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FBC materials consist of unburned coal, ash, and spent bed material used
for sulfur control. The spent bed material (removed as bottom ash) contains
reaction products from the absorption of gaseous sulfur oxides (SO2 and SO3).
Fly ash is the coal ash that exits a combustion chamber in the flue gas and is
captured by air pollution control equipment such as electrostatic precipitators,
baghouses, and wet scrubbers.
Coal Types
Bituminous coal is soft coal that may vary from low to high volatile content,
with calorific values ranging from 10,500 to 14,000 Btu/lb on a moist,
mineral-matter-free basis. Bituminous coal is prevalent in the eastern United
States.
Lignite, or brown coal, is the lowest-rank solid coal. Lignite typically has a
high moisture content and calorific values of less than 8300 Btu/lb on a moist,
mineral-matter-free basis. U.S. lignites are found in North Dakota, Montana,
Texas, and other Gulf Coast states.
Subbituminous coal is a black coal with calorific values ranging from 8300
to 10,500 Btu/lb on a moist, mineral-matter-free basis. Subbituminous coals
are found in the western United States, primarily in Montana, Wyoming, and
Alaska, with significant additional deposits in New Mexico and Colorado.
Coal Combustion
Baghouse is a facility that removes fly ash from the flue gas by the use of
fabric filter bags.
Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) is removal of the sulfur gases from the flue
gases, typically using a high-calcium sorbent such as lime or limestone. The
three primary types of FGD processes commonly used by utilities are wet
scrubbers, dry scrubbers, and sorbent injection.
Slag is the nonmetallic product resulting from the interaction of flux and
impurities in the smelting and refining of metals.