Removal effect of the low-low temperature electrostatic precipitator on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

The low-low temperature electrostatic precipitator (LLT-ESP) is one of the most used devices for pollutant control in ultra-low emission coal-fired power plants. This study investigated the influence of the LLT-ESP on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) distributions in flue gas from an ultra-low emission coal-fired power plant. The total gas-phase PAH concentration was reduced from 27.52 μg/m³ to 3.38 μg/m³. The total particulate-phase PAH concentration decreased from 14.36 μg/m³ to 0.34 μg/m³. The removal efficiency of the LLT-ESP for gas-phase and particulate phase carcinogenic higher molecular weight (HMW) PAHs was 85% and 99%, respectively. The total concentration of 16 selected PAHs in feed coal was 98.16 μg/g. The fly ash particle size successively decreased from Electric Field 1 (F1) to Electric Field 4 (F4). The total PAH concentration decreased from F1 to F2 but increased again from F3 to F4. The flue gas cooling process significantly contributed to the elimination of both gas- and particulate-phase PAHs in the flue gas. Presumably, most of the condensed PAHs were adhered to or absorbed in the fly ash and were scavenged in Field 1. Both gas- and particulate-phase 5- and 6-ring PAHs in the flue gas were completely removed in Field 1. The discharge process in the electric fields may promote the formation of several 4- or 5-ring PAHs. In this study, benzo[k]fluoranthene (BKF) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) were regenerated in the particles rather than in the flue gas during the discharge process in the electric fields.