Characterization of Particulates from Power Plants

The emphasis on participate control from industrial processes has been shifted recently towards fine particulates, having diameters less than 3 microns. There exists an urgent need for more scientific information of fine particle characterization.1,2 Coal and oil fired power plants are among the largest anthropogenic point sources of particulate matter.3 Limited knowledge is available on particle size distribution and trace metal composition in power plant emissions.4-7 The morphological properties of particle emissions have been largely neglected. In this report we present some information on particle characteristics for an oil-fired and coal-fired power plant.