Alstom Secures Patent for Injection Methodology to Enhance Mercury Removal

Windsor, CT- Alstom, a global leader in power generation technology, today announced it has been awarded a new U.S. Patent, No. 8,069,797, for its Mer-Cure product. This patent relates to the injection of powdered activated carbon (PAC) into a coal-fired power plants flue gas at a high temperature location, such as upstream of the air heater, to reduce mercury emissions. The Mer-Cure product reduces sorbent consumption by up to 50% when paired with several air quality control system (AQCS) technologies. This in turn lowers customers operation and maintenance costs and provides compliance with new emission standards under the Mercury & Air Toxics (MATS) regulation.

Two unique aspects of Alstoms Mer-Cure technology include online processing of the sorbent material, which breaks the bonds that hold separate activated carbon particles together while also reducing their size, and injection of the activated carbon upstream of the air heater.  Since first introduced by Alstom, injection of activated carbon upstream of the air heater has become the power generation industrys preferred injection methodology for lowering mercury emissions.

This new patent demonstrates Alstoms continued effort to improve power generation and emission control technology, said Tim Curran, President of Alstom Power in the U.S. We stand committed to helping customers comply with the latest environmental regulations while preserving reliability and efficiency.

This is the third patent covering Alstoms advanced Mer-Cure technology. The first covers the reduction in particle size distribution of treated activated carbon by de-agglomeration, while the second covers the combination of de-agglomeration and high temperature injection upstream of the air heater.

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About Alstom

Alstom is a global leader in the world of power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructure and sets the benchmark for innovative and environmentally friendly technologies. Alstom builds the fastest train and the highest capacity automated metro in the world, provides turnkey integrated power plant solutions and associated services for a wide variety of energy sources, including hydro, nuclear, gas, coal and wind, and it offers a wide range of solutions for power transmission, with a focus on smart grids. The Group employs 92,000 people in around 100 countries. It had sales of 20 billion and booked close to 22 billion in orders in 2011/12. 

Mer-Cure is a trademark of Alstom.

Press Contacts

Adam Pratt (U.S. Media Relations) adam.r.pratt@power.alstom.com, +1-202-351-9322

Alstom provides leading technology and services to reduce the environmental impacts of power generation.