A review on electron beam flue gas treatment (EBFGT) as a multicomponent air pollution control technology

Electron beam flue gas treatment (EBFGT) technology for coal-fired boilers has been implemented on an industrial scale in two thermal power plants in China and at the Electropower Station (EPS) Pomorzany in Poland. The plants in China have been designed mainly for desulfurization while the plant in Poland for a simultaneous removal of SO2 and NOx from flue gases. The successful operation of these plants has demonstrated the advantages of using this technology for removing SO2 and NOx from flue gas under varying conditions. At present, the plant in Poland is the only operational installation at an international level. Recent tests performed at an EBFGT industrial pilot plant in Bulgaria have demonstrated feasibility of application of this technology for treatment of high sulfur and high humidity lignite fired boilers. Further laboratory tests have been performed for model flue gases similar to those emitted from a copper smelter and flue gases originated from different types of high sulfur heavy fuel oils. In all cases, dry-scrubbing process with ammonia addition has been tested. The removal efficiency of pollutants is as high as 95% for SO2 and 70-80% for NOx. The by-product of this process is a high quality fertilizer component. Additional laboratory studies have shown that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted during combustion of fossil fuels, can be degraded as well. Therefore, EBFGT can be considered as a multicomponent air pollution control technology which can be applied to flue gases treatment from coal, lignite and heavy fuel oil-fired boilers. Other thermal processes like metallurgy and municipal waste incinerators are potential candidates for EBFGT technology application.