Coeffect of Air Pollution Control Devices on Trace Element Emissions in an Ultralow Emission Coal-Fired Power Plant

Abstract

In this study, distribution, partitioning concentration, balance rate, and removal efficiency of trace elements (TEs) in an ultralow emission coal-fired electric power plant (EPP) were investigated and evaluated. Results include determination of the TEs in flue gas, coal, fly ash, bottom ash, gypsum, limestone, makeup water, wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) wastewater, and wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) wastewater. The results indicate that most of the TEs are distributed in the fly ash, with a smaller portion in the bottom ash. The concentration of TEs in the flue gas gradually decreases as the gas moves through the air pollution control devices (APCDs). Only a small amount of TEs is emitted from the stack (Be: 0.039 μg/m3, Cd: 0.019 μg/m3, Cr: 2.229 μg/m3, Ni: 0.350 μg/m3, Pb: 0.194 μg/m3, Sb: 0.017 μg/m3, Se: 0.307 μg/m3, and U: 0.029 μg/m3). The Se concentration in the liquid portion was high and thus significantly contributed to the material balance. The low-temperature economizer-electrost...