The facility operates three (3) Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)-fired combustors (MWCs) each capable of processing 350 tons per day and produces 90,300 pounds of steam per hour . The three boilers are of Martin GmbH Stoker Combustion System design. All MWC units exhaust through a separate flue in a common stack. Air pollution equipment for each independent train includes dry scrubbers for acid gas control, fabric filter for particulate removal, selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) for control of nitrogen oxides and dry activated carbon injection for mercury and dioxins emission controls. Each unit is also equipped with a continuous emission monitoring system to provide feedback on the effectiveness of the air pollution control (APC) equipment. In addition to firing MSW, each unit is capable of firing auxiliary fuel, such as propane during startup and shutdown. The steam produced by the MWCs is sent to a turbine generator with a nameplate capacity of 31.2 Megawatts. The power is sold to Progress Energy.

• Diagram of Process (Diagram)
   
• Pollution Control
  • Air emissions are controlled by high efficiency combustion within the furnace/boiler as well as by selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR), spray dryer absorbers, fabric filter baghouses and an activated carbon injection system.
    • Highly efficient combustion controls potential organic pollutants as well as carbon monoxide.
    • The SNCR system injects ammonia into the furnace to control nitrogen oxide emissions;
    • Spray dryer absorbers utilize a lime/water slurry mixture to control the boiler outlet gases. The lime slurry mixture neutralizes acid gases, such as sulfur dioxide and hydrogen chloride and cools the outlet gases as well;
    • The fabric filter baghouse removes particulate matter (fly ash) and provides a secondary acid gas neutralization surface on the filtercake; and,
    • The activated carbon injection system controls mercury and dioxins emissions.
      
  • Covanta Pasco, Inc. also utilizes state-of-the art continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS). The CEMS measures the stack gas for emissions, such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, oxygen and opacity and allows the control room to continuously monitor the performance of each combustor unit. The CEMS data is reviewed and summarized into a report, which is routinely submitted to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and EPA for review.