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: [Link] re