Fuel Tech, Inc. announced the receipt of multiple air pollution control (APC) contracts from customers in China. In the US, Fuel Tech received an order for a demonstration system using Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction (SNCR) technology, as well as the first commercial orders for XCAM Extractive Continuous Ammonia Monitor systems. These awards and projects have an aggregate value of approximately $4.3 million. Equipment deliveries for these contracts are expected to occur in the first and second quarters of 2014.

An award was received for ULTRA systems for two medium-sized coal-fired utility units in China that are being retrofitted with nitrogen oxide (NO) reduction technology. Fuel Tech's ULTRA process provides for the safe and cost-effective on-site conversion of urea to ammonia for use as a reagent in the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO, eliminating the hazards associated with the transport, storage and handling of anhydrous or aqueous ammonia. In addition, orders were received from several new and existing Chinese customers for multiple small coal-fired units that will utilize HERT High Energy Reagent Technology and NO(x) OUT Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction (SNCR) systems at various industrial facilities.

A contract was also received for a Flue Gas Conditioning (FGC) system from a repeat utility customer for a large coal-fired unit in China. FGC technology uses sulfur and urea as conditioning reagents to improve the efficiency of electrostatic precipitators (ESPs), which are used to capture fly ash particulate from coal-fired boilers. FGC systems provide a low capital cost approach to improving particulate capture versus the alternatives of installing larger ESPs or fabric filter technology to meet regulatory requirements for particulate and opacity levels.

The ammonia needed for the FGC process is generated using Fuel Tech's ULTRA technology, expanding its use beyond SCR applications. Fuel Tech received two orders for its new XCAM Extractive Continuous Ammonia Monitor product line. XCAM is an engineered system designed to measure ammonia concentration for SNCR and SCR applications, combining the accuracy and repeatability of a Tunable Diode Laser measurement system with an extractive probe design.

XCAM provides ammonia monitoring that can be adjusted for specific areas of the flue gas, or to provide an average ammonia reading in the outlet ductwork. The probe design allows measurement of the duct cross-section without having to purchase multiple TDL analyzers, and the extractive nature of the system provides for easy access, alignment and maintenance. The XCAM system will provide data to the SNCR system controls to allow system optimization to improve NO(x) reduction performance and reduce reagent consumption, while allowing customers to monitor potential environmental and operational issues associated with excess ammonia emissions.