Electronic controls for pollutant removal

An electronic control system for regulating operational parameters in a pollution removal system, the pollution removal system containing at least one reaction zone, the reaction zone being a bag house containing filter bags and connected to a source of gas and a sorbent feeder containing a supply of sorbent, the system comprising:

• at least one pair of pollutant concentration sensors that measures the concentration of at least one target pollutant in a gas entering and exiting a reaction zone and generates an entering concentration output and an exiting concentration output;
• a differential pressure sensor that measures the differential pressure across the reaction zone and generates a differential pressure output;
• a sorbent feed rate control sub-element that adjusts or regulates sorbent feed rate to the reaction zone;
• a filter bag control sub-element that controls removal of sorbent from the filter bags at an adjustable rate;
• and
• a controller in communication with the at least one pair of pollutant concentration sensors, the differential pressure sensor, the sorbent feed rate control sub-element, and the filter bag control sub-element, wherein the controller receives the outputs from the at least one pair of pollutant concentration sensors and the differential pressure output and provides one or more outputs that adjust operational parameters selected from a group consisting of sorbent feeder rate, sorbent removal rate, or any combination of these operational parameters, to ensure that the target pollutant is removed at targeted capture rate set point and that differential pressure across the reaction zone is no greater than a predetermined level.

A method for removing target pollutants from gases, the method comprising the steps of:

• measuring a target pollutant concentration at an output of a reaction zone of a pollutant removal system that uses sorbent for dry removal of target pollutants from gases;
• analyzing the measured target pollutant concentration to determine if it is within an acceptable range;
• and
• adjusting at least one operational parameter capable of affecting pollutant removal in the system if the measured target pollutant concentration is not within an acceptable range.

A method for removing target pollutants from gases, the method comprising the steps of:

• measuring temperature of a gas entering a reaction zone of a pollutant removal system the uses sorbent for dry removal of target pollutants from gases;
• analyzing the measured temperature to determine if it is within an acceptable range;
• and
• adjusting the temperature of the gas entering the reaction zone if the measured temperature is not within an acceptable range.

In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display and a selection device, a method of providing and selecting from a menu on the display, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a menu entry selection signal indicative of a control operation of a portion of a pollutant removal system from a plurality of control operations including bag house control, emissions control and temperature control of the pollutant removal system;
• in response to the menu entry selection, retrieving a graphical representation of the selected control operation, the graphical representation having real time data fields that are populated with real time data as well as user adjustable variables;
• displaying the graphical representation with the populated real time data fields on a display;
• receiving a signal indicative of a particular user adjustable variable;
• and
• in response to the signal, updating the graphical representation of the selected control operation to reflect the particular user adjustable variable.

An electronic control system for regulating operational parameters in a pollution removal system, the pollution removal system containing at least one reaction zone connected to a source of gas and a sorbent feeder containing a supply of sorbent, the system comprising:

• a controller in electronic communication with one or more sensors and one or more operational parameter control sub-elements that receives inputs from one or more sensors and one or more operational parameter control sub-elements, compares the inputs to adjustable operational parameter set point values, and provides outputs to one or more control sub-elements to adjust one or more operational parameters;
• at least one pollutant concentration sensor that measures the concentration of at least one target pollutant in a gas exiting at least one reaction zone;
• a differential pressure sensor that measures the differential pressure across the at least one reaction zone;
• a sorbent feed rate control sub-element that adjusts or regulates sorbent feed rate to the at least one reaction zone;
• wherein the controller receives the inputs from the at least one pollutant concentration sensor and the differential pressure sensor and provides one or more outputs that adjust sorbent feeder rate to ensure that the target pollutant concentration in the gas exiting the at least one reaction zone is within an acceptable range and that differential pressure across the at least one reaction zone is no greater than a predetermined level.

An electronic control system for regulating operational parameters in a pollution removal system, the pollution removal system containing at least one reaction zone, the reaction zone being a bag house containing filter bags and connected to a source of gas and a sorbent feeder containing a supply of sorbent, the system comprising:

• a controller in electronic communication with one or more sensors and one or more operational parameter control sub-elements that receives inputs from one or more sensors and one or more operational parameter control sub-elements, compares the inputs to adjustable operational parameter set point values, and provides outputs to one or more control sub-elements to adjust one or more operational parameters;
• at least one pair of pollutant concentration sensors that measures the concentration of at least one target pollutant in a gas entering and exiting a reaction zone;
• a differential pressure sensor that measures the differential pressure across the reaction zone;
• a sorbent feed rate control sub-element that adjusts or regulates sorbent feed rate to the reaction zone;
• a filter bag control sub-element that controls removal of sorbent from the filter bags at an adjustable rate;
• wherein the controller receives the inputs from the at least one pair of pollutant concentration sensors and the differential pressure sensor and provides one or more outputs that adjust operational parameters selected from a group consisting of sorbent feeder rate, sorbent removal rate, or any combination of these control elements, to ensure that the target pollutant is removed at targeted capture rate set point and that differential pressure across the reaction zone is no greater than a predetermined level.