Migration and distribution characteristics of typical organic pollutants in condensable particulate matter of coal-fired flue gas and by-products of wet flue gas desulfurization system.

The wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) system of coal-fired power plants shows a good removal effect on condensable particulate matter (CPM), reducing the dust removal pressure for the downstream flue gas purification devices. In this work, the removal effect of a WFGD system on CPM and its organic pollutants from a coal-fired power plant was studied. By analyzing the organic components of the by-products emitted from the desulfurization tower, the migration characteristics of organic pollutants in gas, liquid, and solid phases, as well as the impact of desulfurization towers on organic pollutants in CPM, were discussed. Results show that more CPM in the flue gas was generated by coal-fired units at ultra-low load, and the WFGD system had a removal efficiency nearly 8% higher than that at full load. The WFGD system had significant removal effect on two typical esters, especially phthalate esters (PAEs), with the highest removal efficiency of 49.56%. In addition, the WFGD system was better at removing these two esters when the unit was operating at full load. However, it had a negative effect on n-alkanes, which increased the concentration of n-alkanes by 8.91 to 19.72%. Furthermore, it is concluded that the concentration distribution of the same type of organic pollutants in desulfurization wastewater was similar to that in desulfurization slurry, but quite different from that in coal-fired flue gas. The exchange of three organic pollutants between flue gas and desulfurization slurry was not significant, while the concentration distribution of organic matters in gypsum was affected by coal-fired flue gas.

Suggestion on further strengthening ultra-low emission standards for PM emission from coal-fired power plants in China.

China has established the largest clean coal-fired power generation system in the world by accomplishing the technological transformation of coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) to achieve ultra-low emission. The potential for further particulate matter (PM) emission reduction to achieve near-zero emission for CFPPs has become a hotspot issue. In this study, PM emission from some ultra-low emission CFPPs adopting advanced air pollutant control technologies in China was reviewed. The results revealed that the average filterable particulate matter (FPM) concentration, measured as the total particulate matter (TPM) according to the current national monitoring standard, was (1.67±0.86) mg/m3, which could fully achieve the ultra-low emission standard for key regions (5 mg/m3), but that achieving the near-zero emission standard was difficult (1 mg/m3). However, the condensable particulate matter (CPM), with an average concentration of (1.06±1.28) mg/m3, was generally ignored during monitoring, which led to about 38.7% underestimation of the TPM. Even considering both FPM and CPM, the TPM emission from current CFPPs would contribute to less than 5% of atmospheric PM2.5 concentrations in the key cities and regions in China. Therefore, further reduction in FPM emission proposed by the near-zero emission plan of CFPPs may have less environmental benefit than emission control of other anthropogenic sources. However, it is suggested that the management of CPM emission should be strengthened, and a national standard for CPM emission monitoring based on the indirect dilution method should be established for CFPPs. Those measurements are helpful for optimal operation of air pollutant control devices and continuously promoting further emission reduction.

Role of sulphur and chlorine in condensable particulate matter formation during coal combustion.

Condensable particulate matter (CPM) is a major component of primary particulate matter emitted into the atmosphere from stationary sources. However, the factors affecting CPM generation remain unclear. In this study, we systematically investigated the role of sulphur and chlorine in CPM formation during coal combustion. To explore the influence of S, various concentrations of SO2 (0-2000 ppm) were added to the combustion process of high-S coal. The role of Cl in the generation of CPM was revealed by burning coal with a significant difference in the Cl content (0.51-9.70 mg/g). The results show that addition of SO2, especially in SO42-, to the combustion process increases the CPM inorganic fraction content from 5.83 to 48.3 mg/m3. In addition, we speculated that the presence of SO2 may have led post-break oxidation of long-chain alkanes to form esters, especially phthalates. At the same time, in experiments concerning Cl, the opposite trend was observed between S and Cl in the CPM inorganic fraction. As the Cl content in the fuel increased, the S content in the inorganic fraction of CPM gradually decreased. This is because Cl inhibits the conversion of SO2 to SO3, therefore, less S forms CPM as SO3 or as sulphides.

[Effect of WESP on Emission Characteristics of Condensable Particulate Matter from Ultra-low Emission Coal-fired Power Plants].

