Sorbent utilization improvement by selective ash recirculation from a particulate collector

A system for the removal of particulate emissions from an electric generating unit, comprising:

• a gas producer producing a flue gas;
• a primary particulate collector, the primary particulate collector comprising a dry electrostatic precipitator,
• wherein the dry electrostatic precipitator includes a flue duct inlet and a flue duct outlet;
• a flue duct fluidically connecting the gas producer and the dry electrostatic precipitator at the dry electrostatic precipitator flue duct inlet;
• a particulate recirculation duct fluidically connected at a first end to the flue duct downstream of the dry electrostatic precipitator, the particulate recirculation duct connected to a secondary particulate collector unit,
• wherein the secondary particulate collector unit includes:
• a particulate recirculation duct inlet fluidically connected to the particulate recirculation duct;
• a fluid duct outlet fluidically connected to the flue duct by a fluid duct, wherein all flue gas entering the secondary particulate collector unit exits the secondary particulate collector unit via the fluid duct outlet and the fluid duct to return to the flue duct and exit the system via a stack;
• and
• at least one collection hopper,
• wherein the at least one collection hopper includes a collection hopper outlet,
• wherein the collection hopper outlet is fluidically connected to the particulate recirculation duct downstream of the at least one collection hopper, and
• wherein the particulate recirculation duct inlet is fluidically connected to the particulate recirculation duct upstream of the at least one collection hopper;
• a pressurization device fluidically connected to the particulate recirculation duct,
• wherein the pressurization device pressurizes air within the particulate recirculation duct;
• and
• wherein the particulate recirculation duct is connected at a second end to the flue duct downstream of the dry electrostatic precipitator, and upstream of its first end, so that a flow of the air through the particulate recirculation duct is opposite the flow of the flue gas through the flue duct.