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Title: Flue gas conditioning for improved particle collection in electrostatic precipitators

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7045559· OSTI ID:7045559

By injecting high concentrations of SO[sub 3] (80 to 100 ppM) it was possible to reduce the particle resistivity from 10[sup 11] to 10[sup 7] ohm-cm. However, it was very difficult to consistently obtain intermediate levels of resistivity. This was because of the steep relationships between gas phase SO[sub 3] and resistivity. It only takes a few ppM of SO[sub 3] to provide an order of magnitude change in resistivity. This is demonstrated by the curves in Figure 2. The water dew point for a gas stream with a moisture content of 10%, which is typical of coal fired boilers, is approximately 120[degrees]F. However, in a flue gas with only 2 ppM of SO[sub 3], sulfuric acid will begin to condense at 270[degrees]F. The effect of the rapid rise in acid dew point is reflected by the corresponding rapid decrease in resistivity. With no gas phase SO[sub 3] present the resistivity is in the high 10[sup 11] ohm-cm range. However with only 10 ppM of SO[sub 3], the resistivity drops three orders of magnitude. Therefore, intermediate levels of resistivity can only be obtained by controlling the SO[sub 3] concentration within 1 or 2 ppM.

Research Organization:
ADA Technologies, Inc., Englewood, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC22-91PC90364
OSTI ID:
7045559
Report Number(s):
DOE/PC/90364-T4; ON: DE93008094
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English