Characterization of by-products from the Coolside process

Coolside is a flexible dry flue gas desulfurization process for removal of SO2 from coal fired power plants emissions. Hydrated lime is pneumatically injected dry into the power plant duct work on the cool side of the air preheater. The flue gas stream is then humidified to within about 20--30 F of adiabatic saturation by spraying atomized water. A critical component of the Coolside process is the addition of a promoter to the water spray to enhance SO2 capture efficiency. In general, sodium based compounds have been found to be the most effective promoters, although chloride salts have also been shown to be effective if added during lime hydration. The Coolside technology was successfully demonstrated at the Ohio Edison Edgewater Plant as part of a US DOE supported US EPA demonstration program. The test lasted from July 1989 through February 1990 and had two primary goals. First, to achieve overall SO2 reductions of 30%, 50%, and 70%. Second, to achieve reliable process operations at 20 and 25 F approach to adiabatic saturation. The demonstration was considered successful. The Coolside solids differ from other dry scrubber wastes in that the residual lime is hydrated and from other low temperature scrubbing wastes in that the sorbent activator, NaOH in this case, introduces significant quantities of sodium compounds in the waste. Sixty-five tons of the waste were collected during the demonstration runs in February 1990 in order to assess the environmental impact of the by-product through a series of field lysimeter and laboratory column leaching studies. In the first phase of this assessment, approximately 400 samples of the by-product material have been analyzed for the major, minor, and trace elements by the ultimate and proximate analysis, X-ray fluorescence, and PIXE/PIGE analysis. The results of these analyses and the unique chemistry of the Coolside solids as a function of processing variables is presented in this paper