Removal of mercury emissions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9669351-B2
Application number	US-201615079145-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2016
Priority date	Jun 3, 2003
Publication date	Jun 6, 2017
Grant date	Jun 6, 2017

Abstract

A method for more efficiently removing pollutant gases from flue gases of a solid-fueled steam generator includes storing a silo a carbonaceous sorbent in a powdered form; extracting a superheated steam from a superheated steam source; and reducing a temperature, pressure and moisture content of the superheated steam to provide a processed steam of a desired pressure, temperature and moisture content. The method further includes providing a sorbent mill receiving the carbonaceous sorbent and the processed steam, wherein the sorbent mill is operable to de-agglomerate and comminute the carbonaceous sorbent using the processed steam to provide a processed sorbent. Further the method includes injecting the processed sorbent into the flue gases at a desired location in the solid-fueled steam generator thereby adsorbing the pollutants therefrom; and collecting and thereby remove the carbonaceous sorbent from the flue gas fluidly downstream from the desired location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for more efficiently removing pollutant gases from flue gases of a solid-fueled steam generator; the method comprising:
storing in a silo a carbonaceous sorbent in a powdered form;
extracting a superheated steam from a superheated steam source;
reducing a temperature, pressure and moisture content of the superheated steam to provide a processed steam of a desired pressure, temperature and moisture content;
providing a sorbent mill receiving the carbonaceous sorbent and the processed steam, wherein the sorbent mill is operable to de-agglomerate and comminute the carbonaceous sorbent using the processed steam to provide a processed sorbent;
injecting the processed sorbent into the flue gases at a desired location in the solid-fueled steam generator thereby adsorbing the pollutants therefrom; and
collecting and thereby removing the carbonaceous sorbent from the flue gas fluidly downstream from the desired location.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbonaceous sorbent is powdered activated carbon.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising pulverizing in a mill a raw solid carbonaceous fuel to form the carbonaceous sorbent in powdered form.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the extracting superheated steam is from a low temperature superheater inlet header.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the extracting the superheated steam is from a de-superheater outlet header.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the extracting superheated steam is from a superheater outlet header.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the extracting superheated steam is from a reheater outlet header.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the extracting superheated steam is from wall sootblower stations.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the extracting superheated steam is from a turbine intermediate stage source.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sorbent mill is a jet mill.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising conveying by a steam educator the processed sorbent from the sorbent mill for injecting at the desired location using a portion of the processed steam as a motive force.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising an air educator to convey the carbonaceous sorbent from the silo to the sorbent mill using air as the transport medium.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the processed steam is greater than a condensation point.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reducing the temperature of the superheated steam includes using at least one of a heat exchanger and a water sprayer.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the reducing the pressure of the superheated steam includes using at least one pressure reduction valve to reduce.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the reducing condensation of the superheated steam includes using at least one of a water trap and a drier.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
sensing at least one of the pressure, temperature, and mass flow rate of the superheated steam using at least one sensor that provides at least one signal indicative of at least one of the pressure, temperature, and mass flow rate of the superheated steam; and
controlling at least one pressure control valve to reduce the pressure of the superheated steam in accordance with the at least one signal.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
sensing at least one of the pressure, temperature, and mass flow rate of the superheated steam using at least one sensor that provides at least one signal indicative of at least one of the pressure, temperature, and mass flow rate of the superheated steam; and
controlling at least one of a water trap and a drier to reduce condensation of the superheated steam in accordance with the at least one signal.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
sensing the moisture content of the superheated steam using at least one sensor that provides at least one signal indicative of moisture content of the superheated steam; and
controlling at least one moisture control valve of the steam processing device to reduce the temperature of the superheated steam in accordance with the at least one signal.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the desired location to inject the processed sorbent in the flue gas is upstream of a pre-heater.

Assignees

• Alstom Technology Ltd
• General Electric Technology Gmbh

Inventors

• Laflesh Richard C
• Iovino John
• Kang Shin G
• Edberg Carl D
• Cournoyer Raymond W

Classifications

• B01D2257/602

  Mercury or mercury compounds · CPC title

• F23J15/02

  of purifiers, e.g. for removing noxious material (traps for solid residues F23J3/04) · CPC title

• B01D53/12

  according to the "fluidised technique" · CPC title

• B01D53/10 Primary

  with dispersed adsorbents · CPC title

• B01D53/64 Primary

  Heavy metals or compounds thereof, e.g. mercury · CPC title