City, New York, on October 7-8, 2010. The company is represented by Thierry Sam Tamers, one of its directors.

Attendees will gather at Columbia University’s Schapiro Center for Engineering and Physical Science Research. The two-day event will have numerous presentations on the latest waste-to-energy researches and other developments around the world. Speakers from China, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Germany, Singapore, France, Japan, Austria, and the U.S. are from the academe, government, and industry. Leaders of the WTERT Council’s sister organizations in Germany, Canada, China, Greece, and Brazil will also present updates on the waste-to-energy industry in their respective countries.

Beta Analytic is sponsoring the reception before the Awards Dinner of the meeting.

“I look forward to learn the latest advancement in the waste-to-energy industry of different countries and to share with attendees how ASTM D6866 testing can benefit their operations especially those participating in greenhouse gas cap-and-trade programs and UN CDM projects,” Mr. Tamers says.

Based in Miami, Florida, Beta Analytic provides ASTM D6866 and CEN 15747 testing through its offices and representatives in London, UK; Beijing, China; and Nagoya, Japan. ASTM D6866 is a standard method used to determine the biogenic fractions of solid or liquid fuels and their combustion emissions. CEN 15747 is a standard used in Europe to determine the fraction in solid recovered fuels that come from biomass. Both methods are based on radiocarbon (carbon-14) analysis.

[Top Story] EPA Clarifies ASTM D6866 Use in Mandatory GHG Reporting Proposed Revisions

beta analytic — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 02:31:56 +0000

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is amending certain provisions of its Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule (MRR) to address issues raised after the MRR was first published in October 2009. Revisions will affect, among others, facilities combusting municipal solid waste or tires as fuels. These facilities no longer need to have continuous emission monitoring systems to use ASTM D6866 analysis.

In the first MRR, ASTM D6866 is used to quantify biogenic CO2 emissions from general stationary combustion units using MSW and heterogeneous fuels (a mix of biomass and fossil inputs).

The EPA has also provided a comprehensive list of materials that qualifies as municipal solid waste (MSW) as part of its proposed amendments. Other recommended changes include the option not to report biogenic carbon dioxide emissions from biomass combustion and recognition of tires as part biomass.

The proposed amendments were signed July 20, 2010. The 45-day public comment period begins after publication of the revised MRR in the Federal Register. The EPA expects to publish the final amended MRR before 2010 ends. Deadline for reporting of 2010 GHG emissions is on March 31, 2011.

Sources: MRR Technical Corrections; Preamble and Rule

ASTM D6866 Testing for Facilities with No CEMS

The EPA is proposing to lift restrictions limiting the use of ASTM D6866 analysis to facilities with continuous emission monitoring systems. The EPA would allow combustion units using a mix of biomass and fossil fuels, regardless of proportion, to measure their biogenic CO2 emissions on a quarterly basis via ASTM D6866 analysis. Even without a CEMS in place, gas sample collection is still to be done according to ASTM D7459. [Page 79111] of the MRR Proposed Changes]

Sampling Frequency Recommendation

Gas sampling via ASTM D7459 is still required by the EPA in a quarterly basis. Under the MRR, sample collection is done for a minimum of 24 consecutive operating hours every calendar quarter.

In the proposed amendments, the EPA would allow collection of an integrated sample by taking 1-5 cubic centimeters of flue gas during every operating hour over the course of a calendar quarter to obtain a more representative sample for ASTM D6866 analysis. This will solve issues with alternative fuels like tires whose composition varies over time. According to the EPA, if the type of fuel combusted and their relative proportions are not consistent throughout the quarter, more frequent, periodic sampling of the flue gas should be considered. [Page 79111] of the MRR Proposed Changes]

MSW Definition Clarified

The EPA has also clarified the meaning of municipal solid waste to include the solid phase of household, commercial/retail, and institutional waste. Materials not considered as MSW are used oil, wood pellets, clean wood, industrial process or manufacturing wastes, medical waste, motor vehicles, and construction/renovation/demolition waste. Yard waste, refuse-derived fuel, and motor vehicle maintenance materials like batteries and tires, are considered MSW. [Page 79138] of the MRR Proposed Changes]

Tires are Partly Biogenic

In the first MRR, tires were classified as fossil fuel-derived fuels; thus, tire combustion emissions would have been reported as 100% fossil CO2. In the proposed changes, the EPA now recognizes used tires as “partly biogenic.”

