Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: A Retrofit and Low-Cost Small Industrial Boiler Flue Gas Purification Technology
EPA Contract Number: EPD05039Title: A Retrofit and Low-Cost Small Industrial Boiler Flue Gas Purification Technology
Investigators: Wu, Xiaoqun
Small Business: Sorption Technologies Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: March 1, 2005 through August 31, 2005
Project Amount: $69,990
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2005) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Watersheds , Endocrine Disruptors , Environmental Engineering , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , Air Quality and Air Toxics , SBIR - Air and Climate
Description:
Carbon-polymer composite (CPC) materials have proven to be very effective for removing sulfur dioxide (SO2) and mercury (Hg) from coal-burning flue gases in previous investigations. This research project aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of the CPC material-based technology for small industrial boiler flue gas purification applications.
This technology is proposed to simultaneously remove particulate matters smaller than 10 microns ( PM10), SO2, nitrogen oxides (NOx) , and Hgfrom the flue gases of oil- and coal-fired small industrial boilers. The technology uses ozone to oxidize NO into higher oxides, and in CPC material matrix, the formed higher nitrogen oxides and SO2 are converted into nitric acid and sulfur acid simultaneously in the presence of oxygen and moisture. Meanwhile, Hg can be fixed in a CPC matrix via chemisorption, and fine particles may be captured by the CPC material via surface filtration. Due to the self-regenerative feature of the CPC material, the process will not involve any CPC material-generation steps.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
Tests on the removal of fine particles indicated that whether the CPC tapes were laminated or unlaminated with a porous polytetrafluoroethylene layer, their fine particle removal performances are unexpectedly low. As proven in previous studies, the chemically promoted CPC material can be effectively used for the removal of SO2 and Hg; however, when it was used for NOx removal under the injection of ozone in this research, the NOx removal was not as efficient as expected. Contrarily, under similar conditions, the CPC material without any chemical treatment showed much better NOx removal efficiency.
Using the CPC material without chemical treatment, the NOx removal efficiency was investigated under different conditions. The presence of SO2 or Hg in flue gas may enhance NOx removal performance of CPC material.
Conclusions:
Based on Sorption Technologies, Inc.’s results, the CPC material appears to be unable to remove SO2, Hg, and NOx from flue gas simultaneously, and unable to remove fine particles efficiently. Different CPC materials should be used for SO2 and Hg removal, and NOx removal, respectively. This disadvantage may increase the complexity of the CPC material-based systems for applications involving the removal of contaminants from small industrial boiler flue gas.
Supplemental Keywords:
carbon-polymer-composite material, CPC, small industrial boiler, flue gas purification, air pollution, sulfur dioxide, SO2, mercury, Hg, nitrogen oxides, NOx, fine particles, particulate matter, PM10, contaminants, polytetrafluoroethylene, chemisorption , EPA, small business, SBIR,, RFA, Air, Scientific Discipline, INDUSTRY, Waste, Toxics, National Recommended Water Quality, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Processes, HAPS, Environmental Chemistry, 33/50, Engineering, Chemistry, & Physics, Incineration/Combustion, air toxics, Environmental Engineering, mercury & mercury compounds, removal, flue gases, sulfur dioxide (SO2), flue gas purification, industrial boilers, coal fired power plants, flue gas emissions, combustion exhaust gases, coal, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), aqueous scrubbing, combustion, combustion byproducts, retrofitting industrial boilers, flue gas, Mercury Compounds, coal combustion, combustion technology, toxicity characteristic leaching procedure, mercury, Sox, air pollution control, combustion waste recovery, combustion flue gasesThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.