Reduction of SO2 emissions by ammonia gas during staged combustion

To reduce SO2 emissions, ammonia gas was injected into a coal-fired fluidized-bed combustor under staged combustion condition. The combustor was 2 m high with a 30 cm static bed height and a freeboard height of 170 cm. The ammonia gas was injected at 52 cm and 65 cm above the distributor, which had a temperature of ca. 700 °C, by an uncooled stainless-steel tube injector. The experiments investigated the effects of ammonia gas injection on sulphur dioxide emissions at staged conditions, varying the: (i) excess air level, (ii) secondary air ratio, (iii) fluidizing velocity, (iv) ammonia injection position, and (v) the ammonia: sulphur dioxide molar ratio. A maximum reduction of 66% in SO2 emissions was found at 40% excess air, 65 : 35 staging, 1.5 m/s fluidizing velocity, 65 cm injection height, and an NH3 : SO2 molar ratio of 1.2. The onset of SO2 reduction occurred at an NH3: SO2 ratio of 0.5. The fluidizing velocity, excess air, level of staging, and ammonia injection height all have a significant influence on SO2 reduction. It is difficult to determine how the SO2 reduction varies with the operating conditions when ammonia is injected in the high temperature zone of the combustor. As sulphur oxides-ammonia reactions are low temperature reactions, the findings confirm the occurrence of reactions above the freeboard or near the exit to the cyclone.