Desulfurization, Removing ammonia problem

  • Thread starter sawhai
  • Start date
  • Tags
    Ammonia
In summary, the West Virginia coal has a mass analysis of carbon 75.0%, oxygen 6.7%, hydrogen 5.0%, water 2.5%, sulfur 2.3%, nitrogen 1.5%, and ash 7.0%. To remove 96% of the SO2 produced from combustion of this coal, using wet scrubbing flue-gas desulfurization, 6.244 kg of limestone, CaCO3, is needed per day. To remove 85% of the nitrogen oxides produced from combustion, using selective catalytic reduction, an unknown amount of ammonia, NH3, is needed per day. Assuming complete combustion and 25% excess air, the lower heating value
  • #1
sawhai
28
0

Homework Statement


A West Virginia coal burned in a steam generator has the following mass analysis: carbon 75.0%, oxygen 6.7%, hydrogen 5.0%, water 2.5%, sulfur 2.3%, nitrogen 1.5%, ash 7.0%.

How much limestone, CaCO3, in kg/day is needed to remove 96% of the SO2 produced from combustion of the coal, using wet scrubbing flue-gas desulfurization, if the boiler fired using this coal produces combustion heat at a rate of 150 kW? Assume complete combustion of the coal’s carbon, hydrogen and sulfur content to CO2, H2O, and SO2 respectively.

How much ammonia, NH3, in kg/day is needed to remove 85% of the nitrogen oxides produced from combustion of the coal, using selective catalytic reduction, if 20% of the nitrogen content of the coal is converted into equal molar amounts of NO and NO2 during combustion? Assume that oxidation of the nitrogen content of the coal does not contribute to its heating value.

you may assume that the coal is burned with 25% excess air and that the water produced from the coal combustion exits with the flue gas as a vapor; i.e. use the lower heating value of the coal in your scaling analysis. This will give you an upper bound on the rates at which the acid gases are produced in the combustion stack gas, and corresponding upper bounds on the rates at which limestone and ammonia must be supplied to the FGD and SCR units to remove these compounds from the flue gas to the specified treatment levels.


Homework Equations



caco3+so2->caso3+co2

The Attempt at a Solution



I wrote the reaction equation and balanced it and ended up with this:

6.244 C+2.48 H2+0.0717 S+ 0.2093 O2 + 0.053 N2+ 7.5557 O2+ 0.1387 H2O --->6.244 CO2+ 2.6187 H2O+ 0.0717 SO2 + 32.8591 N2

I am not sure what to do next.

Thanks
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
I was able to find the LHV of the coal in KJ/kmol. Now how can I use this value to find the kg of the coal in another word the LHV in KJ/kg without knowing the molecular mass of the coal?
 

1. What is desulfurization and why is it necessary?

Desulfurization is the process of removing sulfur from industrial emissions, such as from power plants and oil refineries. Sulfur is a harmful pollutant that can contribute to acid rain and other environmental hazards, so it is necessary to reduce its presence in emissions to protect the environment and public health.

2. How is desulfurization achieved?

Desulfurization can be achieved through various methods, including flue gas desulfurization (FGD) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR). FGD involves using chemical or physical processes to remove sulfur from the emissions before they are released into the atmosphere. SCR uses a catalyst to convert sulfur compounds into less harmful substances.

3. What is the role of ammonia in desulfurization?

Ammonia is often used in conjunction with FGD and SCR processes to further reduce the levels of sulfur in emissions. Ammonia is able to react with sulfur compounds to form ammonium sulfate or ammonium bisulfate, which are more easily captured and removed from the emissions.

4. What are the potential drawbacks of desulfurization?

One potential drawback of desulfurization is the production of additional waste products, such as sludge or solid byproducts, which need to be properly disposed of. There can also be high costs associated with implementing and maintaining desulfurization systems.

5. Are there any alternative methods for reducing sulfur emissions?

Yes, there are alternative methods for reducing sulfur emissions, such as using cleaner fuels or implementing renewable energy sources. Another method is to improve overall energy efficiency, which can result in lower emissions. However, these alternatives may not be feasible or effective in all situations, so desulfurization remains an important process for reducing sulfur emissions.

Similar threads

  • Engineering and Comp Sci Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
4K
  • Mechanical Engineering
Replies
2
Views
193
  • Engineering and Comp Sci Homework Help
Replies
9
Views
7K
  • Engineering and Comp Sci Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • Engineering and Comp Sci Homework Help
Replies
12
Views
5K
  • Engineering and Comp Sci Homework Help
Replies
7
Views
3K
  • Engineering and Comp Sci Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
3K
Replies
3
Views
3K
  • Biology and Chemistry Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • Engineering and Comp Sci Homework Help
Replies
17
Views
4K
Back
Top