Zimmer Power Plant EVEN 6309 Fundamentals of Air Quality and Pollution Control

Control of Sulfur Dioxide

Fuel Desulfurization
From Liquid Fuels: Hydro desulfurization R-S + H2 => H2S + R Clauss Process H2S + 0.5 O2 => H2O + SO2 H2S + SO2 => H2O + 3S Sulfuric Acid SO2 + 0.5 O2 => SO3 (4) SO3 + H2O => H2SO4 Usually H2SO4 is recycled

Sulfur removal from Coal

Pyrite, iron sulfide is the classic "Fool's Gold". often mistaken for gold, . (30-70%) as (FeS2) can be removed by washing, but organic carbon requires a different approach Coal Gasification
Expensive Followed by hydrodesulfurization

SO2 Removal Technologies

Fundamentally scrubbing with an alkali Chemical selection influenced by cost and efficiency Alternatives include direct injection of alkali in the combustion equipment Or, treatment in a separate operation (more efficient) Processes differ if chemicals are recovered, or a marketable product is obtained

Limestone Scrubbing
Use limestone slurry (calcium carbonate) to remove SO2 as sulfite: CaCO3(s) + H2O + 2SO2 => Ca+2 + 2HSO3- + CO2 CaCO3(s) + 2HSO3- + Ca+2 => 2CaSO3 + CO2 + H2O Overall: CaCO3(s) + SO2 => CaSO3 + CO2 CaSO3 . 2H2O + 0.5O2 => CaSO4 . 2H2O

Limestone Scrubbing Process

Lime Srubbing
Lime, Ca(OH)2, more expensive than limestone, but more efficient CaO + H2O => Ca(OH)2 SO2 + H2O => H2SO3 H2SO3(s) + Ca(OH)2 => CaSO3 . 2H2O CaSO3 . 2H2O + 0.5O2 => CaSO4 . 2H2O

Forced Oxidation
The sulfite/sulfate slurry formed is completely oxidized to calcium sulfate sludge (Gypsum) by bubbling air into a collection tank. CaSO3 . 2H2O + 0.5O2 => CaSO4 . 2H2O Post-processing of by-product necessary to meet quality requirements and/or reduce volume

Forced oxidation schematic

Forced Oxidation Solids Train

Removal Efficiencies

Limestone Silos

Hydrocyclone for Dewatering Gypsum

Byproduct Gypsum for Wallboard Manufacturing

Finished Wallboard Product

Spray Dry System

A slurry of alkali sorbent, usually slaked lime, is injected into the flue gases in a fine spray The heat from the flue gases causes the water to evaporate, cooling the gases SO2 reacts with the drying sorbent to form a solid product of calcium sulfite and sulfate, with no waste water Can be done directly into the furnace or boiler or in a separate scrubber Good for retrofits

Dual Alkali System

To avoid injecting limestone or lime in the scrubber and the consequent scaling, use soluble Na2SO3/NaOH to absorb/neutralize Regenerate NaOH (which is expensive) with limestone or lime in the sump tank, simultaneously precipitates calcium sulfite and sulfate Soda ash (sodium carbonate) added to make-up for sodium wasted

Dual Alkali Diagram

The Wellman-Lord Regenerative Process

Sodium sulfite is used to absorb SO2 forming sodium bisulfite Sodium sulfite is regenerated by heating the bisulfite A by-product is a concentrated stream of SO2 (85% SO2) which is a marketable raw material for sulfuric acid production, or for elemental sulfur. Soda ash (sodium carbonate) is used to make-up for losses of sodium with the purged sulfate sludge

1st Stage: Absorption

The hot flue gases are passed through a prescrubber where ash, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride and SO3 are removed The gases are then cooled and fed into the absorption tower A saturated solution of sodium sulfite is then sprayed into the top of the absorber onto the flue gases; the sodium sulfite reacts with the SO2 forming sodium bisulfite The concentrated bisulfite solution is collected and passed to an evaporation system for regeneration.

2nd Stage Regeneration

The sodium bisulfite is broken down, using steam, to release the sodium sulfite, which is recycled back to the flue gases. The remaining product - the released SO2 - is converted to elemental sulfur or sulfuric acid or liquid SO2. This system offers a number of advantages over alternative systems, the main one being that the sorbent is regenerated during the combustion process and is continuously recycled.

Wellman-Lord Regenerative Processes

Removal Na2SO3 + SO2 + H2O => 2NaHSO3 Na2SO3 + 0.5O2 => Na2SO4 Na2SO3 + SO3 + H2O => 2NaHSO3 Regeneration 2NaHSO3 + heat => Na2SO3 + SO2 + H2O Make-up Na2CO3 + SO2 => Na2SO3 + CO2

WL Process Diagram

Design
Main objective is to determine alkali consumption Mass transfer from the gas to the liquid film: N/A = Kg (Pp SO2 HSO2 CSO2 N/A is the molar flux, Kg is overall gas phase mass transfer coefficient, Pp SO2 is the partial presure in the bulk gas phase, H SO2 is the Henrys constant and CSO2 is the concentration in the bulk liquid And 1/Kg = 1/kg + HSO2 /Fkt Where F kt are local mass transfer coefficient and reaction factor respectively

Costs
SO2 control represents about 20% of the capital cost of a new power plant Best cost reference is the Electric Power Research Institute EPRI (1992) Economic Evaluation of FGD Systems Capital and operational costs can be estimated using CUECost3 from EPA: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/catc/products.html#softwa re