In: Chemistry
A small power plant produces 500MW of electricity through combustion of coal that has the following composition on a dry basis: 76.2 wt% carbon, 5.6% hydrogen, 3.5% sulfur, 7.5% oxygen, and the remainder ash. The coal contains 4.0 wt% water. The feed rate of coal is 183 tons/h, and it is burned with 15% excess air at 1 atm, 80°F, and 30.0% relative humidity.
(a) Estimate the volumetric flow rate ft3/min of air drawn into
the furnace. (b) Effluent gases are discharged from the furnace at
625°F and 1 atm. Estimate the molar (lb-mole/
min) and volumetric ft3/min flow rates of gas leaving the furnace.
(c)
Injectionofdrylimestone(CaCO3)intothefurnaceisbeingconsideredasameansofreducingthe
SO2 emitted from the plant. The technology calls for SO2 to react
with limestone: CaCO3 SO2 12O2 !CaSO4 CO2
Unfortunately, the process is expected to remove only 75% of the
SO2 in the effluent gases, even though the limestone is fed at a
rate 2.5 times the stoichiometric amount. What is the required feed
rate of limestone? Since some of the SO2 is removed from the
furnace effluent [in contrast to Part (b)], recalculate the molar
flow rate and composition of the effluent from the furnace.
(d) The gas leaving the furnace passes through an electrostatic
precipitator, where particulates from ash and limestone are
removed, and then enters a stack (chimney) for release to the
atmosphere. What is the gas velocity at a point in the stack where
the stack diameter is 25 ft and the temperature is 300°F? Does the
gas discharged from the stack meet the new Environmental Protection
Agency standard that emissions from such power plants contain less
than 75 parts of SO2 per billion?