Patent Publication Number: US-2005129961-A1

Title: Method for separating ashes in combustion installations

Description:
The invention relates to a process for separating ashes in combustion installations.  
      Combustion installations such as coal-fired power stations and in particular waste incinerators are required to separate the ashes arising on combustion from the waste gases and to dispose of them in a hazardous waste landfill site or put them to another approved use.  
      It is known to separate the ashes from waste gases by using filters or filter systems which are connected in series. One filter system used to separate ultra-fine ashes is an electrostatic dust filter.  
      In the electrostatic dust filter, the ultra-fine ash, which cannot be separated on the upstream surfaces, is ionised with high voltages. The charged particles then migrate to the oppositely charged separator plate, from where they are pushed into a hopper by a scraper.  
      Under this hopper are located conveying means to a bunker, from which the residues are transported onwards to a landfill site, for example by truck.  
      The known process has the disadvantage that the very finely divided dust builds up in the filter and clogs the hopper, preventing the dust from trickling down onto the conveying means.  
      The object of the invention was accordingly to provide a process for separating ashes in combustion installations which does not exhibit said disadvantage.  
      The invention provides a process for purifying waste gases from combustion installations by means of separation apparatuses, which process is characterised in that a hydrophobised, pyrogenically produced silica is introduced into the waste gas stream, said silica being vortexed with the ash particles.  
      In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the hydrophobic, pyrogenically produced silica may be added upstream from the separation apparatus, such as for example the electrostatic dust filter.  
      The hydrophobised, pyrogenically produced silica used may comprise silicas which have been surface-modified or hydrophobised with the following substances: dimethyldichlorosilane.  
      The hydrophobic, pyrogenically produced silica may be introduced, for example, by means of blowing.  
      The hydrophobic, pyrogenically produced silica is known from Ullmann&#39;s Enzyklopadie der technischen Chemie, 4th edition, volume 21, pages 466 to 467.  
      The hydrophobic, pyrogenically produced silica may be added in a quantity of 0.1 to 0.2 kg per tonne of incinerated domestic waste.  
      The commercially available grades of silica (hydrophobic Aerosil®) listed in Table 1 may be used as the hydrophobic, pyrogenically produced silica.  
               TABLE 1                          Hydrophobic AEROSIL ®                                                             AEROSIL   AEROSIL   AEROSIL   AEROSIL   AEROSIL   AEROSIL   AEROSIL   AEROSIL   AEROSIL   AEROSIL       Test method   R972   R974   R202   R805   R812   R812S   R104   R106   R8200   R816                             Behaviour   hydrophobic       towards water       Appearance   loose white powder                                                         BET surface   110 ± 20   170 ± 20   100 ± 20   150 ± 25   260 ± 30   220 ± 25   150 ± 25   150 ± 30   160 ± 25   170 ± 25       area 1)  m 2 /g       Average primary   16   12   14   12   7   7   12   7   12   12       particle size nm       Tamped density,   50   50   50   50   50   50   50   50   140   40       approx. value 2)         standard product       g/l       compacted   90   90                   90       product       (suffix “V”) g/l       Drying loss 3)     &lt;0.5   &lt;0.5   &lt;0.5   &lt;0.5   &lt;0.5   &lt;0.5   &lt;0.5   &lt;0.5   &lt;0.5   &lt;1.0       (2 h at 105° C.)       on departure from       the supplier&#39;s       works %       Ignition loss 4)7)     &lt;2   &lt;2   4-6   5-7   1.0-2.5   1.3-3.0   1.0-2.5   1.0-2.5   2.5-3.5   2.4-4.0       (2 h at       1000° C.) %       C content %   0.6-1.2   0.7-1.3   3.5-5.0   4.5-6.5   2.0-3.0   3.0-4.0   1-2   1.5-3.0   2.0-4.0   1.2-2.2       pH value 5)10)  %   3.6-4.4   3.7-4.7   4-6   3.5-5.5   5.5-7.5   5.5-7.5   &gt;4.0   &gt;3.7   &gt;5.0   4.4-5.5       SiO 2   8)  %   &gt;99.8   &gt;99.8   &gt;99.8   &gt;99.8   &gt;99.8   &gt;99.8   &gt;99.8   &gt;99.8   &gt;99.8   &gt;99.8       Al 2 O 3   8)  %   &lt;0.05   &lt;0.05   &lt;0.05   &lt;0.05   &lt;0.05   &lt;0.05   &lt;0.05   &lt;0.05       &lt;0.05       Fe 2 O 3   8)  %   &lt;0.01   &lt;0.01   &lt;0.01   &lt;0.01   &lt;0.01   &lt;0.01   &lt;0.01   &lt;0.01   &lt;0.01   &lt;0.01       TiO 2   8)  %   0.03   0.03   0.03   0.03   0.03   0.03   0.03   0.03   0.03   0.03       HCl 11)  %   &lt;0.05   &lt;0.1   &lt;0.025   &lt;0.025   &lt;0.025   &lt;0.025   &lt;0.02   &lt;0.025   &lt;0.025   &lt;0.025                   1) on the basis of DIN 66131              2) on the basis of DIN ISO 4787/XI, JIS K 51018/18 (unscreened)              3) on the basis of DIN ISO 787/II ASTM D 280, JIS K 5101/21              4) on the basis of DIN 55921, ASTM D 1208, JIS K 5101/23              5) on the basis of DIN ISO 787/IX, ASTM D 1208, JIS K 5101/24              7) relative to material dried for 2 hours at 105° C.              8) relative to material calcined for 2 hours at 1000° C.              10) in water:methanol = 1:1              11) HCl content is part of ignition loss             
 
