Reducing mercury emissions from the burning of coal
First Claim
1. A process for burning mercury containing fuel in a furnace of a fuel burning system to reduce the amount of mercury released from the system into the environment, the process comprising:
- adding a sorbent composition comprising bromine or iodine onto the coal upstream of the furnace;
delivering the fuel with the applied sorbent composition into the furnace;
adding sorbent components comprising calcium, silica, and alumina into the furnace where the temperature is greater than 2000°
F.; and
combusting the fuel in the furnace to produce combustion gases, ash and heat energy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Sorbent components containing halogen, calcium, alumina, and silica are used in combination during coal combustion to produce environmental benefits. Sorbents such as calcium bromide are added to the coal ahead of combustion and other components are added into the flame or downstream of the flame, preferably at minimum temperatures to assure complete formation of the refractory structures that result in various advantages of the methods. When used together, the components reduce emissions of elemental and oxidized mercury; increase the level of Hg, As, Pb, and/or Cl in the coal ash; decrease the levels of leachable heavy metals (such as Hg) in the ash, preferably to levels below the detectable limits; and make a highly cementitious ash product.
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Citations
47 Claims
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1. A process for burning mercury containing fuel in a furnace of a fuel burning system to reduce the amount of mercury released from the system into the environment, the process comprising:
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adding a sorbent composition comprising bromine or iodine onto the coal upstream of the furnace; delivering the fuel with the applied sorbent composition into the furnace; adding sorbent components comprising calcium, silica, and alumina into the furnace where the temperature is greater than 2000°
F.; andcombusting the fuel in the furnace to produce combustion gases, ash and heat energy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A process for reducing the amount of mercury escaping from a facility upon combustion of a mercury containing fuel in a furnace of the facility, the process comprising:
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adding a first sorbent composition comprising bromine onto the fuel upstream of the furnace; delivering the fuel with the added sorbent composition into the furnace; adding a second sorbent composition comprising 50-98% by weight of an alkaline powder containing calcium and 2-50% by weight of an aluminosilicate material into the furnace where the temperature is greater than 2000°
F.; andcombusting the fuel in the furnace to produce ash, combustion gases, and heat energy. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of burning coal with reduced levels of undesirable elements escaping into the environment, comprising:
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applying a solution of calcium bromide onto the coal; delivering the coal with the calcium bromide applied into a coal burning furnace; injecting a powder sorbent comprising an aluminosilicate mineral and one or more of portland cement, cement kiln dust, and lime kiln dust into the furnace where the temperature is greater than 1000°
F.; andcombusting the coal in the presence of the added calcium bromide and the injected powder to produce ash, combustion gases, and heat energy. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for reducing mercury levels in the flue gases resulting from combustion of the coal in the furnace of a coal burning system, the method comprising:
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applying sorbent components comprising halogen, calcium, silica, and alumina onto coal; delivering the coal with the applied sorbent components into the furnace; and combusting the coal with the applied sorbent components in the furnace to produce ash, combustion gases, and heat energy. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of burning a mercury containing fuel in a furnace of a fuel burning system to reduce emissions of mercury or other heavy metals to the environment outside the system, the method comprising:
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adding sorbent components comprising halogen, calcium, silica, and alumina onto the fuel upstream of the furnace, into the furnace, or into a convective pathway downstream of the furnace where the temperature is greater than 1500°
F.; andcombusting the fuel to produce ash, combustion ashes, and heat energy. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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Specification