Orimulsion and Environment

Lithuanian needs reserve liquid fuel for its Power Station, that normally is working on natural gas, transported through pipelines from the Russian sources. Orimulsion is proposed as one of perspective reserve fuel. Orimulsion is fuel consisting of natural bitumen dispersed in water (26 to 30%), produced in the Orinoco Belt in Venezuela. Its sulphur content exceeds 2,5-2.7% in emulsion or 3,5-3,8% in dry mass. Other undesirable component of orimulsion is vanadium with 400-600 ppm in dry mass. In this paper is assumed that orimulsion as fuel is equivalent to heavy fuel oil (HFO) with three main differences: 1) caloric value is 1,5 time less than that of the dry HFO (effect of emulsioned water); 2) ash and vanadian content are 1,5-3 times higher than in HFO; 3) sulphur content is constant high (3,5-3,8%), when in HFO sulphur content varied in wide range from 0,5 to 4,5%. Calculation, carried out in paper indicate, that sulphur dioxide, vanadium pentoxide and general ash content in orimulsion burning gases are much higher, than permissible for power station plume. Over than 2/3 of plum gases sum toxicity index belong to SO2 and about 20% - to such ash components as V2O5 and Ni. It is emphasized that if electrostatic filter is used with 100% efficiency in lowering sum toxicity index is less than 20% (accordingly V and Ni content in ash). In conclusion it is resumed that orimulsion may be permitted as reserve or main fuel on power station under condition when its burners would be provided with electrostatic precipitators and gas desulphurisation equipment. (author). 3 figs., 9 tabs., 11 refs