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;
• 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;
• and
• at least one secondary collection hopper,
• wherein the at least one secondary collection hopper includes a secondary collection hopper outlet,
• wherein the secondary collection hopper outlet is fluidically connected to the particulate recirculation duct downstream of the at least one secondary collection hopper, and
• wherein the particulate recirculation duct inlet is fluidically connected to the particulate recirculation duct upstream of the at least one secondary collection hopper;
• 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 a fluid through the particulate recirculation duct is opposite the flow of a fluid through the flue duct.