Predicting Hg emissions rates from coal-fired utility gas cleaning systems

FUEL 141

Chitralkumar V. Naik, neachitral@pacbell.net1, Balaji Krishnakumar, balaji.krishnakumar@gmail.com2, and Stephen Niksa, neasteve@pacbell.net2. (1) Niksa Energy Associates LLC, 1745 Terrace Drive, Belmont, CA 94002, (2) Niksa Energy Associates, 1745 Terrace Drive, Belmont, CA 94002
This study validates predicted Hg removal rates for inherent Hg controls with electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) and with activated carbon injection (ACI) across the broad range of fuel quality and ACI conditions implemented by American coal burning utilities. The reaction mechanisms underlying NEA's MercuRator™ program can predict Hg emissions rates in both applications as accurately as they can be measured. The measured Hg retention percentages ranged from zero to over ninety percent, yet the predictions depicted the test-to-test variations. This validation study represents broad domains of ACI rates as well as flue gas Cl and loss-on-ignition (LOI) levels. Provided that sufficient Cl is available to chlorinate the carbon sorbent, ACI rates determine particulate-Hg levels into the particle collection device (PCD). Since the available Cl depends strongly on coal quality, the saturation limit on Hg removal for fast ACI rates changes for different coals.
 

Mercury and Trace Metal Transformations: Modeling
8:25 AM-11:35 AM, Tuesday, August 21, 2007 Boston Park Plaza -- Chartes River Room, Oral

Division of Fuel Chemistry

The 234th ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA, August 19-23, 2007