Abstract
Coals contain small quantities of mercury that have the potential to be emitted to the atmosphere during thermal processing. While significant research effort has improved knowledge of mercury emissions from direct combustion of coal in power stations to produce electricity, much less effort has been devoted to mercury behavior from coal under reducing conditions, typical for smelting and metal processing. This article discusses laboratory investigations of mercury release from coal during heating under reducing conditions. Two coals, one of Australian and one of United States origin, were subjected to thermal treatment to temperatures ranging between 100 and 800°C. The level of mercury was monitored using cold-vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry. The largest fraction of mercury was released at temperatures of up to 500°C, however some strongly bonded mercury was retained in coal samples even at temperatures of 600°C. Reducing atmospheric conditions revealed a likely delay to higher temperatures in the release of mercury from coal. Speciation of mercury in coal was further determined with a six-stage sequential selective extraction method. Mercury reaction mechanisms occurring during the heating of coal under both reducing and oxidizing conditions relevant to direct ironmaking processes are discussed.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
