Partitioning behavior of mercury during coal combustion: the influence of low-NOx burners and operation load of boiler

摘要

Two 200 MW, pulverized bituminous coal-fired electric utility boilers each equipped with a five-field cold-side electrostatic precipitator (ESP) as the only air pollution control device (APCD) were investigated on mercury distribution and speciation under various conditions. With the same fuel consumption, both facilities are the same but with different burners, low-NOx type and conventional type. Sampling points of gaseous mercury and chlorine species were at the inlet and outlet of the ESP. The mercury concentrations in various solids, including parent coal, bottom slag, economizer bottom ash and fly ash in different hoppers of ESP, were sampled and analyzed. The Ontario Hydro Method was employed to detect mercury in flue gas, and HC1 and Cl_2 were detected by the EPA method 26. A series of tests were conducted on the boiler with low-NOx burners under various loads (70, 85 and 100% of full load) and on the other boiler with conventional burners under full load. Results showed that small amount of mercury remained in the solid combustion products and most of mercury was released into the atmosphere. The majority of the released mercury was in oxidized form. Burner types and load variation had effects on Cl species concentration in flue gas. Furthermore, particle diameter and carbon content and specific surface area of fly ash affected speciation and distribution of mercury and mercury removal efficiency of ESP.