Reducing mercury emissions from the burning of coal
First Claim
1. A process for burning coal to reduce the amount of mercury released into the atmosphere comprising applying a sorbent composition comprising calcium bromide onto the coal;
- delivering the coal into a coal burning furnace;
combusting the coal containing the sorbent in the coal burning furnace to produce ash and combustion gases;
measuring a mercury level in the combustion gases; and
adjusting the amount of sorbent composition applied to the coal based on the value of the mercury level.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Processes and compositions are provided for decreasing emissions of mercury upon combustion of fuels such as coal. Various sorbent compositions are provided that contain components that reduce the level of mercury and/or sulfur emitted into the atmosphere upon burning of coal. In various embodiments, the sorbent compositions are added directly to the fuel before combustion; are added partially to the fuel before combustion and partially into the flue gas post combustion zone; or are added completely into the flue gas post combustion zone. In preferred embodiments, the sorbent compositions comprise a source of halogen and preferably a source of calcium. Among the halogens, iodine and bromine are preferred. In various embodiments, inorganic bromides make up a part of the sorbent compositions.
139 Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A process for burning coal to reduce the amount of mercury released into the atmosphere comprising
applying a sorbent composition comprising calcium bromide onto the coal; -
delivering the coal into a coal burning furnace;
combusting the coal containing the sorbent in the coal burning furnace to produce ash and combustion gases;
measuring a mercury level in the combustion gases; and
adjusting the amount of sorbent composition applied to the coal based on the value of the mercury level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 19, 20, 23)
-
-
9. A system for burning coal with reduced levels of mercury released outside the system comprising
a sorbent composition comprising calcium bromide; -
a coal burning furnace comprising a burning chamber, a convection path for combustion gases leading from the burning chamber to an exit outside the convection path, and a particle collection device disposed in the convection path;
an apparatus for delivering coal to the furnace for combustion;
an apparatus disposed in the convection path for measuring the level of mercury in the convection path;
a sorbent delivery apparatus disposed to deliver the sorbent composition onto the coal before delivery of the coal into the furnace; and
a controller disposed to receive an output signal from the mercury measuring apparatus, and operationally connected to the sorbent delivery apparatus to adjust the delivery of the sorbent based upon the value of the output signal.
-
-
10. A method for reducing the amount of sulfur and mercury emitted during combustion of coal in a coal burning system comprising a furnace and convective pathways for the combustion gases, the method comprising applying a first sorbent composition and a second sorbent composition into the system,
wherein one of the first and second sorbent compositions is added to the coal prior to combustion and the other is injected into the coal burning system in a zone of the convective pathway downstream of the burning chamber, and wherein the first sorbent composition comprises bromine and is added at an effective level to reduce mercury in the combustion gases and the second sorbent composition comprises calcium and is added at an effective level to reduce sulfur in the combustion gases.
-
11. A process for burning coal with reduced levels of undesirable elements escaping into the environment comprising
adding a mercury sorbent composition comprising a halogen into the coal burning process; -
adding a sulfur sorbent composition comprising a calcium powder and an aluminosilicate clay into the coal burning process;
burning the coal to produce ash and combustion gases;
measuring the level of mercury in the combustion gases; and
adjusting the amount of halogen added to the coal based on the level of mercury. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21, 22)
-
-
24. A method for reducing the level of mercury released into the atmosphere upon combustion of coal containing mercury in a coal burning system comprising a furnace and a convective pathway for combustion gases, the method comprising
adding a mercury sorbent and a sulfur sorbent onto pulverized coal; -
burning the coal in the furnace;
burning the coal along with the sorbents to produce combustion gases and ash; and
adjusting the amount of mercury sorbent added depending on the measured level, wherein the mercury sorbent comprises a halogen and the sulfur sorbent comprises a calcium compound and an aluminosilicate clay. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
Specification