Results of Electrocore Pilot Testing at E.c. Gaston Steam Plant

The ElectroCore is a new particulate control technology which is intended to augment the performance of aging or underperforming ESPs. Unlike conventional electrostatic precipitators which collect particles on their surfaces, the ElectroCore acts as a separator thereby allowing it to overcome many of the common reentrainment problems. A pilot-scale Advanced ElectroCore Field Prototype was installed at Alabama Power Company’s E.C. Gaston Unit #4 to evaluate its performance when located downstream of a utility ESP. The unit was designed to process a slipstream with a nominal flow rate of 6,000 acfm and a specific separating area (SSA) of about 100 ft per thousand acfm. The unit was built under a contract from DOE (DE-FC26-00NT40757) and received additional testing support under EPRI contract (EP-P4245/C2075). The U.S. EPA also provided testing support in conjunction with mercury removal performance. In addition, Southern Company Services, Inc. along with its affiliate, Alabama Power Company provided a host site and technical services to support this test effort. The Advanced ElectroCore Field Prototype was tested for particulate and mercury removal performance from November 2001 through February 2002. This paper discusses the performance of the ElectroCore and its ability to control PM and mercury.