Experimental study on mercury transformation and removal in coal-fired boiler flue gases

Abstract This paper reported mercury speciation and emissions from five coal-fired power stations in China. The standard Ontario Hydro Method (OHM) was used into the flue gas mercury sampling before and after fabric filter (FF)/electrostatic precipitator (ESP) locations in these coal-fired power stations, and then various mercury speciation such as Hg 0 , Hg 2+ and Hg P in flue gas, was analyzed by using EPA method. The solid samples such as coal, bottom ash and ESP ash, were analyzed by DMA 80 based on EPA Method 7473. Through analysis the mercury speciation varied greatly when flue gas went through FF/ESP. Of the total mercury in flue gas, the concentration of Hg 2+ is in the range of 0.11–14.76 μg/N m 3 before FF/ESP and 0.02–21.20 μg/N m 3 after FF/ESP; the concentration of Hg 0 ranges in 1.18–33.63 μg/N m 3 before FF/ESP and 0.77–13.57 μg/N m 3 after FF/ESP, and that of Hg P is in the scope of 0–12.11 μg/N m 3 before FF/ESP and 0–0.54 μg/N m 3 after FF/ESP. The proportion of Hg 2+ ranges from 4.87%–50.93% before FF/ESP and 2.02%–75.55% after FF/ESP, while that of Hg 0 is between 13.81% – 94.79% before FF/ESP and 15.69%–98% after FF/ESP, with that of Hg P is in the range of 0%–45.13% before FF/ESP and 0%–11.03% after FF/ESP. The mercury in flue gas mainly existed in the forms of Hg 0 and Hg 2+ . The concentrations of chlorine and sulfur in coal and flue gas influence the species of Hg that are formed in the flue gas entering air pollution control devices. The concentrations of chlorine, sulfur and mercury in coal and the compositions of fly ash had significant effects on mercury emissions.