DEMONSTRATION OF SELECTIVE REDUCTION OF SO3 BY METHANOL

WE PROPOSE EXPERIMENTAL DEMONSTRATION OF A NEW HOMOGENEOUS GAS PHASE CHEMICAL REACTION WHOSE EXISTENCE IS PREDICTED BY KINETIC MODELING, A REACTION IN WHICH METHANOL SELECTIVELY REDUCED SO3 TO SO2. IF, AS PREDICTED, THIS REACTION OCCURS UNDER CONDITIONS THAT WOULD MAKE ITS USE PRACTICAL IN BOILERS AND FURNACES, IT COULD BE THE BASIS OF A NEW PROCESSTHAT WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF HEAT RECOVERY IN SUCH EQUIPMENT. IN PRESENT PRACTICE, BOILERS AND FURNACES ARE OPERATED WITH AN INTENTIONAL LOSS OF EFFICIENCY IN ORDER TO AVOID CORROSION PROBLEMS DUE TO SO3. A PROCESS FOR SELECTIVE SO3 REDUCTION WOULD ALSO ELIMINATE THE NH4HSO4 FOULING PROBLEMS WHICH PRESENTLY HAMPER POSTCOMBUSTION NOX REDUCTION WITH AMMONIA. TO DEMONSTRATE THIS NEW CHEMISTRY ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH, AN ORGANIZATION WITH EXTENSIVE RESEARCH EXPERIENCEIN THE AREA OF COMBUSTION GENERATED AIR POLLUTION OFFERS THESERVICES OF DR. RICHARD LYON (THE INVENTOR OF THE THERMAL DENOX PROCESS) AND DR. WILLIAM BARTOK, TWO AWARD WINNING SCIENTISTS INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED FOR THEIR RESEARCH IN THE MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL OF SOX AND NOX. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH IS WELL SUITED TO THE SBRI PROGRAM SINCE DEMONSTRATING THE EXISTENCE OF THE NEW REACTION IS A STRAIGHT-FORWARD LABORATORY TASK, READILY FEASIBLE WITHIN THE BUDGET AND TIME CONSTRAINTS OF PHASE I. EER HAS UNIQUE PILOT SCALE COMBUSTION FACILITIES AND EXTENSIVE CONTACTS WITH COMPANIES THAT OPERATE LARGE COMBUSTION FACILITIES. THUS, DURING PHASE II, EER WILL BE IN AN EXCELLENT POSITION TO PERFORM THE PILOT PLANT DEMONSTRATION OF THE NEW CHEMISTRY.