Elemental mercury removal using a wet scrubber.
Mercury (Hg) is a toxic metal that is emitted into the environment by both natural and human activities. Acute and chronic exposure to mercury and methyl mercury in humans results in central nervous system damage, kidney damage, and even death. Although some Hg emission sources have been regulated, coal-fired utilities have not been. In anticipation of federal regulations on mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants, Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) has designed a flue gas simulation system to study the removal of elemental mercury. The simulated flue gas enters the system and combines with the inlet mercury vapor (from a calibrated permeation tube), carried by nitrogen gas. This combined gas continues past the flow meter and the pressure gage to the reactor inlet. Inside the reactor chamber, the flue gas is sprayed with NOXSORB{reg_sign}, a chloric acid solution, which reacts with elemental mercury. The amount of reaction (oxidation) of elemental mercury is important since mercury in an oxidized form is highly soluble, In this form, the Hg can be picked up downstream by a wet scrubber from fossil-fuel burning utilities. Experiments on mercury removal from flue gases have been conducted at ANL, with the participation of a senior design team from Purdue University Calumet. Temperature variations ranging from room temperature to 350 F have been studied. Other parameters, such as the concentration of NOXSORB{reg_sign}, were also tested. Furthermore, pump speed and sprayer droplet sizes of the NOXSORB{reg_sign} solution were studied. A literature survey on the current and proposed mercury control legislation, along with the existing control technologies, has been performed as part of the senior design project. With guidance from ANL, an understanding of the simulation system has been developed. This information has been used to determine the mass transfer. Another literature survey was performed on the reaction kinetics of mercury. The information obtained was used to postulate probable behavior of elemental mercury in flue gas. The experimental results obtained at Argonne will be related to existing wet scrubber technology to determine the economic feasibility of mercury removal. A cost per pound of mercury analysis will be utilized.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 11821
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/ES/CP-99072; TRN: AH200118%%291
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 61st Annual Meeting of the American Power Conference, Chicago, IL (US), 04/06/1999--04/08/1999; Other Information: PBD: 19 May 1999
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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