Mercury emissions from coal-fired power stations: The current state of the art in the Netherlands

• Published in: Science of the total environment Vol. 368; no. 1; pp. 393 - 396
• Main Authors: Meij, Ruud, te Winkel, Henk
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier B.V 01.09.2006; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollution - prevention & control; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Co-combustion; Coal; Coal-fired power stations; Combustion and energy production; Emissions; Environmental Monitoring; ESP; Exact sciences and technology; FGD; Mercury; Mercury - analysis; Netherlands; Pollution; Pollution sources. Measurement results; Power Plants; Prevention and purification methods; Netherlands; Europe; Co-combustion; FGD; ESP; Coal-fired power stations; Mercury; Emissions; Electric power plant; Pollution control; Pollutant emission; Coal power plant; Air pollution; Physicochemical purification; Pollution abatement; Flue gas desulfurization; Performance; Selective catalytic reduction; Flue gas purification
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2005.09.083

About 30% of the electricity produced in the Netherlands is generated by coal, all of which is imported. At the same time, the co-combustion of biomass is becoming increasingly important. For the last 25 years, the fate of the elements/trace elements in general and of mercury in particular has been studied in great detail. It appears that on average 50% of the mercury is removed in the ESP (particulate control) and 50% of the remainder is removed in the flue gas desulphurization (FGD), resulting in a total mercury removal of 75%. If a high dust selective catalytic reduction (SCR for NO x reduction) is present, the total removal can be up to 90%. The results indicate that on average the removal of mercury during the co-combustion of biomass is similar to that found for full coal-firing. The conclusion is that a modern coal-fired power station with the above-mentioned flue gas cleaning equipment also removes mercury up to 90%. These cleaning devices are being installed to reduce the emission of particulates, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. This means that mercury abatement can be increased while meeting the EU regulation for SO 2 and NO x . The application of Best Available Technique (BAT) for coal-fired installations by 1-1-2008 will lead to a further increase in the construction and operation of FGD and DeNO x installations.