In order to study the effect of wet electrostatic precipitators(WESP) on emission characteristics of condensable particulate matter (CPM) from ultra-low emission coal-fired power plants that are under different capacity conditions, a set of CPM sampling devices was built based on US EPA Method 202, and an ultra-low emission coal-fired power plant was detected. This study evaluated the emission level of the CPM from the flue gas of coal-fired power plants, the effects of different unit capacity conditions on the CPM emission concentrations, and the removal efficiency of WESP for different components of the CPM. The results suggested that the emission concentrations of the CPM from ultra-low emission power plants were 27.27 mg·m-3 and 28.71 mg·m-3under the conditions of 75% and 100% capacity, respectively. The removal efficiencies of WESP for the CPM were 35.59% and 27.59%, respectively. SO42- was the main component of water-soluble ions of the CPM. The proportion of SO42- in inorganic components of the CPM reached more than 65% under different capacity conditions. In addition, the removal efficiency of WESP for Cl-, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, and other inorganic ions reached 30%-50%, but the mass concentrations of SO42- and NO3- increased.

Study on characteristics of organic components in condensable particulate matter before and after wet flue gas desulfurization system of coal-fired power plants.

Wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) in coal-fired power plants has a great impact on the emission of particulate matter, including filterable particulate matter (FPM) and condensable particulate matter (CPM). In this paper, CPM and FPM in flue gas before and after WFGD in coal-fired power plants were sampled in parallel. FPM was tested according to ISO standard 23210-2009, and CPM was tested according to U.S. EPA Method 202. A method for quantitatively analyzing fatty acid methyl esters in CPM was established, and the removal capacity of fatty acid methyl esters and phthalate esters by WFGD in a typical coal-fired unit was compared. Results show that WFGD has a significant effect on particle size distribution, concentration, and chemical composition. WFGD has a high removal efficiency of inorganic components in CPM, up to 54.74%. CPM contains a variety of organic compounds, including hydrocarbons, esters, siloxanes, halogenated hydrocarbons, and so on. In particular, esters are an important component in CPM, whose concentration tends to decrease after WFGD. Furthermore, a total of 11 fatty acid methyl esters and 5 phthalate esters were detected in CPM before and after WFGD. Noted that fatty acid methyl esters account for 13.38% of CPM, which make a higher contribution to the concentration of particulate matter than phthalate esters, while WFGD has a stronger control effect on the removal of phthalates.

Study on the removal characteristics of different air pollution control devices for condensable particulate matter in coal-fired power plants.

This study reports the emissions of condensable particulate matter (CPM) and filterable particulate matter (FPM) in two coal-fired power plants with different air pollution control devices (APCDs). The mechanisms of CPM removed by existing APCDs in coal-fired power plants were explored, and a series of analyses were also carried out on the composition and characteristics of CPM. The results show that the removal efficiencies to CPM by electrostatic-bag-precipitator (EBP) and ESP are 77.34% and 79.23%, respectively, so the difference is not obvious because the interception filtration mechanisms of baghouses for CPM have less effect on CPM compared to FPM. The mechanism of EBP/ESP to remove CPM is mainly electrostatic adsorption and FPM's adsorption. The concentration of CPM decreases when passing through WFGD. However, the WESP can increase the CPM in different ways. For example, the pollution of the circulation of the flushing fluid may cause the increase of CPM. In addition, CPM mainly includes three parts. The first part is organic fractions such as alkanes and esters; the second is the water-soluble ions that include SO42-, NH4+, and Cl-; and the third is Na, Ca, and other minerals. The research in this study is helpful to understand the impact of existing APCDs in coal-fired power plants on CPM and the sources of CPM.

[Emission Concentration and Characteristics of Particulate Matter and Water-Soluble Ions in Exhaust Gas of Typical Combustion Sources with Ultra-Low Emission].

