In order to establish a low NOx fluidized-bed coal combustor, the emission of NO, HON and NH3 formed in gasification reaction of coal with O
2 and H
2O is desired. Here, the catalysis of coal ash for reduction of NO with CO or H
2, hydro-lysis of HCN and decomposition of NH3 in the presence of CO, H
2, H
2O and H
2S were investigated. Ashes employed were those from Taiheiyo coal (JAPAN) and Datung coal (P. R. China). Also, SiO
2, Al2O3, CaO and Fe
2O
3, which are main components in coal ash, were prepared by precipitation or decomposition of each raw salt, and em-ployed. The experiments were carried out using a flow type packed bed reactor under atmospheric pressure at 700-950°C . The inlet gases were mixtures of various compo-sitions of NO (0, 500ppm), HCN (0, 500ppm), NH3 (0, 500ppm), H
2S (0, 500ppm), H
2 (0, 2. 5%), CO (0, 10%), H
2O (0-10%) and N
2 balanced, and the total flow rate was 1000Ncm3/min for 1. 0m, e of ash or metal oxide with average diameter of 1.0mm.
The main results obtained were as follows:
1) The reduction of NO to NH3 with H
2 or CO-H
2O and the hydrolysis reaction of HCN to NH3 were catalyzed by each ash, but the decomposition of NH3 was only catalyzed by Datung coal ash.
2) CaO and Fe
2O
3 gave high catalytic activity for the reactions of N-compounds; CaO promoted the reduction of NO to NH3 with H
2 or CO-H
2O, and the hydrolysis of HCN to NH3. Fe
2O
3 promoted the reduction of NO to NH3, and the hydrolysis of HCN to NH3 below 900°. Above 900°, Fe
2O
3 promoted the denitrification of NO, HCN and NH3 to N
2.
The denitrification rate over Fe
2O
3 was accelerated with the presence of H
2S. SiO
2 and Al2O3 gave no catalysis.
3) In the atmospheres of the first-step combustion under the air ratio less than 1, two kinds of coal ash employed gave a good catalytic activity for the conversion of NO and HCN to NH3, but it was induced that the sufficient coversion of NO, HCN and NH3 to N
2 was very difficult except the coal ash containing a large quantity of Fe
2O
3.
4) For a very low NOx combustion of coal, it was concluded that it was sufficiently effective to convert NH3 formed at the first-step combustion under a low air ratio to N
2, using artificial or natural iron oxide as a catalyst, before the perfect combustion of the second-step.
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