System and method for improved mercury control
View Patent ↗A combustion system having improved mercury collection. The system includes a combustion chamber for burning a fuel containing mercury, whereby burning produces a flue gas stream containing mercury and a device for removing mercury from the flue gas stream. The device includes a thermopolymer substrate; and a mercury-receptor attached to the substrate. In one embodiment, the system may further include a collector downstream of the device for collecting the mercury attached to the thermopolymer. The inventions further include alternative methods of mercury removal and preparation of the polymer substrate.
1. A combustion system having improved mercury collection, said system comprising:
(a) a combustion chamber for burning a fuel containing mercury, whereby burning produces a flue gas stream containing mercury; and
(b) a thermopolymer for removing mercury from the flue gas stream.
2. The system of claim 1 , further including a collector downstream of the thermopolymer for collecting the mercury attached to the thermopolymer.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the collector is an electrostatic precipitator.
4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the collector is a bag house.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the combustion system is a fossil fuel steam generator.
6. The system of claim 5 , further including at least one steam turbine connected to the steam generator.
7. The system of claim 6 , further including at least one electrical generator connected to the steam turbine for producing electricity.
8. A device for mercury-removal from a fluid, the device comprising:
(a) a polymer substrate, wherein the substrate contains substitutions to increase conductivity; and
(b) a mercury-receptor attached to the substrate.
9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the polymer is an aromatic polymer.
10. The device of claim 8 , wherein the polymer is a polyamide.
11. The device of claim 8 , wherein the polymer is a polysulfone.
12. The device of claim 8 , wherein the mercury-receptor is a halogen.
13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the mercury-receptor is selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine, and iodine.
14. The device of claim 8 , wherein the substrate is a fiber.
15. The device of claim 8 , wherein the substrate is a membrane.
16. The device of claim 8 , wherein the substrate is a particle.
17. The device of claim 8 , further including a heater.
18. The device of claim 8 , wherein the substrate is an electrically conductive composite.
19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the composite includes graphite.
20. The device of claim 8 , wherein the substrate contains a sulphonate functionality in the polymer or in a copolymer.
21. The device of claim 20 , wherein the sulphonate is bonded to a conductive cation.
22. The device of claim 21 , wherein the conductive cation is selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, ammonium, magnesium and calcium.
23. A combustion system having improved mercury collection, said system comprising:
(a) a combustion chamber for burning a fuel containing mercury, whereby burning produces a flue gas stream containing mercury;
(b) a device for removing mercury from the flue gas stream, said device including: (i) a thermopolymer substrate; and (ii) a mercury-receptor attached to the substrate; and
(c) a collector downstream of the device for collecting the mercury attached to the thermopolymer.
24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the collector is an electrostatic precipitator.
25. The system of claim 23 , wherein the collector is a bag house.
26. The system of claim 23 , wherein the combustion system is a fossil fuel steam generator.
27. The system of claim 26 , further including at least one steam turbine connected to the steam generator.
28. The system of claim 27 , further including at least one electrical generator connected to the steam turbine for producing electricity.
29. The system of claim 23 , wherein the polymer is an aromatic polymer.
30. The system of claim 23 , wherein the aromatic polymer is a polyamide.
31. The system of claim 23 , wherein the aromatic polymer is a polysulfone.
32. The system of claim 23 , wherein the mercury-receptor is a halogen.
33. The system of claim 32 , wherein the mercury-receptor is selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine, and iodine.
34. The system of claim 23 , wherein the substrate is a fiber.
35. The system of claim 23 , wherein the substrate is a membrane.
36. The system of claim 23 , wherein the substrate is a particle.
37. The system of claim 36 , wherein the particle is a bead.
38. The system of claim 23 , wherein the substrate is an electrically conductive composite.
39. The system of claim 38 , wherein the composite includes graphite.
40. The system of claim 23 , wherein the substrate contains substitutions to increase conductivity.
41. The system of claim 40 , wherein the substrate contains a sulphonate functionality in the polymer or in a copolymer.
42. The system of claim 41 , wherein the sulphonate is bonded to a conductive cation.
43. The system of claim 42 , wherein the conductive cation is selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, ammonium, magnesium and calcium.
44. A device for mercury-removal from a fluid, the device comprising:
(a) a polymer substrate;
(b) a mercury-receptor attached to the substrate, and
(c) a heater.
45. The device of claim 44 , wherein the polymer is an aromatic polymer.
46. The device of claim 44 , wherein the polymer is a polyamide.
47. The device of claim 44 , wherein the polymer is a polysulfone.
48. The device of claim 44 , wherein the mercury-receptor is a halogen.
49. The device of claim 48 , wherein the mercury-receptor is selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine, and iodine.
50. The device of claim 44 , wherein the substrate is a fiber.
51. The device of claim 44 , wherein the substrate is a membrane.
52. The device of claim 44 , wherein the substrate is a particle.
53. The device of claim 44 , wherein the substrate is an electrically conductive composite.
54. The device of claim 53 , wherein the composite includes graphite.
55. The device of claim 44 , wherein the substrate contains substitutions to increase conductivity.
56. The device of claim 55 , wherein the substrate contains a sulphonate functionality in the polymer or in a copolymer.
57. The device of 56 , wherein the sulphonate is bonded to a conductive cation.
58. The device of claim 57 , wherein the conductive cation is selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, ammonium, magnesium and calcium.
59. A device for mercury-removal from a fluid, the device comprising:
(a) a polymer substrate, wherein the substrate is an electrically conductive composite; and
(b) a mercury-receptor attached to the substrate.
60. The device of claim 59 , wherein the polymer is an aromatic polymer.
61. The device of claim 59 , wherein the polymer is a polyamide.
62. The device of claim 59 , wherein the polymer is a polysulfone.
63. The device of claim 59 , wherein the mercury-receptor is a halogen.
64. The device of claim 63 , wherein the mercury-receptor is selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine, and iodine.
65. The device of claim 59 , wherein the substrate is a fiber.
66. The device of claim 59 , wherein the substrate is a membrane.
67. The device of claim 59 , wherein the substrate is a particle.
68. The device of claim 59 , wherein the composite includes graphite.
69. The device of claim 59 , wherein the substrate contains substitutions to increase conductivity.
70. The device of claim 69 , wherein the composite contains a sulphonate functionality in the polymer or in a copolymer.
71. The device of 70 , wherein the sulphonate is bonded to a conductive cation.
72. The device of claim 71 , wherein the conductive cation is selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, ammonium, magnesium and calcium.
73. The device of claim 59 , further including a heater.