Thief process for the removal of mercury from flue gas

Patent · Tue Feb 18 00:00:00 EST 2003

OSTI ID:875052

Pennline, Henry W ^[1]; Granite, Evan J ^[2]; Freeman, Mark C ^[3]; Hargis, Richard A ^[4]; O'Dowd, William J ^[5]

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1. Bethel Park, PA
2. Wexford, PA
3. South Park Township, PA
4. Canonsburg, PA
5. Charleroi, PA

A system and method for removing mercury from the flue gas of a coal-fired power plant is described. Mercury removal is by adsorption onto a thermally activated sorbent produced in-situ at the power plant. To obtain the thermally activated sorbent, a lance (thief) is inserted into a location within the combustion zone of the combustion chamber and extracts a mixture of semi-combusted coal and gas. The semi-combusted coal has adsorptive properties suitable for the removal of elemental and oxidized mercury. The mixture of semi-combusted coal and gas is separated into a stream of gas and semi-combusted coal that has been converted to a stream of thermally activated sorbent. The separated stream of gas is recycled to the combustion chamber. The thermally activated sorbent is injected into the duct work of the power plant at a location downstream from the exit port of the combustion chamber. Mercury within the flue gas contacts and adsorbs onto the thermally activated sorbent. The sorbent-mercury combination is removed from the plant by a particulate collection system.

• Research Organization: National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, Morgantown, WV (United States)
• Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 6521021
• Application Number: 10/040,758
• OSTI ID: 875052
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

thief
process
removal
mercury
flue
gas
method
removing
coal-fired
power
plant
described
adsorption
thermally
activated
sorbent
produced
in-situ
obtain
lance
inserted
location
combustion
zone
chamber
extracts
mixture
semi-combusted
coal
adsorptive
properties
elemental
oxidized
separated
stream
converted
recycled
injected
duct
downstream
exit
contacts
adsorbs
sorbent-mercury
combination
removed
particulate
collection
combustion chamber
combustion zone
power plant
flue gas
thermally activated
/95/96/110/423/