Studies of organic material present in the exhaust stream of an experimental fluidized bed coal combustor

Abstract

Organic components of effluents from a fluidized bed coal combustor were sampled by collecting vapor phase compounds on a Tenax polymer adsorbent trap and particulate samples with a concentric electrostatic precipitator (CESP). Samples of ash collected by the effluent cleanup devices were also analyzed. Samples were extracted to isolate the organic components. Extracts were characterized by gas chromatography to quantitate extractable hydrocarbons and by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry to obtain molecular weights and tentative identification of components. The effluent contained higher concentrations of extractable hydrocarbons in the vapor phase than associated with particles.