6/7/2017 DETERMININGCHIMNEYHEIGHTS

DeterminingChimneyHeights

CleanAirActs

TheCleanAirActsof1956and1968wereintroducedtocontrolairpollutioninEngland,WalesandScotland
andcoverallcombustionplant(exceptmotorvehicles)ineffectvirtuallyallboilers,airheaters,driersand
generalprocessesusingfuelmustcomplywiththeCleanAirActs.

Anyoneconsideringnewormodifiedplantshouldensurethatitwillmeettherelevantrequirementsofthe
Acts.
InNorthernIrelandchimneyheightcontroliscoveredbySection10ofTheCleanAirAct(NorthernIreland)
1964.

SulphurDioxide(So2)Levels

TheCleanAirActs1965&1968giveprocedureforcalculatingchimneyheightsbasedongroundlevelSO2.

ThemethodisbasedonresearchbySutton:

Pmax=153.7x(CZ/CY)x(S/H)

Where
Pmax=maximumadditionalSO2permissible(p.p.m.)
S=weightofsulphuremitted(kg/h)
windspeed(m/s)
CZ/CY=ratioofhorizontaltoverticaldiffusioncoefficientsofSO2intheair.
H=effectivechimneyheight(m).

ChimneyHeights

TheMemorandumonChimneyHeightspublishedbyHMSOprovidesasimpleguidetochimneyheightsfor
mostplant.
Thistakesintoaccountthemaximumrateofemissionofsulphurdioxide,theheightofadjacentbuildingsand
thegeneralbackgroundpollutionofthedistrict.
Wherethesulphurcontentofafuelisnegligible,theemissionsofotherpollutantsinthewastegasesmaybe
significant.

Alocalcouncil(boroughorurban)willnotapprovetheheightofachimneyunlesssatisfiedthatitwillprevent
thesmoke,grit,dust,gasesorfumesemittedfromthechimneyfrombecomingprejudicialtohealthora
nuisance.
Inbuiltupareasthiscansimplymeanthattheoutletofthechimneyshouldbeatleast1metreabovetheroof
(ridge)ofthebuildingorroofsofadjacentbuildings.

Forsmalltomediumsizedoilfiredplantconsultothermethodsofchimneyheightsizing.
AlsotheMemorandumonChimneyHeightsmethodisnotusedforno/lowsulphurfuelssuchasnatural
gas.

LargePlant

ThemethodofcalculatingchimneyheightsintheMemorandumonChimneyHeightsisbasedon:

1.ThemaximumrateofemissionofSO2calculatedfromthesulphurcontentofthefuelandthemaximum
rateatwhichthefuelwillbeburnt.

2.Awastegaseffluxvelocityatfullloadofnotlessthan6m/sforsmallinstallationswithforceddraught
fans,7.5m/swithinduceddraughtfanstoamaximumof15m/sforinstallationsratedat128MWor
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fans,7.5m/swithinduceddraughtfanstoamaximumof15m/sforinstallationsratedat128MWor
equivalent.

3.Thecharacterofthesurroundingarea,e.g.rural,residentialorindustrial.

4.Theheightoftheadjacentbuildings.

Small/MediumPlant

Allchimneysproduceasuctionattheirbaseduetothedifferenceindensityofthehotfluegasesrisinginthe
chimney.

SuctionEffect=Weightofacolumnofairatambienttemperatureweightofcolumnofhotflue
gases.

Or

p=Hxg(airfluegas)

where
p=suctionpressureordraught(N/m2)obtainedfromboilercatalogue.
H=heightofcolumn(m)orchimneyheight
g=accelerationduetogravity(9.81m/s2)
=density(kg/m2)

ChimneyorFlueheightcanbedeterminedfromthefollowing

H=p/[g(airfluegas)]

Example1

Calculationtheminimumflueheightforanoilfiredboileranddetermineasuitableterminationheightforthe
fluegiventhefollowinginformation
DATA
Buildingheightateaveslevel=6metres.
Heightofroofridge=8metres.
Heightofhighestopenablewindow=3.2metres.
Outsideairdensity=1.2kg/m3.
Fluegasdensity=1.0kg/m3.
Minimumfluegassuctionpressureatboiler=6Pa(N/m2).
Pressurelossinstraightflueandfluefittings=4Pa.

Answer

FlueGasSuctionPressurerequired=minimumboilersuctionpressure+Fluepressurelosses.
FluegasPressurerequiredatboiler=6+4=10Pa
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FluegasPressurerequiredatboiler=6+4=10Pa

Minimumflueheight:

H=p/[g(airfluegas)]

H=10/[9.81(1.21.0)]

H=10/1.962=5.097metres.

Asuitableterminationheightwouldbe6metressincethisismorethanthecalculatedminimumheight,above
openablewindows,lowerthantheridgeheightandateaveslevel.

NoteSeeBuildingRegulations(CombustionAppliancesandFuelStorage)fordetailsofflueterminal
positions.


PlumeRise

Plumeriseistheheightaboveachimneyoutletofthefluegases,asshownbelow.

Plumeriseprovidesanadvantageinchimneysystemsinthatthefluegasmoveshigherasitexitsthus
reducingthepossibilityofpollutingtheareabeneath.

Plumerisedependson:

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1.Windspeedhigherwindspeedsreducesplumeriseandcaninextremecasesleadtodowndraught.
2.Fluegasvelocityplumeriseincreaseswithincreasingeffluxvelocity.
Typicalvalues:6m/snaturaldraught
7.5to10.0m/sforced&induceddraughtplant.
3.Temperaturethehigherthefluegasdischargetemperature,themorethebuoyancyeffectandthe
highertheplumerise.
4.Volumeoffluegasthegreaterthevolumetricflowrate,thegreatertheplumerise.Thisisduetoair
infiltrationbecomingslowerwhichreducestherateofcoolingofthefluegas.

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