NEWS RELEASE                                                                                                    MARCH 2013 

Huge Variable in Fabric Filter Market Depending on Power Regulations in U.S. and China

The market for fabric filter systems is now predicted at less than $9 billion in 2016 and 2017. However, if tough particulate regulations were to be enforced in the power industry, the market would rise to as much as $15 billion per year. This is the conclusion reached in World Fabric Filter and Element Market published by the McIlvaine Company.

Fabric Filter System Revenues ($ Millions)

China is now in the process of evaluating the ability of existing precipitators to meet the particulate reduction goals. The tentative conclusion is that widespread investment in fabric filters may be the only option.   If every power plant in China were to switch from precipitators to fabric filters, the cost would be over $50 billion.

The new power plant air toxic rule in the U.S. (MATS) has been weakened to define particulate as just discrete particles and to eliminate the inclusion of condensibles. This revision will allow utilities to meet the rules with existing precipitators. However, the rule does require continuous measurement of particulate mass instead of just opacity. This means that the weight during excursions will be included in the totals. Many believe that the existing precipitators will prove inadequate when subjected to continuous mass measurement. Less than 15 percent of U.S. coal-fired capacity is fitted with fabric filters. If the remaining capacity were forced to install fabric filters, the capital investment would be in excess of $30 billion.

For more information on World Fabric Filter and Element Market, click on: http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/component/content/article?id=48#n021