NEWS RELEASE                                                                                                    JANUARY 2015

Coal-fired Power Plants around the World Are Switching to Fabric Filters

A small percentage of coal-fired power plants use fabric filters. Most utilize precipitators.  However, tough new regulations in all the regions of the world are creating a big market for fabric filters. They will be used on many new boilers as well as being retrofitted into existing power plants.  In many instances the bags are installed in the existing precipitator casing.  The market is regulatory driven. The extent of the switch in the U.S. and China will have the biggest impact.  This is the conclusion reached by McIlvaine in World Fabric Filter and Element Market.

The 2017 market for coal-fired boiler fabric filter systems could be as small as $1.5 billion or as large as $5 billion. The total market for fabric filter systems could be as low as $8.5 billion or as large as $12 billion.

The two largest variables are:

• Compliance with stringent particulate emission standards
• Competition from wet precipitators and upgraded dry precipitators

Both the U.S. and China have tough new standards which will be difficult to meet with existing dry precipitators.  The use of wet precipitators downstream of the existing dry precipitators will provide the required efficiency. However, fabric filters provide an equally efficient and, in most cases, a lower cost solution.  This is particularly true when the existing precipitator casing can be used.

Traditionally, the U.S. and Australia were the main proponents of fabric filters. Now Italy, Russia, China and Chile are among the countries utilizing fabric filters for their coal-fired boilers. South Africa has a very large retrofit program.

For more information on World Fabric Filter and Element Market, click on:http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/markets/2-uncategorised/110-n021