The emission characteristics of PAHs during coal and sewage sludge co-combustion in a drop tube furnace

Abstract

The emission characteristics of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their toxic equivalent (TEQ) concentrations during coal/municipal sewage sludge (MSS) co-combustion were investigated in a laboratory-scale drop tube furnace at temperatures in the range of 950-1250°C. The experimental results demonstrated that PAHs and their TEQ concentrations generated from 30/70 (MSS/Coal) co-combustion were lower than their linear calculated values. Meanwhile, the maximum reduction efficiency (46.09%) of the PAHs concentration was achieved at 1150°C. As for the TEQ concentration, the maximum reduction efficiency was as high as 57.77%. It was also observed that the PAHs concentration in flue gas during coal mono-combustion or 30/70 (MSS/Coal) co-combustion first increased and then decreased at 950-1250°C, and the maximum amount of PAHs occurred at about 1150°C. In the case of MSS monocombustion, the maximum PAHs concentration is 2.495 μg/L at 1050°C. © Taiwan Association for Aerosol Research.