The eLearning Center for Gatlin Education Services

Overview

Fuel type and emissions control are two very important considerations in the design of a boiler. The type of fuel selected will not only impact emissions, but will also greatly influence the design of the boiler and the operating costs. This course covers key properties and design considerations for each of the major boiler fuels available, including coal, natural gas, oil, wood and municipal-type solid waste.

Air pollutants emitted form boilers is regulated in accordance with the Clean Air Act. Thus, control of emissions must be considered in the design and operation of a boiler. This course investigates the major pollutants emitted from boilers and the most effective methods to control them.

Finally, this course also briefly discusses methods to increase boiler efficiency.

The course material consists of Section 3, "Fuels, Emissions and Efficiency" in the document "Guide to Low-Emission Boiler and Combustion Equipment Selection" published by the U.S. Dept. of Energy's Office of Industrial Technologies. This section of the referenced publication provides an overview of the different types of boiler fuels available and various emission control techniques. Methods for increasing boiler efficiency are also covered. No prerequisite course is required to take this introductory course. However, the student may wish to familiarize himself/herself with boilers in general by taking PDHengineer.com's course titled Boiler Types and Applications.

The student must take a multiple-choice quiz consisting of twenty questions at the end of this course to obtain PDH credits.

Specific Knowledge or Skill Attained

This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills:

  · Types of boiler fuels commercially available and their relative merits
  · Properties and applications for different types of coal
  · Grades, properties and major classes of fuel oil
  · Using natural gas as a boiler fuel - including composition and impurities
  · Biomass, refuse-derived fuel and other boiler fuels
  · Boiler-emitted pollutants regulated under the Clean Air Act
  · NOx and SO2 formation, environmental impact and control methods
  · Coal cleaning methods, including gravity concentration, flotation and dry processing
  · Ash, CO and HAP formation potential for different fuels and emission reduction measures
  · Increased boiler efficiency through reduction in flue-gas, radiant heat and blowdown losses

State Board Acceptance

This course can be used by professional engineers to fulfill PDH requirements mandated by state and provincial licensing boards. Decatur Professional Development is an approved provider of continuing education in all states that pre-approve course providers. In all other states that mandate continuing education for engineers, it is the individual engineer's responsibility to determine the suitability of activities for PDH credit. The state boards typically accept online* courses that cover technical, managerial** or ethical content and which are relevant to the practice of engineering. The course must have a clear purpose or objective with a content that will maintain, improve or expand the skills and knowledge of the licensee's field of practice. For questions about your mandatory PDH requirements, visit the website of your state licensing board.

*Online courses are accepted by all state licensing boards that mandate continuing education. Other than New York (which limits online courses to 18 PDH) and Iowa (which limits online courses to 6 PDH), there are no limits placed by other states on the number of hours that can be earned through online continuing education. Consult with your state licensing board if you have any questions about the acceptability of online courses.

**The New York State Board of Engineers does not accept general office management courses, but will accept project management courses that are offered by an approved provider and that are technical in nature and contribute to the engineer's professional practice.

Please Note: Continuing Education credits for this course are awarded as PDH (Professional Development Hour Credits).