DEVELOPMENT OF A MULTI-GAS PROCESS FOR HOT-GAS-STREAM CLEANUP

ADA TECHNOLOGIES, INC. PROPOSED TO DEVELOP A CONTINUOUS INSITU ANALYZER THAT IS CAPABLE OF MONITORING THE CONCENTRATION OF AMMONIA IN A COAL GASIFICATION GAS STREAM TO PROVIDE A PROCESS CONTROLLER FOR HOT GAS CLEANUP SYSTEMS. A PHOTODIODE ARRAY ULTRA VIOLET (UV) ABSORPTION SPECTROMETER WILL BE EVALUATED AT TEMPERATURES AND PRESSURES REPRESENTATIVE OF GASIFIER PROCESSES. THIS TECHNIQUE IS PRACTICAL BECAUSE NH3 HAS VERY DISTINCTIVE ABSORBANCE CHARACTERISTICS IN THE LOWER UV. DURING PHASE I THE ABILITY OF THE INSTRUMENT TO MEASURE NH3 IN THE PRESENCEOF FLUE GAS INTERFERENCES SUCH AS H2S, COS, CO, CO2, AND CH4WILL BE EVALUATED UNDER CONTROLLED CONDITIONS IN THE LABORATORY. ALTHOUGH, THESE INTERFERENCES WOULD CAUSE A PROBLEM WITH A CONVENTIONAL UV SPECTROMETER, THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PDA SPECTROMETER PROVIDE A MECHANISM OF DEALING WITH THE INTERFERENCE OF OTHER GASES. THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE BROADENING ON THE ABSORBANCE CHARACTERISTICS WILL ALSO BE DETERMINED.