For facilities that combust tires, separate reporting of biogenic CO2 emissions is optional. Measurement of biogenic CO2 is to be done via ASTM D6866. [Page 79109] of the MRR Proposed Changes]

Beta Analytic Participates in 4th Global Fuels Conference & Exhibition

beta analytic — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 07:05:43 +0000

Beta Analytic director Thierry Sam Tamers joined the 4th Global Alternative Fuels Conference for Cement and Lime to introduce the benefits of ASTM D6866 testing for facilities using alternative fuels. The conference was held in Washington, DC, from May 26-27, 2010.

The conference was attended by cement and lime manufacturers and those from allied industries like equipment vendors, emissions brokers, fuel procurement managers, and chemical engineers. Main topics included fuel supply and pricing trends, fuels handling and storage, emissions trading, fuel processing, process efficiency of fuels, combustion efficiency, and reducing electrical consumption.

The Global Fuels Conference & Exhibition aims to bring together all parties interested in fuels for the cement and lime industries. The next conference is slated for April 2011 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

ASTM D6866 Testing for Cement and Lime Plants

Cement and lime manufacturers that use alternative fuels can have their combustion emissions tested for biomass content. Since carbon dioxide emissions that came from renewable sources or biomass is considered carbon neutral and therefore not reportable under most regulations, companies can decrease their greenhouse gas inventories and, at the same time, obtain carbon credits if they are part of cap-and-trade programs.

Beta Analytic Introduces ASTM D6866 to WasteEng10 Conference Participants

beta analytic — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:09:42 +0000

Beta Analytic representative Mauricio Larenas talked about the significance of ASTM D6866 testing for facilities that use waste as fuel during the 3rd International Conference on Engineering for Waste and Biomass Valorisation held in Beijing, China, from May 17 to May 19, 2010. Fuming “Steven” Liu, Beta Analytic’s China Operations Manager, also joined the conference.

Better known as WasteEng, the conference aims to promote sustainable valorisation of waste and biomass by the generation of energy and other useful materials through processes with reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Materials featured in the conference includes municipal, mining, wastewater, electronic, wood and paper, sludge, agricultural, forest, and construction and demolition wastes.

ASTM D6866 Testing for Waste-Derived Fuels

Companies that use waste as alternative fuel can reduce their greenhouse gas inventories by measuring the percentage of their carbon dioxide emissions that came from biomass. Called biogenic CO2, emissions that came from biomass or renewable sources are deductible from GHG inventories because they are carbon neutral. Through ASTM D6866, the exact biomass fraction of the combustion emissions or the solid waste can be determined.

Municipal solid waste and used tires have been known to have significant amount of biomass. Sewage sludge, often assumed to be 100% biomass, has proved to have a significant amount of non-biomass components like the surfactants in shampoos and plastic materials. ASTM D6866 allows companies to measure their biogenic vs. non-biogenic emissions.

Beta Analytic Presentation

Mauricio Larenas’ presentation during WasteEng10 in Beijing, China (May 2010):

Download Presentation (English)
Download Presentation (Japanese)

New Zealand Regulation Recommends ASTM D6866 for Non-Biomass CO2 Determination

beta analytic — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:46:28 +0000

ASTM D6866 has been added to the latest version of New Zealand’s Climate Change Regulations. The standard will be used to measure the non-biomass fraction of CO2 emissions from the combustion of used oil, waste oil, used tyres, or waste. Gases reported under the regulations are CH4, N2O, and non-biomass CO2.

