Abstract
Activated carbons (AC), particularly those containing sulphur, are effective adsorbents for mercury (Hg) vapour at elevated temperatures. Activated carbon-based technologies are expected to become a major part of the strategy for controlling mercury emission from coal-fired power plants. Understanding the mechanism of mercury adsorption on sulphur impregnated activated carbons (SIAC) is essential to optimizing activated carbons for better mercury removal efficiency and to developing technologies for the handling of the spent AC.
In this work thermal analysis before and after mercury uptake was carried out for the SIAC prepared under various conditions from oil-sand petroleum coke using a simultaneous differential thermal analyzer. Samples were heated at 20°C min−1 under nitrogen in the temperature range from ambient to 1000°C. The DSC curves suggest both endothermic and exothermic changes during heating. The endothermic processes were attributed to evaporation of moisture and other volatile components. The exothermic processes existed in a wide temperature range of 150–850°C likely due to the oxidation reactions between carbon and adsorbed oxygen, oxygen-containing surface groups. The enthalpies of liquid mercury interaction with SIAC at different Hg/AC mass ratio were also measured at 30, 40 and 50°C using a differential scanning calorimeter. The combination of thermal analysis and calorimetry techniques enabled confirmation that the interaction of mercury with SIAC involves both physical and chemical processes.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Y. Matsumura, Atmos. Environ., 8 (1974) 1321.
K. Kadirvelu, M. Kavipriya, C. Karthika, N. Vennilamani and S. Pattabhi, Carbon, 42 (2004) 745.
C. Namasivayam and K. Kadirvelu, Carbon, 37 (1999) 79.
E. Manchon-Vizuete, A. Macias-Garcia, A. Nadal Gisbert, C. Fernandez-Gonzalez and V. Gomez-Serrano, J. Hazard. Mater., 119 (2005) 231.
Yu. V. Pokonova and V. A. Potashov, Chem. Technol. Fuels Oils, 38 (2002) 197.
Yu. V. Pokonova, Chem. Technol. Fuels Oils, 37 (2001) 206.
Yu. V. Pokonova and M. S. Oleinik, Chem. Technol. Fuels Oils, 37 (2001) 44.
A. A. M. Daifullah and B. S. Girgis, Colloids Surf. A: Physicochem. Eng. Aspects, 214 (2003) 181.
V. Gomez-Serrano, A. Macias-Garcia, A. Espinosa-Mansilla and C. Valenzuela-Calahorro, Water Res., 32 (1998) 1.
W. Feng, E. Borguet and R. D. Vidic, Carbon, 44 (2006) 2998.
S. Kwon and R. D. Vidic, Environ. Eng. Sci., 17 (2000) 303.
C. Q. Jia, Production of sulphur and activated carbon. US Patent 6,932,956. August 23, 2005.
B. Chowdhury, J. Therm. Anal. Cal., 78 (2004) 215.
B. Chowdhury and S. C. Mojumdar, J. Therm. Anal. Cal., 81 (2005) 179.
B. Arias, C. Pevida, F. Rubiera and J. J. Pis, J. Therm. Anal. Cal., 90 (2007) 859.
Marta Otero, X. Gómez, A. I. García and A. Morán, J. Therm. Anal. Cal., 93 (2008) 619.
G. Janowska and P. Rybinski, J. Therm. Anal. Cal., 91 (2008) 697.
S. C. Mojumdar, M. Sain, R. Prasad, L. Sun and J. E. S. Venart, J. Therm. Anal. Cal., 90 (2007) 653.
V. P. Nesterenko, J. Therm. Anal. Cal., 80 (2005) 575.
D. G. Archer, J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data, 28 (1999) 1.
Z. H. Zhang, Z. J. Ku, H. R. Li, Y. Liu and S. S. Qu, J. Therm. Anal. Cal., 79 (2005) 169.
V. B. Parker, Thermal Properties of Uni-Univalent Electrolytes, Natl. Stand. Ref. Data Series-Natl. Bur. Stand. (U.S.) 2 (1965) in ‘Handbook of chemistry and physics. David R. Lide Editor-in-Chief, 79th Ed., 1998–1999. pp. 5–103.
M. M. Tang and R. Bacon, Carbon, 2 (1964) 211.
S. Ma, J. O. Hill and S. Heng, J. Therm. Anal. Cal., 35 (1989) 977.
S. Ma, J. O. Hill and S. Heng, J. Therm. Anal. Cal., 37 (1991) 1161.
Y. Tonbul, A. Saydut, K. Yurdakoc and C. Hamamci, J. Therm. Anal. Cal., 95 (2009) 197.
G. Tremblay, F. J. Vastola and P. L. Walker, Carbon, 16 (1978) 35.
Y. H. Li, C. W. Lee and B. K. Gullett, Fuel, 82 (2003) 451.
J. S. Mattson and H. B. Mark, Activated carbon: surface chemistry and adsorption from solution (1971) p. 237.
H. Chen, B. Li and B. Zhang, Fuel, 79 (2000) 1627.
G. Hu, K. Dam-Johansen, S. Wedel and J. P. Hansen, Prog. Energy Combust. Sci., 32 (2006) 295.
W. Feng, S. Kwon, X. Feng, E. Borguet and R. D. Vidic, J. Environ. Eng., March (2006) 292.
S. J. Gregg and K. S. W. Sing, Adsorption, Surface Area and Porosity, Academic Press, (1967) p. 371.
A. L. Myers, F. Siperstein, Colloids Surf. A: Physicochem. Engineering Aspects, 187–188 (2001) 73.
J. Goel, K. Kadirvelu, C. Rajagopal and V. K. Garg, J. Chem. Technol. Biotech., 80 (2005) 469.
M. I. Panayotova, Waste Manage., 21 (2001) 671.
K. K. Anoop and T. S. Anirudhan, J. Hazard. Mater., B92 (2002) 161.
R. Yan, D. T. Liang, L. Tsen, Y. P. Wong and Y. K. Lee, Fuel, 83 (2004) 2401.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bylina, I.V., Tong, S. & Jia, C.Q. Thermal analysis of sulphur impregnated activated carbons with mercury adsorbed from the vapour phase. J Therm Anal Calorim 96, 91–98 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-008-9879-0
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-008-9879-0