(632d) Non-Conventional Technologies for Mercury Removal From Coal-Fired Electric Power Plants

With the successful control of nitrogen oxides through catalytic reduction, sulfur dioxide through flue gas desulfurization units, and particulate matter through electrostatic precipitators and/or fabric filters, one of the last remaining pollutants from coal-fired power plants is mercury.  Specifically, it has been shown that while particulate-bound and many forms of oxidized mercury are removed in existing pollution control equipment, elemental mercury requires a specialized approach.  With the release of EPA Electric Utility MACT rule, and sometime more stringent state and local emissions rules, electric utilities such as Southern Company have heavily invested in research to achieve maximum emissions control and environmental protection. 

This talk will include an overview of conventional mercury-specific technology options, such as activated carbon injection and oxidation.  We will also discuss new approaches and results from our testing of non-carbon sorption, oxidation and precipitation, membrane-based sorption, multicontaminant removal, and final fate of mercury species (life cycle analysis). The removal of mercury is also affected by loading of sulfur trioxide and fine particulate matter (PM), so we will explain approaches which simultaneously address these issues as well.