SCR-Tech’s catalyst cleaning and regeneration processes have been successfully applied to more than 16,000 m3 of SCR catalyst of all types and brands.

Since March 2003, SCR-Tech has offered U.S. power plant operators a proven and more cost-effective alternative to catalyst replacement in the form of catalyst regeneration, as well as a means to eliminate the costs and environmental concerns associated with disposing of deactivated catalyst as hazardous waste.

SCR-Tech’s breakthrough catalyst regeneration technology is the only commercial process capable of restoring the activity level of spent catalyst back to its original specifications and NOx reduction performance.

SCR-Tech’s catalyst regeneration technology has been successfully applied in Germany since 1997, and since 2003 in the United States. In total, more than 16,000 m3 of SCR catalyst has been cleaned / regenerated worldwide to date, including more than 7,175 m3 in the U.S. In Germany, catalyst regeneration has captured more than 70% of the catalyst replacement market. There, the three largest municipal utilities, the second, third and fourth largest investor—owned utilities, and the largest IPP all use catalyst regeneration throughout their entire fleets of SCR systems to minimize operating and maintenance costs.

Catalyst cleaning and regeneration has been performed on all catalyst types, including plate, honeycomb and corrugated configurations, and spanning all major catalyst manufacturers (Argillon / Siemens, BASF, BHK, Hitachi, CERAM, Cormetech, Engelhard, Haldor Topsøe, Kawasaki, and KWH).

This comprehensive experience has validated the ability of our technology to achieve maximum NOx reduction performance while reducing overall NOx compliance costs for the power generating facility. Our regeneration process has even been demonstrated in certain cases to increase catalytic activity beyond original by as much as 25%, providing the potential for additional economic upside.

Independent Testing
SCR-Tech’s cleaning and regeneration processes are verified independently by third party testing in accordance with VGB Guideline for the Testing of DeNOx Catalyst (VGB-R302He), the international standard for catalyst testing, and can provide customers with the assurance that the work done by SCR-Tech is of the highest quality in the world.

Reduced SO2 Conversion
The use of regenerated catalyst has also been demonstrated to significantly lower SO2 oxidation rates while still maintaining original catalytic activity levels and NOx reduction performance.

Early in 2006, SCR-Tech completed a jointly funded study with AEP and Southern Company focused on evaluating and minimizing the conversion of SO2 to SO3 during SCR system operation.

As part of the joint development program, the three companies worked together to test and quantify the SO2 to SO3 conversion rates demonstrated by SCR catalyst regenerated under a variety of conditions, and to benchmark the performance of regenerated catalyst against new and deactivated catalyst. The goal of the program was to demonstrate that it is possible to achieve maximum restoration of catalytic activity while simultaneously minimizing the conversion of SO2 to SO3.

Results from the study demonstrate that the use of regenerated catalyst can significantly lower SO2 oxidation rates. Unused plate and honeycomb catalyst modules were regenerated to compare the oxidation rate and catalytic activity before and after regeneration. In the case of regenerated honeycomb catalyst, for example, SO2 oxidation rates were measured as low as 0.1 percent, which is comparable to the conversion rates achieved only through the use of more costly, ultra-low conversion catalyst. Importantly, the regenerated catalyst achieved these significant reductions in SO2 conversion while still maintaining original catalytic activity levels and NOx reduction performance, whereas the use of ultra-low conversion catalyst has been reported to be associated with a loss in catalytic activity.

Details and results of this study were published in a an article entitled New Life for Old Catalyst which appeared in the March 2006 edition of Power Engineering magazine.