      In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the hydrophobic, pyrogenically produced silica Aerosil 972 may be used.  
      Silica Aerosil R 972 exhibits the following physicochemical parameters:  
                                                       Test method       Aerosil R 972                                                        Behaviour towards water   hydrophobic               Appearance   loose white powder                                 BET surface area 1)     m 2 /g   110 ± 20           Average primary particle size   nm   16           Tamped density/approx. value 2)             standard product   g/l   50           compacted product (suffix “V”)   g/l   90           Drying loss 3)     %   &lt;0.5           (2 hours at 105° C.) on departure           from the supplier&#39;s works           Ignition loss 4)7)     %   &lt;2           (2 hours 1000° C.)           C content   %   0.6-1.2           pH value 5)10)         3.6-4.4           SiO 2   8)     %   &gt;99.8           Al 2 O 3   8)     %   &gt;0.05           Fe 2 O 3   8)     %   &gt;0.01           TiO 2   8)     %   &gt;0.03           HCl 8)11)     %   &gt;0.05           Drum size (net)   kg   10                           1) on the basis of DIN 66131                  2) on the basis of DIN ISO 787/XI, JIS K 5101/18 (unscreened)                  3) on the basis of DIN ISO 787/II, ASTM D 280, JIS K 5101/21                  4) on the basis of DIN 55921, ASTM D 1208, JIS K 5101/23                  5) on the basis of DIN ISO 787/IX, ASTM D 1208, JIS K 5101/23                  7) relative to material dried for 2 hours at 105° C.                  8) relative to material calcined for 2 hours at 1000° C.                  10) in water:methanol = 1:1                  11) HCl content is part of ignition loss             
 
      The process according to the invention has the advantage that the ultra-fine ash no longer builds up in the hopper and, as a consequence, the hopper also no longer becomes clogged.  
      The process according to the invention has been successfully trialled under practical conditions in collaboration with Mr. Wolfgang Zieger and Mr. Franz W. Albert at the Mannheim combined heat and power station/refuse incinerator. 
    
    
      The process according to the invention is illustrated and described in greater detail with reference the drawings, which relate to the schematic diagram of the Mannheim refuse incinerator:  
       FIG. 1 : possible addition points for adding Aerosil R 972 in the vicinity of the spray dryer  2 ( 3 ) and the electrostatic dust filter  3 ( 4 )  
       FIG. 2 : a possible addition point for adding Aerosil R972 in the vicinity of the gas inlet of the electrostatic dust filter downstream from the end of the boiler and upstream from the electrostatic dust filter  
       FIG. 3 : a possible addition point for adding Aerosil R972 downstream from the end of the boiler and upstream from the woven fabric filter 
    
    
      According to  FIG. 1 , Aerosil R 972 is added at various points in the flue gas removal zone. The Aerosil R 972 may be added to the product suspension in the mixing apparatus  14 . It may be introduced via the compressed air for the spray dryer.  
      It may be introduced at the outlet from the spray dryer. According to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , addition is made in the boiler zone at the gas inlet upstream from the electrostatic dust filter or the woven fabric filter respectively.