Abstract
The Hg-0 removal ability of gamma-Al2O3 impregnated with cerium dioxide (CeO2/gamma-Al2O3) was tested in the experimental flue gas of N-2 + O-2 + NO + SO2 + H2O. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), X-ray diffractogram (XRD), and thermogravimetric (TG) analyses were used to characterize the samples. The effects of CeO2 loading values, reaction temperatures, reaction time, and individual flue gas components, including SO2, NO, O-2, and H2O(g), on the Hg-0 removal efficiency were investigated. The results show that the Hg removal efficiency of gamma-Al2O3 can be greatly improved by CeO2 and, at a test temoperature of 350 degrees C, the best suitable loaded mass percentage of CeO2 is 9%. In the temperature range from 150 to 350 degrees C, the Hg removal efficiency using CeO2/gamma-Al2O3 increases with the increase of the temperature and then decreases above 350 degrees C, except virgin gamma-Al2O3. In addition, the presence of O-2 and NO have positive effects on the Hg removal efficiency, while the presence of SO2 and H2O inhibited it. Furthermore, prolonging the reaction time had a small negative effect on the Hg removal performance, indicating that the catalyst of CeO2/gamma-Al2O3 possesses thermostability.