Differences in the Occurrence of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Geochemical Markers in the Dust Emitted from Various Coal-Fired Boilers

Organic compounds occurring in emitted fly ashes from bituminous coal and bituminous coal and biomass combustion in various boilers were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed. Gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) was applied to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and gas chromatography−mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for geochemical markers, such as n-alkanes, acyclic isoprenoids, steranes, pentacyclic triterpenoids (hopanes and moretanes), alkyl PAHs, and biomass markers. It was found that distributions of geochemical markers and presence are well preserved in fly ash. Particularly in fly ash from boilers of older types, thermal changes are small and mainly affect compounds of low molecular weight whereas, in fly ash from a fluidized bed combustion boiler, most geochemical markers were destroyed. It is possible that high molecular weight compounds survived the high temperature process when adsorbed in unburned or coked coal and/or biomass particles included in the dust emitted. PAH group profiles were made, while PAHs diagnostic indices and geochemical marker ratios were calculated and compared with literature data. Fly ash from coal and biomass combustion contains the highest PAH concentrations and shows the highest values of toxic equivalence (TEQ) factors among all boilers investigated. The results indicate that, whereas the distributions and ratios of geochemical markers are close to those of bituminous coals and can be applied to indicate source fuels in particulate matter, there are high differences between the values of diagnostic ratios found in this project and literature data. This indicates that PAH diagnostic ratios should be applied with care and confirmed by other data, e.g., those from geochemical markers, which may be recommended for research on the type of emission sources of particulate matter into the air

Ecological features of using boilers with fluidized combustion bed in muncipal sector

Powietrze atmosferyczne na terenie Śląska zostało silnie zanieczyszczone przez procesy przemysłowe w ciągu ostatniego stulecia. Artykuł wskazuje na korzyści wynikające ze stosowania spalania fluidalnego. Wspomniane korzyści mają charakter ekologiczny - możliwość utylizacji różnych paliw, w tym biomasy oraz paliw niskiej jakości przy zachowaniu surowych norm emisyjnych. Opisano sposób redukcji emisji podstawowych zanieczyszczeń. Stosowanie palenisk fluidalnych umożliwia poczynienie wielu oszczędności: od przygotowania paliwa, przez wysoko sprawne przetwarzanie energii.The Silesian atmosphere has been polluted since last century with the industrial processes. The article shows profits coming off using fluidal combustion. Refered profits has an ecological character - it's possible to utilize different fuels: biomass and waste fuels with keeping rigour emission norms. The ways of reduction basic pollution substances were described. Using fluidized combustions makes possible savings on preparing fuel and transforming energy

Coal Cleaning Versus the Reduction of Mercury and other Trace Elements’ Emissions from Coal Combustion Processes

Samples of steam coal used in heat and power plants as well as densimetric fractions obtained on a laboratory scale by dense organic liquid separation have been examined. The contents of ash, mercury, chromium, cadmium, copper, nickel and lead have been determined in coal, in the light and medium fraction as well as in the refuse. The degree of removal of mineral matter and the examined heavy metals as well as the coal combustible parts yield have been determined. Examination of 5 coals revealed that it is possible to remove 41% of mercury and more than 35% of other heavy metals bound to mineral matter in coal

Prognosis of environmental impact of trace elements from brown coal-fired power plant "Bełchatów

A forecast of the negative impact exerted on the environment by selected trace elements in "Bełchatów" Power Plant has been prepared on the basis of the results of investigations into these elements’ distribution carried out as part of earlier research on coal from “Bełchatów” Field and the data on updated analyses of the content of these elements in 55 brown coal samples from test boreholes. Work in "Bełchatów" Power Plant, which is supplied with coal from "Szczerców" Field, will be accompanied by trace elements transfer. On the basis of the conducted investigations it has been found that the biosphere is most threatened by mercury emissions. As shown by the presented results of analyses and calculations, the emissions of mercury in "Bełchatów" Power Plant are low. Mercury is accumulated chiefly in gypsum produced in the FGD plant. The content of mercury in slag and ash is low

Badania nad właściwościami pyłów z kotłów małej mocy opalanych węglem i stałymi biopaliwami

The aim of this research was to assess the content and composition of the pollutants emitted by domestic central heating boilers equipped with an automatic underfeed fuel delivery system for the combustion chamber. The comparative research was conducted. It concerned fuel properties, flue gas parameters, contents of dust (fly ash) and gaseous substances polluting the air in the flue gases emitted from a domestic CH boiler burning bituminous coal, pellets from coniferous wood, cereal straw, miscanthus, and sunflower husks, coniferous tree bark, and oats and barley grain. The emission factors for dust and gaseous air pollutants were established as they are helpful to assess the contribution of such boilers in the atmospheric air pollution. When assessing the researched boiler, it was found out that despite the development in design and construction, flue gases contained fly ash with a significant EC content, which affected the air quality.Celem pracy badawczej była ocena ilości i składu substancji zanieczyszczających emitowanych przez kotły małej mocy, wyposażone w samoczynny podajnik paliwa do komory spalania. Przeprowadzono badania porównawcze właściwości paliw, parametrów spalin, zawartości pyłu (popiołu lotnego) i gazowych substancji zanieczyszczających powietrze w emitowanych spalinach z kotła CO małej mocy spalającego węgiel kamienny (ekogroszek), pelety z drewna drzew iglastych, ze słomy zbożowej, z miskanta, z łusek słonecznika, korę drzew iglastych, ziarno owsa i ziarno jęczmienia. Ustalono wskaźniki emisji pyłu i gazowych substancji zanieczyszczających powietrze, pomocnych w ocenie udziału tego rodzaju kotłów w zanieczyszczeniu środowiska. Oceniając badany kocioł stwierdzono, że mimo osiągniętego postępu w konstrukcji, spaliny zawierają popiół lotny, ze znaczną zawartością węgla EC (black carbon), w ilości wpływającej na jakość powietrza