Controlling Mercury Emissions

Michigan Technological University
posted on 01/03/2012

Though long known as a health and environmental hazard, mercury is used by a broad range of industries. As a result, mercury emissions are heavily regulated, and regulators are always seeking to lower admissible levels because of possible hazards. As some of the largest mercury emitters, power plants have sought solutions to limit mercury emissions. One method uses activated carbon to absorb mercury, but that method is expensive due to the cost of the carbon.

Suggested Uses

- Power industry
- Mercury-emitting industries
- Any industry that has combustion by-products

Advantages

- More efficient
- Cost effective
- Environmentally friendly
- Fly ash beneficiation

Innovation Details

Detailed Description

Researchers at Michigan Tech developed a solution that uses carbon materials found in fly ash, wood ash, and other sources of charred carbon to remove mercury from flue gases. In addition to being cheaper to use than activated carbon, these materials are more effective in absorbing mercury because of their pore structure. The unburned carbon is concentrated in the sorbent by one or more separation processes used to remove non-carbon particles from the fly ash. These processes include gravity separation, electrostatic separation, froth flotation, magnetic separation and size classification. Mercury adsorption is further increased by oxidation of the carbon surface.

Limitations

- Non-Exclusive license avaialable

File Number: 9802.00

IP Protection

Patent Number(s):	6027551

License Online

This innovation currently is not available for online licensing. Please contact Michael Morley at Michigan Technological University for more information.

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