APPARATUS FOR THE DETECTION AND REMOVAL OF VAPOR-PHASE ALKALI SPECIESFROM COAL-DERIVED GASES AT HIGH-TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE

A high-pressure, high-temperature apparatus has been developed for the analysis of sorbents capable of removing alkali compounds to the conc entration levels required by advanced, coal-fired power generating sys tems. The reactor is capable of operating at temperatures up to 1200 d egrees C and pressures up to 2.0 MPa. A laser-based technique-photofra gment fluorescence-enables in situ analysis of the sodium content in a gas stream before and after a sorbent bed thereby determining the eff iciency of the alkali removal by the various sorbents studied (typical ly alumino-silicate clays). The design and development of both the rea ctor and the laser-based analytical technique is described. (C) 1998 A merican Institute of Physics. [S0034-6748(98)04110-0].