A self-developed direct condensation sampling system and monitoring method for total particulate matter (TPM) in ultra-low-emission and high-humidity exhaust gas were applied to the emission monitoring of particulate matter in flue gas from three typical combustion sources with ultra-low emissions in Beijing. The emission levels and composition characteristics of particulate matter and water-soluble ions in the exhaust gas of typical combustion sources with ultra-low emissions were analyzed and evaluated. The interaction and influencing factors of filterable particulate matter (FPM) and condensable particulate matter (CPM) and their water-soluble ions were explored. The results showed that the emission concentration of FPM in the exhaust gas of the coal-fired boiler with ultra-low emissions was between 1.04 mg·m-3 and 1.11 mg·m-3 in standard smoke oxygen content, and that of TPM was between 3.82 mg·m-3 and 8.69 mg·m-3, which all met the national ultra-low emission limit (10 mg·m-3). However, the TPM emission concentration of the coal-fired power plant exceeded the emission limit of Beijing (5 mg·m-3). The emission concentrations of CPM and its total water-soluble ions from the coal-fired heating boiler were 3.05 mg·m-3 and 1.30 mg·m-3, respectively, which were significantly lower than those of the coal-fired power plant, and were related to the higher load and flue gas temperature of the coal-fired power plant. Furthermore, the emission concentrations of CPM and its total water-soluble ions from the coal-fired power plant boiler were 2.2 to 2.4 times and 1.7 to 2.2 times greater than those of the coal-fired heating boiler, respectively. The emission concentrations of TPM and its total water-soluble ions from the gas power plant were 1.99 mg·m-3 and 1.44 mg·m-3, respectively, which were significantly lower than those from the coal-fired boiler. CPM was the main form of particulate matter in the exhaust gas of the combustion source. The contribution of CPM to TPM in the ultra-low-emission boiler flue gas increased significantly, and increased with the increase in the flue gas temperature, ranging from 72.6% to 88.1% for the coal-fired boiler and 93.1% for the gas power plant. Total water-soluble ions made up 66.1% to 94.2% of the CPM. The flue gas temperature had a significant impact on the existing forms, removal efficiencies, and emission concentrations of particulate matter and water-soluble ions. SO42- was the main characteristic water-soluble ion of particulate matter in the coal-fired boiler, and its emission concentration ranged from 0.98 mg·m-3 to 1.18 mg·m-3, accounting for 27.7% to 49.6% of the total water-soluble ion emissions, which originated from flue gas desulfurization. F- was another characteristic water-soluble ion of particulate matter in the coal-fired power plant, and its emission concentration ranged from 1.91 mg·m-3 to 2.32 mg·m-3, accounting for 54.4% to 56.1% of the total water-soluble ion emissions, which might have been related to the high F content of fuel coal. NH4+ was the main characteristic water-soluble ion of particulate matter in the gas power plant, and its emission concentration was 0.92 mg·m-3, accounting for 64.2% of the total water-soluble ion emissions, which originated from the escape of NH3 in the process of selective catalytic reduction. The emission concentration of NH4+ was significantly higher than that of the coal-fired boiler; this might have been related to the synergistic removal effect of the gas-fired power plant, which lacked other purification facilities.

Comparative study on the characteristics of condensable particulate matter emitted from three kinds of coal.

Condensable particulate matter (CPM) is quickly formed by several gaseous substances in flue gas after emission and belongs to primary particulate matter emitted into the atmosphere by stationary sources. Many studies have shown that current CPM emissions from coal-fired stationary sources far exceed filterable particulate matter, and the issue of CPM emissions has attracted widespread attention. The current research on CPM mainly focuses on its emission characteristics in stationary sources and its migration characteristics in pollutant-controlled equipment, lacking the characteristics of CPM directly generated by fuel combustion. In this study, a one-dimensional flame furnace is used as a stable source of flue gas in the laboratory. The concentration (including inorganic and organic components) and chemical composition (including water-soluble ions, metal elements, and organic matters) of CPM are obtained by the combustion of three kinds of coal (Inner Mongolia lignite, Jinjie bitumite, and Ningxia anthracite) that China consumes in large amounts. The characteristics of CPM including emission factors obtained from different kinds of coal under various experimental conditions are comparatively analyzed. Moreover, a scanning electron microscope-energy-dispersive spectrometer is used to observe the morphology and elemental composition of CPM collected on the filter membrane after the combustion of different kinds of coal. Results show that CPM is mainly in the form of droplets or spheres, and heavy metal elements such as Hg, As, Se, and Sb are detected. These valuable data will enrich people's understanding of the characteristics of CPM generated by coal combustion and can provide data references for evaluating the influence of CPM on the environment.

