Carbon Footprint for Mercury Capture from Coal-Fired Boiler Flue Gas
Power production from coal combustion is one of two major anthropogenic sources of mercury emission to the atmosphere. The aim of this study is the analysis of the carbon footprint of mercury removal technologies through sorbents injection related to the removal of 1 kg of mercury from flue gases. T...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/13/3844 |
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| author | Magdalena Gazda-Grzywacz Łukasz Winconek Piotr Burmistrz |
| author_facet | Magdalena Gazda-Grzywacz Łukasz Winconek Piotr Burmistrz |
| author_sort | Magdalena Gazda-Grzywacz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Power production from coal combustion is one of two major anthropogenic sources of mercury emission to the atmosphere. The aim of this study is the analysis of the carbon footprint of mercury removal technologies through sorbents injection related to the removal of 1 kg of mercury from flue gases. Two sorbents, i.e., powdered activated carbon and the coke dust, were analysed. The assessment included both direct and indirect emissions related to various energy and material needs life cycle including coal mining and transport, sorbents production, transport of sorbents to the power plants, and injection into flue gases. The results show that at the average mercury concentration in processed flue gasses accounting to 28.0 µg Hg/Nm<sup>3</sup>, removal of 1 kg of mercury from flue gases required 14.925 Mg of powdered activated carbon and 33.594 Mg of coke dust, respectively. However, the whole life cycle carbon footprint for powdered activated carbon amounted to 89.548 Mg CO<sub>2-e</sub>·kg<sup>−1</sup> Hg, whereas for coke dust this value was around three times lower and amounted to 24.452 Mg CO<sub>2-e</sub>·kg<sup>−1</sup> Hg. Considering the relatively low price of coke dust and its lower impact on GHG emissions, it can be found as a promising alternative to commercial powdered activated carbon. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:02:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3305201ab505413c859aaab29cf7cf44 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:02:27Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-3305201ab505413c859aaab29cf7cf442023-11-22T01:49:36ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-06-011413384410.3390/en14133844Carbon Footprint for Mercury Capture from Coal-Fired Boiler Flue GasMagdalena Gazda-Grzywacz0Łukasz Winconek1Piotr Burmistrz2Faculty of Energy & Fuels, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicz Avenue 30, 30-059 Krakow, PolandGrand Activated Sp. z o.o., Białostocka 1, 17-200 Hajnówka, PolandFaculty of Energy & Fuels, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicz Avenue 30, 30-059 Krakow, PolandPower production from coal combustion is one of two major anthropogenic sources of mercury emission to the atmosphere. The aim of this study is the analysis of the carbon footprint of mercury removal technologies through sorbents injection related to the removal of 1 kg of mercury from flue gases. Two sorbents, i.e., powdered activated carbon and the coke dust, were analysed. The assessment included both direct and indirect emissions related to various energy and material needs life cycle including coal mining and transport, sorbents production, transport of sorbents to the power plants, and injection into flue gases. The results show that at the average mercury concentration in processed flue gasses accounting to 28.0 µg Hg/Nm<sup>3</sup>, removal of 1 kg of mercury from flue gases required 14.925 Mg of powdered activated carbon and 33.594 Mg of coke dust, respectively. However, the whole life cycle carbon footprint for powdered activated carbon amounted to 89.548 Mg CO<sub>2-e</sub>·kg<sup>−1</sup> Hg, whereas for coke dust this value was around three times lower and amounted to 24.452 Mg CO<sub>2-e</sub>·kg<sup>−1</sup> Hg. Considering the relatively low price of coke dust and its lower impact on GHG emissions, it can be found as a promising alternative to commercial powdered activated carbon.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/13/3844carbon footprintpowdered activated carboncoke dustflue gasesmercury emissionsmercury removal |
| spellingShingle | Magdalena Gazda-Grzywacz Łukasz Winconek Piotr Burmistrz Carbon Footprint for Mercury Capture from Coal-Fired Boiler Flue Gas Energies carbon footprint powdered activated carbon coke dust flue gases mercury emissions mercury removal |
| title | Carbon Footprint for Mercury Capture from Coal-Fired Boiler Flue Gas |
| title_full | Carbon Footprint for Mercury Capture from Coal-Fired Boiler Flue Gas |
| title_fullStr | Carbon Footprint for Mercury Capture from Coal-Fired Boiler Flue Gas |
| title_full_unstemmed | Carbon Footprint for Mercury Capture from Coal-Fired Boiler Flue Gas |
| title_short | Carbon Footprint for Mercury Capture from Coal-Fired Boiler Flue Gas |
| title_sort | carbon footprint for mercury capture from coal fired boiler flue gas |
| topic | carbon footprint powdered activated carbon coke dust flue gases mercury emissions mercury removal |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/13/3844 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT magdalenagazdagrzywacz carbonfootprintformercurycapturefromcoalfiredboilerfluegas AT łukaszwinconek carbonfootprintformercurycapturefromcoalfiredboilerfluegas AT piotrburmistrz carbonfootprintformercurycapturefromcoalfiredboilerfluegas |