Optimization of high temperature sulfur impregnation on activated carbon for permanent sequestration of elemental mercury vapors
Abstract
Following previous success with the use of activated carbon impregnated with sulfur at elevated temperatures for elemental mercury control, possible improvements in the impregnation procedure were evaluated in this study. Adsorbents prepared by thoroughly mixing sulfur and activated carbon in the furnace at the initial sulfur-to-carbon ratio (SCR) ranging from 4:1 to 1:2 showed similar adsorptive behavior in a fixed-bed system. Maintaining a stagnant inert atmosphere during the impregnation process improves sulfur deposition resulting in the enhanced dynamic capacity of the adsorbent when compared to other sulfur impregnated carbons. The fate of spent adsorbents was assessed using a toxicity characteristics leaching procedure (TCLP). Although mercury concentration in all leachates was below the TCLP limit, virgin activated carbon lost a significant fraction of the adsorbed elemental mercury during storage, while no loss was observed for sulfur-impregnated carbons. This finding suggests that virgin activated carbon may not be appropriate adsorbent for permanent sequestration of anthropogenic elemental mercury emissions.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA (US)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 20026690
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG22-96PC96212
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal Name:
- Environmental Science and Technology
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 34; Journal Issue: 3; Other Information: PBD: 1 Feb 2000; Journal ID: ISSN 0013-936X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS; 01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT; FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS; COAL; MERCURY; AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT; WASTE PROCESSING; ACTIVATED CARBON; OPTIMIZATION; ADSORPTION; PERFORMANCE; FLUE GAS
Citation Formats
Liu, W, Vidic, R D, and Brown, T D. Optimization of high temperature sulfur impregnation on activated carbon for permanent sequestration of elemental mercury vapors. United States: N. p., 2000.
Web. doi:10.1021/es9813008.
Liu, W, Vidic, R D, & Brown, T D. Optimization of high temperature sulfur impregnation on activated carbon for permanent sequestration of elemental mercury vapors. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/es9813008
Liu, W, Vidic, R D, and Brown, T D. 2000.
"Optimization of high temperature sulfur impregnation on activated carbon for permanent sequestration of elemental mercury vapors". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/es9813008.
@article{osti_20026690,
title = {Optimization of high temperature sulfur impregnation on activated carbon for permanent sequestration of elemental mercury vapors},
author = {Liu, W and Vidic, R D and Brown, T D},
abstractNote = {Following previous success with the use of activated carbon impregnated with sulfur at elevated temperatures for elemental mercury control, possible improvements in the impregnation procedure were evaluated in this study. Adsorbents prepared by thoroughly mixing sulfur and activated carbon in the furnace at the initial sulfur-to-carbon ratio (SCR) ranging from 4:1 to 1:2 showed similar adsorptive behavior in a fixed-bed system. Maintaining a stagnant inert atmosphere during the impregnation process improves sulfur deposition resulting in the enhanced dynamic capacity of the adsorbent when compared to other sulfur impregnated carbons. The fate of spent adsorbents was assessed using a toxicity characteristics leaching procedure (TCLP). Although mercury concentration in all leachates was below the TCLP limit, virgin activated carbon lost a significant fraction of the adsorbed elemental mercury during storage, while no loss was observed for sulfur-impregnated carbons. This finding suggests that virgin activated carbon may not be appropriate adsorbent for permanent sequestration of anthropogenic elemental mercury emissions.},
doi = {10.1021/es9813008},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/20026690},
journal = {Environmental Science and Technology},
issn = {0013-936X},
number = 3,
volume = 34,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2000},
month = {Tue Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2000}
}