Mercury capture by distinct fly ash carbon forms

Conference · Thu Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1999

OSTI ID:20082349

Hower, J C; Maroto-Valer, M M; Taulbee, D N; Sakulpitakphon, T

Carbon was separated from the fly ash from a Kentucky power plant using density gradient centrifugation. Using a lithium heterolpolytungstate high-density media, relative concentrations of inertinite (up to 85% vol.), isotropic carbon (up to 79% vol.), and anisotropic carbon (up to 76% vol.) were isolated from the original fly ash. Mercury concentration was lowest in the parent fly ash (which contains non-carbon components); followed by inertinite, isotropic coke, mixed isotropic-anisotropic coke fraction, and, with the highest concentration, the anisotropic coke concentrate. The latter order corresponds to the increase in BET surface area of the fly ash carbons. Previous studies have demonstrated the capture of mercury by fly ash carbon. This study confirms prior work demonstrating the varying role of carbon types in the capture, implying that variability in the carbon content influences the amount of mercury retained on the fly ash.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (US)
• OSTI ID: 20082349
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
ADSORPTION
BITUMINOUS COAL
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CONCENTRATION RATIO
FLY ASH
INERTINITE
MERCURY
SORPTIVE PROPERTIES
SURFACE AREA