Climate Change (Stationary Energy and Industrial Processes) Regulations 2009 (SR 2009/285)

Companies who will use the continuous emissions monitoring method to calculate emissions will measure the non-biomass CO2 from gas stacks according to ASTM D6866. Those who will use the periodic source testing method still needs to employ the method to determine the non-biomass CO2.

Details of ASTM D6866 inclusion in this regulation are found here.

Climate Change (Unique Emissions Factors) Regulations 2009 (SR 2009/286)

As part of the “requirements for applications for unique emissions factor approval for waste calculated using standard testing option,” ASTM D6866 can be used by companies burning waste when calculating a unique emissions factor for solid fuels.

ASTM D6866 is also part of the “sampling and testing requirements for the periodic source testing option.” Companies that burn mixed fuels (biomass with non-biomass) will measure the non-biomass fraction of the CO2 emissions in the gas stream in accordance with ASTM D6866.

View regulation excerpt here.

Burning Used Tires: Same Energy but Less Fossil CO2 Emissions than Burning Coal

beta analytic — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:00:47 +0000

According to French company Aliapur, used tires are not wastes but are traditional solid fuels better than coal or petroleum coke. A three-year study by Aliapur’s Research & Development unit has proven what the French cement industry has known since the 1970s – used tires as fuels have high heat output with less environmental impact than fossil fuels.

Used tires when burned emit less fossil carbon dioxide due to their biomass components. Used passenger car tires, according to the study, have biomass fractions between 17% to 20% while used truck tires are 28% to 30% biomass.

The study, considered to be the first of its kind in Europe, aimed to establish reference values and provide details on the chemical properties of used tires. Results have been submitted to France’s State Department for the Environment as reference for calculations of CO2 emissions from cement plants.

Aliapur collaborated with five companies in France and Beta Analytic, Inc., in Florida, USA for the research and also with independent consultancy firm Price Waterhouse Coopers for the documentation. Aliapur completed the research in July 2009.

Aliapur Research Results

The biomass fraction of the used tires was quantified through ASTM D6866, which is a standard method based on radiocarbon dating techniques. The used tires were also characterized by measuring their calorific values (amount of heat released during combustion) and carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, chlorine, fluorine, and bromine content.

Parameter	Used Passenger Car Tires	Used Truck Tires	Coal	Petroleum Coke
Biomass	17-20.3% (ave. 18.3%)	28.6-29.7% (29.1 %)	0%	0%
Carbon	67.5 – 70.1% (ave. 69.0%)	59.7-62.6% (61.1%)	64-68%	84-97%
NCV (MJ/kg)	29.5 – 30.6 (ave. 30.2)	26.1 – 26.7 (26.4)	26	32

Table 1 – Select values from the Aliapur Study. Details of the results can be downloaded from Aliapur’s Web site.

The Aliapur study presents scientific proof that used tires when burned produce comparable heat output as burning coal or petroleum coke. It also showed that used tires have considerable biomass fractions, which impact their combustion carbon dioxide emissions. Unlike coal and petroleum coke, used tires when burned produce carbon-neutral CO2 emissions due to their organic components, e.g. natural rubber, rayon, and stearic acid.

Due to a higher proportion of metal in used truck tires, they have lower calorific values and carbon content but higher biomass content than used passenger car tires, Aliapur says.

Source: Aliapur Research on Using Used Tires as an Alternative Fuel

Benefits of Using Tire-Derived Fuel

Used tires, also called end-of-life tires (ELT), are converted into tire-derived fuel, which are used tires shredded into sizes based on an industry’s technical requirements. Foremost users of ELT are cement plants, pulp and paper mills, and other energy-intensive industries.

