Application of electron accelerator for flue gas treatment of coal power plant to support green technology

Abstract

Fossil fuels, which include coal, natural gas, petroleum, shale oil, and bitumen, are the main source of heat and electrical energy, but burning these fuels will emit pollutants to the environment. Most countries use coal burning power plant in generating electricity for living needs such as household electricity and industrial development. This power plant generates large quantities of pollutants (SOX and NOX) that create acid rain and smog leading to the water and soil degradation and they can affect living things. To meet rising worldwide energy demand, projections call for the use of coal to increase by 50 percent from 2006 - 2030, as a consequence SOX and NOX pollutions will rise. There are two conventional technologies to decrease air pollution from coal power plant, the first is FGD (flue gas desulfurization) based on SO2 absorption in lime or limestone slurry; and the second is SCR (selective catalytic reduction) based on NOx reduction over a catalyst to atmospheric nitrogen with ammonia as a reductant. But these technologies cannot treat different pollutants in one step process. To support green technology program, this paper describes a modern technology called EBFGT (electron beam flue gas treatment) which can treat SOx and NOx in one step process using electron accelerator. The technology and economy comparison between FGD, SCR, EBFGT as well as the existing EBFGT in the world are compiled.