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Title: Mass transfer within electrostatic precipitators: in-flight adsorption of mercury by charged suspended particulates

Abstract

Electrostatic precipitation is the dominant method of particulate control used for coal combustion, and varying degrees of mercury capture and transformation have been reported across ESPs. Nevertheless, the fate of gas-phase mercury within an ESP remains poorly understood. The present analysis focuses on the gas-particle mass transfer that occurs within a charged aerosol in an ESP. As a necessary step in gas-phase mercury adsorption or transformation, gas-particle mass transfer - particularly in configurations other than fixed beds - has received far less attention than studies of adsorption kinetics. Our previous analysis showed that only a small fraction of gas-phase mercury entering an ESP is likely to be adsorbed by collected particulate matter on the plate electrodes. The present simplified analysis provides insight into gas-particle mass transfer within an ESP under two limiting conditions: laminar and turbulent fluid flows. The analysis reveals that during the process of particulate collection, gas-particle mass transfer can be quite high, easily exceeding the mass transfer to ESP plate electrodes in most cases. Decreasing particle size, increasing particle mass loading, and increasing temperature all result in increased gas-particle mass transfer. The analysis predicts significantly greater gas-particle mass transfer in the laminar limit than in the turbulentmore » limit; however, the differences become negligible under conditions where other factors, such as total mass of suspended particulates, are the controlling mass transfer parameters. Results are compared to selected pilot- and full-scale sorbent injection data. 41 refs., 5 figs.« less

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL (United States). Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
20762043
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Environmental Science and Technology
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 40; Journal Issue: 11; Other Information: herek.clack@iit.edu; Journal ID: ISSN 0013-936X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT; 20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS; MERCURY; ADSORPTION; ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATORS; COAL; AIR POLLUTION CONTROL; MASS TRANSFER; FLUE GAS; PARTICLE SIZE; TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE; PARTICULATES; LAMINAR FLOW; TURBULENT FLOW; SPHERES; FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS

Citation Formats

Clack, Herek L. Mass transfer within electrostatic precipitators: in-flight adsorption of mercury by charged suspended particulates. United States: N. p., 2006. Web. doi:10.1021/es050246+.
Clack, Herek L. Mass transfer within electrostatic precipitators: in-flight adsorption of mercury by charged suspended particulates. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/es050246+
Clack, Herek L. 2006. "Mass transfer within electrostatic precipitators: in-flight adsorption of mercury by charged suspended particulates". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/es050246+.
@article{osti_20762043,
title = {Mass transfer within electrostatic precipitators: in-flight adsorption of mercury by charged suspended particulates},
author = {Clack, Herek L},
abstractNote = {Electrostatic precipitation is the dominant method of particulate control used for coal combustion, and varying degrees of mercury capture and transformation have been reported across ESPs. Nevertheless, the fate of gas-phase mercury within an ESP remains poorly understood. The present analysis focuses on the gas-particle mass transfer that occurs within a charged aerosol in an ESP. As a necessary step in gas-phase mercury adsorption or transformation, gas-particle mass transfer - particularly in configurations other than fixed beds - has received far less attention than studies of adsorption kinetics. Our previous analysis showed that only a small fraction of gas-phase mercury entering an ESP is likely to be adsorbed by collected particulate matter on the plate electrodes. The present simplified analysis provides insight into gas-particle mass transfer within an ESP under two limiting conditions: laminar and turbulent fluid flows. The analysis reveals that during the process of particulate collection, gas-particle mass transfer can be quite high, easily exceeding the mass transfer to ESP plate electrodes in most cases. Decreasing particle size, increasing particle mass loading, and increasing temperature all result in increased gas-particle mass transfer. The analysis predicts significantly greater gas-particle mass transfer in the laminar limit than in the turbulent limit; however, the differences become negligible under conditions where other factors, such as total mass of suspended particulates, are the controlling mass transfer parameters. Results are compared to selected pilot- and full-scale sorbent injection data. 41 refs., 5 figs.},
doi = {10.1021/es050246+},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/20762043}, journal = {Environmental Science and Technology},
issn = {0013-936X},
number = 11,
volume = 40,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2006},
month = {Thu Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2006}
}