Oxy-combustion technology is under
development for CO2 capture. H2O could influence
the Hg0 removal
by sorbent traps in an oxy-combustion atmosphere. A study of the effects
of H2O on Hg0 removal by biomass char under
oxy-combustion conditions is presented in this paper. The kinetic
model analysis was conducted to study the adsorption process of Hg0, which included a pseudo-first-order kinetic model, a pseudo-second-order
kinetic model, and intraparticle diffusion kinetic model. Experimental
results showed that a low-level of H2O had a promoting
effect on the adsorption of Hg0, and high-level of H2O had an inhibiting effect. A high concentration of H2O would form a water film on the surface of sorbent traps
to hinder the removal of external mass transfer on Hg0.
Although the adsorption rate of Hg0 depended both on external
mass transfer and intraparticle diffusion, external mass transfer
was a more important controlling factor. It was found that physical
adsorption was one of the main forms of Hg0 removal on
the surface of sorbent traps, owing to the large specific surface
area and good pore structure of the modified corn straw char. The
removal of Hg0 was mainly attributed to capture by physical
adsorption and the formation of HgO by chemisorption.