Emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from coal and sewage sludge co-combustion in a drop tube furnace

Abstract

The emission characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during coal and sewage sludge co-combustion were investigated in a laboratory-scale drop tube furnace. The experimental results demonstrated that coal and sewage sludge co-combustion was beneficial in reducing PAH emissions and PAH toxic equivalent (TEQ) concentrations. Meanwhile, the five-ring PAHs were the main contributor in reducing the concentration of PAHs and TEQ. Moreover, the two- and five-ring PAH concentrations decreased as the mass fraction of sewage sludge in the mixture increased from 0% to 100%. It was also found that PAHs from coal mono-combustion was dominated by the four- and five-ring PAHs. As for the sewage sludge mono-combustion, the three- and four-ring PAHs were the principal components.