[Monitoring Method of Total Particulate Matter in Ultra-low-emission and High-humidity Exhaust Gas from Stationary Sources and an Actual Test in a Gas Power Plant].

With the implementation of ultra-low-emission transformation in coal-fired power plants and other related industries in China, the concentrations of filterable particulate matter (FPM) and gaseous pollutants in exhaust gas from stationary sources have reduced significantly, while the emission of condensable particulate matter (CPM) remains a concern. In this study, the monitoring methods of FPM and CPM at a relatively low FPM concentration in exhaust gas from stationary sources in China and abroad were comprehensively analyzed. On the basis of existing research and experimental exploration, the monitoring methods of FPM and CPM were further studied. A direct condensation sampling and monitoring method for total particulate matter (TPM) in ultra-low-emission and high-humidity exhaust gas from stationary sources, which is suitable for the actual situation in China, was developed and established before being used to measure TPM in exhaust gas from a gas power plant in Beijing. The results showed that the emission concentration of TPM in the exhaust gas from the gas power plant was between 1.98 mg·m-3 and 3.77 mg·m-3 (average of 2.81 mg·m-3), whereas the average emission concentration of FPM was only 0.10 mg·m-3. The emission type of particulate matter in exhaust gas from the gas power plant was mainly CPM, which accounted for 93.8% to 99.2% of the TPM (average of 97.0%). The proportion of FPM to TPM ranged from 0.7% to 6.2% (average of 3.0%). The emission concentration of filterable CPM was slightly higher than that of FPM.

Investigation on condensable particulate matter emission characteristics in wet ammonia-based desulfurization system.

Particulate matter emissions from ammonia-based wet flue gas desulfurization (Ammonia-WFGD) systems are composed of a filterable particulate matter and a condensable particulate matter (CPM) portion. However, the CPM part has been ignored for a long time, which results in an underestimation of the aerosol problems caused by Ammonia-WFGD systems. In our research, the characteristics of the CPM that emits from an Ammonia-WFGD system are investigated experimentally for the first time, with the US Environmental Protection Agency Method 202 employed as the primary measurement. The influences of some essential desulfurizing parameters are evaluated based on the experimental data. The results show that CPM contributes about 68.8% to the total particulate matter emission. CPM consists mainly of ammonium sulfates/sulfites, with the organic part accounting for less than 4%. CPM is mostly in the submicron fraction, about 71.1% of which originates from the NH3-H2O-SO2 reactions. The appropriate adjustments for the parameters of the flue gas and the desulfurizing solution can inhibit CPM formation to different extents. This indicates that the parameter optimizations are promising in solving CPM emission problems in Ammonia-WFGD systems, in which the pH adjustment alone can abate CPM emission by around 49%. The opposite variations of the parameters need attention because they can cause tremendous CPM emission increase.

[Conversion Characteristics of Combustible Particles from Coal-fired Flue Gas in WFGD and WESP].

Monitoring of condensable particulate matter (CPM) emitted from stationary pollution sources has often been neglected. To reduce the emission of CPM, it is necessary to study its transformation rules in flue-gas cleaning devices. The results show that the wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) and wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) have a good synergistic effect on the removal of CPM. The concentration of CPM in flue gas is higher than that of filterable particulate matter, but the concentration of total particulate matter (sum of the condensable particulate matter and filterable particulate matter) reaches ultra-low emission requirements. The organic mass concentration of CPM in the WFGD inlet and outlet is larger than that of inorganic components, which is equalized during the treatment of WESP. Based on measurements of the components and concentrations of water-soluble ions in the inorganic part of the CPM, PM0.3 can be joined during the CPM trapping process and an acid mist is generated during the condensable particulate matter formation. The acid mist is strengthened through the treatment of WFGD and WESP. The experiment results also show that SO42- is the main component of water-soluble ions in the inorganic part of CPM.