FULL-SCALE EVALUATION OF MERCURY CONTROL BY INJECTING ACTIVATED CARBON UPSTREAM OF ESPS

Under a cooperative agreement with the Department of Energy National Technolo gy Laboratory (NETL), ADA-ES has conducted a series of tests evaluating the performance of activated carbon injected upstream of electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) for mercury control and the effect of changing operating conditions such as temperature and LOI on natural mercury control. Host site configurations included units burning both Powder River Basin and low sulfur bituminous coals and sites that had high and low natural mercury removal. Results from this test program have shown the viability and limitations of using activated carbon for mercury control with ESPs. This paper includes results from Wisconsin Electric Pleasant Prairie, PG&E NEG Brayton Point, and the recently completed results from PG&E National Energy Groups Salem Harbor Station. This site provided key information on the importance of temperature and LOI in mercury removal with and without activated carbon injection.