Removal of hazardous air pollutants based on commercial coal preparation plant data

Abstract

This paper investigates the concentration, distribution, and rejection of hazardous air pollutants, specifically identified by the US Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, based on commercial coal preparation plant data obtained on-site. The samples were collected from the products of the different cleaning circuits of the operating plant. The concentrations of twelve potentially hazardous trace elements, including As, Cd, Co, Cr, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Th and U in those samples were determined. Compared with the average concentration of the trace elements in Turkish coals, the run-of-mine coal fed to the existing plant appears to contain higher concentrations of Cd, Hg, Mn, Th and V. However, the concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Mn, Se, Th, U and V of the run-of-mine coal are above the world averages. Cd, Cr, Hg, Mn, Pb and Th concentrations of run-of-mine coal were easily removed at commercial coal preparation plant refuse in the range of 51.8% to 77.4 %, while only a small reduction was achieved for U and V as they were concentrated in clean coals. The present study reveals that conventional coal preparation technologies could significantly reduce hazardous air pollutants concentrations in coal.