Mercury reduction system and method in combustion flue gas using coal blending

A method to reduce mercury in gas emissions from the combustion of coal in a combustion system, said method comprising:

• a. combusting a Powder River Basin coal (PRB) having a low chlorine content in the combustion system, wherein elemental mercury (Hg0) is released in the flue gas produced by the combustion;
• b. releasing chlorine into the flue gas by combusting a bituminous coal with the PRB coal in the combustion system, wherein the bituminous coal has a high chlorine content;
• c. reacting the elemental mercury and released chlorine in the flue gas to oxidize the mercury and generate mercury chloride (HgCl2);
• d. adsorbing at least a portion of the oxidized mercury generated by the combustion of the coal with an adsorbent, and
• e. collecting the adsorbed mercury in a combustion waste treatment system.

A method to reduce mercury in gas emissions from the combustion of low rank coal in a combustion system, said method comprising:

• a. combusting the low rank coal having a low chlorine content in the combustion system, wherein elemental mercury (Hg0) is released in the flue gas produced by the combustion of the low rank coal;
• b. releasing chlorine into the flue gas by combusting a second coal type with the low rank coal in the combustion system, wherein the second coal type has a high chlorine content;
• c. reacting the elemental mercury and released chlorine in the flue gas to oxidize the mercury, and
• d. removing at least a portion of the oxidized mercury generated by the combustion of the first and second coal with a water scrubbing device.