Brief Outline of Information

In the interest of fair and objective treatment, opinions previously located at this site have been archived. For now, we offer only a brief summary and scanned documents from Tech and the Department of Environmental Quality.

• Boiler Information
  • Virginia Tech owns and operates a 1955 coal-fired boiler.
  • This boiler is one of 5 (five) that will provide space heating and water heating for all campus buildings. In addition, there are:
    • Three oil/natural gas boilers, which burn natural gas during the summer (when demand is low) and oil during the energy-intensive cold season.
    • A new coal-fired boiler (expected to be operational in 1998) which will meet current emissions standards, removing over 92% of both sulfur dioxide and PM-10s. The new boiler is about the same size and type of the 1955 boiler.
    • A 1948 coal fired-boiler, which is being (or may already have been) taken off-line so that the plant as a whole will not trigger PSD requirements. (PSD would require an in-depth analysis of pollution generated by the plant).
  • Tech plans on using both the new (filtered) boiler and the old 1955 boiler during the cold season.
  
  
  
• Pollution Control
  • Overview.
    • The 1955 boiler is not required by law to meet current requirements due to the 'grandfather clause'. It's only filtration equipment is an outdated "multicyclone" which removes only the heaviest particulates.
    • Though the new boiler will meet current emissions requirements, Tech does not plan on providing additional filtration for the 1955 boiler.
  • Particulates
    • The multicyclone removes less that 17% of the PM-10s (particulates less than 10 microns) produced when the coal is burned. Current law for a boiler of similar size, type, and usage would require 90% removal.
  • Sulfur Dioxide
    • Virginia Tech calculates that the 1955 boiler produces up to 386 tons a year of sulfur dioxide.
    • The multicyclone used on the old boiler does not remove any sulfur dioxide. Every pound of sulfur dioxide produced in the combustion chamber is released into the air.
    • The new boiler, to meet current emissions standards, will remove 92% of the sulfur dioxide it produces in combustion.
  • Nitrous Oxides
    • Though nitrous oxide emissions will soon be monitored for the entire plant, only the 1998 boiler will be required to meet strict emissions standards. (This is controlled by regulating combustion conditions, such as temperature and rate of air-flow).
    • Virginia Tech may voluntarily regulate the 1955 boiler in this manner as well; to our knowledge thay have made no such commitment.
  
  
  
• Health Impact
  • Smaller particulates are more dangerous to human health, as they penetrate deeper into the respiratory system, bypassing defense mechanism that protect us from larger particulates.
  • Acccording the the American Lung Association, Particulates "irritate and damage" lung tissue.
  • Students currently live directly across the street from the power plant.