Enzyme treatment of coal for mercury remediation
AssigneeNOx II, Ltd.
InventorMurray ABBOTT
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Emissions of mercury, NOx, and/or SOx are reduced by enzyme treating coal before combustion, optionally with further treatment of the coal with certain non-bromine containing powder sorbents. y using the steps together, mercury can be reduced by 40% or more, and NOx by 20% or more. Advantageously, no bromine is introduced with the remediation steps.
Claims21
A method of burning coal to reduce emissions of mercury, comprising:
- treating coal with an enzyme composition by applying the enzyme composition onto the coal and reacting for a time period to make an enzyme treated coal;
- combusting the enzyme treated coal in the furnace of a coal burning facility to create heat energy and flue gases;
- measuring the amount of mercury in the flue gas;
- and
- adjusting the treating step if the measured amount of mercury is above or below a target level,
- wherein the enzyme composition comprises water, the enzyme, and any required cofactor at a pH at which the enzyme is active.
The method according to claim 9, wherein the powder sorbent comprises an aluminosilicate clay and one or more of portland cement and cement kiln dust.
A method for reducing mercury emissions from a coal burning plant without adding any components containing bromine into the coal burning system, comprising
- enzyme treating the coal;
- and
- combusting the enzyme treated coal in the presence of a powder sorbent comprising an aluminosilicate material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.