Companies use ELT to reduce their fuel expenses and comply with air quality and pollution control regulations. ELT are cheaper than coal and petroleum coke; thus, ELT use generates savings. Many countries around the world now require companies to annually report their CO2 emissions. Using ELT as fossil fuel alternative enables companies to report lesser fossil CO2 emissions. Moreover, companies participating in cap-and-trade schemes like the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme can also obtain carbon credits when they have low fossil CO2 emissions. Carbon credits have monetary value and can be sold or traded.

Cement plants, in particular, also have an additional benefit in using ELT. They use whole tires in kilns because the metal in tires add iron to the clinker they are producing – a benefit that they cannot get from coal or petroleum coke.

About Aliapur

Aliapur focuses on used tires recovery in France. The public limited company was created in 2003 with Bridgestone, Continental, Dunlop, Goodyear, Kléber, Michelin, and Pirelli as founding members and principal customers. Aliapur aims to neutralize the environmental hazards posed by used tires in France. For more information, visit http://www.aliapur.fr.

BMH Enviro’s Waste Crusher Produces RDF with 70% Biocarbon Content

beta analytic — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:32:28 +0000

BMH Enviro’s Tyrannosaurus® heavy-duty crushers convert waste into refuse-derived fuel (RDF) that has 70% biogenic carbon according to CEN 15747, a method that can determine the renewable content of RDF. Using RDF with high biomass carbon content helps companies lower their greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories and obtain more carbon credits in cap-and-trade programs.

Companies in energy-intensive industries use RDF for many reasons. Some use RDF as fossil fuel substitute or co-fire it with coal to decrease fuel spending. Cement plants in Europe, for example, use RDF to comply with the strict standards of the EU Waste Incineration Directive. In regions with carbon emissions cap-and-trade systems in place, companies incinerate RDF to keep their GHG emissions within established limits and obtain carbon credits that they can sell or trade.

Most refuse-derived fuels are from municipal solid wastes – a mixture of biomass (e.g. paper and wood) and fossil-based materials like plastics. The biomass portion of RDF when burned produces carbon-neutral CO2 that is exempted from regulatory reporting and deductible from GHG inventories. The higher the biomass content of the RDF used, the more credits a company can potentially obtain.

Tyrannosaurus® – the Giant Among Waste Crushers

BMH Enviro’s waste-to-fuel process provides a different approach to waste treatment and recycling. The heart of the system is the Tyrannosaurus®, which is designed for industrial-scale, continuous waste crushing. It can make products of different particle sizes in a single pass using common wastes or even tough materials like used car tires. BMH Enviro’s system usually includes other products with different capabilities like machines that separate ferrous from non-ferrous metals, screening devices, waste feeding systems, and conveyors, among others.

CEN 15747 Testing

The RDF produced by BMH Enviro’s Tyrannosaurus® Waste Crusher was tested for renewable content in Beta Analytic’s lab in Miami, Florida. Results showed that the RDF sample has a biocarbon content of 70%.

RDF Biocarbon Content Report for BMH Finland

Test results disclosed with BMH’s expressed consent

CEN 15747 was developed specifically for Solid Recovered Fuels testing. The method is the European equivalent of ASTM D6866, a standard that originated in the U.S. and used to determine biogenic carbon content of solids (like RDF and bioplastics), liquids like biofuels, and gases like emissions from stacks.

About BMH Enviro

BMH Enviro is a business unit of BMH Technology Oy. Both companies are based in Rauma, Finland. For inquiries, contact Rainer Rehn at +358-20-486-6800. Details about the company and its products are found at http://www.bmh.fi.

About Beta Analytic

Beta Analytic Inc. has provided radiocarbon dating services since 1979 and has satellite offices in London, UK and Nagoya, Japan. The company is accredited to the ISO 17025 standard. It has served more than 9,000 scientists and engineers in more than 30 countries around the world and continues to provide carbon 14 analysis to the archaeology industry and to industries needing biomass carbon content determination. For inquiries, contact Mauricio Larenas at 305-662-7760 or info@betalabservices.com.