Using the Mercury Freedom System for process control

Having a real-time monitor integrated into the process eliminates the guess work associated with carbon injection. Real-time monitors reduce the risk of under-injecting which can lead to emissions noncompliance but they also minimize the risk of over-injecting carbon which leads to cost savings.  The mercury process control feedback system gives plant engineers the data they need to make effective, informed decisions around carbon usage.

You may be subject to mercury reemissions or loss from your wet scrubber.  There’s a lot of research around the reasons as to why this occurs.  To help further understand unique conditions or circumstances causing mercury re-emissions see this series on Mercury Control: Capturing Mercury in Wet Scrubbers.   Correcting mercury loss is an important step in gaining tight control over your process and ensuring optimal performance.  The system can be moved to any location along the process, including before or after the wet scrubber.

Facilities using sorbent traps receive emissions level feedback only periodically rather than continuously, making it impossible to respond accordingly.  Facilities using real-time monitoring, however, obtain continuous, immediate feedback.  Real time, continuous feedback allows for a fast response to a process upset.  The result is the ability to instantly optimize carbon usage thereby reduce carbon injection costs. 

Numerous techniques for measuring mercury are available. Special consideration should be made to choose one that isn't affected by sulfur dioxide (SO2), such as cold vapor atomic fluorescence technology. Atomic fluorescence technology has no bias which makes it an especially good solution when monitoring mercury upstream of an SO2 control device on process systems. This technology enables the Thermo Scientific™ Model 80i analyzer to provide continuous sample measurement, with no additional gases or pre-concentrations required and virtually no interference from SO2. High sensitivity allows for high sample dilution. This reduces moisture, heat, and interfering pollutants, primarily SO2.

Now that new requirements have taken effect under the more stringent Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) regulation, achieving compliance and staying in compliance is critical.  Real-time monitoring gives plant engineers the ability to orchestrate control devices to lower mercury emissions. Have questions about how the Mercury Freedom System can work to keep process parameters in control or stay in compliance?  We can help by email, web or phone at 1 (866) 282-0430.