Method and system for treating metal-containing fluid emissions
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsVeera M. Boddu, Kent James Hay
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Abstract
A system and associated method for removing metal, including metal in vapor form, from high temperature fluid emissions such as may occur at the exhaust of furnaces or thermal treatment equipment. One embodiment is the Integrated Metal Emissions Control System (IMECS™) incorporating both a Steel Screen Particulate (SSP) Filter System and a Perlite Based Sorbent (PBS) System. IMECS™ uses the SSP Filter System, with pore sizes down to one micron, to capture toxic metal particulate materials and the PBS System to capture vapor phase metals using surface-modified perlite. Using the IMECS™, EPA-listed heavy metals have been removed from representative high-temperature emissions in field tests to easily meet the NESHAP standards.
Claims24
A system for removing at least one metal in both particulate and vapor form from fluid emissions, said emissions emitted from a source at temperatures above about 150° C. comprising:
- at least one first device comprising at least one metal screen of pore size in the range of about one micron to about 20 microns to capture and retain solid metal in said fluid emissions, said first device in operable communication with said source;
- at least one second device holding at least perlite particles, said second device capturing and retaining said metal in vapor form, said second device downstream with respect to said source from, and in operable communication with, said first device;
- and
- at least one fan in operable communication with said second device, said fan to facilitate movement of said fluid emissions through said system.
A method for removing at least one metal in both particulate and vapor form from fluid emissions, said emissions emitted from a source at temperatures above about 150° C., comprising:
- providing at least one first device comprising at least one metal screen of pore size in the range of about one micron to about 20 microns incorporated in a system, said at least one first device for capturing and retaining solid metal in said fluid emissions, said at least one first device operably communicating with said source;
- providing at least one second device incorporated in said system and holding at least perlite particles, said at least one second device for capturing and retaining metal in vapor form, said at least one second device downstream with respect to said source from, and operably communicating with, said at least one first device;
- and
- providing at least one fan incorporated in said system, said at least one fan operably communicating with said at least one second device, said fan facilitating movement of said fluid emissions through said system.
A method for treating metal-containing fluid emissions from a source, comprising:
- capturing and retaining solid metal in said fluid emissions in at least one first device incorporated in a system, said at least one first device operably communicating with said source;
- capturing and retaining metal in vapor form in at least one second device incorporated in said system downstream from said at least one first device with respect to said source, said at least one second device operably communicating with said at least one first device;
- and
- facilitating movement of said fluid emissions from said source through said system via at least one fan operably communicating with said at least one second device.
A system for removing at least one metal in both particulate and vapor form from fluid emissions, said emissions emitted from a source at temperatures above about 150° C. comprising:
- at least one means incorporating a filter having a pore size in the range of about one micron to about 20 microns for capturing and retaining said at least one metal in said particulate form, said at least one means for capturing and retaining said metal in particulate form in operable communication with said source;
- at least one means holding at least perlite particles for capturing and retaining said at least one metal in vapor form, said means for capturing and retaining metal in vapor form downstream with respect to said source from, and in operable communication with, said means
- incorporating a filter having a pore size in the range of about one micron to about 20 microns for capturing and retaining said at least one metal in said particulate form;
- and
- at least one means for facilitating movement of said fluid emissions through said system in operable communication with at least said means configured to hold at least perlite particles for capturing and retaining said at least one metal in vapor form.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.