An Assessment of Residues from Duct Injection Demonstration Sites

The duct injection retrofit process for flue gas cleanup of sulfur dioxide emissions has been demonstrated at several sites in the United States through a series of U.S. Department of Energy research projects. As a subcontractor on one of the projects, the University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center performed a comprehensive characterization of four residues from three demonstration sites. The characterization task objective was to facilitate understanding of materials handling and to identify potential disposal and utilization options for these high-volume coal utilization solid residues. Characterization included evaluation of the physical and engineering properties, chemical composition, mineralogy, and leaching potential. Chemical characterization results provided interesting and valuable information from the standpoint of the bulk chemistry and phase assemblages, as well as potential environmental issues associated with the use or disposal of these materials. Results of the chemical and mineralogical characterizations indicate that duct injection residues will be suitable for specific utilization applications and that disposal of these residues should be similar to many conventional coal combustion residues. Significant mineralogical phase changes were noted in long-term leaching experiments.     

Air-substrate mercury exchange associated with landfill disposal of coal combustion products

Previous laboratory studies have shown that lignite-derived fly ash emitted mercury (Hg) to the atmosphere, whereas bituminous- and subbituminous-derived fly ash samples adsorbed Hg from the air. In addition, wet flue gas desulfurization (FGD) materials were found to have higher Hg emission rates than fly ash. This study investigated in situ Hg emissions at a blended bituminous-subbituminous ash landfill in the Great Lakes area and a lignite-derived ash and FGD solids landfill in the Midwestern United States using a dynamic field chamber. Fly ash and saturated FGD materials emitted Hg to atmosphere at low rates (-0.1 to 1.2 ng/ m2hr), whereas FGD material mixed with fly ash and pyrite exhibited higher emission rates (approximately 10 ng/m2hr) but were still comparable with natural background soils (-0.3 to 13 ng/ m2hr). Air temperature, solar radiation, and relative humidity were important factors correlated with measured Hg fluxes. Field study results were not consistent with corresponding laboratory observations in that fluxes measured in the latter were higher and more variable. This is hypothesized to be partially an artifact of the flux measurement methods.