Reactions of gaseous, elemental mercury with dilute halogen solutions

Journal Article · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996 · Preprints of Papers, American Chemical Society, Division of Fuel Chemistry

OSTI ID:420514

Mendelsohn, M H; Livengood, C D ^[1]

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1. Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)

Of the trace elements known to exist in fossil fuels, mercury (Hg) has emerged as one of the greatest concerns. Mercury has been found to be emitted from combustion in at least two different chemical forms: elemental Hg and oxidized Hg compounds. Precise identification of the oxidized compounds emitted has not been accomplished to date. However, most workers in this field assume that mercuric chloride should be the predominant oxidized species. Mercuric chloride should be readily removed in a wet scrubber system because of its relatively high solubility in water. However, it has been presumed, and we have shown, that elemental Hg will pass through a wet scrubber system with little or no removal being effected. Therefore, it is important, in order to obtain a high total Hg removal, to study methods that might result in a removal of gaseous, elemental Hg from a flue-gas stream. In this regard, we have been studying the effect of dilute halogen-containing solutions on elemental Hg in gas streams of various compositions. In particular, the results of passing Hg through bubblers containing solutions of iodine, chlorine, and chloric acid are described. Mercury found in the bubbler solutions is an indication of the extent of reaction (oxidation) of elemental Hg with the halogen species, since we have found very little Hg transferred to the liquid phase when only distilled water is used in the bubblers. Results using commercial iodine, sodium hypochlorite, and NOXSORB-solutions are presented and discussed.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 420514
• Report Number(s): CONF-960807--
• Journal Information: Preprints of Papers, American Chemical Society, Division of Fuel Chemistry, Journal Name: Preprints of Papers, American Chemical Society, Division of Fuel Chemistry Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 41; ISSN ACFPAI; ISSN 0569-3772
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
CHLORIC ACID
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COAL
COMBUSTION
FLUE GAS
FOSSIL FUELS
IODINE
MERCURY
OXIDATION
REMOVAL
SCRUBBERS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS