Embracing MCPD regulations

In December 2017, the MCPD was introduced to improve air quality by controlling emissions to air. It becomes effective on new installations from December 2018 and, depending on size, existing plant in 2025 and 2030. 

Seen as a significant source of air pollution, medium combustion plant including gas/oil fired steam boilers are not currently regulated in the UK, but limits are now being imposed on NOx, SOx and particulate emissions, with different fuels attracting different limits.

Rather than further-improve products like its J Series to achieve these goals – and realising the implications the MCPD will have on its fuel-fired steam boiler portfolio – Fulton has gone back to the drawing board and, by adopting a new ‘PURE Technology’ initiative, the VSRT emerged and features a design that is durable, boasts higher efficiencies and reduces NOx emissions to levels that exceed the requirements of the MCPD. While the requirements of the MCPD do not apply to some of its smaller models, Fulton’s new VSRT range has been designed to not only meet, but to exceed the requirements set out by the new directive.

The VSRT’s spiral-rib heat exchanger is said to be a world first and NOx emissions for the new boiler are an ultra-low 20ppm, which means they will not only meet the 100mg/m3 NOx requirement of the MCPD, but the full range will also meet the planning requirement for new commercial developments from the City of London 2015-2020 air quality strategy, which states outputs of less than 40mgNOx/kWh.