Mercury Reduction—The Plant Experience

This paper communicates the design and installation process of a mercury capture system in a cement kiln located in the state of Oregon. This paper will document the timeline and decision points between 2006 and 2012 pertinent to the reduction of mercury, first to meet a state agreement and later to meet new federal government requirements. The use of powder-activated carbon as a collection medium will be discussed, along with various materials tested with less positive results. The optimization of the system to increase performance will be covered, along with methods of mercury measurement and tracking employed for reporting. This paper will show that the subject cement plant overcame a significant challenge to install a system capable of bringing emissions in compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency Portland Cement National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants limit.