NO/sub x/ and SO/sub x/ removal in a high sulfur spray dryer system

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:5865615

Farber, P S; Huang, H S; Allen, J W

Potential acid-deposition legislation is likely to call for extensive reductions of sulfur dioxide (SO/sub 2/) emissions in the midwestern United States. These reductions will be aimed primarily at the older utility power plants that operate without scrubbers. A study by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has indicated that at least 25 plants in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio would be affected by this legislation. If fuel switching is one of the allowable options under whatever legislation is mandated, the impact on the midwestern coal industry will be enormous, with dozens of mines being forced to close. There is also a growing realization that the role of nitrogen oxides (NO/sub x/), although not as critical as that of sulfur oxides (SO/sub x/), has to be included in any acid-deposition control scenario. The development of environmental control processes for the simultaneous control of NO/sub x/ and SO/sub x/ is one of the national priorities being pursued by the US Department of Energy. The specific effort to develop combined SO/sub x//NO/sub x/ control technology in spray dryers is centered around laboratory and field efforts at ANL. It has been found that a combination of modified process conditions and addition of caustic soda to the lime-based spray dryer system allowed for removal of some of the nitrogen oxides from the flue gases, with some increases in the sorbent ratio necessary for the system to maintain its ability to remove sulfur dioxide. The existence of a temperature ''window'' that is ideal for NO/sub x/ removal could not be verified during the field tests, primarily due to an upper limit of 210 to 215/sup 0/F in the tests. A distinct relationship (above 190/sup 0/F) between the equivalence (defined as the chemical combining capacity) ratio of the reactants and the pollutants, the thickness of the filter cake, and the ratio of sulfur oxides to nitrogen oxides at the system entrance was found for the removal of NO/sub x/ pollutants.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 5865615
• Report Number(s): CONF-870999-7; ON: DE88003043
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010800* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Waste Management
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200202 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Waste Management-- Noxious Gas & Particulate Emissions
500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
ADDITIVES
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CALCITE
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATE MINERALS
CARBONATES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL INDUSTRY
DENITRIFICATION
DESULFURIZATION
DRYING
EQUIPMENT
FLUE GAS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
GAS ANALYSIS
GASEOUS WASTES
INDUSTRY
MINERALS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT
POWER PLANTS
RAIN
REGULATIONS
REMOVAL
SCRUBBERS
SORPTION
SPRAY DRYING
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
WASTES