Mercury emissions from coal burning powerplants are being regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency and the States. Will the IPFC improve on mercury emissions?
Yes. The IPFC does not utilize combustion of the fuel. It, therefore, is expected to produce very little in terms of non-carbon dioxide gaseous emissions, including mercury. Compared with combustion systems, IPFC has a major advantage when it comes to mercury control. Mercury is expected to be in a vapor phase due to its low boiling point (357C or 180F) and the high temperature of the plasma (1,500C). As in gasification systems, elemental mercury is expected to be the predominant chemical form. Essentially, all of the exhaust gas emissions from the Hydrogen Plasma Black Reactor are in the captured hydrogen stream. Carbon monoxide from oxygen contained in the coal is also in that stream and is a valuable component of the hydrogen/carbon monoxide “syngas.” Because hydrogen is a valuable commodity, the hydrogen stream will be cooled and the gaseous emissions other than hydrogen and carbon monoxide will be either condensed out or otherwise captured as by-products. Under the current regulat
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